Best lens to use for family portrait: I have to take a family portrait and wanted to know what is the best lens to use? I have a Canon 6D Mark 2 with a 24-105mm lens.

kscanman Loc: Wisconsin

I have to take a family portrait and wanted to know what is the best lens to use? I have a Canon 6D Mark 2 with a 24-105mm lens.

legion3 Loc: Deer Park Long Island

that is a great lens it would work fine

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

Yep.

Tomfl101 Loc: Mount Airy, MD

That lens is a great choice unless you are shooting outdoors and want your group to stand out from the background. In that case I would recommend either a longer focal length zoom or a faster prime.

CO

I would just watch out if you photograph a group of people with a wide angle setting. People near the edges of the image can be stretched horizontally from volume deformation. I use DxO ViewPoint 3 to correct this. I also purchased DxO PhotoLab 3. If you get both, the ViewPoint 3 menu options will come into PhotoLab3.

https://www.dxo.com/project/understanding-volume-deformation/

(Download)

I took the photo below with a 16mm lens setting. The left and right wings of the building are stretched horizontally from volume deformation. DxO ViewPoint 3 corrected the volume deformation and keystoning. I made a tiptych in Photoshop to compare.

(Download)

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

legion3 wrote:

that is a great lens it would work fine

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

CO wrote:

I would just watch out if you photograph a group of people with a wide angle setting. People near the edges of the image can be stretched horizontally from volume deformation. I use DxO ViewPoint 3 to correct this. I also purchased DxO PhotoLab 3. If you get both, the ViewPoint 3 menu options will come into PhotoLab3.

https://www.dxo.com/project/understanding-volume-deformation/

Thanks!

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

kscanman wrote:

I have to take a family portrait and wanted to know what is the best lens to use? I have a Canon 6D Mark 2 with a 24-105mm lens.

That lens should work just fine. For prime lenses, the 85mm f1.8 is a good choice. If you don't need a wide angle lens.

ELNikkor

Use that lens at between 40 and 70 mm

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

ELNikkor wrote:

Use that lens at between 40 and 70 mm

Generically yes, but it all depends on the distance to the subject(s), their number and arrangement.

Silverrails

kscanman wrote:

I have to take a family portrait and wanted to know what is the best lens to use? I have a Canon 6D Mark 2 with a 24-105mm lens.

I understand that a 50mm prime lens is a qualified lens for Portrait Photography.
Although saying that, I have also understood that a 85mm Prime is a very good Portrait lens.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

kscanman wrote:

I have to take a family portrait and wanted to know what is the best lens to use? I have a Canon 6D Mark 2 with a 24-105mm lens.

Is there any way you can mount the lens on the camera and look through the viewfinder and see for yourself how the subject looks with the various focal lengths?

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

RWR wrote:

Is there any way you can mount the lens on the camera and look through the viewfinder and see for yourself how the subject looks with the various focal lengths?

Attach lens.

Look into VF.

Rack zoom in/out until desired framing is achieved.

LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY

CO wrote:

I would just watch out if you photograph a group of people with a wide angle setting. People near the edges of the image can be stretched horizontally from volume deformation. I use DxO ViewPoint 3 to correct this. I also purchased DxO PhotoLab 3. If you get both, the ViewPoint 3 menu options will come into PhotoLab3.

https://www.dxo.com/project/understanding-volume-deformation/

I'll bet that explains the shots I have seen of Pamela Anderson! And others! Didn't seem to affect their faces though. Hmmm...curious!

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

kscanman wrote:

I have to take a family portrait and wanted to know what is the best lens to use? I have a Canon 6D Mark 2 with a 24-105mm lens.

How big is the family? Where will the photo be taken?