Opinions on D7000 portrait lens

windrunner

windrunner

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Michael
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Hi,

I've found I am taking more and more portrait shots of the kids whilst we are out and about. My main interest lies in landscape photography and I use a sigma 10-20 and Nikon 15-70 F2.8 most of the time. I have a 35mm F1.8 which I find the sharpest tool in the box for portraits - I like to shoot them wide open with shallow dof. The 2.8 zoom is good but prefer the prime for bokeh etc.

I find the 35mm a bit wide at times and I'm looking to add a longer prime to my collection for portraits.

After a bit of reading and bearing in mind budget I think I am down to either a sigma 105 2.8 macro or an 50mm 1.4. The extra depth of the 50mm appeals to me but worried it may be too close to the 35mm and the sigma adds the bonus of doubling up as a macro lens that I might fancy having a go at, I know Ill be outside when I'm using so the longer length shouldn't be an issue - Im think ing I might get more natural shots being a bit further back and not in their face too?

Any opinions on the most suitable for what I am after> Open to any other suggestions too.

Cheers.
 
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maybe the Nikon 85mm 1.8G, haven't tried it myself but its supposed to be pin sharp and has good bokeh
 
Hi there

A couple to think about : a 70-200/80-200 f2.8, an 85 f1.8 the nikkor micro f2.8vr. Those would all be great for portraiture with some extra reach. The fast zoom would be very versatile for pics of the kids.

My favourite lens for portraits on my crop d90 was the 85 f1.4 manual focus samyang. The Nikon f1.8 is probably better in terns of being able to AF, especially with kids.

S
 
My 70-200 f2.8 rarely comes off my D7000 when i want pics of my little one. Super fast AF and sharp every time. I've just got a 105 f2.8 micro and its good, but not as quick as the 70-200. There is a great thread of 70-200 portraits on here, can't link as on my phone but worth a look :)
 
70-200 is versatile and covers a range of focal lengths including the traditional favourites of 85 and 135mm. But it is big, expensive and could seem intimidating by those you are photographing. The Nikon 85mm 1.8g is much smaller, lighter, a faster lens with a narrower depth of field and a joy to use. Given it's performance and specifications it is a very reasonably priced lens.
 
Any of the 50mm options give great results on my D7000 - for some reason I appear to have a 1.8afd, a 1.af4d and a 1.4afs!
Of note, the extra 15mm does make a huge difference to the look, as does the wide open 1.4 in comparison to the 35mm1.8, (which I also have).
 
einaroh said:
maybe the Nikon 85mm 1.8G, haven't tried it myself but its supposed to be pin sharp and has good bokeh
Click to expand...

It is. It does. It's my favourite lens on my D7000. The 50mm version is also very good.
 
Another option is to get a macro lens. Can dual purpose very well as a portrait lens. (And also triple purpose as a very sharp landscape lens)
 
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