What is "Bokeh"

[stewartlittle]

I've read others "Nice Boken".Now thats a serious photographer.

But what is it adzactly,I know something to do with blurring,focusing or something like that.

Thanks,

[Pete W]

Do you mean "BOKEH"

Quote from Wikipedia

Bokeh (from the Japanese boke ぼけ, "blur") is a photographic term referring to the appearance of out-of-focus areas in an image produced by a camera lens.[1] Different lens bokeh produces different aesthetic qualities in out-of-focus backgrounds, which are often used to reduce distractions and emphasize the primary subject.



Wikipedia page = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh

[dandan]

I believe the term is "bokeh". It refers to how the out of focus parts of an image look.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh

that link explains it better then i can.

[dandan]

Do you mean "BOKEH"

Quote from Wikipedia

Bokeh (from the Japanese boke ぼけ, "blur") is a photographic term referring to the appearance of out-of-focus areas in an image produced by a camera lens.[1] Different lens bokeh produces different aesthetic qualities in out-of-focus backgrounds, which are often used to reduce distractions and emphasize the primary subject.



Wikipedia page = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh


Argh, you beat me too it, nasty.

[Airedale1]

That's Bokeh;)

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/Airedale1/pinesiskin2-1.jpg

[shutterfiend]

Broken with a missing "r". j/k

[jaybird]

And here I thought that boken just meant super awesome bokeh. You know, like, "Man, that boken is so smooth and creamy and good. It's like totally boken, man!"

[shutterfiend]

"As a boken of appreciation..."

Edit: Appologies to the OP. Just kidding around, hope you don't mind.

[stewartlittle]

OK-Bokeh,sorry.

Distance and f/stop seem they would play a big roll in it,but would lets say a Canon lens @ f/4.0 and a Sigma lens @ f/4.0 both same distance away have the same bokeh?
Or do they differ with quality of the lens?

[rigshots]

I've read others "Nice Boken".Now thats a serious photographer.


Thanks,

Hey, if it aint Boken then don't fix it.
JJ

[cdifoto]

I've read others "Nice Boken".Now thats a serious photographer.

But what is it adzactly,I know something to do with blurring,focusing or something like that.

Thanks,

I never heard of Boken so I dunno what adzactly it could be.

[Michael]

OK-Bokeh,sorry.

Distance and f/stop seem they would play a big roll in it,but would lets say a Canon lens @ f/4.0 and a Sigma lens @ f/4.0 both same distance away have the same bokeh?
Or do they differ with quality of the lens?
The quality of the bokeh will be different depending on the lens and the aperture blades and if they are rounded or not. Round out of focus highlights always look better IMO.

[Michael]

I never heard of Boken so I dunno what adzactly it could be.
HAHAHA!! I lol'd at that! I wanted to, but just couldn't!

[Woolburr]

OK-Bokeh,sorry.

Distance and f/stop seem they would play a big roll in it,but would lets say a Canon lens @ f/4.0 and a Sigma lens @ f/4.0 both same distance away have the same bokeh?
Or do they differ with quality of the lens?

Different lenses product entirely different bokeh. The physical design and layout of the glass elements, as well as the type of glass and the type, number and size of the aperture blades play a role in defining the bokeh.

[Michael]

Different lenses product entirely different bokeh. The physical design and layout of the glass elements, as well as the type of glass and the type, number and size of the aperture blades play a role in defining the bokeh.
I was going to put that much effort in, but couldn't be bothered :p. Thats what I would have written though...

[Jman13]

Bokeh refers to the QUALITY of the out of focus areas, not the amount that's blurred. The amount of the image that's out of focus is simply the depth of field of the shot, and that is a component of focal length, distance to subject, and aperture.

[Stormin_24]

Great pic Paul... And some SERIOUS bokeh as well...

[lbennett]

Something that has been driving me a little crazy.... is it pronounced bouquet?

[shutterfiend]

I've heard it being pronounced "bo-keh" not "boo-keh". But then again the pronunciation could be very different in Japanese.

[pixelharmony]

That's Bokeh;)

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h33/Airedale1/pinesiskin2-1.jpg

Is that with your 400 f5.6?

[lbennett]

I've heard it being pronounced "bo-keh" not "boo-keh". But then again the pronunciation could be very different in Japanese.


Being from the south, I actually say bouquet closer to bo-keh than boo-keh. I guess you could say I was implying the first pronounciation. Haha! I should probably work on saying real words correctly first, huh?

[Airedale1]

Is that with your 400 f5.6?


Yes, wide open at 5.6

and it's pronounced Bow (like on a present) ka (hard k)

[Woolburr]

Something that has been driving me a little crazy.... is it pronounced bouquet?

No, it isn't. Bow (as in bow-tie) ka (as in huh with a K);)

[disdatmac]

I used to pronounce it as "bo kah"

Then after looking it up on google, I found out it is pronounced as "bo" "kay"

But then after googling it today, funny, there are discussions all over the place saying something different.

I don't know that there is a definitive answer! LOL

[EORI]

It's pronounced just as it's spelled by most: Bo (as in Derek) Keh (without the long "a" in "Kay").

Don't say it out loud in front of a group of Japanese tourists, because they'll think you're making fun of them (it's Japanese slang for someone who is vacuous).

[Glenn NK]

There are two spellings, and the pronunciation isn't as important as knowing what it is and what it isn't.

Since the OP asked what it was, I'll try to stick to the topic (;)) and provide some hopefully useful information.:D

First of all, bokeh is not the same as depth of field - we've had some considerable misunderstanding on this topic lately - so I'll post these references as mandatory reading:;)

http://www.rickdenney.com/bokeh_test.htm

http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/technical/bokeh.html

http://www.vanwalree.com/optics/bokeh.html

Hopefully we'll all read these and come away with a better understanding of bokeh (boke).

[Chandler.]

Bo (as in Derek) .
??? ???


Don't say it out loud in front of a group of Japanese tourists, because they'll think you're making fun of them (it's Japanese slang for someone who is vacuous).

Not sure on Bokeh, but Baka means idiot.

[Glenn NK]

Not sure on Bokeh, but Baka means idiot.


The Bob Atkins article touches on this aspect.

[Chandler.]

The Bob Atkins article touches on this aspect.

Cool. My brother speaks Japanese. That's how I knew that little gem.

[EORI]

Not sure on Bokeh, but Baka means idiot.

I'm a native speaker.

[Airedale1]

I'm a native speaker.

So, Eori what is the correct pronunciation?

[EORI]

So, Eori what is the correct pronunciation?

See my prior post above.