In this guide we are going to look at a term in photography. The popular swirly bokeh effect. It is also known as the Petzval effect or the cat's eye bokeh. We are going to explain what is bokeh and swirly bokeh, how it looks and why you need it. Not all pictures have a good bokeh so we will see the difference between good and bad bokeh. We are also going to take a look at the (bokeh) lenses that you need to create pictures or even videos with a swirly background. Last but not least we are going to see step by step how to use your camera and your lens to create stunning and professional looking pictures (mainly portraits) with that beautiful swirly effect.
Bokeh and Swirly Bokeh
The word bokeh is Japanese. It comes from the word bokeru that means to be blurred, to be out of focus, to be faded and hazy etc. Swirly bokeh is the effect of an image when the out of focus areas that surround your main subject look like an artistic vortex or swirl. Bokeh bubbles also have a shape that reminds the eyes of a cat. That is why some people call it the cat's eye bokeh. The more away from the center or the main subject the effect becomes more obvious and looks like your camera created a pretty pattern. Technically swirly bokeh was considered a defect of older designs and factories spent years to remove that flaw. Until they discovered that this flaw is actually really cool and artistic when used correctly. That is why (according to some photographers) the most modern version of Helios 44 (44m-7) seems to swirls less . Personally i never tested that version so i cannot verify it. I saw some pictures that were shot with that lens and optically it was the best. I also saw that it can swirl.
Choose a natural background
Good and Bad Bokeh and things to consider
Good bokeh and good swirly bokeh is when the background is creamy and soft. Your eyes will notice immediately the main subject of your picture and the background is easy on the eyes. The separation between your portrait subject and the background is obvious but not distracting. Swirly Bokeh makes that isolation even nicer, smoother and more appealing. Your main subject is now even more attractive and the out of focus area may look dreamy.
If your eyes are distracted then you have a bad bokeh and the cats eye effect can make things even worse. That means that you have a lot of sharpness in the background, hard edges and (or) harsh highlights. Some photographers call it a busy background.
Nowadays Bokeh became a subject of satire. Youtuber Kasey used the term Toneh to describe the insane amount of bokeh background blur used by youtubers and vloggers to get a cinematic look in their videos. He satirized another youtuber (Tony N.) cause in one of his videos the blur was really irritating, hence the word Toneh.
Another example of swirly bokeh - The main subject is not in the center
Swirly Bokeh Lenses
- HELIOS 40: The best lens for that swirly effect is probably the Russian Helios 40-2 85 mm F/1.5. It is also a great portrait lens. Keep in mind though that Helios 40-2 is big and heavy and it is not the most budget friendly option. A good alternative is Cyclops. Basically it is exactly the same lens but it was attached to a night vision device during the Soviet era. Cyclops (F/1.5 85 mm) is aperture - less so it is a cheaper option. That means that you can take pictures only wide open but on the other hand that is what you must do to create swirly bokeh. Helios 40-2 is so famous that the old factory reopened and the production of the lens was continued. The modern version is a bit lighter. Helios 40-2 works best if you use it on a camera with a full frame sensor.
- HELIOS 44: Now lets see another member of the Helios family. It is the Helios 44 (58 mm F/2). Helios 44 is not as fast as Helios 40 but it is way lighter and smaller. It is also much cheaper. Helios 44 can swirl even if you use it on a micro four thirds camera. There are many version of Helios 44 lens.
- Helios 44 (Not all Helios 44 have 13 aperture blades)
- Helios 44-2
- Helios 44-3
- Helios 44M
- Helios 44M-4, M-5, M-6, M-7.
The best option is the old Helios 44 with 13 aperture blades. The best value for money is Helios 44-2. But you cant go wrong no matter what version you choose. Helios 44m-4 is also great. Optically it seems that the best is Helios 44m-7 but there are claims that it doesn't swirl that much. Helios 44 is also great for cinematography and you can buy modified cine versions including anamorphic. The Helios family has another member that can swirly and it is slightly faster than Helios 44. Its the Helios 77M-4 MC (50 mm F/1.8).
- Mir 1: If you are looking for a wide angle lens that can swirl then consider the Mir 1 (37 mm F/2.8). It doesn't swirl that much but it a great option if you need a semi - wide angle lens. Pair it with Helios and you have a great set for cinematography. Read my Mir 1 review here.
Other Options: Not only Russian lenses can swirl. There are options such as the legendary Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 58 mm F/2, the Petzval 58 mm F/1.9 Control Art Lens, or the Zenitar 50mm f/1.2 S. Actually Helios 44 is derived from the (German) Biotar design. Petzval on the other hand seems to have Russian glass. These option are more expensive though.
No matter what lens you will choose you will need an adapter. There are lenses that were made for the Leica M39 mount, the M42, or the Exacta mount. For example if you own a Sony camera and a Helios 44-2 (M42) you must also buy an M42 to NEX adapter. It is obvious that you must know or learn how to focus manually. If you are a Sony A6000 user you can read my guide.
Sony A6000 & Helios 44-2
There are disappointed photographers that bought a Helios lens but it doesn't produce swirly images. Is it a bad copy? Or maybe they are doing something wrong? Lets see what we must do next.
- Prefer to use a full frame camera. That is not always the case though. Helios 44-2 swirls fine no matter what camera you choose.
- The aperture should always be wide open. This is a basic rule. Otherwise your lens will not create the swirly effect. We are shooting portraits after all.
- Choose a natural background. For example a tree, a flower or leaves must be behind your main subject. In my case i noticed that olive oil trees as a background are perfect.
- Find the right distance between the subject and the background. You must go through trial and error to find the perfect distance.
An even more impressive swirly background image
Swirly bokeh can become even more impressive and artistic. All you have to do is to reverse the front element (glass) of a Helios 44 lens. Not all Helios lenses can be reversed though. For example, i could not reverse my Helios 44M front element because there are versions that do not have enough space inside the lens.
The swirly bokeh effect was considered to be a flaw in the past and lens manufacturers did their best to fix it. The funny thing is that it is actually a really nice effect for artistic and esthetic purposes, especially for human or animal portrait pictures. Nowadays, lens designers and photographers try to recreate it. Helios 44-2 can be a great start and in my opinion it is the first vintage lens that you must get. It is great even for aps-c or micro four thirds cameras. Especially Panasonic Lumix and Olympus (OMD) users can have an almost full frame look without having to spend a fortune to buy a modern fast lens. If you want the absolute best lens and you can afford it, then you must try the best lens for Swirly Bokeh. Helios 40-2. On the other hand you can have both of them as a part of your vintage lens collection . After all now you know all the steps to create the most impressive... Toneh.
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