I normally dismiss ultra-fast aperture lenses because they tend to be overly large, overly expensive, and overly excessive. I rarely want to have the shallowest depth of field possible, and an f/1.2 lens is only two-thirds of a stop brighter than a reasonably priced f/1.4 lens. But what if I can have my cake and eat it too?
Leica will sell an extremely limited run of its 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M in a black anodized finish, a new re-release of the lens that first hit the market in 1961.
Romanian visual artist and photographer Vlad Moldovean has created a step-by-step guide for photographers and videographers to recreate the look of anamorphic bokeh using a traditional spherical lens.
Hong Kong-based inventor Chan Yuk Sum has patented a clever dual aperture mechanism that allows photographers to achieve the beautiful bokeh effects of a circular aperture mechanism and the superior Sunstars of a polygonal opening, all in one lens.
Lomography has launched its Kickstarter campaign for the Nour Triplet 64mm f/2 Bokeh Control Art Lens. Available for Canon RF, Nikon Z and Sony E-mount cameras, the unusual lens promises users the ability to capture three distinct image styles in a single lens.
Meyer Optik Görlitz has announced that the Biotar 75mm f/1.5 II is now available. This is a new edition of what the company says was a world-famous lens that delivered one of "the most sought-after bokeh" in the world.
TTArtisan has announced a new 100mm f/2.8 lens for M42 mount that instead of correcting what is normally described as a defect, embraces it: soap bubble bokeh.
If you've watched PetaPixel's YouTube reviews or read our written reviews, you might have heard or seen some strange terms. LoCA? Bokeh? Ghosting? Breathing? Field curvature? What do they mean?
There are some tough photography-related words to pronounce, but which ones trip up the most photographers? SimpleGhar used the online pronunciation resource, Forvo, to find out. Which photo words did Forvo users look up the most?
7artisans has released a 79mm Handheld Split Diopter Filter that it says allows photographers to add a blur or bokeh effect to the edges of a photo to "enhance visual storytelling."
Your iPhone can nicely blur the background to enhance a photograph or video. A similar effect works well with video chat software, eliminating distractions and putting the focus on the subject. Whether you want to blur the background during a FaceTime call, snap a beautiful portrait photograph with your iPhone, or edit the background blur in pictures you've already captured, we'll explain how it works to help you get the blur you want from your iPhone.
Leica is going all in on the revival of classics. In addition to restarting production of its M6 film rangefinder, the company is also bringing back the Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 originally released in 1961.
As photographers, when we hear the word "bokeh", we probably already have a visual in our mind of its meaning. Since bokeh can be somewhat abstract and subjective, describing it can be difficult.
Despite a nearly two-year global supply chain shortage, Nikon has been making good on the company's promise to deliver a plethora of new lenses for the mirrorless Z system. Filling in most of the missing gaps from the F-mount lineup with greatly improved lenses, this time with a unique and affordable "in-between" focal length lens for everyday use, the $297 40mm f/2 Z.
A little over a year ago, Kolari Vision released its lineup of high-end and ultra-rugged drop-in filters for Canon's EF-to-RF mount adapter with a built-in filter slot, making the company the first to come to market for such a product. But does getting to market first make them any better than the competition? Is the price worth it?
Fujifilm has announced the new XF23mm f/1.4 R LM WR lens to its lineup of interchangeable XF lenses designed for the X Series family of mirrorless digital cameras.
Shortly after taking delivery of the new Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S lens, I made a series of photographs to test its diffraction and bokeh characteristics using the 45MP Nikon Z 7II camera in a real-world situation.
Today, Skylum has released the fourth free update to the LuminarAI photo editing software since its initial launch in late 2020. This new update adds a new Portrait BokehAI tool along with several other features.
Kolari Vision has developed a filter that works with Canon's EF to RF adapter with support for drop-in filters that can add a swirly bokeh effect to any EF lens. This would theoretically let those who enjoy the unique bokeh of lenses like the Petzval 80.5mm or 55mm achieve that effect with any EF lens.
The $449 Petzval 55mm f/1.7 Mark II Bokeh Control Art Lens from Lomography is the first Petzval lens designed specifically for full-frame mirrorless camera systems like the Nikon Z, Canon RF, and Sony E. It's also fantastic.
Ukrainian photographer Olexiy Shportun has created an image capture device that combines a digital camera with a system that resembles a large format film camera to produce dreamy, bokeh-rich still-life photos and portraits.
Just over a year ago, Lomography launched the 180th Anniversary Edition of the Petzval 80.5mm f/1.9 MKII Bokeh Control Art Lens which promised a bevy of improvements over its 85mm predecessor. It looked as though it would put a historic lens back in the hands in creatives at an affordable $549 price. So does it?
Filmmaker Zack Snyder reveals that the combination of an old lens mixed with his modern equipment allowed him to create the "dreamlike" and shallow depth of field sequences for his latest film, Army of the Dead.
Venus Optics' Laowa lenses have been growing in both notoriety and popularity over the last few years thanks to their nearly constant stream of new and interesting optics for a wide variety of mounts. The company's latest is backed by the high-quality promise of its new Argus line: the Laowa Argus 33mm f/0.95 CF APO for APS-C systems.
There was a time when I would always shoot wide open, and it hurt my progress. The kit lens that came with my camera had a slow aperture, so getting blurry or creamy background was quite unusual unless the subject was close.
Photographer Markus Hofstätter had been designing parts for his cameras and 3D printing them at home when the idea to try something new struck him: 3D printing photographs. After a lot of trial and error, he successfully found a way to translate wet plate photos into 3D printed pieces.
Bokeh is one of the most subjective aspects of photo or video. As Simon's Utak says in this 20-minute discussion on its history and how it is elevating digital photography into art, we as photographers can't even agree how to properly say the word.
Every Sunday, we bring together a collection of easy reading articles from analytical to how-to to photo-features in no particular order that did not make our regular daily coverage. Enjoy!
Recently, the more I study my photographs, the more I feel that bokeh is cheating me out of a more substantial image. I really like photographs with a lot of visual complexity -- well presented, not chaotic, but a clear arrangement of multiple elements.
In this 11-minute video, portrait photographer Miguel Quiles discusses five lies new portrait photographers believe that could hurt them professionally and curtail their growth as an artist.