Best Nikon Lens for shooting Families with small children???

c.cloudwalker · Nov 15, 2011

If you like my Picasso quote, you are doing amazingly good. Don't worry about what joke I was trying to tell...

Derrel · Nov 15, 2011

c.cloudwalker said:
If it's a small family, I guess the kids are even smaller.

I guess you need a telephoto, then. Just so you can spot them

I would go the opposite way of what c.cloudwalker is suggesting, and use a MACRO lens instead, at close distance, rather that the telephoto approach he is suggesting. So, my vote for photographing a small family would be a macro lens, to make them look much,much bigger than they do in real-life. Last summer I had occasion to photograph a small family, well, more like a colony, of ants. I used a 36-72mm Series E Nikon lens, reverse-mounted using a BR-2A lens reversing ring, and got some fab-o close-up shots!

mzeutenh · Nov 15, 2011

Oh I missed the first line somehow. I get it now. Absolutely hilarious.

KmH · Nov 15, 2011

mzeutenh said:
Maybe I just don't know enough about how to use these things.

Bingo.

For groups I often used a 12-24 or 24-85 mm zoom lens. Short focal length lenses can distort people's features if you get to close. Like giving them BIG HONKING NOSES.

Destin · Nov 16, 2011

The ideal focal length for portraits is considered by most to be between 85 and 135mm in 35mm terms. That means roughly 56-90mm on a crop body. Granted that rule of thumb is more for single person portraits, but if the shoot is outdoors or you have room, I'd use it for group shots too. You have people who shoot at both extremes also, I've seen great portraits done with ultra wide angle lenses, and I've seen some simply amazing portraits done with the sigma 800mm prime. It all depends on your style and what you are trying to achieve.

For me, 95% of my portraits are taken with my 70-200. The rest, are my 50 1.8. Granted my only other lens is a 28 2.8, but I haven't found a need for anything else for portrait work, although, an 85 1.8 is on my wish list.