Tomcat5133 Loc: Gladwyne PA

I follow some photo/video online's like Phoblographer.
They have a piece on "Which One is Best? Comparing the Bokeh of 35mm
Full Frame Lenses." this week.
I have a couple of good primes. Sony Zeiss 55mmn 1.8 for my FF a7's.
It is a great prime lens. Len's like Leica 35mm f2 Summicron,Milvus, 1.4 etc etc
I get vintage and creative look of some of these lens. Nikon, Cannon
make great lens. Nikon 35mm fl.8 Z on sale $846. I have Sony gear now
and their high end G lens just priced me out. All good stuff.
But thousands of dollars. I now shoot video (which Covid has halted)
and along comes companies like Rokinon, Samyung made in South Korea.
and Miele etc. with cinelens for under $100 $200 to $450. They work and are pretty good.
Cine lens are huge amounts of money even Canons. What might driving
Our beloved pro, enthusiast, newby gear could be the pricing why the industry is fading.
I really wanted a leica monochrome camera 7K? Have a great Holiday.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I know what you mean. "Best" often equals very expensive. In many cases, though, the difference in quality between "Best" and very good is negligible. I'm sure that prestige figures into the price.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Hi ya, "bokeh", clever term to use like that. Though "bokeh" is pleasant out of focus backgrounds and has little to do with the resolution of lenses. I somehow figured you were shooting Sony (for video). Yes, most new lenses are way too expensive. I buy mainly used cameras and lenses. I used to be able to buy vintage Pentax lenses, say a 50mm f/1.4 for less than $100. Prices have risen for used lenses of all brands since people found they can be used on MILCs. Thus far I pretty much say with OEM brands but I have heard some of the new lens only makers have good ones too. Yes, I am familiar in theory with the couple Leica Monochrome (B&W only) digital cameras out there. Sound intriguing but beyond my budget as a hobbyist. Hopefully another manufacturer will catch on and make an affordable B&W senor camera! I really like still doing B&W conversions of images and often think in B&W like I did for B&W film. Even though I have primarily shot Pentax since 1977, I am not apposed to a digital Canon, Nikon, or Sony FF Infrared and or B&W camera. All digital bodies take excellent images today. Lenses as always are the critical point.

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

I can’t afford a Leica camera. Not even a Leica Camera Keychain. Right now I manage with a Canon on monochrome. I really miss the days of Kodak T400CN film. It was a good black and white film. When C-41 processed, you got these captures with sepia toning. Now I can still pick up one or two expired rolls.

User ID

ROTFLMFAO

There are truly no words to express my attitude towards the overblown concern about bokeh.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

For expensive gear, either you have the money, or, you make enough money at photography and your clients demand nothing but the very best.
When I was a professional wedding photographer, I used Hasselblad for the standard stuff and Nikon for special effects. I changed enough to justify the Hasselblad, flash units, insurance, Nikon's, helpers, tripods, etc. etc. etc.

HStephen

What is funny to me about "bokah" is that all I have to do is take my glasses off and look around.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

tcthome Loc: NJ

Robert1 Loc: Davie, FL

LOL. same here.

Tomcat5133 Loc: Gladwyne PA

Love the commentary on Bokeh. I like it it artistically. But shooting video many running/triathlon events
for the last 5 years I realized that the viewers want to see everything in the frame. The place in the course
the runners behind them etc. Everything possible in view is a valid approach. When I was in advertising
we designed a brochure with a gate fold that opened to 3 large pages. And the photographer did a great
job with models in the various computer setups all over the spread. Their were some places in the background
that were a little soft. Client gave us hell and went with the photo that way. Learned lesson.

rvenneman Loc: Yuma, AZ

Though "bokeh" is pleasant out of focus, brokeh is unpleasantly outta dough.

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

Bokeh /backrounds is the LARGE artistic element of photo-imaging - it is what separates the men from the boys .....

yorkiebyte Loc: Scottsdale, AZ/Bandon by the Sea, OR

There ya go! Family snap images Vs Art style images. I'll do both, but for myself, Artistic is a goal (even in my family snaps, it sneaks in there!). A bokeh'd (just made that up) out scene is part of that adventure. I've always felt what is in the background, for the most part, can make or break an image. I'm not fond of "busy" bokeh and in general, that has to do with the design of a particular lens...e.g ...Minolta 45mm F 2.0 Rokkor: Terrible OOF background. Nikkor 50mm F 1.4 AF: Awesome OOF background.

Just my opinion and style of imaging here, of course!
Sigma 30mm F 1.4, M43 sample here:

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

--Bob