Something to help me make my kid POP on a Crop?

Hi All, I'm looking for a single (1) good value prime or quality zoom that I can add to my gear list especially for portrait photography on my kids.

I'm looking for something that will give me that POP factor on a crop body camera (50D or 40D). Probably most interested in half body and head shots.

Things that come to mind are the 24L and 35L F1.4, 50L 1.2, 85 F1.8, or even the 135 F2. Money is an issue, but it's more about value for me.

Your suggestions?

thanks,

135 or 85 are my suggestions.

at what distance do you normally shoot. A 24mm lens can give a half body shot, just like an 135mm lens. However the distance to get a half body shot on 135mm is going to be alot different than 24mm.

For general portrait work on a crop camera, I would recommend the 50mm first, and then 85mm second. I personally love the 85mm FOV on FF, at the shooting distances I am accustomed to. I could blindly recommend a 135mm lens, but if you like to shoot 3-4 feet away from your kids then that would be a naiive recommendation, as it would be much too tight. Assuming distances of 6-10 feet, I think 50 or 85mm (85 - 135mm equivalent FOV at FF) would be the safest recommendation.

Have a play with your 24-105 and see what focal length works best for you. That should help narrow the field.

Not the 24L.

The 35L can work, but it is not going to give the 'classic' portrait perspective on a 1.6X body. It certainly can make for great portraits though, at least up to half body. Headshots might look a little funny.

The 50/1.4 is another good option. Some people like to complain about the sharpness of this lens wide open, but who needs crazy sharp in a portrait?

About the longest I would go is the 85/1.8. The 135L is great and all but it is really long to work with on a 1.6X body.

If you are looking for half body and head shots, I'd have to recommend the 85 f1.8. I received this lens for Christmas this year and I've taken my best shots with it. To me its absolutely stunning. It's incredibly sharp and with a 1.8 f stop you can easily blur the background to make portraits "pop".

I've tried a few other focal lenghts, 24, 35, and 50, but for me I really like/prefer the 85. I'm not much for full body photos. I like to be in close. This is my favorite lens and I doubt I''ll ever get rid of it.

50 1.4 is nice on a crop

+1 for the 85. such a great value for what you get. very sharp portrait lens, even on a crop

85@1.8 30D. About 6-7 feet away.

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Your camera/lens selection...

Your camera/lens selection far more than just adequate. You have everything you need to produce excellent portraiture; except (according to your equipment list); lighting equipment.

Instead of additional glass, I would recommend you looking into lighting equipment. A 580EX (550EX, 430EX or 420EX) for outdoor shooting as fill light and for indoor impromptu portraiture. Or, perhaps, a small set of studio portrait lights and a background material for formal indoor portraiture.

However, all that said, I would recommend courses, books, Internet sites, etc. to enable you to get what you want from your equipment. When a photographer has the selection and quality equipment that you own, it is only the photographer's skill (not any addition of a magical lens) that will provide top notch portraiture. All the equipment in the world will not produce outstanding portraits without the skill of the photographer working with that equipment; while even mediocre equipment in the hands of an accomplished photographer can produce great results.

Here is a start on the road toward creative lighting with simple setups. There are quite a few free, short video tutorials available on this site. Perhaps, you might also benefit by upgrading ypour post processing skills if that is necessary.

http://www.prophotolif​e.com/video-library/

Here are some more interesting Internet sites:

HAPPY SHOOTING:

Afga Portrait Tutorials
http://www.palmettobay​inc.com/PhotoTutorials​/port_light_basic.html

Alan Lavender – Good Lighting is an Art
http://www.paguk.com/a​rtoflighting2.htm

Background Questions
http://www.lightingmag​ic.com/bkgndqa.htm

Basic Portrait Lighting Types
http://www.palmettobay​inc.com/PhotoTutorials​/port_light_basic.html

Beginner’s Guide to Studio Lighting by Chris Burfoot
http://www.theflashcen​tre.com/guidetobetterp​ics.htm

Black, Dave – Workshop at the Ranch
http://www.daveblackph​otography.com/workshop​/index.htm

Camera Town
http://www.cameratown.​com/guides/tutorial_li​sting.cfm/hurl/id%7C27​0

Chris Burfoot – Lighting Guides to Digital and Film
http://www.geocities.c​om/glowluzid/portrait/​portrait.html

Chuck Gardner's tutorials:
http://forums.dpreview​.com/forums/read.asp?f​orum=1025&message=1431​7618

Continuous Portrait Shoot
http://sell-it-on-the-net.com/photo_guide/po​rtrait_usage.htm

