hi all!
i'm helping take portraits of a daddy-daughter date night at our church this week, and am not sure which lens will produce the best portraits for them. they are setting up a station with backdrop and light kits, i'm just bringing my camera and snapping. SO, here are my options:
1) my all-purpose 18-200 f/3.5-5.6
2) my 50mm prime f/2.8
3) my 70-200mm f/2.8
OR
4) i found a 35mm f/1.8 for a great price.
suggestions?!!
awesome--thanks 'the steve' for the response! (although i'm only slightly sad i don't have an excuse to get the 35mm...) and anyone with 'the' in front of their name has GOT to be an expert! :)
I agree with Mike Hamm somewhat. It is a matter of 35mm full frame, which most digitals don't have. If that was the case, 85-100 is ideal. In Medium format, 150mm is for portraits as it is comparable to an 85mm in 35mm. And 60 is ideal for digital. I learned this when I bought a 105mm lens for my first DSLR and it was too much.
If this gets technical, I apologize. But I would recommend that you check the information that came with each lens. Look to see if they have a diagonal angle of view. Ideally, about 30 degrees is best for portraits.
I'll be the rebel and say the 18-200. You don't need the fast aperture with studio lights (I often shoot at f12/f14 in the studio), and you'll be able to zoom in and out for framing. It's what I always shot in the studio setting with.
I had the same general thought as Heidi with the idea that some zooming could be done, but I didn't feel the 18-69 portion of the lens would really be used much so that's part of why I went with the 70-200 suggestion. Even if starting at 70, the equivalent would be around 105mm with the crop sensor. She could move back if the 105 is too close, but would also be able to zoom in if needed and the 2.8 should be enough just in case studio lights were turned off for some reason.
@moncooga@hmgphotos@hammster
you guys are awesome! really, thanks so much for all the input. @moncooga in reading my info for the 70-200mm f/2.8, the picture angle is 22 degrees. for the 50mm f/1.8 (sorry, above i said 2.8, but i mis-typed) is 46 degrees. so, i guess i'm right in the middle of that 30 degree ideal. i don't have the info still for the 18-200mm.
does this bit of extra info change anyone's opinion? if no, i think i'll just bring 'em all and test them out there. thanks again for all of your help!! (:
I have never in my life heard of picture angle, nor have cared about it, so doesn't change my opinion. Not much of a number's person... I just shoot, LOL
I'd still stick with the 50mm. I thought it might be a 1.8. By the types of lenses you are referring to, it sounds like you are shooting Nikon.
I'm still partial to the 50mm 1.8. If you're shooting a wide opening, be careful with your focus points if using auto focus, though. Consider shooting manual focus. Just sayin'. (Sorry, I'm still used to focusing prisms for precision). I still don't care for auto focus all that much.
Looks like you're shooting with a Nik D90 (am i right?), if so then you'll likely end up using the 50 mm the most for portrait work, or you'll be setting your zoom at about 50 mm - so i would go with the general rule that a fixed length lens is clearer. That being said why not bring more than one??? It doesn't take that long to make a change for a different setting.
@moncooga thanks so much for all the info. i really do appreciate it! @rossco088 and yes, it's a d90. i'm planning on bringing all three, but just wondered if one was far superior for this type of shot, as it's not my forte. (:
I'm sure you'll do fine. You're overthinking it! Just go into it and experiment. It's really the only way to learn stuff, especially with studio lighting. And I've found that the best learning situations are often those where you're under pressure to figure it out and get it right (like a job).
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If you want more DOF, the 35mm will be nice, which will produce about 50mm full frame, which is normal eye perspective.
I have heard the 18-200 3.5 is amazing too. May be the most versatile. But I'm stl stuck on the 50mm Prime.
If this gets technical, I apologize. But I would recommend that you check the information that came with each lens. Look to see if they have a diagonal angle of view. Ideally, about 30 degrees is best for portraits.
you guys are awesome! really, thanks so much for all the input.
@moncooga in reading my info for the 70-200mm f/2.8, the picture angle is 22 degrees. for the 50mm f/1.8 (sorry, above i said 2.8, but i mis-typed) is 46 degrees. so, i guess i'm right in the middle of that 30 degree ideal. i don't have the info still for the 18-200mm.
does this bit of extra info change anyone's opinion? if no, i think i'll just bring 'em all and test them out there. thanks again for all of your help!! (:
I'm still partial to the 50mm 1.8. If you're shooting a wide opening, be careful with your focus points if using auto focus, though. Consider shooting manual focus. Just sayin'. (Sorry, I'm still used to focusing prisms for precision). I still don't care for auto focus all that much.
But i vote zoom as well... you can stop way down... so the lens will perform well... I use a 50-135 f2.8 but often shoot at least at f/8...
on digital i would shoot 18-80 range...
it is the field of view the lens offers... I thought it might be... but I needed to confirm...
A 10mm fisheye would be close to 180 degrees which is everything in front of you up to 4 or 5 degrees on a 500mm lens...
Ok that makes sense... well really that is all...
good luck with it...