Best Portrait Lens??

Just looking for what people have to say about a portrait lens. Do you have a lens that you would use only for portraits? Like 85mm f/1.2?

I'm not looking to spend $1500 on a lens just yet.. Which one do you use?

How about Sigma 30mm f/1.4? Canon 70-200mm f/2.8? Canon 85mm f/1.8? Sigma 105mm macro f/2.8?

I normally use my 24-105, but I just got my 35L. So I am going to give that a try...

For the money its hard to beat the 85 1.8....

What would give more DOF, more separation Sigma 105mm macro at 2.8 or Canon 70-200 at 100mm at 2.8 or Canon 85mm at 1.8??

It depends on crop or FF. On my 40D I actually prefer the 50mm for portraits. 85 on my 5D2. 85 is good for headshots on the 40D but unless I have lots of room to step back, I often find it difficult to get half to full length shots while indoors. Outdoors is fine, but then I'm having to speak loudly to my subjects. I use the 70-200 (f4 IS) for portraits at weddings. The 24-70 is good for portraits on a cropped body too. Funny thing is, I've used all of those lenses for portraits, even my 100mm macro. There is a general rule of thumb for the 'best portrait range', but really, in the end for me the best portrait lens is the one that I currently have on hand to take the portrait with.

Looking at your gear list, the 17-55 at 55 or the 70-200 f/2.8 anywhere in the 70-100 range should work at least decently as a portrait lens.

Coulda been a poll...

For me...it depends.

Canon 85mm f/1.8
Canon 24-105L f/4 IS
Canon 70-200L f/2.8 IS

I mostly use 50/1.4 indoor and 100/2.8 outdoors with an APS-C camera- depends a lot on the shot and the conditions

yuriyo923 wrote in post #7009076
Canon 85mm f/1.8?

Yes!

nw85887 wrote in post #7009847
...Canon 17-105L f/4 IS....

I want that one tooo to replace my 24-105L f/4 IS it is just a little to long on the short side.

hennie wrote in post #7010649
I want that one tooo to replace my 24-105L f/4 IS it is just a little to long on the short side.

FIXED!

...wishful thinking...I should have gone for the gusto and added f/2.8 while I was at it.

yuriyo923 wrote in post #7009134
What would give more DOF, more separation Sigma 105mm macro at 2.8 or Canon 70-200 at 100mm at 2.8 or Canon 85mm at 1.8??

This question doesn't really make sense. MORE depth of field and MORE separation are generally mutually exclusive. And focal length doesn't have an effect on DOF. Aperture, and more importantly, subject distance, do.

And there is no "best" portrait lens . I like every one of my lenses for portraits, at different times, for different looks. I probably use the 35 and 85 the most for portraits.

I've used all of these for portraits.., depending on the need.

35 1.4L
50 1.4
85 1.8
24-105 f/4L
Tokina 50-135 2.8
200 2.8L

If you are just starting with portraits use your 17-55 to start, it is a fine lens. If you want to move to primes I would recommend the 85 f/1.8 or the 50 f/1.4 as the 85 can be a bit long on a crop body for portraits.

85L ALL THE WAY.