Portraits

I am thinking about ordering a alienbee's beginner package and I was wondering what lense do you think would help with portrait photography?

I was thinking about a nifty fifty, but I wanted to buy another lense as well

What are your guys opinions?

I'd suggest the 85mm f/1.8 as a good portrait lens.

You might also want to consider one of the macro lenses - Canon EF-S 60mm and Sigma 70mm spring to mind - they make good portrait lenses too.

If you can afford it, the 24-70L would be great!

Shonuff wrote in post #3247808
If you can afford it, the 24-70L would be great!

I would second this choice. This is what I use, well, the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 because it is a LOT CHEAPER than the weather sealed Canon 24-70. (If you do not need weather sealing and do not want to spend 3 times as much, Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 is a good choice).

85mm on a crop camera is too long for indoor portraiture.

The 50 1.8 will do a great job for you. I used it often for portraits with my 10D. Now that I have the 5D, I find the 85 1.8 is my most used portrait lens.

I absolutely love the 85mm f/1.8, but I am primarily doing head shots in a reasonably small studio. A good companion for the 85mm is a 50mm. I have the 50mm f/1.4 (waiting for my replacement since the one I got had a little play in the focus ring that didn't feel right) and like it a lot for portraits. If you want a lens that is more versatile and plan on using it outside as well then my recommendation would not be the 50mm f/1.4, as I think it's strength is when it's stopped down a bit and lighitng is good. I don't really side with so many that call it a low light lens and feel the performance in low light, or wide open, is marginal.
Having said all that, I absolutely love it as a portrait lens and between the 50mm and the 85mm I am a very happy camper. I love primes in the studio.

I'd stay away from the macro because to focus distance is far anyway, it gets too much DOF.

mbze430 wrote in post #3248274
I'd stay away from the macro because to focus distance is far anyway, it gets too much DOF.

I don't think you truly understand DOF then.....

Mark

go put on a true macro lens, and try it yourself. a macro lens have much more focusing range in short distance than from afar. A macro lens will hit infinity focus much much sooner from a long distance. So if the lens is hitting infinity focus, it will have all the dof behind it.

my vote for the 50mm 1.8
on your XT (1.6 crop) its about 80mm. Excellent for portraits.
youll be zooming on your feet though

I second the 85 f/1.8.. You can also use this as your low light sport lens..The AF on this is fast compared to any 50..But on your 1.6 crop it might be kinda far if used indoor 136mm..

mbze430 wrote in post #3248455
go put on a true macro lens, and try it yourself. a macro lens have much more focusing range in short distance than from afar. A macro lens will hit infinity focus much much sooner from a long distance. So if the lens is hitting infinity focus, it will have all the dof behind it.

Well, I must admit I was sceptical, so I tried your theory with a 100 f/2.8 Macro and a 70-200 f/2.8 at 100mm and the DOF is the same at any aperture as far as I can see.

The only way I got the DOF to change was by varying the distance of the subject in relation to the camera. But again the DOF was still the same between the lenses.

As for the OP's question, I think an 85 f/1.8 would make a good choice for head shots indoors.

mbze430 wrote in post #3248455
go put on a true macro lens, and try it yourself. a macro lens have much more focusing range in short distance than from afar. A macro lens will hit infinity focus much much sooner from a long distance. So if the lens is hitting infinity focus, it will have all the dof behind it.

yes, the scale on the lens might hit infinity focus much sooner, but if it is not focusing to infinity, then it is not in infinity focus...

mbze430 wrote in post #3248455
go put on a true macro lens, and try it yourself. a macro lens have much more focusing range in short distance than from afar. A macro lens will hit infinity focus much much sooner from a long distance. So if the lens is hitting infinity focus, it will have all the dof behind it.

Why don't you use this site and see if there's a difference?

http://www.dofmaster.c​om

100mm at 10ft at f/2.8 on a 1.6 crop camera gives the same DOF whether it's with the 100mm f/2.8 Macro or the 100mm f/2.

Mark

85mm f/1.8 which is on my list for sure
& i use the EF-s 60mm f/2.8 macro (works very well) & the 70-200mm f/4 L is a great one and versatile. I use it mainly.

& I have the AB beginner package but using a shoot through umbrella