Ideal Portrait Prime Lens: Not just portrait, but head shot portrait prime lens. Which of these 3 is ideal? 85mm, 100mm or 135mm on a full frame sensor. Add what maximum aperture as...

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

Not just portrait, but head shot portrait prime lens.
Which of these 3 is ideal?
85mm, 100mm or 135mm on a full frame sensor.
Add what maximum aperture as well to your choice of these lenses.
Explain your response.

Ltgk20 Loc: Salisbury, NC

I like the 85 F1.4 on full frame personally. I find it versatile to take full body in most conditions except indoor as well as headshots at a more intimate distance. However, I understand that plenty prefer the 100 or the 135 and I very much like 135 when I'm taking head and upper body shots.

BebuLamar

Nikon 135mm f/2.0 DC?

Quixdraw Loc: x

Key point is what is a comfortable working distance for you, and more importantly the subject. I have used 85 and 105 with good results. 135 can be tricky, but I bought a used 135 DC that I will be testing on my big annual charity shoot early in the Fall. I always shoot with two cameras, so it is safe enough, hopefully it will take the portraits to a new level.

Bill_de Loc: US

For portraits I like to have a very wide aperture available. You can always stop down if called for. It's a toss up between 85 &100mm, but if I had to choose, 85. Getting physically closer gives a more intimate image.

Just my opinion!

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Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

Architect1776 wrote:

Not just portrait, but head shot portrait prime lens.
Which of these 3 is ideal?
85mm, 100mm or 135mm on a full frame sensor.
Add what maximum aperture as well to your choice of these lenses.
Explain your response.

I like the 85mm f/1.2 had one and it was wonderful, but it was replaced with the so called Bokeh Master, Sigma's 105 f/1.4. Have to say that the two lenses are comparable as far as background, both are outstanding but I have to give the edge to the Sigma because it is much faster to focus and possibly has an slightly smoother background. 135mm lenses begin to compress features, I have one as well but would use the 105 for portraits if I were being paid. 135mm also requires more working space. The Sigma does have a draw back, it is a huge beast and heavy, it does however come with a tripod collar, but for some it may be uncomfortable for handheld shoots.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

85mm portrait lenses are very, very sharp and just the right focal length for head / shoulder shots. You may have to soften in Post. I go to 50mm for full body shots. I mainly use them for studio work. The other lens I use is the 70-200 f/2.8, mostly outdoors.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

Depends. How much do you want to spend? How close do you want to work to the subject? 85 is closer than 100 that is closer than 135.

How artistic do you want to work with a wider aperture? If just the eye is in sharp focus with a razor thin DOF, is that your desired result? Whether f/1.2 or f/2, these may not be relevant to the actual aperture used / needed to capture your subject at a reasonable DOF covering the eyes through the ear(s) in sharp focus.

Do you have a zoom lens(es) already covering all three of the focal lengths such that you don't need a dedicated prime? Or, at the least, can you test the three focal lengths and confirm your own desired working focal length?

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Architect1776 wrote:

Not just portrait, but head shot portrait prime lens.
Which of these 3 is ideal?
85mm, 100mm or 135mm on a full frame sensor.
Add what maximum aperture as well to your choice of these lenses.
Explain your response.

I prefer 85mm on a full-frame camera and somewhere around 50mm on a DX camera. Ive used 105mm and 135mm on full-frame, but the working distances are longer than what I like, and 135mm in some cases undesirably flattens facial features too much because of the longer working distance.

The portrait lens I have right now is an 85mm f/1.4 AF-D lens, but I don’t use it that wide open. Depth of field is too thin to render both the face and hair attractively. The same is true of the 50mm f/1.4 AF-D that I use on my DX cameras, just not quite as bad.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

Architect1776 wrote:

Not just portrait, but head shot portrait prime lens.
Which of these 3 is ideal?
85mm, 100mm or 135mm on a full frame sensor.
Add what maximum aperture as well to your choice of these lenses.
Explain your response.

For portraits I use a Canon EF 85 f/1.2L, and I use it simply because it works. That and it's a really nice lens.

tramsey Loc: Texas

I've always used the 135 f/2. I don't have to get right in on my subject and still have the personal effect on the photo.

User ID

Architect1776 wrote:

Not just portrait, but head shot portrait prime lens.
Which of these 3 is ideal?
85mm, 100mm or 135mm on a full frame sensor.
Add what maximum aperture as well to your choice of these lenses.
Explain your response.

135mm for tight head shots with barely a hint of any shoulders. If you want "head and shoulders", go shorter (or back up).

You left out 180 and 200mm which make great tight head shots, but you will need sufficient light to get an aperture that keeps the whole face in focus.

Maximum aperture doesnt matter at all. DoF is a scarce, and therefor valuable, commodity with longish FLs so stopping down is essential.

Explanation ? "Invalid query. Does not compute".

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

User ID wrote:

135mm for tight head shots with barely a hint of a... (show quote)

I very purposely left out ALL other focal lengths because this post is about ONLY the three mentioned.
If you want to discuss some other lenses fine but this is ONLY for the three noted.

Alphabravo2020

I test to see if a particular focal distance is more flattering for the subject. Below are two cropped shots from a model taken on the same day. The first is point blank with a 58mm, the second is about 40 feet away with a 135mm.

The more distant shot is a flatter perspective and I think you can also see that the eye-to-eye width is a smaller proportion of the total face width than on the nearer shot. Verdict in this case of course is that it didn't matter, however, if I had a model that, say hypothetically, had closer set eyes or a wider face, then I would use shorter lenses.

In my opinion, a longer shot loses a bit of life and is more impersonal which may or may not be what you are going for.

gwilliams6

For this longtime pro of over 48 years in the business, my favs are 85mm f1.4, and 135mm f1.8. Others prefer 100mm or 105mm. Others love the 50mm f1.2 lenses.

But I also have made excellent portraits with a wide angle lens, like my 24mm f1.4.

Cheers