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Miljenko Devcic | profile | all galleries >> tech >> Lens reviews and tests >> Controlled, comparative, repetitive & meaningful bokeh tests tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Controlled, comparative, repetitive & meaningful bokeh tests

After hundreds of different bokeh lens tests using shiny objects and sunshine penetrating through trees, finaly I've rediscovered simple but pretty exact method that could hopefully be called CCRM bokeh test. It uses tiny bulbs glowing in the background that provoke bokeh circles that are easy to analise and compare. The distance for the main object was 0.5m for all 50mm lenses, and 1m for 105mm Sigma (with and without TC) and Sigma 50-500. White christmass bulbs were at 3m distance.
Object shot (HO steam model loco) was chosen for huge contrast, tiny details and very shiny parts that provoke easily CA and blooming. That way one can nicely judge other lens qualities besides bokeh.
What to look for?
According to the bokeh theory, single point out-of-focus light source should produce circular light "wheel" with uniform center to the edge brightness. More pleasant soft "light ball" with brighter center and dimmer edge could refer to slightly soft lens with unsufficient or unsimmetrical (front to back) sferical aberation correction. Brighter edge bokeh circles appear mostly with over-corrected (for scerical aberation) lenses. Additional tiny light circles inside bokeh circle are probably caused by spurious light reflections within the lens and contribute to unpleasant bokeh. Little less disturbing (at least for me) is poligonal bokeh shape due to partially closed iris.
These tests are just an introduction to REALLY controlled, comparative, repetitive and meaningful bokeh tests I plan to establish. Bulb crowded curtains will be used both in the back and in front of the object in order to check for both front and back bokeh, which are not neccesarily equally good or bad.
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Sigma 18-50 mm f 2.8 DC @ 50mm
Sigma 18-50 mm f 2.8 DC @ 50mm
Nikkor 18-70 mm f 3.5-4.5 DX @ 50mm
Nikkor 18-70 mm f 3.5-4.5 DX @ 50mm
Nikkor 50 mm f 1.4
Nikkor 50 mm f 1.4
Nikkor 50 mm f 1.8
Nikkor 50 mm f 1.8
Sigma 105mm f 2.8 Macro + Kenko 2x TC
Sigma 105mm f 2.8 Macro + Kenko 2x TC
Sigma 105 f 2.8 Macro
Sigma 105 f 2.8 Macro
Complete test frame
Complete test frame
All lens summary
All lens summary
Nikkor 105 mm f2.5 Ai @ f 2.5
Nikkor 105 mm f2.5 Ai @ f 2.5
Nikkor 55 mm f2.8 AF Micro
Nikkor 55 mm f2.8 AF Micro
Nikkor 85mm f1.8 AF-D
Nikkor 85mm f1.8 AF-D
Sigma 150mm f2.8 Macro
Sigma 150mm f2.8 Macro
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