Technical Question
Dec 23, 2019 20:07:19 #
I found myself going to shoot xmas lights with the latest 105mm 2.8 macro nikkor with VR, on my Nikon D850. As I'd last been shooting closeups, the lens showed the lights out of focus in the extreme, and in an interesting way. One of them is at
https://www.flickr.com/photos/samyaffespix/49264383318/in/dateposted/
Someone pointed out that, while the lights in the middle are nearly if not perfectly round, others are more ovoid. My question is why, and what might be done to assure that all the lights appeared (nearly) perfectly round?
(I tried to attach an image, but I guess that's another technique I haven't mastered yet.)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/samyaffespix/49264383318/in/dateposted/
Someone pointed out that, while the lights in the middle are nearly if not perfectly round, others are more ovoid. My question is why, and what might be done to assure that all the lights appeared (nearly) perfectly round?
(I tried to attach an image, but I guess that's another technique I haven't mastered yet.)
Dec 23, 2019 20:11:40 #
I saw the linked image. Looks great, if this is what you were looking to achieve. Looks great even if it was an accident. 
Wouldn't the cause be the angle of the light(s) to the camera lens for the non perfect circles? Can't help otherwise.
Wouldn't the cause be the angle of the light(s) to the camera lens for the non perfect circles? Can't help otherwise.Dec 23, 2019 20:23:43 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
I saw the linked image. Looks great, if this is what you were looking to achieve. Looks great even if it was an accident. Wouldn't the cause be the angle of the light(s) to the camera lens for the non perfect circles? Can't help otherwise.
Wouldn't the cause be the angle of the light(s) to the camera lens for the non perfect circles? Can't help otherwise.That is what I would suspect also.
The relative position of the lights if they are not round (like C9s) are not all the same.
Dec 23, 2019 20:32:51 #
Longshadow wrote:
That is what I would suspect also.
The relative position of the lights if they are not round (like C9s) are not all the same.
The relative position of the lights if they are not round (like C9s) are not all the same.
So you're imagining that the lights look spherical only when viewed head on? Makes a certain amount of sense, but they're hanging in a tree (at Longwood Gardens, east of Philly), so it doesn't seem likely to me that each light would be pointing very nearly directly out from the center of the tree, making the distribution of nearly spherical and increasingly ovoid appearing lights so evenly distributed. Rather, it seems like it's a property of the (poorly focused) lens, or at least that's my thought.
Dec 23, 2019 20:42:24 #
I think you created a wonderful piece of art. Maybe not what you where trying to achieve but nonetheless a piece that should be printed (Pearl type finish if you don't mind the suggestion) and put on the wall.It is a very festive work to me but could be something else for somebody else. Keep experimenting.
Dec 23, 2019 20:43:38 #
cbtsam wrote:
So you're imagining that the lights look spherical... (show quote)
That's the idea. Some are head on and some are angled (not head on). more evident if the lights are torpedo shaped, like C9 bulbs. Head on would definitely look different than sideways or angled.
Any chance you have a crisp shot of the same focal length and field of view alignment?
Don't forget, one's mind auto corrects things that the camera does not, like color temperature, for example.
C9 Christmas lights
Dec 23, 2019 21:07:43 #
If you will notice the ones that are the most distorted from round are the ones on the edges. Since they are not in focus I believe it is demonstrating that the lens is not flat in front. The light that is coming through the crown of the lens is least distorted.
Dec 23, 2019 21:19:05 #
If it's a micro lens I would expect that lights at different depths of field would look different according to their distance from the lens and their position relative to it.
Dec 23, 2019 21:23:56 #
Dec 23, 2019 21:54:33 #
Was the shot hand held or on a tripod?
If on a tripod was the VR off?
If on a tripod was the VR off?
Dec 24, 2019 02:10:39 #
Interesting. I took a similar "bokeh" shot with various shaped lights on the tree, and they were all pretty close to round in the image. Nothing like what I see in your shot.
I notice that in your shot the roundness is good in the middle of the frame, but tends to oblong near the right and left edges of the frame. This would seem to me to be due to the optics of the lens.
I notice that in your shot the roundness is good in the middle of the frame, but tends to oblong near the right and left edges of the frame. This would seem to me to be due to the optics of the lens.
Dec 24, 2019 05:17:17 #
Dec 24, 2019 05:40:26 #
cbtsam wrote:
I found myself going to shoot xmas lights with the... (show quote)
Out of focus highlights are nearly ovals or cats eyes as you get closer to the edge. I know of no lens that readily comes to mind that this does not happen with.
If yours does it not much can be done unless there is some PS trick available.
That is just the way lenses work and not anything you are doing wrong.
Dec 24, 2019 05:41:59 #
Those lights seem to be more truncated towards the center of the image and more of a sphere on the side facing towards the edges. It would be like viewing one of these bulbs at an angle. When viewed directly from the side, one side would be flat but if turned at an angle, that side would be oval in shape.
Dec 24, 2019 05:51:08 #
kpmac wrote:
If it's a micro lens I would expect that lights at different depths of field would look different according to their distance from the lens and their position relative to it.
That would not be specific to Micro lenses. All lenses will show difference with distance.
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