murphy2049 Loc: Oriskany, NY

I want a camera just for portrait photography. It seems all the digital cameras come with too many bells and whistles, fast shutter speeds, and lots of built in programs. Any reccomendations?

modest genius Loc: joshua tree park CA

If you want it for serious stuff can wholeheartedly recommend Fuji finepix pro. Can pick up a factory refurbished 5 body for around $900. Uses Nikon lenses.

MWAC Loc: Somewhere East Of Crazy

The best and honest answer is the best camera is the one you can afford.

Set your budget BEFORE you head to the store (go to a real camera store, not a big box store, if at all possible). Talk to the sales people and tell them your budget and what you want to use if for. They will give you some opinions, the next step is to hold each camera body in your hands and find the one that is most comfortable for you. Can your fingers reach the buttons and dials without to much strain?

When you find the one that fixs your budget and your hands - you've found the perfect camera for you.

Roger Salls Loc: Stratford, CT

Whatever camera you get make sure you can shoot RAW, for the greatest amount of image control. Should you purchase a camera that allows the use of Nikon lenses, Fuji or Nikon, the Nikon 105 mm lens is a sweet portrait lens and dead nuts sharp.

Gary Truchelut Loc: Coldspring, TX

If you can afford it the Canon 5d mkII is a full sensor camera with 21 megapixels. In the right hands it is a great portrait camera.
I would suggest a full frame sensor in any brand if it is in your budget. The lens is very important as well, again the budget is the determining factor here.
When all is said and done, it depends on money and if you are shooting for clients or just a hobby. There are a lot of good camera and lens combinations out there. Take your time and do the research.

dpaden Loc: Homewood, Alabama

Just from observation, it seems that most of the photographers I come in contact with use Canon equipment. It seems 3/4 of weddings, 3 photo photographers I met this year, and most of the photos done by readers in Shutterbug and Popular Photography magazines seem to be Canon.

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

Any of the name brand cameras will work very well. Sorry you have to put up with bells, whistles, etc. Their is just not a big enough market to make a "bare bonesd" camera and if they did the number sold would be so few that with the small production run they would be more than the ones with all the extras. Then lens you use is the most important peice of equipment for portraits. It should be at least twice the diagonal of the sensor. That would be at least a 75mm for croped format and 100mm for 35mm. I like longer lenses. Your apature should be at least f4 but f.2.8 or bigger would be better. Back to the camera. I use Nikons so i don't know about others. On Nikons I would be sure and get one with a motor drive in the body. That way you can use older automatic focus lenses. The other thing you may want to consider is live view. That way when you use a tripod you can just look at the back of the camera to compose and snap the shutter at the right time. - Dave

marcomarks Loc: Ft. Myers, FL

No offense to you, but this has come up about excess bells and whistles several times before, and I just can't find a way to understand the problem.

You can drive your car in basic mode by turning the key and the steering wheel and push two pedals. You don't have to use the CD/MP3 player, electric windows, cigarette lighter, OnStar, electric mirrors, and electric seats all at the same time as you go. You can either use the device in basic mode or use conveniences optionally.

Every digital camera has excessive features that one person doesn't want or need but another person desperately does. My dSLR even has a GPS built in which I have never turned on! Building a camera with a shutter button, non-adjustable 85mm lens hole in the front with a focus ring, and a TTL viewfinder specifically for only portraiture would come out of the factory by the hundreds of thousands, go onto the shelves of retailers, and sit there for 100 years. So no manufacturer is going to create such a thing at the cost of millions of dollars and sell maybe 100 of them nationwide.

Bells and whistles are an inexpensive blessing to many people. Just ignore what you don't need and enjoy basic manual override mode if you like! :D

robert-photos Loc: Chicago

Just an observation....your question should be:
What is a good lens for digital portrait photography?

It is a fact that you will probably get better portraits with a $1000 quality lens on a $500 quality camera than the reverse.....all things being equal.

All the "stuff"....cameras, lenses, programs, etc. is just that.."stuff". Good photography and good portraiture begins ten inches behind the lens.

Rant as you will about "stuff" but use what you have or can afford until you see that you can improve your images with better or more sophisticated equipment....then buy what you can afford. The selection of camera equipment is akin to buying new golf clubs.....that new driver will not get you on the PGA tour.

Just saying.