What Type of Lens for Portraits Should You Choose? Auto focus is similarly excellent, with the AF locking on to moving subjects very easily indeed. (820 g). 'RealVideo.RealVideo(tm) ActiveX Control (32-bit)', (Check out our guide to Model Mayhem if you’re in need of a model to practice your portrait photography.). Aside from the ‘on paper’ advantages of the f/1.4 85mm lens, the images do have a certain look to them – some kind of additional 3-dimensionality, caused in part by smoother, rounder bokeh elements and some image rendering magic thanks to the extremely shallow depth of field. As Fuji’s fastest portraiture lens, the Fujifilm 56mm f/1.2 exhibits a beautifully creamy bokeh when shot wide open at f/1.2, letting in enough light to warrant its use even in the darkest of locations. And, with a maximum aperture of f/2.8, you can shoot indoors in less-than-ideal lighting situations without having to use an extremely high ISO. Again, the USM motor is fast and quiet, making this a top lens choice for wedding photographers that need to stay under the radar during the ceremony. I love the field of view of 135mm, and the backgrounds I get from it are amazing. 6 min read. We mention this … On top of this, the bokeh is magical. If you’re a Nikon user, you might consider getting a 58mm f/1.4. It’s hard to beat an 85mm lens when it comes to portrait photography, and the Nikon 85mm f/1.4G is one of the best portrait lenses ever made. While lenses wider than 50mm can still be used for great portrait photography, it’s traditionally not their usage, so I’ve neglected them here for the sake of simplicity. of the f/1.4 version, the Sony 85mm f/1.8 is a real bargain of a Sony portrait lens. This lens and the Canon 50mm f/1.2L are two good reasons many Nikon shooters jump ship to Canon. Without any doubt, Canon’s L Series Lenses are the best Canon has to offer for any kind of photography. Other factors to take into consideration include price (obviously), maximum aperture (for low light), size and weight (for all-day shooting), and AF capabilities. The 85mm focal length is the most classic portrait lens. Best portrait lens for Sony a7R III: Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 Sony doesn’t have that much variety of lenses and flashes, especially third-party lenses, but the a7R III body and a 70-200mm f/2.8 GM lens really is a powerful combination for portraits. If you’re a professional or amateur photographer who uses Nikon and wants the absolute top results in a bokeh producing portrait lens, look no further than the 85mm f/1.4G. For example, a small, cramped studio space isn’t big enough to warrant a 70-200mm. All this technology means the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G is able to produce tack-sharp images across the entire frame, with great image contrast even in challenging light. Since they’re primes, they won’t let you zoom into a scene at all. If you know anything about Sony portrait lenses, chances are you’ve come across this little beauty. Something called a Super Integrated Coating (SIC) enhances light transmission and offers superior colour consistency and reduced flare, while an Aspherical Lens Element (AS) helps to do away with coma and other types of aberrations, even when shooting at f/1.8. (75 x 75 x 104 mm) Weight: 1.32 lbs (600 g). But I'm…, Boudoir photography is difficult enough, even when you have only one model to work with. Best Canon Pet Photography Lens. You simply can’t replicate the look of a photo shot with this lens, and for photographers shooting in controlled environments such as editorial work on sets and in studios, the lackluster AF shouldn’t be an issue. You can get it for all types of cameras, from Canon through Nikon to Sony. The focus falloff from these razor sharp in-focus elements to creamy bokeh is gradual and subtle, and the bokeh itself is beautifully smooth. The products in this post may contain affiliate links. (106 mm) x 3.7 in. (64 mm) x 2.7 in. ISO. I read reviews that said the glass was either just as good or superior to the Canon telephoto. A prime lens has a fixed focal length. This is especially the case with a portrait photo. So you may ask, is 50mm good for portraits? Since the release of the first full frame mirrorless camera, the sticking point for many photographers looking to switch to Sony has been the distinct lack of lenses. f/3.5 may not sound very fast, but for the equivalent lens on a DSLR, it’s actually half a stop quicker. The longer the focal length, the greater the degree of compression and subject separation you’re able to achieve. Ask any one of the photographers on Shotkit who own this lens and they’ll tell you that it’s simply one of the top Canon lenses of all time, especially for portrait photography. They have a slightly wider field of vision than an 85mm, and capture at a range comparable to the human eye. I’ll be discussing which are the best portrait lenses I recommend to both beginner and professional photographers, who simply want to take better people photos. If you’re stuck deciding between a 50mm and an 85mm prime lens, this 55mm is the perfect in-between. 