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What lens for portraits?
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Oct 6, 2019 22:58:47   #
PeterdR Loc: Costa Rica
 
My hobby is photography and I live in Costa Rica. My hobby allows me to volunteer at many events were lots of disadvantaged younger people attend. I take pictures, have this printed and give the prints to these people. It makes them happy, and me possible happier.
There is one particular school down in one of the many valleys where there is a school with only 30 students, from kindergarten to grade eight. Uniforms are passed on to younger siblings, schoolbooks are a prized possession. Three teachers with hearts of gold!
I have been taking portraits of these kids in the past years and go again later this week. I have been using a Sony 50mm F/2.8 Macro and I found the results pretty good. However, I often read about photographers using a longer lens for portraits, which brings me to the question what other lens could I possible use. I have in my arsenal a.o. a Sony 70-300G SSM f4.5-5.6 and a Sony 24-70 mm F2.8 ZA SSM Carl Zeiss. I mount these on a Sony A99ii. Any advice on any of these 3 lenses? Thank you.

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Oct 6, 2019 23:18:30   #
GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City
 
Welcome, Peter!

You can shoot portraits with just about any lens.
Just depends on the style you're looking for.

For the best perspective of a traditional head and shoulders shot, the rule I learned in school was twice the "normal" focal length. (Normal is usually somewhere near the measure of the diagonal of the sensor/film) You have a full frame camera. 50mm is considered normal, so a 100 would be ideal. It will put you at a good distance for the subject, so the features (eyes, nose, ears) don't look distorted. That 70-300 covers it, though I'd consider swappping out the 50 macro for a 100macro and use it instead. I think the 50 puts you too close for macro work. Ever get your shadow in your shots? The 100 will allow you more working room.
Cheers!

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Oct 6, 2019 23:26:00   #
pendennis
 
A quick "rule of thumb" -

I wouldn't use the macro, since it tends to have a flat field for use in close-up photography.

Consider depth of field. Too much can take away from the subject, and at closer distances too little can make for out-of-focus parts of the subject.

For full length portraits - 40-55mm
For waist-up - 85-105mm
For head and shoulders - 105-135mm
For wide groups - 35mm (and never wider than 28mm - too much off-axis distortion)

Longer focal lengths than 135 can start to compress facial features, and wide lenses tend to exaggerate noses, ears, etc. Watch for catchlights for the eyes. Focus there; you want to bring attention to that area, usually.

Remember, these are only general guidelines. You need to practice, practice, practice. Work with available light and electronic flash. You may need a second flash for ratio lighting.

It will also be helpful to get books on portraiture. Those will help you with lighting, poses, and other critical factors.

There are too many factors to cover in a single post, and there will be others along who will have their own ideas of portraiture.

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Oct 7, 2019 03:18:59   #
rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
 
Welcome to the UHH. I primarily shoot Canon and Nikon and my go to lens on my Canon 5DSr for portraiture is my Canon EF 85 f/1.2L.

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Oct 7, 2019 05:31:59   #
Silverrails
 
PeterdR wrote:
My hobby is photography and I live in Costa Rica. My hobby allows me to volunteer at many events were lots of disadvantaged younger people attend. I take pictures, have this printed and give the prints to these people. It makes them happy, and me possible happier.
There is one particular school down in one of the many valleys where there is a school with only 30 students, from kindergarten to grade eight. Uniforms are passed on to younger siblings, schoolbooks are a prized possession. Three teachers with hearts of gold!
I have been taking portraits of these kids in the past years and go again later this week. I have been using a Sony 50mm F/2.8 Macro and I found the results pretty good. However, I often read about photographers using a longer lens for portraits, which brings me to the question what other lens could I possible use. I have in my arsenal a.o. a Sony 70-300G SSM f4.5-5.6 and a Sony 24-70 mm F2.8 ZA SSM Carl Zeiss. I mount these on a Sony A99ii. Any advice on any of these 3 lenses? Thank you.
My hobby is photography and I live in Costa Rica. ... (show quote)


The one lens that was suggested to me as a Beginner Portrait lens was called the " Nifty- Fifty", which was a 50mm 1.8 prime lens.

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Oct 7, 2019 05:42:19   #
Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina
 
From your list I would probably choose to shoot in the 70-200 range with your 70-300. There are many good videos on portraits on YouTube. I like those by Robert Harrington using a single speedlite. Good shooting...

