Great photo...liking the care-free vibe :)

Another lens you could try: Nikon 24-120 f/3.5-5.6 lol

Nice shot, foofie.

foofiebeast said:
Not too long ago I bought a quantaray 28mm (mf) lens off ebay for probably 20 bucks or so. Sounds like exactly what you are looking for, it is definitely not a sharp lens, pretty cheap, and that'd be about a 35 equiv on a dx wouldn't it? That'd be my advice, especially if you are looking at doing it on the cheap.

Of course it also depends what you mean by soft. This is soft by quality standards, you look at the pictures and notice they are soft, I don't know of any lenses that inately are VERY soft to the point that it looks touched up, if that's what you are after. I'd just smear vaseline on a lens, or get one of those overpriced lens baby things.

here is an example from that lens

that is nearly straight from the camera. The only thing adjusted were the colors, no editing was done to make it softer or blurrier. It could be just my lens, but it's not exactly like quantaray was known for their quality, although clearly this one hasn't aged well, haha

Another option? Wipe down an old UV filter with Puffs Plus (y'know, the tissues with the lotion). A couple of times I've cleaned my glasses with them when I wasn't paying attention and ended up with EVERYthing looking like a cheesy glamor shot after.

As for Photoshop versus filters: Can't speak for the OP, but my skills in post leave much to be desired. If I wanted speed, consistency and results that didn't look awful, I'd rather go with the filter. YMMV.

oh wow after all this years of evolution in sharpness some one needs soft lens :)

personally I dont think u will be able to tell difference between Photoshop soft and lens soft (as long as its not over done)

I see we are getting creative, thanks for the tips and ideas, although I've got a feeling that I might not try the bacon and pickle, just keeping it for lunch instead.

Didier

@niko: Okay, so no vaseline. I've got bacon grease in an old pickle jar under the sink. How about that? I'd have some "artifacts" from the crispy bits, but still...

aslightdelay said:
More expensive than the vaseline (or pantyhose; they worked on film and a 35, not sure how well they'd work on digital) but cheaper than a new lens would be any number of filters. The websites for both Tiffen and Hoya show some pretty good options. I'm sure other brands make them, also, but cheap filters don't tend to give the same results.

I 2nd the black pantyhose. Just use a lenshade and hold the fabric tight with a rubberband. The depth of the lenshade controls the softness

framer

That's not the same IMHO. That technique just gives you blurry pics yes. But With lenses like the Diana F+ and Lens Baby you get distortion and an overall "feel" that you can't easily replicate with vasaline or pantyhose.

aslightdelay said:
More expensive than the vaseline (or pantyhose; they worked on film and a 35, not sure how well they'd work on digital) but cheaper than a new lens would be any number of filters. The websites for both Tiffen and Hoya show some pretty good options. I'm sure other brands make them, also, but cheap filters don't tend to give the same results.

Second the use of softening filters.

You can also try cling wrap stretched over the lens front:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2273022_make-homemade-softfocus-filter.html

Have you thought about trying a lensbaby with a wide angle adapter? That's way soft and distorted, so much so that it's crazy

NikoDoby said:
Get a Diana F+ lens and Nikon adapter. Naturally the softest lens for the cheapest amount of money.

http://nikonrumors.com/2009/12/07/nikon-rumors-giveaway-4.aspx

Here is a site I got mine from.

http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/diana-lens-for-SLRs/

thanks guys

Get a Diana F+ lens and Nikon adapter. Naturally the softest lens for the cheapest amount of money.

http://nikonrumors.com/2009/12/07/nikon-rumors-giveaway-4.aspx

More expensive than the vaseline (or pantyhose; they worked on film and a 35, not sure how well they'd work on digital) but cheaper than a new lens would be any number of filters. The websites for both Tiffen and Hoya show some pretty good options. I'm sure other brands make them, also, but cheap filters don't tend to give the same results.

Or you could try doing it in photoshop and not buy any lenses at all.

Drab,
I thought of that but I am not a 'toshop user nor a postprod king and I am concerned that I'll end up with a rather 'mechanically perfect' softness; Usueally people compaling of the softness of a lens also remark on the non linearity of that softness

foofiebeast
Quantaray or vaseline look like a way to go; thanks

Not too long ago I bought a quantaray 28mm (mf) lens off ebay for probably 20 bucks or so. Sounds like exactly what you are looking for, it is definitely not a sharp lens, pretty cheap, and that'd be about a 35 equiv on a dx wouldn't it? That'd be my advice, especially if you are looking at doing it on the cheap.

Of course it also depends what you mean by soft. This is soft by quality standards, you look at the pictures and notice they are soft, I don't know of any lenses that inately are VERY soft to the point that it looks touched up, if that's what you are after. I'd just smear vaseline on a lens, or get one of those overpriced lens baby things.

Since you mention "35mm equiv on a dx body" you're apparently shooting digital.

Wouldn't it be easier to shoot with any lens you already have, and soften to tastes in post?

This sounds like buying a crappy quality tube amp instead of working with the quality transistor amp you already have. In both situations I'd press the same solution: aim for transparent quality hardware and apply effects to taste. Transparent reproduction can be made to simulate coloured, the reverse is not true.

If for some reason you can't find a post-processing action which creates the aesthetic you want (your choices are nearly unlimited with Photoshop, but you very well might not own that) consider slapping a Barbara Walters filter on your kit lens. I'm sure Tiffin still makes a whole variety of them.

For a project I have got in mind, I'd need a fairly soft lens (ie not sharp), preferably zoom, fairly wide 35mm equiv on a dx body; Which lens are known to be (very) soft ?