dandi Loc: near Seattle, WA

Wow! Very nice portraits. Who cares with what lens it was shot as long as the pictures are good and your pictures are good.

From what I've read and heard portraits don't have to be very sharp.

amehta Loc: Boston

I wouldn't say that. I think the eyes should still be sharp. Then we get to use software to add "digital make-up" to the face. I like Portrait Professional, but I don't use LR or PS or pretty much any other editing software. http://www.portraitprofessional.com/

amehta Loc: Boston

Plus, don't let sbesaw's comment fool you. He works in a camera store, and knows his equipment quite well. He didn't just pick up a lens and wing it.

sbesaw Loc: Boston

Thank you, I was being a little sarcastic. That is a 70-200mm 2.8 on a little 12mp Nikon D3s. I have an 85 1.4 G, and 105mm Micro and 135 2.0 DC. The 70-200 is my go to lens. gives me lots more flexibility in moving around and relaxing the client and I find it as sharp and certainly sharp enough to withstand any clients scrutiny to date. But that's just the style I'm developing. To each his own and live and let live. Lot's of good camera and glass out there making great photographs.

Thanks again for the kind works. I learned a lot from a member here, Cliff Lawson who is a brilliant Portrait photographer and was overly generous with his mentoring.

Happy Holidays!!!!!

CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!

^^^As stated above, zooms CAN be sharp. But for the most part, a zoom is designed to work over a range of focal lengths and it's performance will be better at some length(s) than at others. Consequently, for a given focal length, that zoom may or may not be as good as an equivalent prime performance wise.

Zooms are good at keeping your "Go Bag" as light as possible, but in a studio where carrying around lenses isn't a concern, chances are a set of primes will cover most of your session needs. :thumbup:

dandi Loc: near Seattle, WA

I think it is very difficult to make a good portrait. Portrait it's not just about good IQ but the goal is to show what's inside of the person or at least to try to show it.
I think you did it in your portrait of young woman.
Happy Holidays !

sbesaw Loc: Boston

OK since you brought it up, knowing little about me a brief auto biography. I was in high tech sales for 40 years retiring in September 2012. I loved photography but was strictly, and still am, an amateur, although a few people have paid me lately it is still a hobby. I was lucky enough to get a job, three days a week at Hunt's photo, where I had bought most of my equipment. I get to see and play with new gear. I have become tired of commenting on equipment based on actually using it when so many here offer up things like, 'i don't actually own or use that camera but heres what I think".

I have become a bit jaded. I have helped a few folks out with stuff but don't bring it up as I don't believe that is the purpose of this forum. I routinely see great equipment traded in, like a D800E with low shutter count on Monday or re-furbed SB-700 for $265 but i keep it off the Forum as there are those that for free isn't cheap enough.

All that said I am always looking for constructive help and am very familiar with Portrait Professional, most often used to soften and alter images. Find others more helpful and better for sharpening. Sharpening has never been needed much.More folks,especially older, ask for softening.

I can't seem to find any of your images but would love to learn from your sharp examples.

Attached are two crops from previous photo's please provide advice on sharpening.

sbesaw Loc: Boston

Dandi,

I completely agree. Thats why I prefer, and I don't have any issue with those who prefer primes, my 70-200mm 2.8. If you want to use primes fine, they are tack sharp. I find the 70-200 to be sharp. More importantly it allows me to move around if I wish, looking at angles, engaging, moving back, moving up. I find it especially useful with children. If I have my lighting right it allows me to have them move around, relaxes them and let's them be, well, them....

Crwiwy Loc: Devon UK

I have several videos of very successful professional photographers working and a lot of the time they are using zoom lens - even in studio work.

CHOLLY Loc: THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE!

Probably.

Zooms are a MUST in the field. I will only take out the 50 and the 35 when everything else is controlled for. The rest of the time it's a pair of zooms.

But primes STILL deliver better performance for a given focal length MOST of the time.

The DxO comparison chart from the first page showed a better overall score for a zoom over the two selected primes... but head to head at that given focal length? I'll bet both those primes outperformed it. ;)

amehta Loc: Boston

I meant to say you have good skills, my comment was not meant to be disparaging in any way.

Most of my comments have been directed at the OP, because dandi is the one asking for help.

sbesaw Loc: Boston

I sincerely apologize for my misunderstanding. I hope you and your family have a wonderful, healthy holiday. Guess I am jaded. Need to work on that

amehta Loc: Boston

No problem, and happy holidays to you too!

It's easy to get jaded, especially here. One of the reasons I haven't posted many pictures is that I'm still figuring out what I think about this forum. Unfortunately, a few noisy, active, but irritating people can ruin it for everyone. Even more unfortunately, some probably think I'm one of those people. Need to work on that too. :-)