[Brightcolours]

[quote name='mst' timestamp='1299185002' post='6486']

Easy:







Wouldn't you call it smooth?



-- Markus

[/quote]

No, it is very un-smooth. Would you call that smooth?? We see a very busy background, lots if double "images/lines" creating a very restless bokeh.



Here is a simple(istic?) explanation about smooth foreground bokeh vs smooth background bokeh, and undesirable nisen bokeh:

http://www.sony.ca/html/uf/microsite/Capturing_Depth_Minisite/2.html



It is a bit difficult to find images that one can compare your image with in a reasonable way (busy background and similar distance to subject), but trying, here are a few from the Canon:



http://www.flickr.com/photos/lostsoul/5240914452/sizes/l/in/pool-1193071@N20/



http://daveennis.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p73204589-4.jpg



http://recordproduction.smugmug.com/photos/181092665-L.jpg



http://recordproduction.smugmug.com/photos/181851966-L.jpg



http://mrs-h.smugmug.com/photos/180769455-O.jpg



http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/airfrogusmc/IMG_0502.jpg



Of course, the canon is not bokeh king either, some portrait lenses do a lot better still... like the Canon 135mm f2 and especially the Sony 135mm STF. And there are some Leica lenses that are really bokeh-licious too.



But in all fairness, the image you posted... no, one can not describe the background bokeh there as being smooth. Btw, look at the foreground bokeh of the image you posted. A lot smoother. Seems a perfect example of a lens that has nisen background bokeh,