Lens choice for portraits

craigm

craigm

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Craig
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Hi all im looking to get more in to portrait photography and wanted opinions on the best lens for the best results??

My current lenses are:
Tamron 70-300mm
Nikon 18-55mm VR Lens
Nikon AF-S VR 105mm f2.8G

And the camera is a Nikon D5000

Thanks Craig
 
Have you taken portraits with all the lenses you have? What looks best to you?
 
Out of those I'd be trying the 105 first and keeping my eye out for a cheap 50mm 1.8 or fast (2.8) 24-70/24-120
 
I have been using the 105mm but have seen that alot people on the forums seem to use a 50mm and seem to get good results.
 
I use the Nikkor 50mm f1.8 for my pre school outdoor portraits, you can pick them up for around £70 s/h and worth every penny a cracking little lens. For studio work I use the Nikkor 24-70 f2.8, an expensive but cracking lens, I just love the beast.

Out of your lenses I would go with the 105mm
 
Thanks for the help everyone going to invest in a 50mm f1.8 and will also continue to use the 105mm until i get enough funds in place for the Nikkor 24-70 f2.8 :thumbs:
 
That will not AF on a D5000 though?

The best portrait lens is probably the Nikon 105mm or 135mm DC f2 lenses. Slightly cheaper, I would say the 50mm 1.4 AFS is your best bet.
 
I was just going to ask this question.

I was asked what would be the best lens to get for studio portraits. Now it is not something I do, but I'd read various accounts of 50mm, 85mm, 105mm and 70-200mm. :shrug: Obviously there is vast cost differences between those lenses, especially if you factor in wider aperture versions of some versions of those lenses.

What do the professionals (and any studio portrait photographer) use? And does the lens choice change if is not a full frame sensor?

Hope you don't mind me chirping in Craig? It saves me starting a new thread to ask a similar question.
 
I just bought a 105mm Macro specifically for portraits. I use a Tamron 90mm usually, but the focus speed was too slow for some of the stuff I was doing. Fantastic lens though, truly for the price it's a miracle.

I'd be looking to acquire a 105mm DC if I could do so cheaply, but the advantage of the macro is, well, the macro! Saves having two very similar lenses. It is a bit long on DX though, which means falling back to the 50mm if space is tight.
 
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I've heard the Nikon 35mm 1.8 lens is supposed to be very good for portrait pics.....haven't had a chance to try mine out yet though :(
 
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