DG28.com Photo Techniques
http://www.dg28.com/te​chnique.html

Digital Pixels
http://www.digitalpixe​ls.net/

Ephotozine – UK based photo site – budget lighting
http://www.ephotozine.​com/techniques/viewtec​hnique.cfm?recid=195

Exposure and Lighting Techniques by Steven Lott
Has some very simple one and two light set ups with illustrations
http://www.lottsphoto.​com/PortraitLightingTe​chnique.htm

Garage Glamour Lighting:
http://www.garageglamo​ur.com/tips/lightf.php

Glowluzid's Portrait Photography Tips
http://www.geocities.c​om/glowluzid/portrait/​portrait.html

Headshot Photography – Kevyn Major Howard
http://www.headshot-photography.com/portfo​lio.htm

Light Box – Light Tent
http://www.pbase.com/w​lhuber/light_box_light​_tent

Lighting Essentials
http://www.lighting-essentials.com/setups/​index.html

Make Light Real
http://makelightreal.c​om/

Make-up For Portraits
http://www.theallineed​.com/women/06032501.ht​m

Monte Zucker
http://www.montezucker​.com/
No BS Photo Success
http://www.nobsphotosu​ccess.com/

Olympus Digital School – How to Create a Perfect Portrait Every Timehttp://olympusdigitals​chool.com/photo_lesson​s/EVOLT_E-300_Creating_a_Perfect​_Portrait__Every_Time_​/

Photo School Lessons
http://www.webphotosch​ool.com/Lesson_Library​/Free_Lessons/index.ht​ml

Photo Workshop
http://www.photoworksh​op.com/cgi-bin/short_free_registr​ation.cgi

Photoflex Lessons
http://www.photoflexli​ghtingschool.com/Light​ing_Lessons/index.html

Photonet Guides
http://www.photo.net/l​earn/

Portrait Photography Tips.com
http://photographytips​.com/page.cfm/368

Portrait Tips – Sean B. Noonan, Photography
http://www.stnphotogra​phy.com/tips.html

Pro’s Secrets To Money Making Photography
http://www.photorog.co​m/mycustompage0009.htm

The Stobist
http://strobist.blogsp​ot.com/2006/03/lightin​g

Studio Lighting
http://www.studiolight​ing.net/

Studio Lighting (Broad, Short, Butterfly, & Rembrandt):
http://www.vividlight.​com/articles/1615.htm

Studio Lighting Techniques – Chuck McKern
http://www.vividlight.​com/articles/1615.htm

Studio Photography – Photonet
http://www.photo.net/s​tudio/primer

Studio Lighting
http://www.studiolight​ing.net/
The Zeltsman Approach to Traditional Classic Portraiture
http://groups.msn.com/​Asktheoleproaboutphoto​graphy/joezeltsman.msn​w

Video Photo Lessons – Zuga
http://www.imaging-resource.com/ARTS/ZUGA​/ZUGA.HTM

Web Photo School
http://www.webphotosch​ool.com/newschool/Defa​ult.asp

I'd go for the 85 1.8

I just sold mine due to financial problem but we shall meet again.

really, you should be able to get "pop" with the lenses you have. Maybe it is time to consider some lighting?

Lightroom 2.2.


Your lenses are more than adequate.

The 85 f/1.8 is a great value though, if you feel that you must buy a new lens.

Post up an example that you think is only lacking in "pop". I'll bet that someone here can get it to "pop" in about 2 minutes with a little PP work.

RPCrowe wrote in post #7321442
Your camera/lens selection far more than just adequate. You have everything you need to produce excellent portraiture; except (according to your equipment list); lighting equipment.

Instead of additional glass, I would recommend you looking into lighting equipment. A 580EX (550EX, 430EX or 420EX) for outdoor shooting as fill light and for indoor impromptu portraiture. Or, perhaps, a small set of studio portrait lights and a background material for formal indoor portraiture.

However, all that said, I would recommend courses, books, Internet sites, etc. to enable you to get what you want from your equipment. When a photographer has the selection and quality equipment that you own, it is only the photographer's skill (not any addition of a magical lens) that will provide top notch portraiture. All the equipment in the world will not produce outstanding portraits without the skill of the photographer working with that equipment; while even mediocre equipment in the hands of an accomplished photographer can produce great results.

Thanks for your detailed response. I must update my gear list as I do have a 580ex flash (and it is great). I agree and am not expecting any lens to be magical and that it is skill that counts. That said, I'm looking for a faster lens in the a good portrait range for crop. I've attached a couple of shots of my son using the 24-105 to give an idea of the sort of scale I like to shoot.

I like these shots but feel a faster lens would help with that "POP" factor.

PICS REMOVED