smoother bokeh

I've been thinking a bit, I know it's quite special that I do that but is there a way to make the Bokeh smoother and I think yes there is.

A little introduction before going to my idea, just to see if i've the basics right.

The out of focus blur is literary build up with spots, I believe you can call them "circle of confusion" at least to a point, we will call them blur disk.
The blur disks are defined by the light distribution in them and the shape as has a part in that.
Now to get a very nice blur disk it would be nice that they are round but more importantly the edges need to be "feathered" so that the disk that make out the whole blurred background has a smooth transiztion between them.So the key is to get them like that and you can do that by manipulating the edges of them.

Sony/Minolta has done that with their Smooth Transition Focus (STF).
That lens has an extra set of aperture that influence the edge.
Now you can't build in an extra aperture in your lens but what happens if you make the edge of your optics soft, would that help to soften the blur disks?
You've those shaped bokeh things where you cut a pattern in a paper and hold it before the lens and it makes those shapes that in the highlight of the blur but instead of the shape you make the ideal bokeh. link

Does this make sense?

ps. if so I hereby panted the idea

Stefan,

Unfortunately, by sharing your idea with the world, you will no longer be able to patent it in most countries outside the US!

played with it myself and here's the best way I've found:

inkjet printable overhead transparency sheets.
layout patterns in photoshop (including gradients that are black at the egdes and clear in the center)... make then circular sized in your lens diameter.
cut shapes out of the patterns with an exacto knife like those diy boke things in your link...
pop them into your uv filters and screw then onto the front of your lens.

Aww too bad but Don already had it earlier.

@Don, yeah that sounds good I was thinking of using some vaseline just on the edges of the filter to get a soft effect.
What were your results/findings, did it work?

it was worth the sheet of trancpareny... but really...just a fun learning experience. try it with anything translucent you'll see....

I had more fun using stuff like that with flashes/ringflashes for copyright stamping/making shapes in the catchlights in my subjects eyes though...

Don, you're full with great ideas

But did it make the background smoother or not, do you've a photo maybe?

Don't lensbabies come with a selection of cutout disks to achieve a similar effect already? (admittedly not the smoothing but the idea is along the same lines...)

Why am I now getting a terrible urge to combine the "Batman" logo with an old scruffy UV filter I have here? I could just print it onto some paper, then cut it out and put it in place of the glass...

Bokehman!

cokin had a kit also.

and if I get time to go through my archives, I'll see if I got anything to show...

In addition to my earlier post the lensbabies are actually having the effect at the other end of the lens, as they have a set of aperture disks and you pick the one you require and insert it before mounting.....(the cutout replaces this)
Still would it be possible to make a small shaped/patterned disk and carefully* attach it to the rear of the lens?

* in fact very carefully. can't believe having a diy disk falling into the mirror being a good outcome!

There are a few of the Cokin kits on ebay UK at the moment for around £10 each. You need an A series holder which IIRC limits you to lenses 50mm or longer, and the kit does look a bit limiting in terms of the shapes offered. I'm more inclined to make my own as that way I can do all sorts of nifty ones. Look up "Cokin pre-shaped" if you want to find a set.

I wouldn't have thought of using OHP gels for this, and there's a pack of them hanging around somewhere so I'm sure I can snaffle one to experiment with. Should get a few 49mm and 52mm discs from that!

Oh wait this is going the wrong way.
Those shaped things are fun but not what I mean, all I want to do is get a smoother bokeh/out of focus blur to enhance the photo, not making the blur more distracting be shapes

The idea is the have the highlight that are now shapes but make it into soft dots, creating a smooth and pleasant background.
So making something like this


into this



What makes the first one so distracting is that the blur disks are doughnut shaped and those give those hard lines, if you can make it into soft dots it will be like the last one.

Gaussian blur in photoshop...?

Yes and no, post processing blur is always a bit different then the real thing.