Another X1D Bokeh Post

[BradP]

I'm copying a slightly modified response I had to a good issue raised by another poster in the Gallery about X1D bokeh just in case it helps others.  I actually think the X1D offers very important options to bokeh lovers that haven't yet been explained well enough in the manual or actually anywhere that I've found, and to me anyway it's a strenth of the platform IF you know a little about the mechanics and how everything works together.

* * * * *

I try to avoid very high contrast backgrounds, like bright large lights or even bits of the sky shining through holes in trees.  If you have that in the background, the flat blades can create octagonal patterns that can detract the eye.  With lower contrast backgrounds the bokeh renders impressionistic and can actually be more pleasing and distinguish the lens.  Also, if you have specular highlights like the sun, stars, shiny spots or pinpoint bright lights, this lens design gives more pleasing sunstars instead of ugly blobs that other lenses can give.

One of the recent firmware updates gives you an option of selecting a perfectly round iris, but only at the most wide open aperture for each lens.  This gives smoother bokeh like most people are used to seeing with rounded blade lens designs and is probably more pleasing generally with high contrast backgrounds. 

Importantly, the lens always focuses at full round aperture, so you won't see the "true" rendering of the bokeh and the effect of the flat blades unless you press the depth of field button (AKA "stop down button) on the front of the camera.  I've started to just about always do that now when setting up.  I haven't looked into whether that can be programmed with one of the new custom function buttons and I will do that if I can. It's kind of awkward reaching around the front, but it works.

You can set the maximum aperture to round and be on all the time and more easily accessible by going to Camera>configuration>lens>maximum aperture and selecting "full."   That's my default settings now.

This is a pretty unique thing about the X1D.  But if you're aware of it, it actually can give you more and distinguishing bokeh tools than other platforms.  And it works the same across the existing native lens range.  I like it now that I finally understand how it all can work together.  It actually should be written up somewhere in the manual regardless of how all this functionality arrived — it now is a strength of this platform and is a big plus IMHO.

[warnica]

Liked your post very much, and was going to try using the setting that you. suggested. Question, where in the menu setting for camera. Im probably crazy but couldn't find it.

Many thanks

[BradP]

Sure. 

1. From the Main Menu, selec the camera icon at the top right. 
2. Scroll down on the next page and select Configuration on the bottom. 
3. Scroll down on the next page and select Max Aperture under the Lens section, then make sure the pop up menu is set to Full. (Normal would be the straight blade.)

The stop down button is the black button on the front underneath the lens on the left, facing the camera. 

[warnica]

Mine is one update behind, and so does not have that option. Will download it today.
Many thanks.

[tedtrimmer]

Thank you Brad!