Don I tried your trick

[sparkie1263]

Don I tried it again but I don't see any difference do you. I tried to bump up the blur to 80 percent and I seen it change but I cannot see the change at 2.5 percent.



Edit: I tried it again and bumped it up to 10 percent and it worked.
Thanks Don

[DonSchap]

Welcome to the world of "pseudo-photography." That is ... you have gotten a relatively decent image to work with. Now, your digital darkroom must get to work ... LOL

[sparkie1263]

Just think of all the cash I can save by not having to buy a good piece of glass. LOL

[DonSchap]

One thing to consider is the real element. As much as we like bokeh ... sensor noise keeps us honest. An f/4 lens is STILL an f/4 lens. You simply cannot get the light that you can from an f/2.8 or better, at lower ISOs ... hence, the noise monster gets you indoors.

As long as you keep shooting outdoors ... then, yeah ... you can probably sneek "enhanced" bokeh (shallow DOF) past them ... if you are good about where the subject is standing and that you take into consideration the focus plane of the subject, if they come in contact with the floor or the wall. Something like: You cannot have a hand in focus and the wall they're touching sudden blurred out. It's unnatural.

Same thing goes for the grass they are standing on ... shoes in focus, blades of surrounding grass not? You have to remember the focal plane and account for it, to maintain the illusion of a better lens.

Remember: there is nothing like critically sharp focus. You can always dumb it down ... but, you cannot improve it. Crappy focus from the get go ... the image is always crappy. So ... shooting f/8 (when you can) is a "forgiving shot", due to the wide depth of field (DOF) ... and then you can bokeh out everything you want out of focus to make it look like an f/2.8 lens. Best part ... more of the original shot is in focus and allows you to be a little "sloppier."

Try some shots at f/8 and do the technique. It really makes you appreciate digital even more.

[sparkie1263]

Nobody but you would even notice.LOL I just went to KEH Site and found a Minotla 100 F2.8 MACRO for 350.00. How is that price?

[DonSchap]

I just went to KEH Site and found a Minotla 100 F2.8 MACRO for 350.00. How is that price?

The original price was $500 ... but, that is really the least of your concerns. Has the lens been dropped? That's the real issue. Price is secondary. You need some assurances, like if when you receive it and you find that it has been damaged or just works poorly (gets stuck or binds during focus) ... it goes back.

[sparkie1263]

I hate buying used things. I will wait and go with one of your suggestions.

[DonSchap]

When, if you know your seller ... that makes a lot of difference. Also, if you get a hellaciously good price, a lot can be forgiven ... and even submitted for repair, as my Minolta AF 50mm f/1.4 was. I got it for a reasonable tag, even with the repair, but at $300 ... it's too close. Like I said, guaranteed return ... like to a camera store ... is the best way to do it. The old "try it/buy it" sale.

[sparkie1263]

Second try. How did I do teach? LOL

[DonSchap]

Second try. How did I do teach? LOL

You have the technique down, but once again ... remember the plane of focus. That one pedal, sticking out, under the buggie's butt ... has to be sharp, too. It cannot be blurred, because it is at the same distance from the lens as the bug itself. So you isolate it - as well as the bug ... BEFORE you do the technique ... to allow it to remain sharp, also.

That's the only part of the flower that needs that kind of attention.