Bokeh characteristics of popular portrait lenses: 85mm-200mm

[studio460]

<p>Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 Ais</p>

<p>Playing with the Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 Ais a bit more--wide-open, it's certainly not going to win any prizes for sharpness, but of course, its bokeh is pretty sweet, and is the principle reason why I had originally chosen this lens for filmmaking purposes:</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/studio460/50t-open.jpg" alt="" /><br /> Nikon D800E + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 Ais @ f/1.2</p>

<p>But, at f/5.6, this lens really tightens up . . .</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/studio460/50t-700.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /><br /> Nikon D800E + Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 Ais @ f/5.6</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/studio460/50t-100.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="464" /><br /> [100% crop]</p>

<p>I believe this is the only Nikon Ais lens I own which I bought brand new from B+H a few years ago, so it's fairly recent new-stock. All of my other Ais lenses were bought used from Ebay.</p>

[Uhooru]

<p>Here's the 70-200 Version I but I don't think it was wide open. On a D200. I think the blur part is good but you gan see a little sparkle on the lower left.<img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3303/3243176497_bf920c7bb4_o.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[Uhooru]

<p>And here taken at the same time wide open, but not a lot of background to see. But I think this is wide open. <img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3118/3244025464_3fb518d313_o.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[Uhooru]

<p>and then last for a fun comparison, here is the D200 again with a very old 80-200 4.5 with the "slide zoom". This is wide open with a very busy background. <img src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/70/221837270_446f9fa7a3_o.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[michael sulka]

<p>D700+Nikkor 80-200 f2.8D ED N<br /> <img src="http://imageshack.us/a/img836/5613/olaewajes.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[studio460]

<p>Thanks for your contributions, Barry, Michael! Yes, would be interested to compare the bokeh of my modern AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G VR to an old push-pull, AF Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D ED I have as well.</p>

[studio460]

<p>Nikon D800E + AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G VR I @ f/2.8:</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/studio460/70-200blur3.jpg" alt="" /><br>

[full-frame]</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/studio460/70-200blur2.jpg" alt="" /><br>

[100% crop]</p>

[studio460]

<p>I also tried my AF Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D ED, but the shots were consistently out-of-focus, so I didn't present them here. The 70-200mm VR performed admirably; however, at f/2.8 my depth-of-field is less than a fraction of an inch. While focusing on the right eye, the left eye fell before my plane of focus and was unsharp. Working distance at 200mm is "okay."</p>

<p>While the 70-200mm VR is an excellent-performing portrait lens, handling such a long lens handheld remains a challenge. [Note that there's a shutter-curtain shadow at the bottom of the frame because I had increase my shutter speed to somehow slow down my 400 Watt-second strobe. Even at 1/16th power, through two diffusers in a softbox, it was too much light.]</p>

[Uhooru]

<p>The 1st version 70-200 has been very pleasing for me, and i think, though a heavy sucker, is a really good portrait lens. But amazingly, the old slide style lens is pretty good still. I read somewhere that that was the lens that convinced professionals that there was a place for the zoom lens in professional photography and the newer f4 version of it was even a touch better. I also wouldn't mind having the 85 either 1.4 or 1.8, and I think it was maybe Shun that did some nice comparisons with those two versions not too long ago it seems and it looked to me then that either one was great with the 1,8 version costing quite a bit less. </p>

[studio460]

<p>Nikkor 50mm Ais f/1.2 @ f/2.0:</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/studio460/50ais-s-1.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/studio460/50ais-s2.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[studio460]

<p>I didn't quite get the extreme out-of-focus effect in the background I was looking for in the 50mm Ais shots above (I needed to decrease my focus distance for a more exaggerated effect). I also included the sun in the frame to try and coax any other interesting optical "flaws" which the 50mm Ais may have to offer.</p>

[studio460]

<p>I said:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I didn't quite get the extreme out-of-focus effect in the background I was looking for in the 50mm Ais shots above (I needed to decrease my focus distance for a more exaggerated effect)</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I'll try similar shots with my AF-S 50mm f/1.4G, but with closer-focus to blur the background even more. Hopefully, the blur characteristics will be similar to the Ais version. While the 50mm focal length on FX is admittedly a bit short for portraits, its huge available apertures may make for some interesting effects.</p>

[studio460]

<p>Nikon D800E + AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G @ f/1.4:</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/studio460/5014-2.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[studio460]

<p>Nikon D3s + AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G @ f/1.4:</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/studio460/8514-2.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[studio460]

<p>Other than the more pronounced foreshortening in the shorter lens [i changed bodies for the 85mm f/1.4 shot just for the sake of convenience], all else being equal, the amount of bokeh seems to be about the same. Under close observation, as far as sharpness goes, the AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G performs nicely at f/1.4, clearly out-performing the so-so AF-S 50mm f/1.4G at f/1.4.</p>

<p>Looking at this 85mm shot, I'm finding it just as pleasing as the 200mm shot. Perhaps, the 85mm on FX <em>is</em> enough compression for most subjects. It's certainly an easier lens to handhold than the 70-200mm. In fact, now that I'm comparing the two more closely, the 200mm shot has perhaps too much compression, while the 85mm seems to have just about the right amount of foreshortening to make the photograph still look "real."</p>

[studio460]

