'BOKEH'. What does it mean??

[rayfoxlee]

Good morning, all

This word 'bokeh' is new to me! In nearly 50 years of messing with photography, I have never seen this word before visiting this august website. Please would someone explain it to me and put me out of my confusion!!

Thanks a million 😕

 

[MinorTones]

When someone uses the word bokeh they are describing the out of focus areas in the background of an image.

-Mitch

 

[dcsang]

Bokeh refers to the out of focus regions of a photograph (usually when it's shot at shallow depth of field - say, shooting a summilux wide open at 1.4 for example).

Here's a link to a definition and resource for more links on the terminology.
http://www.nemeng.com/leica/014e.shtml

Cheers,
Dave

 

[schmoozit]

It's a Japanese word that is not only used for photos, but anything that is fuzzy, not clear, out of focus, etc... It is used normally in every day Japanese today, which surprised me. I always had the impression that it was some old, antiquated, no longer used word, until I showed my wife pictures from my Summar. It freaked me out. The pronunciation is just like "bouquet", as in: A bouquet of flowers.

As pertains to how we use it today in English referring to photos, the others have already answered your question.

And, just in case you're ever in Japan and feel the occasion, bokeh can also be used to say that someone is "fuzzy" in the head, or not quite that with it.

 

[dcsang]

<snip>
And, just in case you're ever in Japan and feel the occasion, bokeh can also be used to say that someone is "fuzzy" in the head, or not quite that with it.</snip>

heh.. cool..
so basically I can be just like that 4th generation 35mm Summicron.

"Ya, I went out last night and really tied one on so today I've got this great bokeh happening" 😉

Dave

 

[schmoozit]

"Ya, I went out last night and really tied one on so today I've got this great bokeh happening" 😉

Dave

Works for me 😉

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

BTW, I hear some people pronounce it as "bo-ca". I pronounce it as "bo-queh". They say tomato, I say tomatoe...

 

[Scarpia]

BTW, I hear some people pronounce it as "bo-ca". I pronounce it as "bo-queh". They say tomato, I say tomatoe...

That is exactly how my wife who is Japanese pronounces it. And she seconds Schmoozit's definition as well.
Kurt M.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

That is exactly how my wife who is Japanese pronounces it.

As "bo-ca"?

 

[Alec]

Hi Ray!
I didn't know either, but it does exist.
Perhaps my favourite online resource on the subject (in its photographic sense) is this:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/bokeh.shtml

 

[jan normandale]

I don't know what everyone else has written so here goes. Ninety percent of the time it means a lot of money spent on very expensive HEGG (high end german glass)....... humour

cheers, Jan

 

[Alec]

very expensive HEGG (high end german glass).......

isn't that a tautology? 🙂
I'll re-use that acronym if you permit 😉

but there are also some Japanese lenses designed for bokeh only, eg
http://www.magnuswedberg.com/docs/STF-review/

 

[JohnL]

It's a TLA

 

[aizan]

su boca es muy grande?

 

[Kara]

heh.. cool..
so basically I can be just like that 4th generation 35mm Summicron.

"Ya, I went out last night and really tied one on so today I've got this great bokeh happening" 😉

Dave

😀 Hilarious!

 

[Skinny McGee]

Bokeh

Bokeh

Leica 111a 50 mm prewar uncoated summar TriX@ 400

 

[Meleica]

Bokeh Central

http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/bokeh.htm

 

[Taipei-metro]

Derived from two Chinese words Huan-hu, the Japanese used the Kanji (Chinese characters), Hu, pronounced Bokei. Both in Chinese and Japanese mean, fuzziness, un-awareness of ones surroundings.
In photo terms, means the smoothness of out of focus areas in a pic. Meaning, you don't want those donut shape stuff appear in the OOF areas. Meaning, more blades iris, and big f numbers.
So, if you have those F1.0-2.8, 8-blade lens, you may creat some good fuzziness in your photo.
I have noticed, photographers talking about Bokeh, are those over seventy years of age, and need 2.5 reading glasses to check bokeh...LOL.

 

[Flyfisher Tom]

It is how creamy or smooth the rendition from the object of focus to all remaining areas not in focus.

Shoot a late model summicron 50 (tabbed and non-tabbed) and you will see bokeh ;-)

 

[Scarpia]

As "bo-ca"?

No, bo-keh.
Kurt M.