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Fun With Bokeh

by piratemonkey on January 3, 2010

Table of Contents

License: Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike (by-nc-sa) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Intro: Fun With Bokeh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1: Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 2: Aperture Holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 3: Make the Insert Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 4: Create Some Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

step 5: Let the Fun Begin! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

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Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

http://www.instructables.com/id/Fun-With-Bokeh/
License: Attribution Non-commercial Share Alike (by-nc-sa)

Intro: Fun With Bokeh

Bokeh refers to the out-of-focus shapes formed in a photograph by the camera's aperture, particularly those of background features. I had found various instructions on
the web on how to construct your own shaped filters, but none that would allow me to easily change these filters on the go.

After some thought I came up with a useful, reusable method for easily switching out shaped filters. This method is documented here.

You will need:

* A camera. Any DSLR camera should work; point-n-shoots tend to have quite small lenses so may not work so well.
* A lens for which you know the key measurements: focal length, and maximum aperture. I used a 50mm f/1.8 canon lens. Something with a large aperture relative to its
focal length will probably work best.
* Black construction paper
* White glue (Elmer's or similar)
* Scissors & sharp craft knife.
* Pencil, ruler, and (optional) pair of compasses.
* A cheap UV or similar filter to fit your chosen lens (optional) Why? I wanted to be able to permanently stick the filter holder in place without ruining a good lens. I
bought the cheapest UV filter I could, about 99 cents on eBay!

step 1: Calculations
The first step is to determine the maximum size of your bokeh filter design. This size will be determined by the maximum aperture of your lens. Take the focal length of
your lens, and divide it by the maximum aperture size, for example:

50mm / 1.8 =~ 27.7

I went with a 26mm diameter to be safe.

You'll also need to measure the inner diameter of your filter or lens body.

Ok, maths over, on to construction.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Fun-With-Bokeh/
 Image Notes
1. Measure the inner diameter of your filter/ lens body (not the glass)

step 2: Aperture Holder

Cut 5 discs the size of the inner body diameter of your filter. From the centre of three of these discs cut out a circle the diameter of your calculated aperture.

In one of the discs, cut a 1mm wide slot a little longer than this centre diameter - for my measurements I used 1.5mm either side.

Glue the two unslotted discs together.

Image Notes
1. Make one of these
2. Make two of these and glue them together

http://www.instructables.com/id/Fun-With-Bokeh/
step 3: Make the Insert Template
The two remaining discs should now be glued together - do not cut out their centres.

Next, trace the slot and cut-out circle from the previous step onto one side, then mark and cut out the shape shown in diagram 2 below.

The measurements do not need to be exact, but the width of the tab should be less than the width of the slot, and greater than the diameter of the inner circle. If you
happen to make the width too narrow, you can reinforce the template with another layer or two of construction paper.

Glue the slotted disc on top of the (glued) discs with centre holes, being careful only to glue around the edge (see diagram 4).

Image Notes
1. Glue these discs together (you can ignore the markings in my diagram :) ) -
don't worry about any rough edges, they'll be removed later.

Image Notes
1. Thick line is traced from the slot cut in the other disc.
2. Slightly wider than the centre hole, and slightly narrower than the slot.
3. Mark & cut tab just past the centre hole.
4. Hatching indicates areas to be removed.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. The finished template 1. Glue only around the edge

http://www.instructables.com/id/Fun-With-Bokeh/
step 4: Create Some Inserts
Trace out the template onto more construction paper, and cut it out. You can then make and cut your own designs into the scribed circle.

Here are some samples - feel free to use them, or design your own.

step 5: Let the Fun Begin!

To use, insert one tabbed insert into the holder, and put the holder in place in the front of your lens/ filter. You'll probably need to slightly overexpose any shots by a half-
stop or two due to the darkening effect of the bokeh filter.

At this point you can glue the filter holder in place if desired, but it's probably better to make a few test shots and adjust everything as needed before committing. Anyway,
add any interesting shots you make using this technique to the comments, and happy shooting!

Image Notes Image Notes

1. Empty holder in place 1. Candle filter in position

http://www.instructables.com/id/Fun-With-Bokeh/
 Image Notes
1. Not taken with the candle filter :)

Related Instructables

Use Your Simple Variable Photography for

Camera To Neutral Density Dummies! by
Easy Capture "3D" Filter by Zephyris ledzeppie Learn Photography
Bokeh Highlight Anaglyphs by
Shapes by aneel ProfHankD Photography by Tips and
Weissensteinburg Techniques by
Brandon555

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Comments
22 comments Add Comment

Lftndbt says: Jan 7, 2010. 7:52 PM REPLY

Ok, i'm totally missing something here. If you stick a cut out like that in front of your lens, does it not just allow the light to pass through your shape giving you
a sillouette which you can see through?

I don't understand, how you get the multiple lil' tree effect.

I would love to try this on my DLSR, but I am missing something.

