Portrait Lense

[Mgoppert]

I need a good non zoom portrait lense for my 10 D. Please advise.

[wolverine]

I use a 50 1.4 on my D60 for portraits. It is equivalent to an 80mm, which for me is perfect for portraits. It is super sharp when you need it to be, and the 1.4 is very handy for available light shots.

[Tonique]

If you like to take tight crops of the head I would suggest to check the 85 1.2 or 1.8. But the 50mm is more versatile if you have a tight shooting environment.

-F

[Belmondo]

I've heard over the years that 100mm is generally the preferred focal length for portrait work in 35mm. The reason, I'm told, is because the foreshortening effect of the slightly telephoto lens reduces prominent features such as noses, etc., without 'flattening' the subject altogether.

Since the 1.6 crop factor only affects field of view, I think it's safe to say the foreshortening effect would remain the same on a 10D/D60, and so forth. Therefore, a good 100mm lens should work.

For what it's worth, I have the 100mm f/2.8 macro, and it works quite well for waist-up/portrait photos. The macro feature is just a bonus.

Tom

[Tonique]

The foreshortening effect of a 100mm mounted on the 10D will be exactly the same as if it was a 160mm mounted on a full frame sensor camera. What makes a difference and change the perspective is your distance from the subject. If you have a 85 mm mounted on the 10D you'll have to be at the same distance you would be with a 136mm (85 x 1.6) from your subject to have the same framing.

What changes the perspective is not the focal length but your distance/position from the subject. With a 50mm on a full frame sensor camera you have to be close to have a full head shot, so the nose is noticably closer to the lense than the eyes for example so it looks bigger.

-F

[Dans_D60]

I have been experimenting with a variety of different lenses for portrait work. My conclusion is the flexibility of a moderate zoom with the 10D or D60 serves me best. Not to say the prime lenses don’t work well. In fact top quality primes are still considered the best by many professionals. Nevertheless, it’s very difficult to tell the difference between let’s say my 28-70 2.8 L and my 50 1.4. Both achieve almost identical results but the 28-70 2.8 L gives me that added bit of flexibility.

I previously posted these images below in another thread with details on lens selection. I’ll post them again here but this time I have you guess what lens was used. One of the images I used the 28-70 2.8 L the other used the 50 1.4.

IMAGE ONE:

http://www.pettusphoto.com/vs/10d.jpg


IMAGE TWO:

http://www.pettusphoto.com/vs/d60.jpg



Dan
http://www.pettusphoto.com

[Mgoppert]

I would say Image 1 is the 50-1.4 and Image 2 is the
28-70.8 L.

[lightandlife]

No money => 50mm 1.4 (It is like an L lens)

Otherwise, get 85mm 1.2 L. In a year or so, we will have affordable, full frame digital cameras.

[Dans_D60]

Mgoppert wrote:
I would say Image 1 is the 50-1.4 and Image 2 is the
28-70.8 L.



Told ya it would be difficult to tell! Image One is the 28-70 2.8 L (at 63mm) on my 10D ISO=100, f/13, all manual with studio strobes. Image Two is the 50 1.4 on my D60 ISO=100, f/13, all manual with studio strobes.

Dan

[mwinog2777]

i use the 1.8-50 for portrait.