Re: [Leica] Bokeh

["Dan Post" <dwpost@email.msn.com>]

Darren-
You really ought to read the archives to get the full 'flavour' of the
ongoing discussion of bokeh! It really is enlightening, but, barring that,
the simplest explanation is that bokeh is a word derived from the Japanese
and denotes a quality that is hard to translate into English.
The best description is that it is the pleasing quality of the out-of-focus
portions of photos when rendered by certain lenses. It is pretty subjective,
and is probably why some people prefer Leica glass over other maker's. To me
the bokeh of many Leitz lenses is the softly rendered out of focus areas, a
certain roundness that is not harsh, nor is it 'just out of focus'
It's like trying to describe the silky mouthfeel of a well aged Beaujolais
to someone that has never tasted one!
You know it when it hits you, and then you know why someone would drop $70
for that bottle of wine!
Same with the Leica glass- you compare photos taken with Leica next to brand
'X', and if you can see the difference, and recognize the qulaities, then
you are a true Leicaphile!
Dan
PS- Some people here, not exactly epidemiologists, feel that the ability to
see bokeh comes from the bite of a small innocuous insect, we call it a
Leica bug. The infection is only terminal if your evergrowing pile of
Leicas, carefully packed in a myriad of Lowepro backpacks should ever fall
over on you, and smother you!


- -----Original Message-----
From: Darren <umszpon0@cc.UManitoba.CA>
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: Thursday, June 03, 1999 10:27 AM
Subject: [Leica] Bokeh


>Would anyone explain what the lens performance variable Bokeh is? What
>do I look for in my pictures to evaluate it?
>
>Darren
>