What lens for portraits?
Oct 7, 2019 08:36:32 #
PeterdR wrote:
My hobby is photography and I live in Costa Rica. ... (show quote)
With an A99 II you seem to be quite serious ! None of your lenses really get you to a GOOD full frame focal length/f-stop. Back in the film days, Minolta made a very nice 100mm f2.8 variable SOFT lens for the Sony A mount - it is a GREAT lens by all accounts ! - and should work well for you. I do not do portraits now - but if I did, that is what I use !
.
Oct 7, 2019 08:39:40 #
ELNikkor wrote:
That 24-70 2.8 at 70 wide open should do the trick
The best of what you currently have
but still not ideal ....Oct 7, 2019 08:45:33 #
Leitz
Loc: Solms
PeterdR wrote:
My hobby is photography and I live in Costa Rica. ... (show quote)
Is there any way possible that you could take some portraits with all your lenses? You're sure to find someone who can tell you what they look like.
Oct 7, 2019 08:59:47 #
It has been said that an 85mm prime lens offers the best rendition for doing portraits. In watching videos of pro photographers doing portrait shoots, you may notice most use a zoom lens.
Nevertheless, if you've been having success with a 50mm lens for portraits, then consider sticking with it instead of spending your dollars on another lens.
Of course, you could rent an 85mm lens to try it to see if its use produces a better result.
Nevertheless, if you've been having success with a 50mm lens for portraits, then consider sticking with it instead of spending your dollars on another lens.
Of course, you could rent an 85mm lens to try it to see if its use produces a better result.
PeterdR wrote:
My hobby is photography and I live in Costa Rica. ... (show quote)
Oct 7, 2019 09:42:19 #
Kmgw9v wrote:
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.
Yes! This!! (personally, I would leave out the Zoom just because of the size/weight factor - even though the Convenience factor goes up!!)
Oct 7, 2019 09:46:34 #
Oct 7, 2019 09:48:40 #
Maybe I have poor reading comprehension but I thought the OP was asking which of the lenses he has listed would be best.. Not suggestions for other lenses...😳
Oct 7, 2019 10:13:19 #
I am sure you have enough information here to make a wise decision. I am sure also that many of the recommended lenses have a premium price in Costa Rica. If you are getting good results from your 50mm lens consider if indeed you need another lens for portraits. It could save you money since you do not shoot to make a living.
In my case and because I have Nikon cameras my favorite portrait lens is the 105mm f2.5 made by Nikon. If I use my Olympus bodies I could use the 40-150 f4-5.6 ED or the 12-40 f2.8 Pro.
"That 24-70 2.8 at 70 wide open should do the trick" I seldom shoot a portrait wide open. With mirrorless I have more depth of field but with my dSLR cameras using a lens wide open limits the depth of field to a point where I am not entirely happy with it. Why not separating the subject from the background and using a smaller lens opening like f5.6 or f8? The background will still be blurred but the facial features of the subject are sharper. That to me is more pleasant that areas on the face out of focus.
In my case and because I have Nikon cameras my favorite portrait lens is the 105mm f2.5 made by Nikon. If I use my Olympus bodies I could use the 40-150 f4-5.6 ED or the 12-40 f2.8 Pro.
"That 24-70 2.8 at 70 wide open should do the trick" I seldom shoot a portrait wide open. With mirrorless I have more depth of field but with my dSLR cameras using a lens wide open limits the depth of field to a point where I am not entirely happy with it. Why not separating the subject from the background and using a smaller lens opening like f5.6 or f8? The background will still be blurred but the facial features of the subject are sharper. That to me is more pleasant that areas on the face out of focus.
Oct 7, 2019 10:23:00 #
Notorious T.O.D. wrote:
Maybe I have poor reading comprehension but I thought the OP was asking which of the lenses he has listed would be best.. Not suggestions for other lenses...😳
You are right on! Thank you! And I'm guilty of not paying attention to the OP's real question! (I blame it on the lack of caffeine though...I was in the process of making my espresso... It can't be my ADD... well maybe... OK, yes it is
)Oct 7, 2019 11:08:50 #
amfoto1
Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA
On 35mm film and full frame digital cameras, the "classic" portrait focal lengths fall in the range from 80mm to 135mm. These "short telephoto" are largely preferred for the way they render faces with minimal distortion.
