Need help in deciding what lens to purchase

rev5678 · Oct 20, 2015

Hello fellow photogs! I am new to this forum and excited to check all of this out. I am hoping you can help with my dilemma and my constant youtube reviews, my eyes are going crossed.

I am a professional portrait photographer and just recently upgraded to a full frame 5D Mark iii, from the 7D, I know sad right?? I have always used my 50mm 1.4 lens but am ready to make that leap into maybe a L series lens. I have researched the 24-70 2.8, 35mm and 85mm 1.2 lenses. I currently have the 50, a wide 10-22 and a 70-300. I do not shoot weddings, mainly family, senior, and newborns. Can you all give me some advise??

beagle100 · Oct 20, 2015

rev5678 said:
Hello fellow photogs! I am new to this forum and excited to check all of this out. I am hoping you can help with my dilemma and my constant youtube reviews, my eyes are going crossed.

I am a professional portrait photographer and just recently upgraded to a full frame 5D Mark iii, from the 7D, I know sad right?? I have always used my 50mm 1.4 lens but am ready to make that leap into maybe a L series lens. I have researched the 24-70 2.8, 35mm and 85mm 1.2 lenses. I currently have the 50, a wide 10-22 and a 70-300. I do not shoot weddings, mainly family, senior, and newborns. Can you all give me some advise??

get the 85 1.2, the 135 L and 200 f/2 and good lighting equipment and your problems are solved

The_Traveler · Oct 20, 2015

I don't know Canon lenses but I'm certain the equivalents to Nikon are as good.
If you have the bucks a 24-70, used at the 50-70 range is great and an 85 is just damn beautiful, albeit a bit inflexible.

runnah · Oct 20, 2015

Skip the 85 1.2 and go for the 1.8 version. Much cheaper and maybe a hair inferior to the 1.2. Also the 135 f/2 is an amazing lens.

A 24-70 is a good lens but I always found it to be an awkward focal range as it's never wide enough or tight enough to accomplish what I want.

rev5678 · Oct 20, 2015

rev5678 said:
Hello fellow photogs! I am new to this forum and excited to check all of this out. I am hoping you can help with my dilemma and my constant youtube reviews, my eyes are going crossed.

I am a professional portrait photographer and just recently upgraded to a full frame 5D Mark iii, from the 7D, I know sad right?? I have always used my 50mm 1.4 lens but am ready to make that leap into maybe a L series lens. I have researched the 24-70 2.8, 35mm and 85mm 1.2 lenses. I currently have the 50, a wide 10-22 and a 70-300. I do not shoot weddings, mainly family, senior, and newborns. Can you all give me some advise??

Wow!! Thanks for the support there beagle. I'd be happy to show you some work. But better yet, I only request advise from others who encourage others. Thanks for your not so insightful advise.

rev5678 · Oct 20, 2015

runnah said:
Skip the 85 1.2 and go for the 1.8 version. Much cheaper and maybe a hair inferior to the 1.2. Also the 135 f/2 is an amazing lens.

A 24-70 is a good lens but I always found it to be an awkward focal range as it's never wide enough or tight enough to accomplish what I want.

Thank you very much!

Derrel · Oct 20, 2015

Simple, solid building blocks. SKIP the 50/1.2-L...it is BIG, heavy, and doesn't bring a lot of value with its high price. Think about the 50mm f/1.4 EF if yuo really think you need a 50mm prime. I honestly think the NEW Tamron 35mm f/1.8 and more importantly, their 45mm f/1.8 lenses look like they might be very good for mid-length primes; I'm kind of interested in the new 45mm more than 35mm. Still--a 24-70/2.8 has the 35 and the 45 and 50 lengths within its range,so...

The 85/1.8 EF is a MUST-have prime. Just simply a must-have prime. I owned one for multiple years-a wonderful,light,small,sharp,easy-to-use lens.

A decent 70-200 f/2.8-L, of any version, would be a great tool to have. You really do not need the new, Mark II model, nor the IS version either. I have the 70-200/2.8 L IS USM,and it is still amply good for people work; from what I see on the web, the new Mark II version is a bit better at the long end, or with Canon TC units added.

If you can afford only "one" lens at first, I would say it would have to be the 24-105mm f/4 L IS-USM, which is plentiful and very affordable, $600-$650 all over the used market.

DB_Cro · Oct 21, 2015

I wouldn't even think about any primes before I had 24-70 and 70-200 2.8 on a FF body.
My choice for portraits would be the 85mm lens, but I'd happily do it on the 70-200.

Solarflare · Oct 21, 2015

Well, I would pick up the EF 85mm f1.2. Because: crazy shallow depth of field.

There is a full metal manual focus Mitakon version of that thats half as expensive (~800$) and reviews claim thats optically even slightly better wide open.

chuasam · Oct 21, 2015

70-200 f/2.8L IS II
and that's all you'll really need in terms of portrait photography.

TCampbell · Oct 21, 2015

85mm is the classic focal length for portrait on a full frame body. Canon makes an f/1.8 version and an f/1.2L version. The f/1.2L can creat a shallower depth of field with stronger and also smoother background blur BUT is rather slow to focus (which is fine for portraits but lousy for any type of photography where the subject is moving.). I have used this lens but do not own it. Also the f/1.2L is considerable more expensive.

The f/1.8 version is much faster to focus, and substantially less expensive.

I have the 135mm f/2L and that provides a beautiful focal length and ratio with a very smooth background blur quality. But keep in mind you'll need a longer working distance for portraits ... which usually works well for outdoors but if you have an indoor studio it would need to be roomy.

I also love using the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS (I don't own the "II") and I really like using that for outdoor portraits at the 200mm end ... using a focal ratio between f/2.8 and f/4 (depending on how much DoF and blur I want.). But 200mm is long enough that it needs a lot of room (hence... outdoor portraits).

chuasam · Oct 22, 2015

the Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro IS also makes a tremendous portrait lens AND it has image stabilization.
I use the 85mm f/1.8G on my D810 when I need the shorter focusing distance but I've found myself unable to hold it steady enough even at 1/160s

beagle100 · Oct 30, 2015

TCampbell said:
85mm is the classic focal length for portrait on a full frame body. Canon makes an f/1.8 version and an f/1.2L version. .

85mm is the "classic" portrait length on a crop
200mm f/2 may the "classic" on a full frame (if you believe this photog)

ljholloway photography

Dave442 · Oct 30, 2015

Well if you have enjoyed the 50mm f/1.4 on the crop then the 85mm f/1.2 is certainly a logical addition. I would lean towards the 135mm f/2 or 70-200mm f/2.8, but you did not list those as ones you had researched. I tend to prefer primes and would definitely want a 35mm around at some point.