'RealPlayer.RealPlayer(tm) ActiveX Control (32-bit)', Camera optics can be expensive. The optical design of the SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC G2 comes with XLD (eXtra Low Dispersion) and LD (Low Dispersion) glass to minimize chromatic aberrations throughout the entire zoom range and eBAND Coating to reduce flare and ghosting. If you’re a full-frame photographer, the Sigma 135mm F1.8 DG HSM Art is simply one of the best lenses for portrait photography you can buy — at any price. Although a long lens can produce an even more flattering effect on a subject, they tend to introduce an element of disconnect between the subject and the viewer. The Canon is the most popular L series lenses, and the Nikon was the answer to that fantastic lens. I know many wedding photographers who couldn’t be happier shooting with the Canon 85mm f/1.8, even in low light (where the AF performance is actually much better than the f/1.2 85mm version). It’s expensive. The Nikon 135mm f/2 DC is one of the sharpest portrait lenses I’ve ever used. (281 g). If that’s the case, what are the best lenses for portrait photography then? I was umming and erring about including this Canon 85mm f/1.8 as the top all round Canon portrait lens of 2020 instead of the f/1.2 variant. We love it for its image quality, fast aperture, and zoomability. So the best portrait lens all boils down to your needs and preferences. However expensive the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR may seem, when you consider it could be the only portrait zoom lens you ever need, it could actually save (and make) you money in the long run. Nikon 50mm f/1.8 | Meegs Kougias & Sarah Jehan © Steven Markham. But there’s more to 70-200mm zooms than the two most expensive and well-known ones. If you have the budget and aim for the very best lens portrait, I have an easter egg for you. Many photographers consider the 50mm to be the best portrait lens. There was just some dreaminess about the photos; some three-dimensionality that Nikon f/1.4 lenses simply couldn’t reproduce. Despite being a fan of prime lenses, I’m the first to admit how much more versatile and useful a zoom lens is. I had a hard time choosing between the aforementioned f/1.4 85mm Sony lens and the one I ended up keeping for myself – the Sony 85mm f/1.8. At less than half the weight and less than 3 times the price (!!) Common practice for white background photography is to use post processing. Unless you have a very specific reason to use a 3rd party (adapted) lens, there really isn’t any need. This lens has one of the shortest zoom ranges we’ve ever seen, making it the middle ground between primes and zooms. Choosing a portrait lens comes down to a number of factors like your shooting style, which camera system you use, and of course your budget. 'rmocx.RealPlayer G2 Control.1', Nikon offers a selection of affordable f/1.8G lenses: the 24mm f/1.8, the 35mm f/1.8 and the 85mm f/1.8. To simplify the task of finding the top Canon lenses for portraits, manual focus lenses weren’t included, as they simply aren’t practical for the majority of photographers in 2020. Calling it the number one all -rounder was a bit of a stretch too, because to be honest, using the Canon 85mm f/1.2 can be infuriating at times. Photos taken with the Nikon 85mm f/1.4G are a sight to behold. This may or may not be important to you and your style of photography. Sony’s 85mm f/1.4 GM is another great option, and if you’re looking for a Fuji lens, check out the Fujifilm 56mm f/1.2. From 70 all the way to 200mm, you can create a flattering photo, as well as exaggerate the compression between subject and back/foreground elements. I’ve stuck to Nikon FX (full frame) lenses which can be used on Nikon DX format (crop sensor) cameras too. As we discussed previously, a longer lens will typically introduce a ‘spying’ sensation when the final image is viewed, making your viewer feel more detached from the subject than they would be if you used something wider. If you’re a portrait photographer shooting in artificially lit studios, in daylight, or anywhere when extremely fast glass and razor fine depth of field isn’t necessary, you should be seriously considering the Canon 85mm f/1.8 over the f/1.2 version – your wallet, your back and your patience will thank you for your decision! Shooting at 300mm is a lot of fun, either to capture subjects at a distance, or for zooming right in on a subject’s features for some interesting crops. I won’t go any further into that argument though as I’ve made my decision now – you’ll know if this is the lens for you if you’ve shot with the f/1.2 and realised