DIY Bokeh?
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**wrxfactor** · 06-16-2008 11:09 PM

Hey guys, looking at doing this to my 50mm f/1.7 for my trip overseas. Problem is that I don't have the lens

Anyways, I was wondering if you guys could make a comment on the thickness of the black "paperboard" that is required to make this. I'm not sure if construction paper would do or if I'd need a thin cardboard type.

Here's the link I found it at, but I swear I saw it somewhere else first, just can't remember where.

http://www.diyphotography.net/diy_create_your_own_bokeh

**jjswee** · 06-16-2008 11:23 PM

Thats awesome.

**jblaze5779** · 06-16-2008 11:38 PM

I think construction paper ought to do the job. Maybe cardstock if you don't feel so confident.

**wrxfactor** · 06-17-2008 06:58 AM

Yeah I don't know what cardstock is.

**winkie** · 06-21-2008 03:44 PM

TeH boKeH FTW!

**thechickencow** · 06-21-2008 04:07 PM

Ok, so that heart is the gayest thing I've seen, but I can definitely see it being a HUGE hit.

I think that'd be a wedding photog's dream for occasional use if it was easy to swap on/off.

cardstock is thick paper, like what a card is made of.

**SlvrScoobie** · 06-22-2008 01:29 AM

ive been playing with the idea, but the shots where that would work... yea, those are pretty much few and far between..
but ill keep it in my "rainy day project" list

**unamused** · 11-12-2009 04:24 PM

old thread bump..

anyway, i may try this out... i think im going to use masking tape on a uv filter to try out different shapes... we'll see how it goes.

**Warus** · 11-12-2009 05:06 PM

I have 4 of these sent to me for a competition category for Bokeh. I haven't tried them yet. They are all star shaped in several different sized cut outs. All light weight black cardboard that you attach with a rubber band.

**subimatt** · 11-12-2009 05:09 PM

how did I miss this, im going to make little Ls!!!

**Warus** · 11-12-2009 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by subimatt

how did I miss this, im going to make little Ls!!!

Make sure you cover it in Red cellophane.

**unamused** · 11-12-2009 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by subimatt

how did I miss this, im going to make little Ls!!!

Originally Posted by Warus

Make sure you cover it in Red cellophane.

**N.Lindstrom** · 11-12-2009 09:21 PM

Did this on a failed 365 on day 50

**jacobsen1** · 11-12-2009 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by unamused

i think im going to use masking tape on a uv filter

damn, that's brilliant. I need to try this as well.

**unamused** · 11-13-2009 06:29 AM

okay, made 2, one for my 30 1.4 and one for my 100 2.8 macro.

The problem with attaching them to filters is with cheap filters, like what i have, you get some glare.

anyway, these are just bokeh tests...

**thechickencow** · 11-13-2009 07:00 AM

pics of the filter?

**Alchemy-Z** · 11-13-2009 08:19 AM

LMAO...I remember when I was still shooting film one of the guys in my class bought a thing of filters just like this..had hearts/keyhole/stars etc.. all on screw on filters

might be fun to play with since christmas is comming and I will have lights to play with

**unamused** · 11-13-2009 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by thechickencow

pics of the filter?

they look SUPER ghetto... it was a lot of cutting out shapes, taking pictures of them and resizing etc... the end product on the heart one is ridiculous... haha the tree looks okay... ill get some pix up asap.

**unamused** · 11-13-2009 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by Alchemy-Z

LMAO...I remember when I was still shooting film one of the guys in my class bought a thing of filters just like this..had hearts/keyhole/stars etc.. all on screw on filters

might be fun to play with since christmas is comming and I will have lights to play with

haha yeah... i cant wait for christmas lights to go up... i would never pay for these but for something you can make out of scrap paper or tape, its pretty fun to mess around with.

**Kilonad** · 11-13-2009 03:10 PM

I wonder if the little discs from a cookie press would fit in front of a 50mm f/1.8...

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000VMEYY"]Amazon.com: Wilton Cookie Master Plus Cookie Press: Kitchen & Dining[/ame]

Imagine shooting snow and having the out of focus snowflakes look like... ginormous snowflakes.

edit: it looks like the disks are probably in the 54mm diameter range. I think my 50mm f/1.8 has a 52mm thread, so it looks like this might actually work. If you've ever used a cookie press before, you'll know that those things aren't very good at making cookies.

**Kilonad** · 11-13-2009 03:15 PM

by the way, if you don't want the shapes getting cut off as much towards the edges, make the shape smaller.

**unamused** · 11-13-2009 04:15 PM

^^... thanks for the tip!

**unamused** · 11-13-2009 04:25 PM

the problem when i get the shape too small for my 30mm is i get a harsh vignette

**unamused** · 11-14-2009 06:23 PM

excuse the ghettoness... these are all made for my 100mm macro. The heart one was my first one hence the extremely sloppy work but it came out decent when i took pictures with it. the other two can be swapped into the filter.

and some hasty samples:

**Kilonad** · 11-14-2009 11:56 PM

really liking the flower one

**Wyn** · 11-15-2009 12:03 AM

Originally Posted by unamused

excuse the ghettoness... these are all made for my 100mm macro. The heart one was my first one hence the extremely sloppy work but it came out decent when i took pictures with it. the other two can be swapped into the filter.

and some hasty samples:

That's phenomenal! Now I have something to do tomorrow with my new Exacto knife!

**Kilonad** · 11-15-2009 01:43 AM

Hmmm.... this is giving me a really crazy idea. If only inkjet transparencies weren't so damned expensive!

**unamused** · 11-15-2009 04:00 AM

Originally Posted by Kilonad

Hmmm.... this is giving me a really crazy idea. If only inkjet transparencies weren't so damned expensive!

ooo.... that would make things so much easier!

**CaityB** · 11-15-2009 10:33 AM

oooo. I wanna try...

**Drew84** · 11-16-2009 03:20 PM

Hmm, thats a good indoor project for winter.

**SlvrScoobie** · 11-16-2009 06:40 PM

Dont forget all, if you do this, and your mask is orientation sensitive, you need to install it upside down / backwards to make it look right in pictures...
ask me why i know this lol
and OMG the Xmas tree and leaf are fantastic!

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