Patent: CN-E 35-260mm f/2.8 Soft Focus Lens
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danski0224 said:
Have I misunderstood something here. If you set the dial to 2 my understanding from reading about this lens is that you in fact are then not changing the background bokeh compared to just shooting it wide open as the aprature also is 2?
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Setting the DC control to the same number as the aperture is the maximum effect, as I understand it.
Setting the control to 0 results in no change, rather the lens performs as if the DC control was not used.
Lens aperture at 2 and DC control at 5.6 is a minimum effect, for example.
Setting the control to 0 results in no change, rather the lens performs as if the DC control was not used.
Lens aperture at 2 and DC control at 5.6 is a minimum effect, for example.
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danski0224 said:
The DC control as neutral is the minimum effect, larger the number either direction from that the greater the effect is.
Generally the guideline is that if you set the DC to the same as your working aperture the effect will mostly be confined to the out of focus areas of the image making either the front or rear smoother and the opposite harsher. If you choose a setting beyond your working aperture(so for example shooting at F/2 but with DC set to rear F/5.6) then the effect becomes stronger also having a significant impact on the in focus areas of the image more akin to a typical soft focus lens.
This image was shot at F/2 and rear F/5.6 for example...
The other thing to consider as well is that when you mess around with the DC it also alters the focus, both in terms of shifting the focus point and in the cameras own focus reading. The latter is really the main weakness of the feature I would say as if your using AF(even just to confirm manual focus) you need to constantly change your micro focus adjustment. The easiest way to work is to just use a magnified view on the rear screen.
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Maiaibing said:
To explain it a little better using the DC effects focus in two ways, if you focus on a subject then switch the DC setting the focus point will shift so you need to refocused or make sure DC is set first. Also though when you have DC enguaged it effects the cameras ability to AF so you need to change the micro focus adjustment. The amount it effects it by seems to relate to the DC setting relative to the aperture, so for example if your shooting the same DC setting as your aperture(weather that's F/2 for both of F5.6 for both) you'll be ok with the same Microfocus adjustment(I generally find about +5 or -5 in this case), obviously it changes from front to rear as well.
A lot of the reason why people view the DC as making the lens too soft is that they don't take the latter into account so end up with out of focus images. I also find that a lot of the examples people give of DC in use aren't really that helpful as its not so much that it shifts the out of focus areas further out of focus as that it smooths them out more so an already smooth background won't change that much but a busy one say full of tree branches will.
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I have never used a soft-focus lens so I may appear daft here, but the example pictures look like they could be mostly achieved in post.
Also, the Flickr page's images look like some were manipulated by smearing the UV filter. And these are just stills for personal tastes (not seeing too many of these on mainstream media).
Most importantly, I still can't see any real-world, practical applications for this lens in the movie scene. It doesn't make sense for anyone to market a (dare I say it) useless lens to the high-end market.
Also, the Flickr page's images look like some were manipulated by smearing the UV filter. And these are just stills for personal tastes (not seeing too many of these on mainstream media).
Most importantly, I still can't see any real-world, practical applications for this lens in the movie scene. It doesn't make sense for anyone to market a (dare I say it) useless lens to the high-end market.
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