I just made a rudementary version, before I posted and all I get is a normally square framed picture, now framed by the cut-out shape. Not even close to the
picture you provided. Could you go into a lil more detail on the actually use of the device. Are you taking multiple exposures? I'm lost.

piratemonkey says: Jan 7, 2010. 9:22 PM REPLY

It's a single exposure. The key to getting the cut-out to appear is using a shallow depth of field, which you can do either by setting a wide aperture (I use
f/1.8, but use the largest you have), or by ensuring the background is much farther away from the camera than the subject - the narrower the aperture,
the greater the distance must be.

You might have better luck using either the Av or M setting on your camera, and setting as wide an aperture as your lens allows, and with as great a
distance between foreground and background as you can get.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Fun-With-Bokeh/
 Lftndbt says: Jan 7, 2010. 9:51 PM REPLY
I'm using f/2.8 so ap is wide.
I shoot, I get a one silouette of the slide not a mirade of the shape speckled all over the object being shot.

....

ok I get it now, really only works in dark environments where there are illuminations. For every light on the tree, it is changing the incoming glob
illumination in the slide shape.

Good for christmas trees an such, but what else could you use it for?

rhino says: Aug 27, 2010. 12:34 AM REPLY

Make outdoor areas with patches of light at night turn into fanciful flying saucer movies. Just manually rack the lens out of focus and shoot away.
With a UFO filter shape on of course.

piratemonkey says: Jan 8, 2010. 7:17 AM REPLY

Yeah, it does help if the out-of-focus objects are somewhat brighter than their surroundings. As to uses, just off the top of my head how about

- light reflecting off water

- sunlight through trees
- distant city lights

lotusduck says: Feb 27, 2010. 6:49 AM REPLY

-When using flash on falling snowflakes

hairyneil says: Mar 9, 2010. 12:43 PM REPLY

Ooh, good plan

trifle says: Mar 22, 2010. 2:03 PM REPLY

lovely, i hope it works with my cam

tobster9103 says: Mar 4, 2010. 8:50 PM REPLY

I just got into photography and I love this! I made my slide holder removable by cutting it to fit tight and not gluing the holder to the lens filter and putting a
piece of tape to pull it off.

hairyneil says: Mar 4, 2010. 12:28 AM REPLY

This is awesome!

I got my gf (she's much better with a scalpol) to cut out a goatskull ( \m/ hehe )
Taken with a Nikon D200 and 50mm 1.4
<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4355332633_a76bfa9046.jpg">

I've also tried this with a 18-70mm 3.5-4.5 but either the 3.5 isn't wide open enough or the 18 is too wide an angle. Would further away lights/smaller cut out
help do you think?

MistressX956 says: Feb 25, 2010. 1:00 AM REPLY

Awesome, been wondering how it was done! Thanks!

Weissensteinburg says: Jan 5, 2010. 4:32 PM REPLY

Cool! They make glasses that do the same thing...any word on how they work?

piratemonkey says: Jan 6, 2010. 4:50 PM REPLY

Well, the camera/ lens follows the same principles as the eye, so I would imagine the glasses are constructed along the same lines as used in this
instructable - a shaped aperture that causes in-focus objects to appear correct, if slightly dark, while blurring out-of-focus objects in to the desired shape.

Rimwulf says: Feb 23, 2010. 9:14 AM REPLY

actually they use micro printing 100s of the same picture printed the lens on the classes. though all the eye only needs one printed picture in the way
to work it has 100s when you move your eye to look in a different direction; although the principles same it my no means uses focus or lack of to
accomplish this feat, but instead it relies purely on distortion. the same is applied to laser light filters. dozens of micro prints but only one picture
comes out.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Fun-With-Bokeh/
 Nano_Burger says: Feb 22, 2010. 7:01 AM REPLY
I've seen decorative paper punches that I guess are designed for scrap booking. Hearts, paw prints, aircraft, stars etc. They could be used for the aperture
of your "bokah generator." Save a little time and folks who are not good with an exacto knife.

Rimwulf says: Feb 23, 2010. 9:01 AM REPLY

if you have a camera phone you may (or not, haven't tried it) use a laser light filter (the ones that change the look of the laser) over the lens on the
phone.

WhyIsThisOpen says: Jan 6, 2010. 4:11 PM REPLY

Very cool. I will have to try this.

jessyratfink says: Jan 6, 2010. 10:10 AM REPLY

How pretty! I especially love the hearts, that's adorable. :)

mrmath says: Jan 5, 2010. 12:04 PM REPLY

I'm guessing you can't do this with a standard point and click type digital camera, right?

Jayefuu says: Jan 5, 2010. 12:09 PM REPLY

" * A camera. Any DSLR camera should work; point-n-shoots tend to have quite small lenses so may not work so well."

scoochmaroo says: Jan 5, 2010. 11:53 AM REPLY

Very clever!

Cartermarquis says: Jan 5, 2010. 11:41 AM REPLY

I really like this. I've played around with Bokeh filters a little, and came up with a similar system of interchangeable filters, but not as simple/easy to use as
yours. Heres my most recent one. I didnt make the star quite small enough.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Fun-With-Bokeh/