its shortcomings are greater to you than its benefits. If you don’t need stabilisation but rather a hint of extra background blur and character, the 85mm f/1.2 USM II is a fantastic option. Compatible Format: FE, E (127.5 mm equivalent) Dimensions (Diameter x Length): 3.5 in. (593 g), Well, here it is – the one Canon portrait lens that has arguably caused the most DSLR shooters to choose (and jump ship to) Canon over the years. For your convenience, we’ve put together a list of the best cameras for portrait photography. On the Canon side, there is the EF 50mm f/1.2 lens, a lens that we love to use in our studio. However, it’s just not quite as versatile as the 56mm lens discussed earlier. Best Lens for Portraits – When you’re choosing a lens which is best for portraits, there are several facts to consider. Whether you’re a Nikon, Canon, Sony or Fujifilm camera owner, you’ll find portrait lens recommendations here that will help you with your photography. One big benefit it has over the Nikon is that you can over-ride the AF just by twisting the focus ring, for much easier manual focus adjustments than the Nikon’s AF/MF switch. I shoot 99% of my dog portraits using this lens, including all of the photos from my fine art pet portrait series Paper Hats: Portraits of the once discarded Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Standard Zoom Lens . The standard lenses, such as the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM & Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S, are perfect for portrait photographers who want to give prime lenses a try without remortgaging their house. We mention this in terms of focal length and field of view. Enabling you to zoom in closer to focus more on … This is a lens that should be in the arsenal of every Fujifilm camera owner, portrait photographer or otherwise – it’s just that good. The photography gear we have selected comes from our experiences as professional photographers. Image quality is impressive, with low chromatic aberration, and distortion and vignetting which are corrected via the camera’s internal software. Before we jump right back into the wonderful world of f/1.2, I wanted to highlight this little gem of a Canon portrait lens – the Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM. It didn’t lose a bit of its popularity over the past 15 years. If you use one of these and buy something, we make a little bit of money. So you may ask, is 50mm good for portraits? On a crop sensor camera, the 35mm acts like a 50mm, making it perfect for both full-frame and crop sensor cameras. For this reason, a 50mm is an ideal lens to start out with in photography, giving you the freedom to learn composition and style using a kind of “universal starting point” for imaging. It features one of the most effective autofocusing systems we’ve seen in a third-party lens. Yes, yes, I know…. Both feature weatherproofing, and the Canon’s iconic white coating helps the lens cope with the hot weather. However, over time Sony has built up a stellar range of prime and zoom lenses for its E mount system, and now with third party options such as Sigma offering first class native lenses, Sony is truly dominating the mirrorless market. (39 mm) Weight: 5.6 oz. I’ve stuck to Canon EF (full frame) lenses which can also be used on Canon EF-S format (crop/APS-C sensor) cameras too. All in all, this is one impressive Fuji lens for portrait photography. (59mm) Weight: 6.6 oz. While I’ve included plenty of prime lenses for photographers in this line up, a zoom lens certainly has its advantages. This roundup of the top Canon lenses for portraits isn’t concerned with scientific lens scores and statistics, but rather, with actual usage and balanced opinion as to which portrait lenses are recommended for all round usage. Therefore, your kit needs to reflect a wide range of styles. A good place to start is a prime lens with a focal length of 85mm or 50mm. (88 mm) x 7.8 in. For Nikon, our top pick is the Nikon 85mm f/1.4G, while for Canon we’d suggest something like the Canon 85mm f/1.2. Obviously a lot more will go into taking a truly great photograph than simply the equipment you use, but this lens seems to make everything so much easier. Canon is the king of the f/1.2 lens, with Nikon unable to follow suit with such fast apertures due in part to the size of the Nikon lens mount. Being up close and personal when shooting portraits is great if you want to really immerse the viewer in an image, but it can be a little claustrophobic for the subject. On the Nikon side, the 85mm f/1.8G is comparable to its f/1.8 Canon counterpart in most traits. 50mm will normally allow you to fit someone’s full body into the frame (granted that you have a little space to move) or to capture details, as well as being perfect for three-quarter length shots. 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