Wide angle prime for portraits

[RLiang]

How wide should I get for group portraits with about 20-30 people around 4-5 meters wide; this will also be my only wide angle...

Choosing between: on fx body
-20mm
-24mm
-28mm
-35mm

 

[michaeljamesphoto]

The only thing with wide angle lenses for portraits is you run the risk of distortion, depending on how you shoot (distance and angle to subject, basically)
Here is one I shot on film (same size as FX) with a 24mm lens. It was in a cramped garage, so I was in relatively close quarters with my subjects
Excuse the grain, it was Kodak 3200

And here is an example of distortion
Note the large appearance of his head relative to the rest of his body


Hopefully this is at least somewhat helpful!

 

[vipgraphx]

Keep in mind you do not want people at the edge of the frame or they can start looking funny.

Will you be indoors and have enough room with a 35mm? If its for indoors you may want a 24mm

Outside given you will most likely have all the room its a tuff call but I would think 28mm or the 35mm If you get to wide like a 20 you may not get the detail you want and will have more distortion on the outer parts of the frame as opposed to the 28 and 35.

 

[michaeljamesphoto]

If you look at the cabinets in the top right of the first photo I posted, you can see what vipgraphx means by "looking funny"

 

[RLiang]

Thanks for the tips! I think I'm going to get a 24 2.8d and see how that goes, the distortion looks pretty controlled, i can just step a bit back and crop a little right?