Undecided with Lens...need a little help here!!!

[ritapinho7]

Hello

I own a Canon 600D and I really want to insvest in a really good portrait lens. I currently use 50mm 1.8 and 18-135mm, but I have interest in two lens: 28mm 1.8 or upgrade my 50mm to f.1.4...which one do you advise?? My budjet is till 600€. Do you have other advice? Have read so many reviews and still have no sure..

Awaiting your precious help...

Hugs and kisses to you all
(from Portugal)
Rita

 

[Designer]

I have interest in two lens: 28mm 1.8 or upgrade my 50mm to f.1.4...which one do you advise??

Without any direct experience with Canon lenses, I can tell you that you should be looking at longer lenses.

 

[ritapinho7]

Why is so??? @Designer ??

 

[Designer]

Why is so??? @Designer ??

Two very good reasons:

Short lenses (28mm to 50mm) can introduce unflattering distortion when the photographer approaches the subject closely. A longer lens (85mm or longer) will generally produce a more pleasing portrait due to minimal distortion.

Furthermore, if the photographer remains at a "polite" distance from the subject, the model will not feel as though his/her personal space is being violated, and will be more relaxed and "natural".

 

[Gary A.]

I agree with designer. While I am of the school that most any genre can be photographed with most any lens ... many/most genres have optimal focal lengths which makes shooting that particular subject/genre easier and consistently successful.

Generally, for portraits, 85mm to 135mm is considered the optimal focal lengths for a full-frame camera. The further one goes beyond the optimal focal length(s) the difficulty factor increases for capturing a successful image.

Generally, for landscapes, the optimal focal lengths would be between 24mm and 35mm on a full-frame camera.

 

[ritapinho7]

thank you @Gary A. i'm looking around for Tokina 100mm and reading about it...

 

[beagle100]

thank you @Gary A. i'm looking around for Tokina 100mm and reading about it...

that will work, as well as the Canon 85 1.8, Canon 100mm 2.8, Canon 135mm, etc

 

[table1349]

Personally for your crop sensor I would go with the 50mm f1.4. Of the best portrait lenses it is the only one in your price range. I love my 85mm f1.2L and 135 f2L but both are far more expensive than your budget. If you could consider upping you budget the best compromise/utility would be the 70-200 f2.8 IS II USM. It would give you an excellent portrait lens through the entire range and the 70-200 range is one of the most useful for virtually any photographer. Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Refurbished | Canon Online Store

 

[PhotoPro1]

Most people here don't seem to be considering the fact that you have a crop sensor. While 50 is a good portrait lens for a crop sensor, for larger faces a longer lens works better. So unless you will be shooting lots of very small and skinny faces, you can use a good quality longer lens below F/2.8. A great lens for you would be 85mm F/1.8. You can additionally investigate Sigma art 85 or 135. Canon 50 F/1.4 is not terribly different from what you have. You will see a big difference with a 135 and have much longer reach then you have today. Canon and Sigma both make the lens and as long as the lens is better than F/2.8 you will be able to get some great shots.

 

[PhotoPro1]

Hello

I own a Canon 600D and I really want to insvest in a really good portrait lens. I currently use 50mm 1.8 and 18-135mm, but I have interest in two lens: 28mm 1.8 or upgrade my 50mm to f.1.4...which one do you advise?? My budjet is till 600€. Do you have other advice? Have read so many reviews and still have no sure..

Awaiting your precious help...

Hugs and kisses to you all
(from Portugal)
Rita

I recommend you to get a 100mm F2.8 L macro lens, one of the best portrait lens I have used ever

I happen to like the macro lens as well, plus the fact you'll have a macro lens. However it's not necessary to buy the L lens. The regular version still does a very good job.

 

[table1349]

The 100 macro of ether version makes a good portrait lens, with exceptions. As Derrel has pointed out in other posts, you must be cognizant of your background when using the 100mm macro. If you are shooting with lights or small spherical objects in the background it does have a less than pleasing effect on the OOF lights or spherical objects. In a studio setting it is fine as well as outdoors as long as you pay attention close to your background.

I would still advise the OP to take a hard long look at the 70-200 f2.8 IS II USM in a factory refurbushed, IF they could afford to up their budget to 1340 €.

 

[Derrel]

The 100 macro of ether version makes a good portrait lens, with exceptions. As Derrel has pointed out in other posts, you must be cognizant of your background when using the 100mm macro. If you are shooting with lights or small spherical objects in the background it does have a less than pleasing effect on the OOF lights or spherical objects. In a studio setting it is fine as well as outdoors as long as you pay attention close to your background.

I would still advise the OP to take a hard long look at the 70-200 f2.8 IS II USM in a factory refurbushed, IF they could afford to up their budget to 1340 €.

Brilliantly stated gryphonslair99, regarding the imaging characteristics of the Canon 100mm f/2.8 EF macro with internal focusing, ie "the second version" of that lens.

Regarding portrait lenses for Canon...their 70-200mm f/4 L-series IS-USM lens is SWEET! Light! Fairly compact! Affordable! And it balances well on smaller, lighter cameras, more so than the bigger f/2.8 versions of the Canon 70-200mm lenses.

 

[beagle100]

Hello

I own a Canon 600D and I really want to insvest in a really good portrait lens. I currently use 50mm 1.8 and 18-135mm, but I have interest in two lens: 28mm 1.8 or upgrade my 50mm to f.1.4...which one do you advise?? My budjet is till 600€. Do you have other advice? Have read so many reviews and still have no sure..

Awaiting your precious help...

Hugs and kisses to you all
(from Portugal)
Rita

I recommend you to get a 100mm F2.8 L macro lens, one of the best portrait lens I have used ever

I happen to like the macro lens as well, plus the fact you'll have a macro lens. However it's not necessary to buy the L lens. The regular version still does a very good job.

Canon 100mm 2.8 macro non-L works great for portraits (but the 135mm f/2 is better)
www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

 

[ritapinho7]

thanks for all the replies

i ended up choosing the 85mm 1.8. seeing all the reviews, and budjet friendly, that was my final decision...i makes me a little confusion, having to pull my self backwords to have the close up i wanted but i guess it's a matter of getting used to it.

 

[table1349]

thanks for all the replies

i ended up choosing the 85mm 1.8. seeing all the reviews, and budjet friendly, that was my final decision...i makes me a little confusion, having to pull my self backwords to have the close up i wanted but i guess it's a matter of getting used to it.

Sounds like a good choice. The 85 f1.8 is a good all around prime lens. I think you will find that once you get used to the working distance you will wonder why you felt you needed to be so close.