Another thing often wanted in a portrait lens is a large maximum aperture. The primary purpose for that is to be able to blur down a background, to make the subject stand out against it. Of course, you have to tread a fine line and use a lens aperture that will give sufficient depth of field, while still achieving the background blur you want. A large aperture lens may be more desirable in candid shooting situations, where you have less control over the background. A large aperture lens may not be needed for posed portraits, such as in a studio where a backdrop is being used.
Candid situations also may call for the longer focal lengths of the range, allowing the photographer to work from a greater distance and be less intrusive. But you will need more "working space" with longer lenses, too.
Personally I find a 24-70mm lens on full frame "too short" for a lot of portraiture (it's fine on a crop sensor camera, though). Most of the portraits I shoot are candids, too, where I have to deal with all sorts of backgrounds... and to me an f/2.8 aperture just isn't large enough. My "go to" candid portrait lenses on full frame are an 85mm f/1.8 and 135mm f/2. For more formal, posed portraiture I sometimes use a 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 lens instead. (I also use that lens when I have a lot of hiking to do with my gear, rather than carry a bag full of prime lenses.)
Wedding photographers... who are also primarily portraitists.... tend to rely a lot on a 24-70mm f/2.8 (and 70-200mm f/2.8)... as well as primes with exceptionally large apertures such as 50mm f/1.2 an 85mm f/1.2. However, wedding photography is somewhat unique... shots are often posed, but on location where backgrounds can vary a lot. Wedding photos also tend to be "less tight"... more likely to be at least two people in the shot and, at a minimum, half portraits (head and torso). Often they will even be full length portraits of couples and larger groups. Extra large apertures are used to create a "dreamier" look. There also are some tight candid shots... most likely done with a longer zoom or telephoto prime.
For active kids (and "pet portraits"), a zoom may be necessary.
For "environmental portraits", showing the person in their surroundings for additional context, a shorter focal length such as 50mm (on full frame) or even 35mm or 28mm might be needed. But those need to be used carefully. Shorter focal lengths tend to exaggerate facial features.
Too close with a 50mm lens on full frame will make a person's nose appear large and their ears too small. (50mm is a great "short telephoto/portrait" lens on crop sensor cameras.) Look carefully at the illustration SkyKing shared in an earlier post. The 24mm and 35mm focal lengths significantly distort facial features. 70mm is better... but 85mm and 135mm are even better still.
Depending upon what type of portraits you're shooting and the conditions you're shooting under, you will want to choose different lenses. Maybe that 50mm is perfect for your purposes. Or, maybe not. You might just add an 85mm to your kit and see how that works for you. Or, if you're shooting active portraits you may need a zoom, in which case something in the 24-105 or 28-135mm ranges might be more useful than a 24-70mm. But if you need a large aperture lens due to backgrounds, you'll probably need to work with either 24-70mm or 70-200mm. That might get you to f/2.8.... but if you need larger, you'll be back to using primes instead of zooms.
As a general rule, I don't like to use macro lenses for portraiture. The reason people do so is because macro tend to be short telephotos, much like "ideal" portrait lenses. And it's always nice when a lens can serve dual purposes. But in my opinion macro lenses are simply "too sharp" for portraiture a lot of the time. They also usually have a max aperture of f/2.8 or smaller. An exception I use with crop sensor cameras is the Tamron 60mm f/2.... When macro and portraits are secondary, but possible on a particular shoot, this fairly compact lens takes place of three others to lighten my camera bag (50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.8 and 100mm f/2.8 macro). One reason I'll use the Tamron 60mm Macro for portraits is because it has a stop larger aperture than most macro lenses. And it saves me a pound or two to carry, as well as a lot of space in my bag (which has become increasingly important as I've gotten older
). But, it's a crop only lens. So won't be any help to you, using a full frame camera.
Another thing often wanted in a portrait lens is a large maximum aperture. The primary purpose for that is to be able to blur down a background, to make the subject stand out against it. Of course, you have to tread a fine line and use a lens aperture that will give sufficient depth of field, while still achieving the background blur you want. A large aperture lens may be more desirable in candid shooting situations, where you have less control over the background. A large aperture lens may not be needed for posed portraits, such as in a studio where a backdrop is being used.
Candid situations also may call for the longer focal lengths of the range, allowing the photographer to work from a greater distance and be less intrusive. But you will need more "working space" with longer lenses, too.
