Recommended Portrait lens??

[fromSF]

I was just wondering what was a good all around lens most people use out there or recommend for taking portraits of someone from close up portraits up to a full body portrait ?> also good for either outdoor or indoor areas even studio setups.

[Jim G]

50mm 1.4 is popular with the 1.6x crop as is the 85mm 1.8. Both are highly recommended by most people :) Personally I find 85mm to start to get a bit long for whole body shots on a crop.

If you're talking zooms the 24-70L is always popular as a flexible portrait lens, same applies to the cheaper 24-70 Sigma and 28-75 Tamron.

[weka2000]

70-200 F2.8 I used 90% time for my glamour in studio and out doors

[tzalman]

The Tammy 28-75 hardly ever comes off my camera.

[robgr85]

I was just wondering what was a good all around lens most people use out there or recommend for taking portraits of someone from close up portraits up to a full body portrait ?> also good for either outdoor or indoor areas even studio setups.

depends the size of Your studio - You can go far away with longer lens to take full body portraits if You have enough space.

To take portraits at home I use canon ef 50mm /f1.8 - f1.4 is better, but costs three times more than the one I am currently using.

Another great portrait lens is ef85mm /f1.8 usm - didn't have, but never heard/read complaints about it. For home/studio full body shooting it is imo far to long - You can set Your zoom lens to 140mm (this from Your signature) and that is the frame size You will get with this one.

[Mom2Twins]

Tamron 28-75...just got it and love it. I love the Canon 50 1.8, too, but zooming with your feet, so to speak, gets old..hee, hee :)

[jestergx4]

70-200 2.8 and/or 85mm prime are excellent portrait lenses.

[fromSF]

70-200 2.8 and/or 85mm prime are excellent portrait lenses.

thanks for all the great suggestions right now the best thing i have the i love using is my nifty fifty but like mom2twins mentions it kinda gets old having to move back and forth. Been looking at the Tamron 28-75 2.8 really leaning towards that and seems like one of the best suggestions right now

thanks guys for the help

[Wilt]

Read the sticky about lenses in the Lens forum. It gives very specific focal lengths for different format cameras (FF vs. APS-C) and different types of portraiture in those formats.

In the world of portraiture, the shooting distance from the subject defines the facial perspective that we generally find most pleasing and 'realistic'. The focal length for a given shooting distance defines the 'framing' of the person and how fully they fill the frame area.

Convention has found that for 35mm format, about
70-90mm is good for waist-up portraits,
90-110mm is good for head and shoulder portraits, and
120-150 is good for headshots (a modelling and acting type of shot for sending out to casting people). Of course, different photographers will tell you that THEY do not follow these conventions, but it is generally true that most professionals and amateurs in past decades with 35mm film have found these ranges to be valid ones -- until you discover your own style and preferences!

And for portraiture for APS-C format camera, the numbers mentioned above would translate to:
about 50-60mm is good for waist-up portraits,
60-70mm is good for head and shoulder portraits, and
80-90 is good for headshots (a modelling and acting type of shot for sending out to casting people).

[Halliday]

I never use my 85mm 1.8 since I picked up a 24-70 and 70-200. The zooms are just so flexible.

[B3SEO]

With your camera, I'd go with a 50mm/1.4. the 1.6 crop brings it into "portrait" range.