Next Canon Lens

[TheLogan]

Hey everyone, Logan here, just wanted to get some peoples opinions on the next lens I should get. Here's some background info, so to speak

-my camera is the Canon XS
-The lenses I have include the kit lens and the Canon 50mm 1.8
-I'm wanting to get more into portrait photography
-My budget's in the >$500 range

let me know if you need any more info.

Thanks everyone!

oh PS, What does everyone think of the Canon speedlite 430? sorry if that should be a different thread

 

[usayit]

For portraits, I'd start looking into a lighting rather than another lens....

Stands.. umbrellas.. flash brackets for the umbrellas... wireless

You are capturing light.. for portrait you should control it.

 

[TheLogan]

sorry, by portrait i meant like senior photos etc. which are mainly taken outside, at least where I live. So no umbrellas etc. My bad

 

[CxThree]

85mm 1.8 might be a good fit for you.

 

[chip]

consider the non-IS version of the EF-100mm 2.8 macro lens. It is also excellent for portraits.

 

[TheLogan]

is the 85mm worth the price with me having the 50mm?

 

[Josh66]

is the 85mm worth the price with me having the 50mm?

Yes.

 

[Dao]

is the 85mm worth the price with me having the 50mm?

Yes.

Yes x2

 

[jennyjen]

wow theres so many lenses out there. Its going to be so hard to chose one. I guess i have a lot of reading to do.

 

[TheLogan]

is the 85mm worth the price with me having the 50mm?

Yes.

sorry if I sound like I'm questioning you, because I totally believe you, but could you elaborate on why?

 

[Josh66]

Well, for one - 50mm is not 85mm.

Just because you already have one doesn't mean you couldn't use the other.

Plus - it's just a sweet lens...

I have both (but I have the 50mm 1.4...I think you said you have the 1.8?).
The 85 won't replace the 50. Nor the other way around.

They both take good pictures, the 85 is just a little longer.
(Very basic explanation.)



...Be careful. Before you know it, all you'll want is primes... Which isn't a bad thing - you get more glass for your money in a prime.

 

[Derrel]

An 85mm lens is substantially longer than a 50mm lens, and when used at very short distances, an 85mm lens will not cause extended hands or arms or feet to look unnaturally larger than the features behind the extended hands,arms,or feet. When used at a very close distance, a shorter lens like a 50mm can subtly enlarge the chin or nose or forehead, depending on if the camera's height is low,centered, or high in relation to the portrait subject.

An 85mm lens also has a narrower angle of view than a 50mm lens; the narrower angle of view extends *behind* the subject. If you take the same photo from a close distance with a 50mm lens, so that the subject's head fills 1/2 of the frame height, and then put on an 85mm lens and shoot from a few steps farther back, so that your picture has the same identical head size, the angle of view behind the person will be narrower with the 85mm lens.

An 85mm lens from Canon or Nikon, the moderately priced 85mm models, typically has smoother, more-pleasing bokeh than most 50mm lenses from those two makers. Most 50's have rather harsh bokeh, while the Canon 85/1.8 EF in my experience, has a pleasing nature to its defocused background areas. The Canon 85/1.8 is really an excellent value; it's got a wide aperture, making it useful indoors in all sorts of medium-distance,low-light environments like theatre,concerts,plays,awards banquets,basketball,volleyball matches,etc. It focuses rapidly and easily. it is unobtrusive,and not too heavy,and it is simply a good lens.

 

[Josh66]

Thanks Derrel, for explaining what I just didn't know how to put into words.

 

[Derrel]

Sure thing J! I just looked at your Flickr pages--I want one of those "pistol tequila bottles" you got for Christmas! So,so cool....I liked the large photo of that, and the way the backlighting came through the glass.

 

[Josh66]

HAHA! Yeah, my dad got me that. No clue where he got it, but I'm working on it now, lol.

Cheers!