<p>I said:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>So, my final Nikon 800E "portfolio-quality" lens arsenal will include:<br /> <br />14mm f/2.8<br /> 
24mm f/1.4<br /> 
35mm f/1.4<br /> 
85mm f/1.4<br /> 
70-200mm f/2.8 [using it primarily at 200mm].</p>

<p>Thankfully, each of these are now supported by a lens-specific DxO profile for use with DxO Optics Pro 8 for OS X, my current RAW developer of choice.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I've realized that my AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G VR just isn't worth the weight and bulk for handheld portrait work. The AF-S 85mm f/1.4G appears to have enough compression for head-and-shoulder portraits for my tastes, and, in my view, retains excellent bokeh characteristics throughout its aperture and focus range. However, for extreme facial close-ups (make-up studies, etc.), I still may have to consider the 105mm Micro-Nikkor or similar. Now, my primary "portfolio-ready" lens array should consist of:</p>

<p>14mm f/2.8 [Nikkor]<br />24mm f/1.4 [Nikkor]<br /> 
35mm f/1.4 [sigma or Nikkor]<br /> 
85mm f/1.4 [Nikkor]<br />105mm-180mm f/2.8 macro [Micro-Nikkor VR or similar]</p>

<p>With my decision still yet unmade on the 35mm f/1.4 (Sigma or Nikkor, or even the AF-S Nikkor 28mm f/1.8G instead), I'll have some more thinking to do (the $200 Nikon instant rebate on the AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.4G ends 28 February 2013, so I better think fast). Also, while the Sigma's low price, and heralded performance is attractive, the Sigma Art lens isn't in the current DxO database of supported lenses (though, I expect it will be at some point), and is currently out-of-stock at most e-tailers.</p>

[studio460]

<p>So, now I'm right back where I started . . . I need a medium-telephoto macro lens with a maximum aperture of at least f/2.8, plus image-stabilization. The only lenses I'm aware of which meet these criteria are:</p>

<p>AF-S 105mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor VR II<br>

Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro OS [no longer in consideration due to its weird bokeh]<br>

Sigma 180mm f/2.8 macro OS [$$$$]</p>

<p>Based on the above, it sure looks like the Micro-Nikkor comes out the winner. Recall the title of this thread--bokeh characteristics are very important for this lens choice, and is the only reason I'm sending the otherwise, very well-reviewed Sigma 150mm macro back to B+H. Ever try looking for images on the internet of <em>non-macro</em> shots photographed with macro lenses? It's near-impossible to find out what these lenses look like shooting normal portraits or full-length shots.</p>

[studio460]

<p>Does anyone have any <em>non-macro</em> images, photographed with an AF-S 105mm Micro-Nikkor, which they care to share, especially ones which show its bokeh characteristics, wide-open?</p>

[studio460]

<p>I finally found one, but am unable to link it. The Nikkor's bokeh also looks a little weird--similar to the Sigma 150mm's, with "cat's eye" shaped blur circles toward the corners of the frame. I need more samples to confirm, but perhaps this is an indication of an unavoidable design limitation of macro lenses at focal lengths greater than 60mm.</p>

[studio460]

<p>Okay, after looking through literally 1,000s of bug and flower photos, here's one (it's still of a bug) shot with the Micro-Nikkor 105mm on a full-frame body, which shows a similar artifact to the Sigma's:</p>

<p>

<p>Unfortunately, the image presented is cropped (missing the right side), but you can clearly see the artifact of the "swirling bokeh" on the left. If this is true of all long macro lenses, including the Nikon 105mm, then I may even decide to keep the Sigma 150 macro.</p>

<p>After looking at several thousands more Flickr photos, I found this shot from the Sigma 150mm (shot on a full-frame body) that looks "okay," but there's no telling how much it's been cropped:</p>

<p>

[studio460]

<p>Seeing that the 105mm Micro-Nikkor apparently exhibits the same bokeh artifacts as the Sigma 150mm macro, I'm thinking to choose the longer focal length lens (all else being equal), the Sigma 150mm. So my portfolio lens array is now:</p>

<p>14mm f/2.8 [Nikkor]<br />24mm f/1.4 [Nikkor]<br />35mm f/1.4 [sigma or Nikkor]<br />85mm f/1.4 [Nikkor]<br />150mm f/2.8 macro OS [sigma]</p>

<p>A good spread of focal lengths, plus all but the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 are supported in DxO's lens database. I should receive the Sigma 150mm macro soon, and of course the first thing I'll test (and, post here) is its maximum-aperture bokeh at normal portrait shooting distances. Note that previously linked Sigma 150mm shots were photographed with the older, pre-OS version--hopefully the new one performs a bit better in that respect.</p>

[studio460]

<p>Just one more AF-S 85mm f/1.4G frame from the same series of tests I shot last night . . .</p>

<p><img src="http://studio460.com/studio460/85b-3.jpg" alt="" /><br /> FX: f/1.4 [full-frame]</p>

[john_narsuitus]

<p><a href="

<div></div>

[studio460]

<p>Interesting! You wouldn't happen to have the same lens tests from a full-frame body would you?</p>

[Stock-Photos]

<p>Although I understand the OP is a Nikon shooter, he did request samples of bokeh from "popular" portrait lenses. So, here is a shot from my Canon 85 1.2 @1.2.</p><div></div>