Angmo

The price is good. Best lens is the one yah got. I swear by my 35-70mm 2.8 I bought in like 1995. Seems it's always my go to for DX cameras.

The one I have my eye on is the new Nkon 70-200 E FL 2.8. As good as most primes all the way through the the zoom range. A bit more expensive than the 70-200 2.8s though.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Perspective in portraits as with any other subject is governed by subject distance, not focal length. Changing focal length affects only the cropping.

Portraits are best captured between 5 and 15 feet from the camera. When you shoot a portrait with a wide angle or long telephoto lens you may be tempted to go out of a flattering camera-subject distance.

Any of the lenses you mentioned will be useful if you move up to full frame.

You don't need sharpness for portraits. You may not be shooting wide open very often but f/1.4 or f/1.8 make it easier to focus.

therwol Loc: USA

Actually, my 50mm f/1.4 D is probably my sharpest non-micro lens, and it's probably the last one I would replace. I would also swear by an old 28-105 AF D that I own, nearly as sharp as my primes below 85mm. When I first bought my D810 in 2015, I fell into the pixel peeping addiction and ranked all of my lenses for sharpness. I've since realized that it doesn't matter as much as I thought it did. If I can't see the difference on a computer monitor or 16x20 enlargement, I shouldn't worry about it.

dar_clicks Loc: Utah

Especially for head and shoulders shots, one has to recognize that focal length is focal length. All else being equal, how the shapes on the face are rendered depends on focal length & distance which is very different from having field of view be the same. In the FX/DX-full-frame/APS-C world, focal lengths from 85mm, 105mm, or even longer are generally preferred for more pleasing results of facial features. None of that is original with me, but is what others with years of experience and training have passed along. Note: It is possible to use a 50mm for great results if the portrait is more than just head and shoulders and includes other surrounding features that are related to the subject, like being at a piano or garden setting or whatever. Of course there are exceptions which portray what our eye considers “distortion” from extreme close-ups if that is what is wanted, and once in a while a good portrait is published doing that, but that’s being kinda artsy instead of doing straight portraiture.

Angmo

...and, Ive taken advantagen of optics and inherent distortions to achieve very complimentary images of clients. This enhancement can make them appear taller than they appear, slimmer... many factors to use a non-85-135mm lens in very acceptable ways.

There’s simply no correct tool for all situations.

There never is. Otherwise we would all be doing it.

i.e., headshots are narrow views of the subject, but using wider lens allows the environment into the photos. Depends on the goals of the shoot.

dar_clicks Loc: Utah

Agreed. I got sort of stuck on the mundane technicalities of the subject. Thank you for bringing a more practical and creative perspective.

ray manclark

Ya, you can't go wrong with the F1.8 D lens. Cheap, sharp, use for DX or FX. [I do] Great for portraits or a walk-around-lens!!!

SteveR Loc: Michigan

I was talking with Gil at Arlington Camera a couple of weeks ago. He had a good question. Why is a 1.4 needed for a portrait lens? However, I would seriously question using a 35mm as a portrait lens and the 50mm would not be the best for a head shot. Something longer would be better.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

Very fast lenses have advantages even if you're not going to regularly shoot wide open. You get a brighter view and more accurate focusing.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

You may want to consider the Tamron 85mm f1.8. It cost a little more than the lenses listed but its well worth the money. Its far better than any of those, being on par with the Otis and Sigma Art plus it provides accurate, fast auto focus and 3 stops of VC. To date no other lens in this category has image stabilization.

Here is how DXO compares them.

(Download)


(Download)

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

These tests were done on a FF D800E, which may or may not be very relevant to using on an APS-C D7200.

jdedmonds

For me the principal advantage of the extra stop (or half stop) of a 1.4 lens, especially for portraiture, is the more pleasing bokeh available when the lens is wide open.

Leitz Loc: Solms

They were also done with an 85mm lens, which is of no help to the OP, who's looking for a 50mm.

rts2568

Nifty my be 'Nifty' so leave it be while first getting the facts correct and answer the question for the original enquirer.
1:- a Fifty mm lens is JUST a 50 mm lens, whether shot on a DX (APS- C) or on a full Frame.
2:- The aperture at the wide end has two main purposes,
2a: open wide to let more light in and make it easier to see the subject.
2b: The more wide open the less depth of field i.e. focus concentration on the eye/s.

3: A portrait lens can be anything it is true, but: a fifty mm is not the ideal. Take a look through the infinite amount of information/ examples by purported professionals images & note what lenses are being used. Ask yourself why that lens(?) in relationship to the 'real' angle of view; not on what amount of the subject is cropped or not.
3a: Consider what the true angle of view of a lens does. For example, a wedding photographer worth their salt, won't use a wide angle lens to photograph a group shot. Ask yourself why not - it wouldn't have anything to do with why a wide angle makes people on the fringes of the group look wider/fatter etc than they are or want to look like? In portraiture the same thing happens:- The wider the lens, the more stretched the subject, the longer the lens, the focal length compresses, while seeing the background more acutely:- for instance, does a beautiful face have earrings on? Do you as the photographer want to see them clearly or less so: ask yourself if the focal length will help you to select the best angle of view to capture what would be best for the portrait shot.

The best advice that can be given to a budding photographer about lens choice, is learn about and understand their equipment, before and after they've bought it, especially lenses as they are truly the eyes of the cameras. There is far too much mis-information out there about crop fators & focal length and the confusing/conflicting term - "Angle of view". Try studying this Wikie Site to get your thoughts on the matter clearer.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Look it up, the values are lower but the relationship to each other and the other lenses are the same.

In my opinion this lens has best ratio of performance to value and that was my point in publishing the data.