Choosing
a portrait lens shouldn't be so hard, but some times it is.
The best focal length in a lens
for portraiture is around 85mm to 135. Nikon and Canon for that
matter have prime lenses covering these gaps. OK,
''I have a
70-200 and I don't need a portrait lens because I'm covered with my zoom''.
True and in many cases work, but these zoom lenses first are too big
and heavy for a long shooting session not to mention they could be
intimidating for some subjects. When I use my Nikon
80-200 for portraiture, I really love the results. But after an
hour of shooting I yell for Ibuprofen, my shoulders are busted
and my elbows are numb. I'm not saying it won't work, but I tend to
use it only for some particular pictures at 200mm. Other than
that, the rest of the pictures are done with 2 of my favorite lenses; the Nikon
85mm F/1.8 and the Nikon
105mm F/2 DC (Defocus Control). You must have in mind that the
''portrait'' length is based on your style and it is as personal as
your toothbrush.
For half body, shoulder and head
shots usually start at 85mm which in Nikon is considered in their
lens brochure as a ''mid-telephoto lens ideal
for portraits'' and leaving the 105
& 135 F/2 DC as an ''ideal''
portrait lens. Of course this is just on paper, the Nikon 85mm either
the 1.8 or 1.4 are the heck of portrait lenses.
Is the Nikon 85mm F/1.8 is the
''poor man'' portrait lens? Maybe, but don't let the price fool you,
this lens is a great performer for almost 3x cheaper than the 1.4 and
is the heck of a sharp lens. So what's the deal then? The Nikon 85mm
1.4 is a professional built quality lens, it is a bit faster and
sharper @ 1.8 than the Nikon 85mm 1.8 @ 1.8. Also, the Nikon 85mm
F/1.4 renders out-of-focus elements (Bokeh) in a very pleasant and
dramatically way. The Nikon 85 1.8 is more conservative in this
aspect but by any means be discouraged. I have, I use it and I love it.
If you are intending to have an
occasional portrait lens, either Canon or Nikon's 85 1.8 will produce
pleasant out-of-focus backgrounds and don't be surprised if at F/5.6
is sharp as a tack and maybe sharper than your 70/80-200. If
you are really serious about your portraits and want a lens built
like a tank, then be my guest, get Nikon's 85mm F/1.4 or Canon's 85mm
F/1.2 and you'll se why is more expensive. Pros won't settle for less
especially because they are making money out of their portraits. If
you are too, again, be my guest.
You may wonder, if it is that
good, why the heck he has in his bag a Nikon 105
F/2 DC? Well, remember I said this all depends on your personal
style? I like to shoot portraits from the distance if the space is no
compromise. I use my 85 1.8 usually indoors, but outdoors I feel very
obtrusive with shorter lenses. With the crop factor on Nikon's
digital SLR's, I get an equivalent of almost 157mm,
still some times I feel too close to my subjects. I chose the 105
DC because of the working distance it offers and hey,
those pictures are sharp as tacks and like icing on the cake, I have
the choice to give a ''cinematic'' blur either on the background or
foreground. It is a well buil lens ready to withstand the abuse of
any advanced amateur or pro.
But how
is an easy way to know which lens fits you better? Chances are that
you already have a 70/80-200, or even a modest 70-300mm lens. Try
using it for your portrait pictures, pick the ones you like the best
and check the EXIF data on them. It will give you an idea of the
portrait lens length you should buy.
Recommended
lenses for portraits, 85mm, 105 & 135. For full body portraits,
50mm or 35mm for half body when used on a DSLR with crop factor.
By using a long focal length
outdoors, you can throw away distractive background and beautifully
isolate your subject. Check out these from my stepdaughter I shot
with my Sigma 300mm F/2.8.
My son Jacob loves to play with his Nikon Cool Pix L3 and I couldn't
resist to snap one of him too. He usually documents what I'm doing,
so thanks to him you can see some behind-the-scenes of the shooting.
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