Personally I find a 24-70mm lens on full frame "too short" for a lot of portraiture (it's fine on a crop sensor camera, though). Most of the portraits I shoot are candids, too, where I have to deal with all sorts of backgrounds... and to me an f/2.8 aperture just isn't large enough. My "go to" candid portrait lenses on full frame are an 85mm f/1.8 and 135mm f/2. For more formal, posed portraiture I sometimes use a 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 lens instead. (I also use that lens when I have a lot of hiking to do with my gear, rather than carry a bag full of prime lenses.)
Wedding photographers... who are also primarily portraitists.... tend to rely a lot on a 24-70mm f/2.8 (and 70-200mm f/2.8)... as well as primes with exceptionally large apertures such as 50mm f/1.2 an 85mm f/1.2. However, wedding photography is somewhat unique... shots are often posed, but on location where backgrounds can vary a lot. Wedding photos also tend to be "less tight"... more likely to be at least two people in the shot and, at a minimum, half portraits (head and torso). Often they will even be full length portraits of couples and larger groups. Extra large apertures are used to create a "dreamier" look. There also are some tight candid shots... most likely done with a longer zoom or telephoto prime.
For active kids (and "pet portraits"), a zoom may be necessary.
For "environmental portraits", showing the person in their surroundings for additional context, a shorter focal length such as 50mm (on full frame) or even 35mm or 28mm might be needed. But those need to be used carefully. Shorter focal lengths tend to exaggerate facial features.
Too close with a 50mm lens on full frame will make a person's nose appear large and their ears too small. (50mm is a great "short telephoto/portrait" lens on crop sensor cameras.) Look carefully at the illustration SkyKing shared in an earlier post. The 24mm and 35mm focal lengths significantly distort facial features. 70mm is better... but 85mm and 135mm are even better still.
Depending upon what type of portraits you're shooting and the conditions you're shooting under, you will want to choose different lenses. Maybe that 50mm is perfect for your purposes. Or, maybe not. You might just add an 85mm to your kit and see how that works for you. Or, if you're shooting active portraits you may need a zoom, in which case something in the 24-105 or 28-135mm ranges might be more useful than a 24-70mm. But if you need a large aperture lens due to backgrounds, you'll probably need to work with either 24-70mm or 70-200mm. That might get you to f/2.8.... but if you need larger, you'll be back to using primes instead of zooms.
As a general rule, I don't like to use macro lenses for portraiture. The reason people do so is because macro tend to be short telephotos, much like "ideal" portrait lenses. And it's always nice when a lens can serve dual purposes. But in my opinion macro lenses are simply "too sharp" for portraiture a lot of the time. They also usually have a max aperture of f/2.8 or smaller. An exception I use with crop sensor cameras is the Tamron 60mm f/2.... When macro and portraits are secondary, but possible on a particular shoot, this fairly compact lens takes place of three others to lighten my camera bag (50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.8 and 100mm f/2.8 macro). One reason I'll use the Tamron 60mm Macro for portraits is because it has a stop larger aperture than most macro lenses. And it saves me a pound or two to carry, as well as a lot of space in my bag (which has become increasingly important as I've gotten older
). But, it's a crop only lens. So won't be any help to you, using a full frame camera.Oct 7, 2019 11:27:40 #
depending on distance your zoom from 50-70 will do nicely. I prefer 85mm for head shots, but that may just be me.
Oct 7, 2019 11:38:11 #
I get excellent results with my Laowa 4mm 2.8 Fisheye on MFT. No bokeh though.
Oct 7, 2019 11:38:23 #
dick ranez wrote:
depending on distance your zoom from 50-70 will do nicely. I prefer 85mm for head shots, but that may just be me.
You and Many others!!
Oct 7, 2019 11:39:12 #
SuperflyTNT wrote:
I get excellent results with my Laowa 4mm 2.8 Fisheye on MFT. No bokeh though.
Oct 7, 2019 11:45:37 #
JFCoupe
Loc: Kent, Washington
You have some good advice in the comments already posted.
I just wanted to add a 'thank you' to you for taking the student images and sharing prints with the students. It is likely for many of them that your print is the first photo they have had. A good deed will done.
I just wanted to add a 'thank you' to you for taking the student images and sharing prints with the students. It is likely for many of them that your print is the first photo they have had. A good deed will done.
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