Want Silky BOKEH? Get Closer!

Nikon D750, Micro‑Nikkor Macro 60mm f/2.8 D, ISO 12800, ƒ/5, 1/200

I am shooting wide open with the Micro‑Nikkor Macro 60mm f/2.8 D lens. Now since I am as close as the lens will let me focus, which gives me a 1:1 ratio the ƒ-number gets bigger due to the lens extending and actually getting further from the sensor.

Nikon D750, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 1800, ƒ/1.4, 1/200

This is as close as I can focus the Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art lens [11.81"] of the same Christmas ornament.

Nikon D750, Micro‑Nikkor Macro 60mm f/2.8 D, ISO 7200, ƒ/4.8, 1/200

Here is another Christmas ornament for comparison.

Nikon D750, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 900, ƒ/1.4, 1/200

Notice how much Charlie Brown's sister Sally is out of focus at ƒ/4.8 vs ƒ/1.4 in the two photos. The depth-of-field is even more shallow in the closer photo. This is because how close you are to the subject has as much impact on depth-of-field as your aperture.

Nikon D750, Micro‑Nikkor Macro 60mm f/2.8 D, ISO 12800, ƒ/4.8, 1/200

In this Citadel Christmas ornament you can see how super shallow depth-of-field is at ƒ/4.8 as compared to the photo with the Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 below.

Nikon D750, Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 DG Art, ISO 1250, ƒ/1.4, 1/200

Now just to let you see how your distance impacts the depth-of-field here I just backed up just a hair in the lower photo of the ornament with the Micro‑Nikkor Macro 60mm f/2.8 D.

Nikon D750, Micro‑Nikkor Macro 60mm f/2.8 D, ISO 9000, ƒ/4, 1/200

Since I backed up the aperture opened up a little, so you would think the depth-of-field would shrink but just the opposite happened. Again this is due to the distance to the subject.

You want silky smooth BOKEH? GET CLOSER!!!

Nikon AF 60mm f/2.8 D Micro on Fuji X-E2 and Nikon D750

Nikon AF 60mm f/2.8 D Micro

I have had this Nikon AF 60mm f/2.8 D Micro for a while and use it occasionally. I just got curious today as to what this would do on my Fuji X-E2.

I pretty much knew the results I was getting with my Nikon full framed cameras, but just shot the Nikon D750 to show you the difference in the crop factor more than anything. All the photos where shot as close as the lens would focus.

Fuji X-E2, Nikon AF 60mm f/2.8 D Micro, ISO 200, ƒ–wide open, 1/8

Since the lens is attached to my Fuji X-E2 with the Nikon G AFS lens to Fujifilm Fuji X-Pro1 X-E1 Adapter Aperture Control Ring I wasn't really sure what the exact ƒ-stop was due to the extension tube factor. I probably added a stop.

This was the setup. I shot the photo using the 10 second timer delay.

Fuji X-E2, Nikon AF 60mm f/2.8 D Micro, ISO 200, ƒ–closed down, 8 sec

You can see the photo is better than a one-to-one ratio. I only shot two photos with the lens. One wide open and one closed all the way down.

Now to get a comparison for the crop factor here are the Nikon D750 photos.

Nikon D750, Nikon AF 60mm f/2.8 D Micro, ISO 100, ƒ/5, 1/15

The extension tube put the lens further from the film plane on the Fuji and thus created an even shallower depth-of-field than the Nikon D750. The second factor is the cropped affect.

Nikon D750, Nikon AF 60mm f/2.8 D Micro, ISO 100, ƒ/57, 6 sec

You can also see the exact ƒ-stops and notice that even with the D750 shooting one ISO slower than the Fuji the shutter was open a lot longer due to the extension tube.

I was using a tripod to keep the camera still. With the Nikon D750 I was using the Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control Infrared to trigger the camera. I chose the "Remote mirror-up" setting and this lets you lock the mirror up and then take a photo. You press it once and the mirror locks up and then a second time to take the photo. Here is an earlier post on this technique.

If you have other lenses for a DSLR then get a converter and see what those lenses can do. The cool thing with a mirrorless is you can see what you are getting and also get the lens critically focused since you can see the results before you click the shutter.