Portrait Lenses

Hi everyone. I am new to the world of studio portrait photography and wanted to get some input on what lens is best suited for portrait photography? Thanks so much, Bo.

On a full frame sensor, I love the 85mm F1.2. I have the Mark 1 but there is a faster focussing Mark 11 which you do not need for portraits. You should be able to get a real deal on a Mark 1!

I use the 70-200 f2.8 IS the most (also on a FF camera). Any of the 85mm lenses are also great (as Don mentioned).

I will add to the 85/1.2 as best lens for portrait work,
followed by 70-200/2.8L iS (for outdoors )
and 24-70/2.8L (for indoors half to full body )

For APS-C sensor the 50/1.2 may be a better choice, but I have the 85/1.2 and can vouch for that one.

Your gear list indicates that you like reasonably priced equipment - following that trend:
For studio work with a 1.6 crop camera: 50mm f/1.4

The age-old recommended focal lengths for standard portraiture with 35mm film cameras has been a range of 80mm to 135mm, with the nominal standard at about 80mm. When comparing fields of view between 35mm film cameras and APS-C cameras such as your 300D, the recommended range translates to using 50mm to 80mm lenses with the emphasis near 50mm.

Thus, the recommendation of a 50mm f/1.4 Canon lens is a very good one for starters for use with APS-C format cameras (300D, 30D, etc.).

Given enough light, your 18-55 zoom should be fine for getting started. The most significant difference between that and the 50mm f/1.4 (other than build quality, etc.) is the ability (using the f/1.4) to get a shorter depth-of-field to blur the background if that is desired. When stopped down to f/8 or so, the "kit" lens should be just fine.

SkipD wrote in post #2807971
The age-old recommended focal lengths for standard portraiture with 35mm film cameras has been a range of 80mm to 135mm, with the nominal standard at about 80mm. When comparing fields of view between 35mm film cameras and APS-C cameras such as your 300D, the recommended range translates to using 50mm to 80mm lenses with the emphasis near 50mm.

Thus, the recommendation of a 50mm f/1.4 Canon lens is a very good one for starters for use with APS-C format cameras (300D, 30D, etc.).

Given enough light, your 18-55 zoom should be fine for getting started. The most significant difference between that and the 50mm f/1.4 (other than build quality, etc.) is the ability (using the f/1.4) to get a shorter depth-of-field to blur the background if that is desired. When stopped down to f/8 or so, the "kit" lens should be just fine.

But remember that it is still a 50mm with the distortion of a 50mm. The length is gained by cropping, not a longer lense. The 50 is fine for 1.6 crop pics when you are back a little and on very young faces, but if you fill the frame and shoot an older person or one with an ample nose, you will not make a friend. . . and you will not sell a print!

donlavange wrote in post #2808133
But remember that it is still a 50mm with the distortion of a 50mm. The length is gained by cropping, not a longer lense. The 50 is fine for 1.6 crop pics when you are back a little and on very young faces, but if you fill the frame and shoot an older person or one with an ample nose, you will not make a friend. . . and you will not sell a print!

There is no inherent "distortion" associated with any particular focal length except for specialty lenses such as fisheye lenses. Of course, some very cheaply made lenses will have more distortion than average lenses.

The "distortion" you refer to really has nothing to do with focal length. What you are referring to is related to perspective. Perspective is totally controlled by the distance between the viewer (or camera) and the subject.

If you view or photograph a subject from a very close vantage point you will more than likely have a slightly distorted view of the subject.

If you take a series of photos of a subject with a variety of focal lengths - all taken of the same subject and all taken from precisely the same vantage point - and crop all of the photos to leave the same amount of the subject as the image taken with the longest focal length, all of the resulting images will show precisely the same perspective.

SkipD wrote in post #2808630
The "distortion" you refer to really has nothing to do with focal length. What you are referring to is related to perspective. Perspective is totally controlled by the distance between the viewer (or camera) and the subject.

Thank you! This seems to go back and forth with pedantry coming from the other side, despite their inaccuaracy!

This should help:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=58577

Mark

Edit: nevermind... Mark beat me

I'd suggest sigma 30mm f/1.4 ; Canon 50mm f/1.4 and Canon 85mm f/1.8 - they all make good portrait lenses, and give you the ability to go from tight head shots to small group without too much trouble.

There's no need to spend so much money on L primes - unless you
a/ Want to
and
b/ can afford to !

steved110 wrote in post #2809178
I'd suggest sigma 30mm f/1.4 ; Canon 50mm f/1.4 and Canon 85mm f/1.8 - they all make good portrait lenses, and give you the ability to go from tight head shots to small group without too much trouble.

There's no need to spend so much money on L primes - unless you
a/ Want to and b/ can afford to !

Yep, and toss in the 100MMf/2.8 Macro and you will have the "Affordable Fab Four" primes all of which are excellent for taking portriats. I sure have fun doing so with mine

I use three lenses for my portrait work

28 1.8
50mm 1.8
85mm 1.8

I like them all equally depending on what kind of shot I want to present. I don't use zooms for portrait work anymore, I find them far more limited in their capabilities (because of aperture constraints).

Also consider the older, but still great Canon 28-70L. I also use the 85mm 1.8, the 100mm f/2, and the 70-200 f/4L for outdoor senior portrait sessions.