What cheap prime is better for portrait: 50mm f/1.4 vs 85mm f/1.8

What cheap prime is better for portrait: Canon 50mm f/1.4 vs Canon 85mm f/1.8

Both lenses are very popular

85 is gonna be a better FL on FF, 50 on a cropper. At least that's my 2 cents.

I like 50 on FF for environmental portraiture. It's not gonna be what you want to use for head and shoulder shots though.

Canon 50 1.8 STM is cheaper and better than the 1.4

BlakeC wrote in post #18206908
Canon 50 1.8 STM is cheaper and better than the 1.4

Define better. I love my 1.4, but I'd "upgrade" if there was a real advantage.

I think this is the fastest I've seen a POTN thread go off topic

I agree in general ... but the F1.4 does work really well on a crop body. Vignetting and distortion issues don't seem to be much of an issue when your only looking at the centre frame. And F1.4 gives really good separation.

Technically the F1.4 may not be a brilliant lens but it can deliver great images ... especially as a portrait lens on a crop body.

vietnameseamateur wrote in post #18206904
What cheap prime is better for portrait: Canon 50mm f/1.4 vs Canon 85mm f/1.8

Both lenses are very popular

Depends on what kind of portrait and the environment you're shooting in?

On full frame, outdoor, the 85mm would be nice, but only if you have working room and if the background distance is vast. In a studio, it will give good headshots, but be tough to do good full body unless you have a lot of room. 50mm will give you more freedom of working distance both inside and outside.

On an APS-C, outdoor, the 85mm will be long, so you would need a lot of room for full body and vast background distance, otherwise, the 50mm would be more appropriate if working distance is shorter. Inside in studio, 50mm will give headshots, otherwise, would require more working room for full body. 85mm in studio on APS-C would be very long and require tons of room for more than a headshot.

Note, your proximity to subject is what will cause distortion, not the lens specifically. Neither of these lenses at normal working distance even for a headshot are going to be produce exaggerated features of distortion, so it really comes down to working distance preference relative to sensor size relative to portrait goal (huge difference between a headshot and an environmental outdoor portrait).

Personally, I favor the look of 85mm on full frame outdoor.

Inside, I just use the 50mm on full frame.

Very best,

travisvwright wrote in post #18206914
Define better. I love my 1.4, but I'd "upgrade" if there was a real advantage.

Besides hearing so many ppl ditching their 1.4 for the 1.8?
you already own your 1.4? ...keep it. but buying a 50 when you don't have one? get the 1.8. cheaper, better AF, lighter, smaller, sharper wide open, better for video.
need/want 1.4? get it if it's worth paying over twice as much. but then you sacrifice all the other advantages of the 1.8. The 1.4 is also best between 2.2 and 4, same for the 1.8

This video expresses my thoughts... https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=nYhJK3-4Kgk

windpig wrote in post #18206915
I think this is the fastest I've seen a POTN thread go off topic

lol true. just making sure OP knows of the "3rd" option

If it's between these 2 ONLY, I would:
50 1.4 for crop
85 1.8 for FF

My 2-cents worth, if you please.

I've had several 50mm lenses: I, II, II, 1.4, STM.
Of the bunch, I like the STM best. The others seemed to have an inability to AF in low light. Let us not forget the super-fragile AF system on 1.4.

I've had two copies of the 85 1.8. The first did not focus well, but I got it used, and the 5Dc I used it on is not known for AF. My second copy is killer on the 6D, 80D, and 1DIV.

If I had to pick one, for use on either FF or APS-c, it would be the 85 1.8.

The 85 is a great outside portrait and candid lens. Inside, it can be long, but this depends on where you are using it. If you want shots of multiple people, you are going to need lots of room with the 85 on a crop body. I prefer the 85F1.8 for image quality, but it never got much use when I was on crop.
The 50 mm focal length will work much better inside, unless you live in a mansion. In that case, you wouldn't be asking the question and can buy both lenses, or even L versions. Much of this is personal preference, so there is no one answer. You will need to be pretty far back when using the 85 on a crop body.
I should also mention that the 85 will require higher shutter speeds for sharp photos. While not a problem outside, this could be limiting when inside with lower lighting. The 85F1.8 gives you the narrow view of a 135 on full frame or film. Many people like this focal length for portraits, but it should be recognized for what it is.

50 is good for general portraiture of one or more people, for tighter head shots, go 80: it will be more useful for people shots if you move to FF

The OP question is best answered IN CONTEXT

1. In the context of FF body, the 85mm provides more natural perspective at reasonable indoor shooting distance of about 8-10' for waist-up single subject portrait
   
2. In the context of FF body, the 50mm provides natural perspective at a reasonable indoor shooting distance of about 10' for full standing single or couples portrait
   
   
3. In the context of APS-C body, the 50mm provides more natural perspective at reasonable indoor shooting distance of about 8-10' for waist-up single subject portrait
   
4. In the context of APS-C body, the 30mm provides natural perspective at a reasonable indoor shooting distance of about 10' for full standing single or couples portrait
   
   
5. In the context of FF body, the 135mm provides more natural perspective at long shooting distance of about 15' for waist-up single subject portrait or 30' for full length standing single or couples portrait
   
6. In the context of APS-C body, the 85mm provides more natural perspective at long shooting distance of about 15' for waist-up single subject portrait or 30' for full length standing single or couples portrait
   

• max aperture, for DOF control and low light shooting ability
  
• bokeh (the quality of the out-of-focus blur)
  

windpig wrote in post #18206906
85 is gonna be a better FL on FF, 50 on a cropper. At least that's my 2 cents.

I like 50 on FF for environmental portraiture. It's not gonna be what you want to use for head and shoulder shots though.

On a crop, I'd recommend a 50mm and the 100mm f/2 combo. As for which 50mm... f1.8 is a safe bet. I'd actually go for the 1.4 over the STM. FWIW - I have both the 50L (not cheap, but getting cheaper as is ages) and the STM.

Contrary to all that... if I were you, I'd save up for the Sigma Art.