If you don’t know what Bokeh is, I suggest reading an article here. Basically, bokeh is the rendering of out-of-focus areas by a camera lens. The tests on this page illustrate how bokeh is rendered by different Nikon lenses.
The following Nikon lenses were used in this test:
- Nikkor 50mm f/1.4
- Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 DX
- Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 DX VR
- Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro
- Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR
Since the focal lengths are different, I cropped images and resized them for your viewing pleasure. It is hard to compare bokeh on these lenses because it is impossible to measure them all with the same focal length. Also, the lenses vary in maximum/minimum aperture and good bokeh can only be achieved when the aperture is set to the maximum (lowest f number), meaning shallow depth of field. Focal length also plays a big role as can be seen with the 105mm VR.
All pictures were taken at ISO 200 (D300 native) with default camera settings without any post-processing, VR was turned off.
Nikkor 50mm f/1.4
Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro
Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR
Conclusion:
- Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 – good to excellent bokeh, depending on aperture. Shows heptagon diaphragm as bokeh, which most people don’t mind and some even like.
- Nikkor 12-24mm f/4 DX – no bokeh on this lens considering max aperture of f/4 and lens being ultra wide. This lens is used primarily for landscape photography where bokeh is not needed.
- Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 DX VR – very bad bokeh at all focal lengths. As focal length increases between 50mm to 100mm bokeh gets slightly better, but that’s about it.
- Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 VR Micro – excellent bokeh with some flare and ghosting. Try to use the lens hood all the time with this one.
- Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR – superb bokeh with some flare and ghosting. Always use this lens with the hood.
About Nasim Mansurov
It would be great if you could include the Nikkor 18-55mm DX lens in this comparison, as it’s the lens that comes with most new Nikons now and would be a good touchstone for those owners to compare with the other lenses you’ve tested here. :)
Luke, if I get a hold of this lens, I will certainly include some bokeh shots from it. Since the Nikon 18-55mm is a slow aperture lens, the results would be very similar to what the Nikon 18-200mm produced in the above example though, if not worse…
agree with luke…
Fahim, do next expect the Nikon 18-55mm to yield beautiful bokeh, it is not a lens for that kind of photography…you need a fast aperture lens or a telephoto lens to produce good bokeh.
Thanks for the reply n suggestion …:-)
Hi Nasim,
I currently have a NIkon D90 with a 18-55mm 3.5-4.5 lens. I would like to shoot indoor sports, low lighting in rooms, I like to play with bokeh. I’ve been thinking of the Nikon 50mm 1.8 D or the new G; or the 70-200mm variable aperture zoom; or the Nikon 85mm 1.8 D. What would you recommend?
Thanks for your great website,
T
Hey Nasim Mansurov,
An amazing post you have here !
I wanted to buy a lens mainly for portraits,weddings and , macro to some extent. (i already own a 18-105mm Nikkor)
I want an amazing bokeh quality for the portraits. Out of the Nikkor 50mm f1.4G and the Nikkor 105mm f2.8 micro, which one do you recommend ?
Your opinion would be greatly helpful.
Regards
–Mayur Srivatsav V S
Hi Nasim,
I have a Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 DX VR using in D80. I know the bokeh is bad and want to buy another zoom lens used in travelling for taking people and landscape . Can you recommend a zoom lens that have the good bokeh ? Is 17-55mm suitable for me ? I know this lens is a DX lens. I may change to a new camera body in the near future. Can this lens also used in a FX camera ?
Many thanks,
Joan
Hi Nasim, Let me start with the equipment I have, Is a Nikon D7000, and I have lenses the 24-70mm f/2.8 and the 70-200mm f/2.8, after using these 2 lenses I have found on the web, that there are some lenses with great bokeh, and the best bokeh, What I like to ask is in your experience, what the Nikon best bokeh lenses, or what is the differences between the following lenses
the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AIS Manual Focus Lens and the 50mm f/1.4 G AF
Also the 85mm f/1.4 D and another one is the 135mm f/2.0 AF DC again I’m looking to buy THE BEST BOKEH NIKON LENS, please if you have time and look on this video, look what this person says on the 3:58 min “This is the King of Bokeh”, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twbQ8k7twX8 Thanks for all the explanation and information you have posted in your website.
Regards.
Gerardo.