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Oct 7, 2019 05:48:09   #
mas24 Loc: Southern CA
 
Most photography articles will tell you that the 85mm f2.8, or faster, is one of the best portrait lenses available. The more expensive ones are in Canon and Nikon Brands. And one of them is a Canon f1.2L. The most renowned by Nikon would be the 105mm f1.4. I use a 50mm f1.8 FX, for portraits, on a Nikon 24 megapixels DX camera. Getting a FOV of 75mm. I've also had decent portraits from my Nikon Bridge camera, that has a focal range from 22.5mm-855mm. I borrowed for one day, a friends Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro lens. And took decent portraits with it at a Veterans summer picnic. Honoring Veterans of WW2 and the Korean War. One pro photographer, I met at that event, used a Nikon 70-200mm f2.8, (not the current one) on a Nikon D810 for portraits. Sigma has an 85mm f1.4 and a 135mm as well. Tamron's 85mm G2 has good reviews too. So, there seems there are different preferences by photographers, which lens suits them best for portraits. They don't necessarily have to be prime lenses. Although prime lenses would be my preference.

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Oct 7, 2019 05:52:02   #
Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida
 
The Nikon 105 mm 1.4 is a preferred portrait lens; but so is the 85mm 1.4 and the 70-200 mm 2.8.

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Oct 7, 2019 06:09:44   #
SkyKing Loc: Thompson Ridge, NY
 
PeterdR wrote:
My hobby is photography and I live in Costa Rica. My hobby allows me to volunteer at many events were lots of disadvantaged younger people attend. I take pictures, have this printed and give the prints to these people. It makes them happy, and me possible happier.
There is one particular school down in one of the many valleys where there is a school with only 30 students, from kindergarten to grade eight. Uniforms are passed on to younger siblings, schoolbooks are a prized possession. Three teachers with hearts of gold!
I have been taking portraits of these kids in the past years and go again later this week. I have been using a Sony 50mm F/2.8 Macro and I found the results pretty good. However, I often read about photographers using a longer lens for portraits, which brings me to the question what other lens could I possible use. I have in my arsenal a.o. a Sony 70-300G SSM f4.5-5.6 and a Sony 24-70 mm F2.8 ZA SSM Carl Zeiss. I mount these on a Sony A99ii. Any advice on any of these 3 lenses? Thank you.
My hobby is photography and I live in Costa Rica. ... (show quote)


...Every focal length reproduces a subject differently...



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Oct 7, 2019 06:14:05   #
dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida
 
When Kodak was KODAK, they made special portrait cameras with fixed 85mm lenses.
See examples in the article called: Facial distortion of various focal lengths for headshots
https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4164807

As I was writing this SkyKing gave the examples... my salute to you Skyking.

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Oct 7, 2019 06:32:04   #
Dave45109 Loc: Michigan/Wisconsin
 
I did portraits at weddings for years and was always told for the best perspective the perfect portrait should be shot at 85mm. Then the face is in true proportions.

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Oct 7, 2019 06:32:47   #
CO
 
I agree with pendennis above. If you do full length shots use a focal length around 50mm. If doing full length portraits, long focal length lenses will have the effect of compressing the scene too much. Objects behind your subject will appear much too large. I use a Tamron 45mm f/1.8 SP VC lens on a full frame camera for full length portraits. It keeps objects behind the model a more normal size.

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Oct 7, 2019 07:09:59   #
billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
 
PeterdR wrote:
My hobby is photography and I live in Costa Rica. My hobby allows me to volunteer at many events were lots of disadvantaged younger people attend. I take pictures, have this printed and give the prints to these people. It makes them happy, and me possible happier.
There is one particular school down in one of the many valleys where there is a school with only 30 students, from kindergarten to grade eight. Uniforms are passed on to younger siblings, schoolbooks are a prized possession. Three teachers with hearts of gold!
I have been taking portraits of these kids in the past years and go again later this week. I have been using a Sony 50mm F/2.8 Macro and I found the results pretty good. However, I often read about photographers using a longer lens for portraits, which brings me to the question what other lens could I possible use. I have in my arsenal a.o. a Sony 70-300G SSM f4.5-5.6 and a Sony 24-70 mm F2.8 ZA SSM Carl Zeiss. I mount these on a Sony A99ii. Any advice on any of these 3 lenses? Thank you.
My hobby is photography and I live in Costa Rica. ... (show quote)


My favorite focal range for portraits is 100-200 mm. Choice varies from person to person and environment.

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Oct 7, 2019 07:43:58   #
jeffhacker Loc: Dallas, Texas
 
thanks for this one, Sky King. I use Nikon, and have been using a 50mm f/1.4 for portraits (DX format) fairly successfully. It is great to see a sample chart with the subtle differences (okay, some aren't so subtle).
One thing I like about UHH is that I always learn something new!

Jeff

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Oct 7, 2019 07:45:17   #
ELNikkor
 
That 24-70 2.8 at 70 wide open should do the trick

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