I bought a Sony Mirrorless Camera a few years ago to complement my Canon DSLR full-frame. (A friend convinced that a full-frame, small-format camera would allow me to shoot in a completely different manner. I value his advice, so I bought one.
However, after using a 24-70mm lens f/2.8, I was not completely satisfied with its performance. It was too heavy and I wanted to find something lighter. I was looking for a lens that had a large aperture. I began researching my options.
As I was browsing through Flickr photos, I noticed that the bokeh seemed to be swirling around in a circle pattern. It was amazing and unlike anything else I’ve ever seen.
I quickly did some research. This effect is called “swirly-bokeh” and certain vintage lenses such as the Helios 58mm f/2 produce it due to a manufacturing flaw. This “defect” was so cool that I bought a Helios 58mm f/2 to create my own swirly bokeh!
Here, I’ll share the entire process, including my trial-and error method, that I used to capture (finally) the bokeh effect I wanted. You may have purchased the Helios44-2, but are unsure how to achieve its artistic bokeh. Or, you might be looking to add creative effects to your portfolio.
