OK, I have resisted and resisted portraits. A friend of mine has pushed me to get out there and take people shots...he even made me go with him for a Head Shot photo shoot with a Gaggle of models.
I actually REALLY liked it and now I am thinking I need a lens that is better for portraits. I currently only have my kit lens (18-55mm) and a 70-300 Zoom
My budget is TINY, I want the best I can get for under $150-200, I am willing to look around and buy used if I need.
nifty 50. I think 50mm lenses are fairly good for portraits. Nice thing about them is that they are mostly all good and you can find them used for fairly cheap. I just bought a new nikon 50mm f/1.8 for $200. For Nikon, a 50mm a few years older (but still great condition) can be had for $100 on ebay. The only thing about those lenses is that for many of the DSLRs you have to use it in manual.
50mm 1.8, for some reason I love this cheaper version on my canon more than the 50mm f/1.4 that I recently purchased, it is around $120. I also love my 85 mm 1.8. But to start nifty 50 all the way.
I love my 30 1.4, such a beautiful sharp lens, my inside portraits are all taken with this, my outdoor portraits are all taken with my 85 1.8...beautiful lens but way to tight inside (especially on a crop sensor)
I also found my 50 1.8 as a starter is great but I just sold mine as the 30 is sharper.
I've been told, and after trying my hand at it, I agree, that a focal length of 80-90mm is best for portrait photos. I feel this gives the best DOF. So, basically, you can use any lens that lies around that length, but the more light it captures, the better. F1.4 or 1.8 should do nicely.
Some people takes portraits at 30-40mm, but that's a lens sort of equivalent to your eye and doesn't give the same DOF. It is, however, a matter of taste.
I'm also thinking that a fixed focal length lens could be useful, but that'll make you work more. But they tend to be a little less expensive. If you like shooting manually, I can mention the Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical (full format).
If you are using a crop sensor camera then a 50mm 1.4 or 1.8 will give an equivalent focal length of about 1.5 times the length of the lens - so the 50mm will effectively become a 75mm lens which by most conventional thinking is perfect for portraits. Anything under 50mm can distort and widen facial features, particularly up close.
@bankmann that is true but a 50mm on a crop sensor equates to a 80mm focal length and a 85mm to a 135mm focal length, it is something to be aware of when choosing a lens on a crop.
The 85 is very hard to use inside but is beautiful outside but you have to back up some way to get everything in frame.
@hopess13 just as an example this was taken on my 50 1.8 ($110 new)
The longer the length of the lens the more compression of the features you will get - so for many people this can be quite flattering - but if you are using a 70-200 mm inside the length can become quite tricky!
@hopess13 I understand that this is what is badged in Australia as a Canon 500D or similar - which is a crop sensor camera - so you are not shooting full frame (just for comparison sakes), so your sensor will multiply the equivalent focal length on your camera - so if you buy a 50mm it will multiply it to say 75-80mm - whereas if you shot full frame (5ds D800) your 50mm will truly have a 50mm focal length.
@kellc@mummarazzii
Valid points. It's apparently more a question of choice and what you're comfortable with. I like your example, Lisa, and it does have a nice DOF.
That 70 - 300 should be good for portraits... provided the light is right... or the long end of your other would be ok too... I don't like 50 mm on cropped sensor for head shots or really anything... but I have always prefered portraits that include the whole body... so I would use a 30mm or wider for that...
this was taken with a 20mm at f9... your kit lens can do it... what more do you need?
he was my PA at a shoot well I was testing lighting... hence the odd pose... good help is so tough to find... but buddies are best to shoot with!
This was taken at 135mm which on a crop sensor is almost the equivalent of 200mm on a full frame. I wasnt all that far away - but I am not really into full body shots - I like getting in close - I think it is whatever suits your style!
crop factor: the 35mm film camera has a sensor of a certain size. This size is considered the 'standard' that cameras are compared against. Most DSLR have sensors that are smaller. Therefore they 'see' less of the picture. the difference is referred to as crop factor. this website has a picture that demonstrates what this is about http://digital-photography-school.com/crop-factor-explained. Personal fav for portrait 50mm 1.4
@ozziehoffy yep the Canon 50 1.8, that is pretty average price for it. My 30 1.4 is a Sigma but for a Canon...beautiful lens!! But more pricy at $400, so sharp.
@mummarazzii $149 is the price showing online for Camera House... I shall have a look around and try to get them down in price. I have a Canon voucher, so it has to be Canon. It's for $200... if I had the money, I'd get the 10-22mm but that's not going to happen lol.
Get a 50mm f1.8 for portraits probaly £150 or less. But why not try your kit lens to begin with and see if you really need to go shopping? If funds are tight why hot hire a lens?
