85mm portrait lens (Page 2): I don't find the background that distracting. But a wider aperture throwing the background more out of focus would have been better, or shooting from...

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

wpas wrote:

Wow! I feel I just had a real lesson. Thanks a bunch for taking your time to answer my question. This is a recent photo I took with a Nikon 18-200mm zoom set to about 80mm. I wasn’t happy with the background.

I don't find the background that distracting. But a wider aperture throwing the background more out of focus would have been better, or shooting from further away with a longer focal length. The lighting on the people is very pleasant.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

wpas wrote:

Wow! I feel I just had a real lesson. Thanks a bunch for taking your time to answer my question. This is a recent photo I took with a Nikon 18-200mm zoom set to about 80mm. I wasn’t happy with the background.

Focal length is just half the equation - the other half is where you stand. If you stand at this place, you would want a longer focal length for a true portrait. If you use this focal length, you would want to stand closer for a true portrait.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

rehess wrote:

Focal length is just half the equation - the other half is where you stand. If you stand at this place, you would want a longer focal length for a true portrait. If you use this focal length, you would want to stand closer for a true portrait.

What do you mean a "true" portrait? Portraits can be 3/4 or even full body.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

wpas wrote:

Wow! I feel I just had a real lesson. Thanks a bunch for taking your time to answer my question. This is a recent photo I took with a Nikon 18-200mm zoom set to about 80mm. I wasn’t happy with the background.

Background control tips:

Find a background area, if possible that is somewhat darker than the subject area.

Move the subjects further away from the backgroud area.

Use a wide aperture and focus very precisely on the subject(s).

If the background is cluttered, rendering it way out of focus may help.

I did a quick and dirty edit on you image just to illustrate my points. This is a post-processing simulation- it's better to do this in camera.

Other tips: Use a reflector to get more light into the eyes and the eye sockets. If the refecor is placed anywhere from 25 to 45 degrees off camera you will also get more modeling in the faces.

Nice expressions! I tried to find a frame to pick up on the colors of teh flowers on her dress.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

JohnSwanda wrote:

What do you mean a "true" portrait? Portraits can be 3/4 or even full body.

My point is that nothing is special or sacred about a particular focal length, but the traditional lengths are traditionally used for head-and-shoulders portraits.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

Kmgw9v wrote:

Smugness?

Oh my, has my smugness shone through again. I know it's a burden but someone has to do it.
But siriusly, woof, woof; a smug a UHH member!? Someone must be mistaken.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

wpas wrote:

I read that the 85mm lens is an ideal lens for por... (show quote)

Nikon makes a fine 85 f/3.5 Micro-Nikkor DX lens, but in my opinion it is too sharp and contrasty for most portraiture.
As for focal lengths, almost anything goes these days, 24-200mm aren’t uncommon.
For serious portraiture, you might want to look here:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-127-1.html
Or here: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-101-1.html

Haydon

The 85 mm range is popular for portrait with it's minimal distortion. Longer lenses are often desired in outdoor portraiture but a hidden gem with the 85 is the distance to the subject allowing more personal direction without a feeling of disconnection which distance can sometimes create with longer focal lengths.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

I use an 85mm on my DX Nikons all the time for portraiture, no problem here!

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

wpas wrote:

I read that the 85mm lens is an ideal lens for por... (show quote)

SAY IT AIN'T SO. And it is, I personally, use a 70-200 mm lens for portraits. I remember fondly the guy I worked for in a Studio, he loved his 135mm Nikon lens that he used to take ALL of his portraits.
Heaven forbid you have a person with a little larger snoze than most, you know what will help compress it, you are right, a 127 mm lens.
So, my friend, go out and buy that beautiful Nikon 85mm 1.8 lens without further hesitation.
I even found it for you. HOW ABOUT THAT. Not only is this lens priced right, but it is sharp, sharp, SHARP.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/838798-REG/Nikon_2201_AF_S_NIKKOR_85mm_f_1_8G.html?sts=pi&pim=Y

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

billnikon wrote:

SAY IT AIN'T SO. And it is, I personally, use a 70... (show quote)

I know a pro photographer who also uses his 70-200 for outdoor portraiture. I hired him as 1st shooter at my oldest daughters wedding a few years ago and his D810 had the 70-200 on it all day long and he shot lots of single, couple and group portrait shots. By the way, what is a snoze? A snooze is a nap and a nose is, well, a nose, regardless of size; but I can't find snoze in any online dictionary of web site.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

rmorrison1116 wrote:

I know a pro photographer who also uses his 70-200 for outdoor portraiture. I hired him as 1st shooter at my oldest daughters wedding a few years ago and his D810 had the 70-200 on it all day long and he shot lots of single, couple and group portrait shots. By the way, what is a snoze? A snooze is a nap and a nose is, well, a nose, regardless of size; but I can't find snoze in any online dictionary of web site.

Ask Jimmy D what a snoze is.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

One thing I forgot to mention about the EF 85 f/1.2L, you have to be careful shooting portraits with it. When you open it wider than f/1.8, the shallow depth of field goes from shallow to almost none at all. Focus on the tip of a nose and the ear phones may very well be out of focus. Another thing I've noticed and can't really explain is, it seems to be way more complimentary towards female subjects than male; weird; how does it know?!

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

billnikon wrote:

Ask Jimmy D what a snoze is.

Well, I do know that shnoz or shnaz is kind of a Yiddish term for a large, usually unattractive nose but I can't find any reference to snoze. Sounds like a past tense reference to a nap.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Yes, the 85mm is the ideal lens for portraits on a full frame camera. I use a Nikon 50mm f1.8G on my Nikon 24 megapixels crop sensor DSLR for portraits. I borrowed a friend's Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro lens once, to take portraits. It worked great on a crop sensor. I go to an annual Veterans Event. One pro who previously attended, used the earlier model Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, attached to a Nikon D810, for excellent portraits. Prime lenses from 85mm to135mm, f2.8 or faster, are considered great portrait lenses. Such as Sigma's 135mm Art Lens. The quality of the glass has to be credited too. Whether, zoom or prime lenses. Nikon, Canon, and Sigma, make excellent portrait lenses. I'm not familiar with other brands. But, I'm certain other camera Brand names have excellent portrait lenses too.