That's a nicely neutral background blur. Personally, I don't like attention-getting background blurs, ala swirlies, blobs, strainer aperture shapes..... Occasionally, they can be effective, but mostly, imo, they aren't.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
Nice image Ari.
More of why Tessar lenses have their place in the world of LF image making. This is one of the reasons why the LF lenses are split into large aperture Ektars and smaller aperture APO artars with the taking aperture split about f16. Taking aperture of f4.5 to about f16 (max) with the Ektars or Xenar, then taking aperture f16 and smaller with APO artar and similar.
Sample image made with the 300mm Xenar at f4.5. Focus is at the lamp on post.
Bernice
Thanks, Bernice. I like the OOF in the Xenar shot, a different kind than what the Fuji gives.
Agreed on the taking apertures. Don't think I've ever used smaller than f/16 for a portrait, most of the time the lens is one stop down from maximum aperture.
Partly out of necessity to get an ok shutter speed in case of movement, but these kinds of lenses really shine when shot close to wide open.
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