Earlier this year, I exchanged my 18-55mm and 50-200mm (both Pentax) with a Sigma DC 18-200mm 1:3.5-6.3. Today I took this picture:
Unfortunately, I recently upgraded my graphics software, and just now discovered it mangles the EXIF info. Shooting in auto mode, I did not notice what focal length I was at. But the lens works for portraits, I feel. ;-p
@godders Great advice, I spent a good six months with just a kit lens and by the time I went for something better I really knew what I wanted and why, also I found at the end of the six months my kit lens pictures were much better than at the beginning simply because I had taken the time to get to know the lens. You can rush into buying gear all you like, it won't make a better photographer of you.
All very good info, thank you all so much! I really do feel ok with my kit lens for a lot of things, so maybe I just need to play some more, I may just be enamored with portraits because I had a good experience. :)
It was nice to see the examples of 50mm 1.4 and 1.8 shots, I was worried about the 50mm having too narrow a DOF for me, I really want to see the whole face in focus...seeing your examples makes me less worried about it!
@hopess13 You dont need to take the shot at 1.4 or 1.8. In fact unless you are really experienced with the lens you probably shouldn't. You will find where your lens has its sweet spot and my 50mm 1.4 is best for portraits at around 2.2 to 2.8. For larger groups I shoot at 5.6 or greater. If you choose the aperture you shoot at then the DoF is determined by you.
50mm in my opinion. I have a 50/1.4, a 35mm/2.4, and now a 90/2.8 (macro, but I'll use it for portraits too). Bought my 50 used and its my go to lens that stays on my camera most of the time. It's low light capability is awesome and its not too long of a focal length for shooting indoors, while still does well outdoors and around town. You control the aperture. The sweet spot for mine is 2.0-2.8 I believe, 1.4 gives a really shallow (thin? What's the word I'm looking for?) focus area that's almost too hard to hit with my wiggly kids. Group shots I go toward 4-5.6.
I think it really depends on what sort of portrait you want. My opinion is that i'd rather the 50mm 1.4 than the 1.8. I see that @mummarazzii and @markyl got some great shots with the 1.8
In my experience I found that the 1.8 hunted way too much and had an annoying tendancy to focus on the eye lashes / eyebrows and hair flyaways and not directly on the eye itself.
I use a mix of my tamron 24-70mm 2.8 but my current favourite is my 70-200mm F2.8
Here's the 50mm F1.4
And the 70-200 F2.8
and the Tamron 24-70mm F2.8
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I also found my 50 1.8 as a starter is great but I just sold mine as the 30 is sharper.
Some people takes portraits at 30-40mm, but that's a lens sort of equivalent to your eye and doesn't give the same DOF. It is, however, a matter of taste.
I'm also thinking that a fixed focal length lens could be useful, but that'll make you work more. But they tend to be a little less expensive. If you like shooting manually, I can mention the Samyang 85mm f/1.4 Aspherical (full format).
The 85 is very hard to use inside but is beautiful outside but you have to back up some way to get everything in frame.
@hopess13 just as an example this was taken on my 50 1.8 ($110 new)
Stupid question....What is a crop sensor camera?
I shoot with a Canon Rebel XT
Valid points. It's apparently more a question of choice and what you're comfortable with. I like your example, Lisa, and it does have a nice DOF.
This is kind of technical and involves math, but at least the illustrations should give you an idea: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_sensor_format
this was taken with a 20mm at f9... your kit lens can do it... what more do you need?
he was my PA at a shoot well I was testing lighting... hence the odd pose... good help is so tough to find... but buddies are best to shoot with!
This was taken at 135mm which on a crop sensor is almost the equivalent of 200mm on a full frame. I wasnt all that far away - but I am not really into full body shots - I like getting in close - I think it is whatever suits your style!
@ozziehoffy yep the Canon 50 1.8, that is pretty average price for it. My 30 1.4 is a Sigma but for a Canon...beautiful lens!! But more pricy at $400, so sharp.
Unfortunately, I recently upgraded my graphics software, and just now discovered it mangles the EXIF info. Shooting in auto mode, I did not notice what focal length I was at. But the lens works for portraits, I feel. ;-p
It was nice to see the examples of 50mm 1.4 and 1.8 shots, I was worried about the 50mm having too narrow a DOF for me, I really want to see the whole face in focus...seeing your examples makes me less worried about it!
In my experience I found that the 1.8 hunted way too much and had an annoying tendancy to focus on the eye lashes / eyebrows and hair flyaways and not directly on the eye itself.
I use a mix of my tamron 24-70mm 2.8 but my current favourite is my 70-200mm F2.8
Here's the 50mm F1.4
And the 70-200 F2.8
and the Tamron 24-70mm F2.8