At 02:41 PM 8/24/1999 -0700, you wrote:
>I am sure I will expose my inexperience with this question, but what is
>"bokeh" ?
>
>Regards,
>catmaster
Japanese word meaning "blur." Some fast lenses are valued for the
characteristics of the portions of the photographs made with them which are
out of focus. In the attempt to understand causes of "good bokeh" the
number of aperture blades is sometimes reckoned to be significant. I used
to think bokeh attribution was an indirect way of saying your lens was
really sharp, but apparently some of the Leica lenses from several decades
ago which were particularly valued for bokeh by the Japanese were not
necessarily all that sharp.
It may be like the emperor's new clothes. Or it may be a way of saying
simply "I really like this lens." If it is not something entirely
subjective, it is surely a very subtle and refined quality.
Here's an example of how weird it can get. I think that I discern bokeh
better in B&W photos than in color ones. Does anyone else have this
experience?
Maybe we should dedicate an "A Day in the Life" to bokeh. I'd love to see a
bokeh-fest.
Joel Wilcox
Iowa City, Iowa USA
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