Best lens for outdoor portrait photography under $600

[MrsLittle]

I am finally getting the D7000 for Christmas (body only) and I am stumped as to what lens I should pick up. I will be doing mostly outdoor family portraits and I am only budgeting for one lens. Please help, what lens should I get that is under $600?

 

[shootermcgavin]

50mm 1.4 in my opinion... Next would be 15-55mm 2.8.

 

[MrsLittle]

That was the one I had in my "shopping cart" Nikkor 50mm 1.4g, but I was having doubts as I kept reading more articles. Wouldn't it be restricting without the zoom option?

 

[MTVision]

Not really. You have feet so you can move where you need to be. Its fast, sharp, and good in low light

 

[KmH]

Yep! Zoom with your feet.

 

[cgipson1]

you did say portraiture.. and you also mentioned a budget. Within those parameters, the Sigma 50mm 1.4 is probably your best option. A zoom will allow some versatility in composition.. but there are no zoom lenses in your price range that will produce pro IQ. If you increase the lens budget to around $1500, you might be able to get a decent zoom.

if you are planning on doing this professionally (which is what it sounds like) then you need multiple good quality lenses, multiple flashes, radio triggers, lightstands, reflectors, possibly monolights an diffuser systems ($10,000 would be a good start)... and a lot of experience. You can buy most of those items.. but not the last one.

Family portraiture can be very difficult.. you have so many variables. Different subject heights, weights, shapes, shades, colors, luminescence, reflectivity, DOF, and attention spans. Moving this outdoors multiplies the issues.. with harsh light, flat light, dappled light, and light of many different shades and colors that you have to compensate for.

You will also need to be very good at some editing package.. preferably Lightroom ($200-300) and / or Photoshop CS5 ($200-$600).. to help compensate for errors you make, and the inevitable goofs the subjects make.

Have fun....

(P.S. don't forget legal liability, insurance, bonding, contracts, and a good business plan)

 

[MrsLittle]

Thanks smartbutts! LOL. I made up my mind, zoomer feet it is. I was thinking of getting a lighting starter kit too, but not sure which to go with. I will be getting the SB 700 as an added flash though. Cgipson- any suggestions with a starter light kit? Umbrella or softboxes? Maybe a portable beauty dish....Thanks for the replys.

 

[MLeeK]

It depends on your style of shooting. Buying lenses before you have the camera and have learned what you like and about shooting is not a wise idea. RARELY will you purchase now what you will want later. You don't know who you are yet and what you will want to shoot with. That results in money spent that wasn't so wise.
For some of us that is primes, for others that is zooms.
If you pick up anything with the camera pick up the 50mm f1.8. It's SUPER cheap and will give you a taste of a prime lens; a lens that can shoot in much lower light than most; a taste of sharp quality lenses and it will make working with manual much easier because it's aperture doesn't change like the kit lens does. Having it and the kit lens will also help you to define what YOUR needs are and how you like to shoot.
If you want to purchase one accessory that you WILL definitely use now or later I'd go with a speedlight instead of a lens. You'll need it indoors with your kit lens, you'll eventually want to master some pretty advanced techniques with it. A GOOD speedlight is a good speedlight and doesn't change with the style of the shooter. Nikon's flash of choice I THINK is the SB-900. The nikon shooters can tell you what is the next step down. That will put you darned close to budget or slightly over with the 50mm lens.

 

[Derrel]

I cannot go with the 50mm...just no can do. Outdoor portrait photography, "best lens" under $600...it's not any 50mm lens...85mm/1.8 AF-D is your best bet for a single focal length lens. A 50mm lens has too wide of an angle of acceptance behind it....sure one can "zoom with the feet", but if the lens focal length is short, the lens still sees too wide of a background, and 50mm is too short.

 

[shootermcgavin]

Get the Nissin Di866, it's a great flash and has the power of a high end Nikon for half the price! You can shoot that through a umbrella or soft box or whatever you choose to down the road. Actually I would first make sure the D7000 has wireless flash capabilities, I picked the Nissin based on it's wireless ability. You literally click 2 buttons and it is set to work off the camera, very easy.

 

[shootermcgavin]

I cannot go with the 50mm...just no can do. Outdoor portrait photography, "best lens" under $600...it's not any 50mm lens...85mm/1.8 AF-D is your best bet for a single focal length lens. A 50mm lens has too wide of an angle of acceptance behind it....sure one can "zoom with the feet", but if the lens focal length is short, the lens still sees too wide of a background, and 50mm is too short.

But with her camera wouldn't 50mm be nearly the same as a 85mm on your camera? I think my D60 has a similar crop rate(not sure if that is correct term) to what she is looking at and I need to be a good distance away to get a full body shot, I don't have an 85mm but I know my 100mm is way to far away.

 

[cgipson1]

I cannot go with the 50mm...just no can do. Outdoor portrait photography, "best lens" under $600...it's not any 50mm lens...85mm/1.8 AF-D is your best bet for a single focal length lens. A 50mm lens has too wide of an angle of acceptance behind it....sure one can "zoom with the feet", but if the lens focal length is short, the lens still sees too wide of a background, and 50mm is too short.

I agree.. but I was trying to stay in her budget.. and unless she gets lucky and finds a used 85mm really cheap.. that is outside the range.

 

[cgipson1]

Get the Nissin Di866, it's a great flash and has the power of a high end Nikon for half the price! You can shoot that through a umbrella or soft box or whatever you choose to down the road. Actually I would first make sure the D7000 has wireless flash capabilities, I picked the Nissin based on it's wireless ability. You literally click 2 buttons and it is set to work off the camera, very easy.

The D7000 has flash based Commander mode that works with Nikon Flashes... not sure if the Nissin will work with that.

 

[jake337]

Over $600 and manual focus but since it will meter on your d7000...

Nikon 135 F2 Ais Lens

Nikon 135 F2 Ais Lens *72

 

[MLeeK]

I cannot go with the 50mm...just no can do. Outdoor portrait photography, "best lens" under $600...it's not any 50mm lens...85mm/1.8 AF-D is your best bet for a single focal length lens. A 50mm lens has too wide of an angle of acceptance behind it....sure one can "zoom with the feet", but if the lens focal length is short, the lens still sees too wide of a background, and 50mm is too short.

But with her camera wouldn't 50mm be nearly the same as a 85mm on your camera? I think my D60 has a similar crop rate(not sure if that is correct term) to what she is looking at and I need to be a good distance away to get a full body shot, I don't have an 85mm but I know my 100mm is way to far away.

That is definitely a consideration too. I, personally love the 85 on a crop sensor, but if you are shooting indoors and can't get far enough back? it will definitely frustrate and irritate the hell out of you until you don't like it. There are times on a crop that it just plain won't work well. Starting out with it might not be wise as the fact that it is so tight may frustrate you into hating it before you get a chance to love it.