Equestrian Portrait Lens or Lenses

JJ!

JJ!

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So looking to start a new venture in the type of equestrian photography I do.

I have been doing the odd shoots of horses jumping, running, action etc. but now want to go down a more equestrian portrait route.

These shots will range from headshots, headshots with owners, full body shots with more of an artistic view. I have some volunteers to get this going and practice on – just need the right time and light.

Now, because horses are long bodied and long faced it’s usually best to shoot at a minimum of 70mm so looking to add to my lens collection.

Camera is D750 and my main decision is:

Stick with the 70-200 F4 and get a nice 85mm to go alongside.

Get a 70-200 f2.8 and skip the 85mm for now.

The 70-200 F4 would probably be ok TBH as F4 would probably be suitable for portraits.

So if I go 85mm I would probably look at the following options:

Cheap option – Nikon 85mm f1.8g

Expensive options – Nikon 85mm f1.4g (used) or Tamron 85mm 1.8 VC.

Also there is the older Sigma 85mm f1.4. New ART one is not for me.

Opinions as always greatly appreciated!
 
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What body are you using?
 
D750 - updated post!
 
70-200 2.8 or new 80-400 and cover all bases
 
JJ! said:
Opinions as always greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...


The issue, as I observed it, is that often horses may not
behave well when strangers are too close around.

I shot the following picture at 1/400s, ƒ4, ISO 400 at the
long end of a 200~400 ƒ4 zoom on a D3X.

Staying at a distance but giving him a lot of attention, the
horse was curious and gave me lots of portraits chances.

So 85 mm is too short for portraits and still too short for
comfort!

B6645%20XDp.jpg
 
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I'm a horse owner and horse lover and yes they do not always play ball lol.

The first batch of photos will be from horses who know me and see all my gear before. When it comes to other people's horses things might be different lol.

Nice photo!
 
I'm interested in equestrian but for reasons I won't bore you with can't at the moment.
I did a bit of research and it seems most are shot at f4 or f5.6 as the long noses don't look as good at wider aperture.
I would suggest 70-200 f4 and if funds left get the 85mm 1.8 for creative images.
But, I have only shot my brother's steeds up to now and they usually run away when I pull out the camera.
Mind you, Kodiak's image is excellent and food for thought.
Please let us know what you decide.
 
Peter123 said:
I'm interested in equestrian but for reasons I won't bore you with can't at the moment.
I did a bit of research and it seems most are shot at f4 or f5.6 as the long noses don't look as good at wider aperture.
I would suggest 70-200 f4 and if funds left get the 85mm 1.8 for creative images.
But, I have only shot my brother's steeds up to now and they usually run away when I pull out the camera.
Mind you, Kodiak's image is excellent and food for thought.
Please let us know what you decide.
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I have the F4 which I have been using for Hunting/Cross Country/Show Jumping but have never actually tried it for portraits! Might pick up the 85 1.8 (there is one in the classifieds!) and just see how they work out!

I have been around horses for about 15 years now thanks to the wife lol! My first portrait attempts will be of her and our new biy Brendan!
 
Given Peter's comments, I can see why the 70-200 f/2.8 might not be needed for portraits of the horses, but might you want the wider aperture for headshots of the riders without the horses?
 
Like has been said already stick with the 70-200 f/4, I can't really see the point of going 2.8 for the reasons already stated. An 85mm could be a good choice for some closer shots with a shallow dof, your own horse/horses may be fine with a big lens up close but that doesn't mean someone else's will be. The 85mm will give you a bit of space between you and the horse.
 
Nostromo said:
Like has been said already stick with the 70-200 f/4, I can't really see the point of going 2.8 for the reasons already stated. An 85mm could be a good choice for some closer shots with a shallow dof, your own horse/horses may be fine with a big lens up close but that doesn't mean someone else's will be. The 85mm will give you a bit of space between you and the horse.
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Yeah I'm going to go for an 85mm. Think just the 1.8g and the others are a massive investment!
 
JJ! said:
Yeah I'm going to go for an 85mm. Think just the 1.8g and the others are a massive investment!
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Retail therapy after all :-) I was going to suggest stick your zoom on one focal length and try photographing the animals. See if you are too close, or you get too long a face and OK depth of field may be harder to judge. My reaction would be that an 85 maybe too short on a FF camera esp. with horses that do not know you.
 
Thinking about it a bit more, maybe a sigma 105mm 2.8 macro lens might be better than a 85mm.
 
So much GAS and what lens to go for lol

I did see a 85mm 1.4g in my local camera shop used... but so much £££!
 
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I really can't see any point in agonising about this theoretically.

You already have a lens - the 70-200mm f/4 - which might be up to the job. Things would be very different indeed if you didn't, but you do. So go and shoot with it, and learn from the experience. Find out what kinds of focal lengths and apertures deliver the kinds of results you're after. You might decide that f/4 is fine and you don't need anything faster. Or not. You might find that you need something a bit longer and maybe look at a 120-300mm f/2.8. Or not. You might find that you never use the long end of the zoom and an 85mm prime would work for you. Or not. But whatever happens, you'll have some concrete pointers as to what kit you need to deliver the results you want.

