Soft focus

Soft focus

:"This article is about the term used in photography and optics, for the album by the Norwegian band Euroboys, see Soft Focus."

In photography, soft focus is a lens flaw, in which the lens forms images that are blurred due to spherical aberration. A soft focus lens deliberately introduces spherical aberration in order to give the appearance of blurring the image while retaining sharp edges; it is not the same as an out-of-focus image, and the effect cannot be achieved simply by defocusing a sharp lens. Soft focus is also the name of the style of photograph produced by such a lens.

Photography

Because soft focus is a technical flaw, many older lenses had soft focus built in as a side effect of their construction. Newer lenses are optimized to minimize optical aberrations, but there are lenses such as the Canon EF 135mm lens f/2.8 with Softfocus [ [http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=153&modelid=7308 Canon EF 135mm f/2.8 with Softfocus product page] ] and Pentax SMC 28mm f2.8 FA Soft Lens, to name but two, which have adjustable levels of spherical aberration at wide apertures. The effect can be disabled entirely as well, in which case the lens is sharp.

Nikon produces a series of DC ("Defocus Control") lenses which are sometimes confused with the soft focus effect, but these are not soft focus lenses, as they do not introduce spherical aberration over the whole field.The soft focus effect is used as an effect for glamour photography, because the effect eliminates blemishes, and in general produces a dream-like image.

The effect of a "soft focus lens" is sometimes approximated by the use of diffusion filter or other method, such as stretching a nylon stocking over the front of the lens, or smearing petroleum jelly on a clear filter or on the front element of the lens itself.

It can also be approximated with post-processing procedures. Specifically, highlights in an image are blurred.

ee also

* Aberration in optical systems
* Lens (optics)
* Special effect
* Bokeh
* Convolution
* low-pass filter

References

External links

* [http://www.largeformatphotography.info/soft-focus.html Soft-Focus Lenses and Techniques] , an overview for large format photographers
* [http://www.forrestcroce.com/Articles/DigitalSoftFocus.html Article on creating the soft-focus effect in Photoshop.]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • soft focus — soft focus, adj. Photog. an image, often created by a special lens, that is recognizable but somewhat blurred or diffused. [1915 20] * * * …   Universalium

  • soft focus — n [U] a way of photographing or filming things so that the edges of the objects in the photograph are not sharp or clear …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • soft focus — noun uncount an effect in a film or photograph in which the image is made less clear in order to give a romantic appearance …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • soft focus — ► NOUN ▪ deliberate slight blurring or lack of definition in a photograph or film …   English terms dictionary

  • soft focus — noun : unsharpness of a photograph due to intentional diffusion of the lens image * * * noun [noncount] : a way of producing a photograph so that the edges of the image are not completely clear or sharp soft focus adj used a soft focus lens soft… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Soft Focus — This article is about the album by the Norwegian band Euroboys, for the term used in photography and optics, see Soft focus. Infobox Album | Name = Soft Focus Type = Album Artist = Euroboys Background = orange Released = 2004 Recorded = Genre =… …   Wikipedia

  • soft focus — N UNCOUNT If something in a photograph or film is in soft focus, it has been made slightly unclear to give it a more romantic effect. In the background, in soft focus, we see his smiling wife …   English dictionary

  • soft-focus — ˈ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ adjective Etymology: soft focus 1. of a photographic image : having unsharp outlines 2. of a lens : producing an image having unsharp outlines …   Useful english dictionary

  • soft focus — soft′ fo′cus n. pht intentional lack of sharpness in a photographic image, often created by a special lens • Etymology: 1915–20 soft′ fo cus, adj …   From formal English to slang

  • soft focus —    Especially in photography, an image made when the lens is thrown slightly out of sharp focus so that the contours of any object appear moderately soft and blurred. Also see sfumato …   Glossary of Art Terms

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