Lens with the most beautiful character/rendering (no sharpness talk here!)

sjones wrote in post #17991687
I can only speak for my own understanding, but character typically refers to a lens’ unique signature (whether good or bad depending on the viewer) based on the sum effect of how it renders a variety of visual elements, including bokeh, contrast, color, distortion, micro-contrast, resolution, flare, and sharpness.

It often refers to a lens that is not clinical and exacting in its image quality, while others might contend that “character” is a pretentious way to glorify a crappy lens. However, the 50 1.2L, for example, is not, from what I know, a crappy lens, and the value of ‘character’ remains subjective.

Two points:
(no sharpness talk here). The list of what constitutes 'character' contains 4 items that refer to and affect the 'sharpness' you don't want to talk about.

Of the items in the highlighted list, only one is NOT adjustable in post.

Conclusion:
bokeh is the only parameter of 'character' that is lens-dependent

Commentary:
I've been buying SLR lenses for just over 40 years. Not once have I shopped lenses based on how they render stuff I'm not focusing on. Seems a bit like buy a car using windshield bug-splatter patterns as your only criterion.

Bassat wrote in post #17991754
Commentary:
I've been buying SLR lenses for just over 40 years. Not once have I shopped lenses based on how they render stuff I'm not focusing on.

That is interesting to me because it is kind of the opposite of my approach.

To me, all lenses that are appropriate for my type of photography pretty much render the in-focus objects the same. It is the out-of-focus areas of the frame that is where the lenses' "character" manifests itself. These out-of-focus areas of the frame are really, really important parts of the visual aesthetic that I am trying to create in my photos. What I mean by this is that the out-of-focus areas of a photo are often the parts of the image where I see the greatest beauty; they are often the things that cause me to stare for long periods of time, drinking in the visual qualities that I find so enchanting. So it is a lens' way of rendering the out-of-focus areas that are of primary importance to me, because the in-focus stuff is pretty much rendered the same, regardless of the lens used.

I have a pretty expensive ($6,000) lens that I am seriously considering selling because of the way it renders the out-of-focus areas of the image. The lens pretty much performs well in all other areas, but the OOF areas are such large parts of the frame - often 75% or more of the total image area - so it is rather important that these areas be rendered in a most pleasing manner. It is, after all, what the eye goes to when the eye is searching for beauty.

I am posting an image that illustrates what I am talking about:

Photo from Tom Reichner's gallery.
Image hosted by forum (784074)

Tom, a very interesting perspective on photography. I think the fact that you evaluate the entire frame must make you a better photographer than I could ever hope to be. I shoot 'stuff', like my grandsons' sports, my cats, vacation photos, and local landscapes. My goal is to record the 'stuff', not the OOF 'other stuff'. When I do shop lenses, I am looking basically for either utility (re: zoom), or a specific focal length (prime). I also have to consider money. I usually buy the best lens I can afford. All of that leaves OOF rendering a distant 3rd, at least, in my lens-purchasing rubric.

I sprung for the 135L because it is beautiful wide open, and it certainly can obliterate backgrounds. That said, I pay no attention to the 'quality' of that OOF area.

In contrast, I bought the Rokinon 12mm f/2.8 FE, for the fact that, if desired, there is no OOF background, it is crazy wide, and has minimal FE distortion.

My Σ70-200 OS was a BG killer @ f/2.8, but it was way too heavy for every day use. I like my f/4L IS much better.

At lastly, I'd love a Σ24mm f/1.4 Art. But I trudge on with my EF 28mm f/1.8. There isn't a boatload of difference between f/1.4 & f/1.8. The lenses perform comparably at f/5.6. I don't care how 'nice' the OOF areas of the Σ are at f/1.4. At f/1.8 the EF lens has NO resolution in the corners. $300 vs $850. That is an easy call for me.

Side-bar:
Your image is in a gallery. I have no way of knowing which gallery, so I can't see it. What do I have to turn on to see these types of references. (I get a lot of: GALLERYIMAGE: source forum filtered or no permission messages on these boards.)

Bassat wrote in post #17991924
Side-bar:
Your image is in a gallery. I have no way of knowing which gallery, so I can't see it. What do I have to turn on to see these types of references. (I get a lot of: GALLERYIMAGE: source forum filtered or no permission messages on these boards.)

Go to https://photography-on-the.net …fyeo.php?show=f​orumfilter and "SHOW" Competitions forum. Then reload this page and you will see the photo.

As you have hidden some forums, you won't be shown anything from those forums, as that is the whole point of hiding. As said in forum filtering page:

IMPORTANT NOTE: YOU WILL MISS A LOT OF GREAT CONTENT IF YOU HIDE TOO MANY FORUMS - What is going on in forums outside your comfort zone (including gallery images from those forums) is often interesting and eye-opening.

In the next version of forums there will be a global on/off switch for forum filtering on every page, for "peeking purposes".

Pekka wrote in post #17991964
Go to https://photography-on-the.net …fyeo.php?show=f​orumfilter and "SHOW" Competitions forum. Then reload this page and you will see the photo.

As you have hidden some forums, you won't be shown anything from those forums, as that is the whole point of hiding. As said in forum filtering page:

IMPORTANT NOTE: YOU WILL MISS A LOT OF GREAT CONTENT IF YOU HIDE TOO MANY FORUMS - What is going on in forums outside your comfort zone (including gallery images from those forums) is often interesting and eye-opening.

In the next version of forums there will be a global on/off switch for forum filtering on every page, for "peeking purposes".

Pekka, thank you very much for identifying the proper forum for that image. I have it up now. Is there any way to know which forum I need to turn on when this ([GALLERYIMAGE]: source forum filtered or no permission) happens? If you hadn't provided direction, isn't my only choice to turn EVERYTHING on? (Sorry, as you know I am not overly tech-savvy.)