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Feb 17, 2015 13:28:09   #
devolution Loc: Dubuque. IA
 
Hey all you Hoggers and Hoggettes! I want to get into portraits. I have a Nikon D700. Nikkor 28-300, 50 f/1.8 and a 80-200 f/2.8. All FX lenses. Thinking about a Nikkor 85 f/1.8. Do I need this or will the 80-200 f/2.8 be suffice? Also, any opinions on good inexpensive lighting kits? Thank you all!

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Feb 17, 2015 13:39:46   #
wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska
 
Many Portrait Photographers believe the minimum focal length for a Head and Shoulders lens should be twice the length of the normal length for the format you are using For a FF camera the normal is 50 mm so that makes 100 mm. The 85 mm is a little short. Many use even longer. Your 80-200 should be fine. - Dave

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Feb 17, 2015 13:41:15   #
devolution Loc: Dubuque. IA
 
Thanks, Dave!

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Feb 17, 2015 16:36:12   #
wayne-03 Loc: Minnesota
 
I have both the 80/200mm and the 85mm. The 80/200mm is a very nice lens but it is very heavy. The little 85mm is much lighter and I use it most of the time.

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Feb 17, 2015 17:05:52   #
oneclickatatime Loc: Upstate New York
 
As a portrait photographer, I use the 85mm 1.8. I can't say enough about this lens. The Bokeh is amazing and the images are crystal clear.

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Feb 17, 2015 17:05:56   #
devolution Loc: Dubuque. IA
 
Thanks, Wayne!

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Feb 17, 2015 17:07:51   #
devolution Loc: Dubuque. IA
 
Thanks, One Click!

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Feb 18, 2015 06:29:27   #
dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida
 
Old Kodak Manual says 85mm, these people were fed film as children and great monies were invested by Kodak so they were
"The Authority." 50mm were recommended for people with small noses... strange that foreshortening is actually fore-lengthening !! Makes the nose look longer.

Of course we all know that: "For an object of finite depth, one can conceive of the average axial magnification as the ratio of the depth of the image and the depth of the object:

M_{ax} = \left | {d \over d(s_o)} {s_i \over s_o} \right | = \left | {d \over d(s_o)} {f \over (s_o-f)} \right | = \left | {-f \over (s_o-f)^2} \right | = {M^2 \over f} " :XD: :roll:

Seriously lots of useful information here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspective_distortion_%28photography%29 :

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Feb 18, 2015 07:11:13   #
Capture48 Loc: Arizona
 
devolution wrote:
Hey all you Hoggers and Hoggettes! I want to get into portraits. I have a Nikon D700. Nikkor 28-300, 50 f/1.8 and a 80-200 f/2.8. All FX lenses. Thinking about a Nikkor 85 f/1.8. Do I need this or will the 80-200 f/2.8 be suffice? Also, any opinions on good inexpensive lighting kits? Thank you all!


My answer is......"It depends". My goto portrait lens is the 24-70 f2.8, but I have used the 70-200 f2.8 when shooting outdoors and I want to compress the background more. I also use the NIkon 105 2.8

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Feb 18, 2015 07:21:27   #
devolution Loc: Dubuque. IA
 
Wow, looks like Calculus! Thanks, dpullum

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Feb 18, 2015 07:23:08   #
DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX
 
My favorite portrait lens is the Nikon 70-200 f/2.8. I usually back that up with a Nikon 105G. For groups I use the Nikon 24-70 f/2.8. I like to place my subject 9' to 16' away.
devolution wrote:
Hey all you Hoggers and Hoggettes! I want to get into portraits. I have a Nikon D700. Nikkor 28-300, 50 f/1.8 and a 80-200 f/2.8. All FX lenses. Thinking about a Nikkor 85 f/1.8. Do I need this or will the 80-200 f/2.8 be suffice? Also, any opinions on good inexpensive lighting kits? Thank you all!

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Feb 18, 2015 07:26:38   #
devolution Loc: Dubuque. IA
 
I want to concentrate on outdoor shoots, but would also like to have an indoor studio. Thanks, Capture48.

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Feb 18, 2015 07:27:11   #
OldEarl Loc: Northeast Kansas
 
devolution wrote:
Hey all you Hoggers and Hoggettes! I want to get into portraits. I have a Nikon D700. Nikkor 28-300, 50 f/1.8 and a 80-200 f/2.8. All FX lenses. Thinking about a Nikkor 85 f/1.8. Do I need this or will the 80-200 f/2.8 be suffice? Also, any opinions on good inexpensive lighting kits? Thank you all!


Back in my sales days, I would have said you needed the 85. But that was my job. 80-200 should give you a number of perspectives to choose from.

I used to use a few cheap strobes with cheese cloth, but I doubt that would do anymore. Check for posts on single light setups.

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Feb 18, 2015 07:29:39   #
devolution Loc: Dubuque. IA
 
More good info. Thanks. Dave!

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Feb 18, 2015 07:32:10   #
devolution Loc: Dubuque. IA
 
Thanks Old Earl. I really like my 80-200.

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