Good portrait lens?

I have a 50 1.8, and a kit lens, im a local photog, and wondering if there is another good lens for a decent price. 85? 24-70? anything like that fun under 2-300 bucks? i dont mind buying used. i am not able to get it right now.. just wondering about suggestions.

$200-$300 - the 60mm 2.8 is a good one, great IQ and in your price range.

Check out these two threads regarding Tamron 28-75 f2.8. Used price is around $300.
https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1105727
https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1112543

85/1.8 is "the"portrait lens and used goes for around 300.

Your 55-250 makes a decent portrait lens in good light.

Since you're on a crop body, the 85mm will work, but might be a bit long. As others mentioned, i'd also consider the 60mm Macro f2.8 (VERY Sharp, beautiful colors). If you want something wider than the 50mm, then perhaps the Sigma 35mm f1.4 used.

Decide if you want something longer or shorter than the 50mm, and use that as your base.

Your 50/1.8 is a decent portrait lens when used on a crop camera. A 50/1.4 is even better.... with some subtle image quality improvements, but mainly offering faster & more accurate/consistent AF, better build... might be able to find it used under $300.

85/1.8 is a "long portrait" lens on a crop camera like yours. Also good, but a different focal length that provides a tighter crop. Pretty hard to find even a used one for $300 or less.

Some folks like a little longer lens for portraiture, such as the Canon 100/2. You might find it used for a little over $300.

I use the 135/2 a lot on full frame camera for portraiture, but it might be a little long for most crop sensor cameras... You need plenty of working room to use it on an APS-C camera.

There are also "environmental portraits".... wider shots of people showing them in familiar surroundings, at work on something, etc. For that a 35/2, Sigma 30/1.4, or Canon 28/1.8 might be a good choice for use on a crop camera. A wider lens like this also is useful for couples, full length shots, small groupds. At times I've used 20/2.8, too. With a wider lens you have to be very careful about perspective distortion effects. If you get too close, it will make their nose look big in relation to their ears, for example. Wide lenses also cause anamorphic distortions at the edge of the image, such as making one arm look bigger than the other. Of the above, you might find the 35/2 used for under $300... but I don't think you'll find any of the others for less than $300.

Yes, some of the macro lenses can serve dual purpose... macro and portrait. But most do not have particularly large aperture (f2.8 instead of f1.8 or f1.4) and can even be too sharp for some types of portraiture. The relatively new Tamron 60/2 macro has an unusually large aperture for a macro lens and appears to have a lot of potential. I've had great luck with Tamron lenses over the years. But it's AF will likely be slower than the above non-macro lenses.

From your signature, it sounds as if you need to get your camera fixed or replaced before shopping for a lens!

cemeterygirl808 wrote in post #13680050
I have a 50 1.8, and a kit lens, im a local photog, and wondering if there is another good lens for a decent price. 85? 24-70? anything like that fun under 2-300 bucks? i dont mind buying used. i am not able to get it right now.. just wondering about suggestions.

on an XSi (450D) I use a Tamron 90mm 2.8 macro - 85mm or 100m would work

On cropped body, since you already have 50/1.8, I agree that 85/1.8 is a good choice.

Another option may be the 100/2 if you want more working distance. Not the Canon lens but here's an example of a similar focal length on my Rebel XT (105mm) at f/2.5...

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A 35mm is nice.

i don't see a flash or any sort of lighting listed in your signature...i'd go there first...

Canon 50 1.4 on a crop is a very nice range and f-stop for portraits. Much better focusing and IQ than the 1.8 too. I rented the 85 and found it too long on my 7D. Probably find a used one under $300.

cemeterygirl808 wrote in post #13680050
I have a 50 1.8, and a kit lens, im a local photog, and wondering if there is another good lens for a decent price. 85? 24-70? anything like that fun under 2-300 bucks? i dont mind buying used. i am not able to get it right now.. just wondering about suggestions.

i think your standard zoom should also be a "good" portrait lens and a good "landscape" lens. and a "good" vacation lens.

the canon lenses that come to mind are the 15-85 and the 17-55, both efs. i'd definitely have the latter if i were shooting 1.6 crop.

ed rader

cemeterygirl808 wrote in post #13680050
I have a 50 1.8, and a kit lens, im a local photog, and wondering if there is another good lens for a decent price. 85? 24-70? anything like that fun under 2-300 bucks? i dont mind buying used. i am not able to get it right now.. just wondering about suggestions.

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50L [Bit too expensive] or 85L

StructuredAmazing wrote in post #13683629
50L [Bit too expensive] or 85L

you can't even get the FD mount 50L or 85L for under $300...