Portrait lenses

[bribrius]

For creative wide/ultra-wide portraits and/or group of people:

• Nikkor AF-S 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
• Nikkor AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR
  
• Nikkor AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
  
• Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD
  
• Nikkor AF-S 20mm f/1.8G ED
• Nikkor AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED

For portraits with some background and/or half body/bust compositions:

• Nikkor AF-S 35mm f/1.4G
• Nikkor AF-S 35mm f/1.8G ED
  
• Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art Series
• Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.8G
• Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G
  
• Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S
  
• Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art Series
  
• Nikkor AF-S 58mm f/1.4G
• Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD
• Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

For traditional head shot portraits:

• Nikkor AF-S 85mm f/1.8G
• Nikkor AF-S 85mm f/1.4G
  
• Nikkor AF 85mm f/1.4D
  
• Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD
  
• Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II
• Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro
• Nikkor AF 135mm f/2D DC
• Nikkor AF-S 200mm f/2G ED VR II
• Nikkor AF-S 300mm f/4E PF ED VR

geesh. Like anything it is price. Any of these cheap and can be used for all three instead of buying three lenses?

 

[ruifo]

^^
You can always try the "super-zoom" lenses, at the expense of losing some image quality.

DX:

• Tamron 16-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD MACRO - DX Lens
• Nikkor AF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II - DX Lens
• Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM - DX Lens
• Nikkor AF-S 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR - DX Lens

FX:

• Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM - FX Lens
  
• Nikkor AF-S 24-120mm f/4G ED VR - FX Lens
• Nikkor AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR - FX Lens
• Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD - FX Lens

 

[nerwin]

For creative wide/ultra-wide portraits and/or group of people:

• Nikkor AF-S 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
• Nikkor AF-S 16-35mm f/4G ED VR
  
• Nikkor AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED
  
• Tamron SP 15-30mm f/2.8 Di VC USD
  
• Nikkor AF-S 20mm f/1.8G ED
• Nikkor AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED

For portraits with some background and/or half body/bust compositions:

• Nikkor AF-S 35mm f/1.4G
• Nikkor AF-S 35mm f/1.8G ED
  
• Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art Series
• Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.8G
• Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G
  
• Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S
  
• Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art Series
  
• Nikkor AF-S 58mm f/1.4G
• Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD
• Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

For traditional head shot portraits:

• Nikkor AF-S 85mm f/1.8G
• Nikkor AF-S 85mm f/1.4G
  
• Nikkor AF 85mm f/1.4D
  
• Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD
  
• Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II
• Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro
• Nikkor AF 135mm f/2D DC
• Nikkor AF-S 200mm f/2G ED VR II
• Nikkor AF-S 300mm f/4E PF ED VR

geesh. Like anything it is price. Any of these cheap and can be used for all three instead of buying three lenses?

The only cheap and by that I mean affordable lens is the 50 1.8G. If you wanted something to cover all three, it would probably have to be the 24-70 2.8. Not cheap in any manner.

Now if you really wanted to get away with it, you could...look at the old 24-85 2.8-f/4D or the 28-105 3.5-4.5D lenses....I've actually seen some decent portraits taking with these lenses.

 

[ruifo]

If you don't mind manual focus lenses, here is a great deal for keeping image quality up, with more affordable price tags:

• Samyang/Rokinon/Bower 14mm f/2.8 Ultra Wide-Angle 'with Focus Confirm Chip' [$269.00]
• Samyang/Rokinon/Bower 24mm f/1.4 Wide-Angle 'with Focus Confirm Chip' [$449.00]
  
• Samyang/Rokinon/Bower 50mm f/1.4 AS IF UMC 'with Focus Confirm Chip' [$399.00]
  
• Samyang/Rokinon/Bower 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical 'with Focus Confirm Chip' [$281.90]
  
• Samyang/Rokinon/Bower 135mm f/2.0 ED UMC 'with Focus Confirm Chip' [$549.00]

 

[Designer]

geesh. Like anything it is price. Any of these cheap and can be used for all three instead of buying three lenses?

These lists are to give something like the "ideal" lenses for specific uses. Of course not many photographers will see the need for three very specific lenses even if he specializes in portraiture.

You use what you have or can afford, just like the rest of us.

I see a short-to-medium zoom handling the short or medium distances quite well, and the overall image quality will depend on the individual lens used.

 

[Scoody]

Cool. Sounds like you have a good thing going on. Do you need to correct the distortion in post, then? I haven't seen portraits done that wide unless it's a novelty or particularly stylised portrait, up close and exaggerating facial or bodily features.

I usually set up where I can get the full body and several feet of background on all sides. This way the distortion is on the edges, not the subject. The Tokina lens is sharp enough that I can crop pretty close and not lose any clarity.

It took some trail and error, but once I got the hang of it, the results were pretty good.

