Heart shaped bokeh filter.

[RBHD1]

New filter which turns the bokeh into heart shapes amongst other things!! Clicky (http://www.geekologie.com/2009/08/bokeh_filter_turns_light_blurs.php)

[The Matt]

You can make those yourself with some card, sticky tape, and a craft knife and about 10 spare minutes :)


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3620/3364455095_143d386dd7.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the-matt/3364455095/)

They only really work on wide aperture lenses, say a 50mm f1.8
Cut out any shape you like so long as it is not wider than your lens aperture and stick it in front of your lens. The above would look better if I wern't so rubbish with a craft knife.

[coldpenguin]

I like that, do you have to make the mask reversed? Is black card enough, and how would you hold it in place....... (hmm, screw in UV filter......)

[EdinburghGary]

I really don't understand how this is possible. Can someone explain? The creative possibilities are fairly high, especially on things like corporate branding and stock photos etc.

Gary.

[EdinburghGary]

Is this because the "tunnel if light" at those aperture are so small that you can afford for more of the front element to be hidden?

Gary.

[Just Dave]

DIY heart shaped bokeh Clicky Linky (http://www.diyphotography.net/diy_create_your_own_bokeh)

The Mystery From The Heart Shaped Bokeh Clicky Linky (http://www.diyphotography.net/removing-the-mystery-from-the-heart-shaped-bokeh)

[Kerioak]

This would be great for those people who want to make sure their images are copyrighted and not available for use anywhere :D

[The Matt]

Ta. Yeah it needs to go on the lens reversed. Points closer to the point you've focussed on and points further from it will be flipped vertically relative to each other. I forget whether it's for points near or far that you need the shape upside down but it'll be pretty self evident once you try it.

I held this on with a cylinder of card that fits snugly over the lens but equally you could blue tack shapes on to an adapter for cokin filters, or the lens itself I guess but I bet it's difficult to get blue tack out of a filter thread.

[The Matt]

I really don't understand how this is possible. Can someone explain?
Gary.

I don't know the specific technicalities of it but the shape of your bokehness (I don't know if there's an actual term) is determined by your aperture shape. Like how you get aperture blade shapes on some lenses. The shaped thing acts as a second aperture and will push your shutter speed up quite high if you use narrow shapes like I did. I guess like you say the "tunnel of light" must be fairly tiny, otherwise lenses wouldn't work at f22 without severe vignetting.

[louise-knight]

I've been doing this for aaages :D a couple of tricks which may help: put your New filter inside a skylight/uv screw on (a bit of bluetack might help) otherwise just bluetack it straight to the lens but NOT the glass for obvious reasons!

Also, those little craft paper punches are the perfect size for cutting the shapes out :) I use craft punches & insert them over a pre-made filter so I can change them easilly.