Go shoot.
 
StewartR said:
I really can't see any point in agonising about this theoretically.

You already have a lens - the 70-200mm f/4 - which might be up to the job. Things would be very different indeed if you didn't, but you do. So go and shoot with it, and learn from the experience. Find out what kinds of focal lengths and apertures deliver the kinds of results you're after. You might decide that f/4 is fine and you don't need anything faster. Or not. You might find that you need something a bit longer and maybe look at a 120-300mm f/2.8. Or not. You might find that you never use the long end of the zoom and an 85mm prime would work for you. Or not. But whatever happens, you'll have some concrete pointers as to what kit you need to deliver the results you want.

Go shoot.
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This
 
Too many spoilsports here :LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL: The man wants a prime lens for doing horse portraits. The man is going to get a lens for doing horse portraits.
 
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He can do that but when he has a 70-200 he could use that at various lengths to see if any of them give him a pointer as to what he wants.... try it at 70... 100.. 135... 180 and 200 .
just a thought
:exit:
 
gerry s said:
He can do that but when he has a 70-200 he could use that at various lengths
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I suggested similar but a couple of posts later he said he wants to get an 85mm. Who am I to spoil the man's enjoyment.
 
Don't spoil my spending spree!!! Yeah but I do need to know what I want before I spend haha! If I go exotic it's got to be the right one!
 
JJ! said:
Don't spoil my spending spree!!! Yeah but I do need to know what I want before I spend haha! If I go exotic it's got to be the right one!
Click to expand...

Use the lens you got. Snap away at a few horses (don't look for quality photos without any problems) just click on approximately the kind of portrait you want. Figure out how near you can stand and if too near go further back. The two hairies I photograph I can stand against their heads (my belly and their nose meeting) but they know me. Other horses want to stick their face on mine (kisses or sweets or whatever crosses their minds) but others quite easily put their ears back. The point is, you can then put all the photos on the computer, mark the ones you like and you don't like (it does not matter about the technical quality of the images at this stage). Look at EXIF data something may come out. I really don't see why a 100mm or so that would be used for human portraits is any different for horse/human portraits. At the end of the day it is about not compressing or elongating the face.

If I were you I think I would like with the same lens to be able to do a full height portrait format photograph (say feet to ears, horse and owner side by side) as opposed to limit myself to a lens that would be only good for portraits. You only have a limited time where the horse will stay and play the model and may be worth getting a couple of full body (full height) shots without faffing around changing lenses. My problems are not the lenses but the owner trying to figure out what she likes :dummy: and I am bit too tall and should really be on my knee(s) :dummy:
 
TLR-330 said:
Use the lens you got. Snap away at a few horses (don't look for quality photos without any problems) just click on approximately the kind of portrait you want. Figure out how near you can stand and if too near go further back. The two hairies I photograph I can stand against their heads (my belly and their nose meeting) but they know me. Other horses want to stick their face on mine (kisses or sweets or whatever crosses their minds) but others quite easily put their ears back. The point is, you can then put all the photos on the computer, mark the ones you like and you don't like (it does not matter about the technical quality of the images at this stage). Look at EXIF data something may come out. I really don't see why a 100mm or so that would be used for human portraits is any different for horse/human portraits. At the end of the day it is about not compressing or elongating the face.

If I were you I think I would like with the same lens to be able to do a full height portrait format photograph (say feet to ears, horse and owner side by side) as opposed to limit myself to a lens that would be only good for portraits. You only have a limited time where the horse will stay and play the model and may be worth getting a couple of full body (full height) shots without faffing around changing lenses. My problems are not the lenses but the owner trying to figure out what she likes :dummy: and I am bit too tall and should really be on my knee(s) :dummy:
Click to expand...

Yeah we have horses up the yard with various personalities! Our boy is only 5 but so nosey. Anything you do he wants to see, but it's good that he is like that!!

Going to use the 70-200 F4 and go from there.

Thanks for all the tips people!
 
look at your exif date to see what focal length you use the most
the 70-200mm 2.8 would be my first choice anyway that extra 1 stop could make all the difference
you can also use the 1.3 crop built into the d750 to give you a bit extra reach
its fast glass you need in some of the arena's as the light is crap
 
holty said:
you can also use the 1.3 crop built into the d750 to give you a bit extra reach
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Sorry, but that doesn't make any sense to me. You can always crop an image, whether you have a D750 or not.
 
StewartR said:
Sorry, but that doesn't make any sense to me. You can always crop an image, whether you have a D750 or not.
Click to expand...

the d750 you can select an additional 1.3x crop built into the camera
 
holty said:
the d750 you can select an additional 1.3x crop built into the camera
Click to expand...


The objection, Graham, is not toward the features
of the D750 but the "extra reach"!
 
holty said:
thought you guys would have known that
Click to expand...


What ever FF lens is used, the protection to the sensor
is the always same what ever the size of the recorded
data. The "pre-crop" capture brings no advantage at all
in terms of reach but one limits the AoV of the lens with-
out changing its characteristics or effective reach. :cool:
 
•

I didn't not want to make you feel bad, man, I even
thought I misunderstood your reply as I often do.
 
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