 

[Vtec44]

50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.4, 105 f2.8, 135 f2, 70-200 f2.8 are just a few. My favorites are 50 f1.4 and 85 f1.4

 

[Derrel]

For environmental portraits that show some "environment", you can use shorter lenses at distances of 10 to 15 feet or so; when using shorter focal lengths you must make sure to drop the camera down to mid-body height, or the head will appear too big and the legs and feet too short. This is kind of a good idea whenever shooting full-length shots from a distance too, but it is less-noticeable with longer focal length lenses used from farther away.

I prefer the slightly "flattened" facial rendering that comes from a longer lens, like a 135mm to 300mm lens on FX, so I often use a 70-200 or 80-200 zoom, since the zoom has a lot of lengths and it is fast and convenient. I own all the prime lens lengths from 50 to 400, but I really do not usually like the hassle of carrying a lot of gear, so I will often just take the 70-200 and leave the primes at home.

The best "value" in an 80-200 zoom for a Nikon shooter is probably the 80-200mm f/4 Ai-S, for around $100. DSC4900 80-200mm f4 Nikkor CROP sm.jpg photo - Derrel photos at pbase.com

I bought one a couple summers back. For slower, more-deliberate portrait work, or work done from a tripod, that's going to be impossible to beat in terms of bang-for-buck. For fast shooting, or wide-aperture work, or kind of low-light shooting, for me an autofocusing lens is almost mandatory with a modern d-slr.

 

[photoguy99]

Aaaaaa!

 

[Mr.Photo]

If you have a body that supports them (D7000/D7100 or higher) you can get some of the old manual focus Ai or Ai-s lenses. One of my favorites for this recently has been my Ai 135mm 2.8. Also if you aren't opposed to buying used get one of the older 80-200 2.8 zoom lenses. I have the second generation one touch model (push pull zoom) and it is one of my best lenses in my bag.

80-200 2.8 at 135mm @ 2.8.

Ai 135mm 2.8 at f/4.

 

[AKUK]

The best "value" in an 80-200 zoom for a Nikon shooter is probably the 80-200mm f/4 Ai-S, for around $100. DSC4900 80-200mm f4 Nikkor CROP sm.jpg photo - Derrel photos at pbase.com

I used to have the 80-200mm f/4 Ai-s myself. Fantastically sharp lens, even wide open and surprisingly easy to nail focus with. I kind of regret selling it but I did so to help fund the D800 at the time. I might look to pick up another copy, although with my eyesight definitely past its prime, I do enjoy the benefits AF brings.

 

[Derrel]

I used to have the 80-200mm f/4 Ai-s myself. Fantastically sharp lens, even wide open and surprisingly easy to nail focus with. I kind of regret selling it but I did so to help fund the D800 at the time. I might look to pick up another copy, although with my eyesight definitely past its prime, I do enjoy the benefits AF brings.

Yeah...it is surprisingly easy to focus by hand-and-eye. The focusing ring's throw is pretty well optimized and damped, but then, it was designed as a manual focusing lens, so its easy to focus nature is to be expected.

Another REALLY handy portrait/travel zoom manual focus Nikkor is the 50-135mm f/3.5 Ai-S, which was made in only one single production run, and not for 15 years or so, like the 1981-ca.1995 f/4 Ai-S 80-200. I still use the 50-135mm f/3.5 as a walkaround lens at the beach mostly: I LOVE having the 50mm bottom end on a zoom.

Here's Bonnie with the 50-135mm, seen mounted on an F2A.

 

[jake337]

Any lens can be great for portraits. I use my 28mm f2.8 ais all the time.

Don't get stuck on the "use this focal length for portraits" mindset.


Pick a focal length which bests suits your subject or the image you want to create.

An example would be if you have a subject whose face is already wide, and round, you might not want to flatten it out even more with compression.

 

[AKUK]

Any lens can be great for portraits. I use my 28mm f2.8 ais all the time.

Don't get stuck on the "use this focal length for portraits" mindset.


Pick a focal length which bests suits your subject or the image you want to create.

An example would be if you have a subject whose face is already wide, and round, you might not want to flatten it out even more with compression.

Absolutely. Creativity should always come first and you pick a lens for its attributes. I guess a lot of people consider portraiture in the classic, beauty sense and automatically want a focal length to best flatter their subject matter. It is easy though to fall into the mental trap of specific lenses for specific genres as you mention. Landscapes, you must go wide. Portraits, you must got 85mm+.

If people tried mixing things up a bit, they'd get way more interesting results. I shot the attached landscape image using a borrowed 70-300mm VR and shot at just over 100mm. The compression gave added depth to the scene, made the subject matter larger and helped eliminate two tower blocks behind and to the left and 8 lanes of traffic just off to the right lol.

 

[nerwin]

I like my 70-300 VR..its a great versatile lens. The bokeh isn't really that bad, even at f/8. I should use it more often, I just like using primes more...probably because they are brighter in the viewfinder.