What lens for portrait on DSLR

I don't have a DSLR yet, but I am waiting for the Fuji S5. I also don't have

any Nikon equipment at all. So this will be my first plunge into the Nikon

gears ownership/experience.

 

I plan to do a candid (PJ style) portrait session. The model can be either

inside or outside doing her daily routines. I am thinking about getting the

60/2.8D AF Micro, which I guess should be equal to 90mm on film. However, if

the model is in a narrow room, the 60mm lens might be too long. For that

reason, should I get a 20mm, 24mm or 35mm? I wish the filter size were the

same. The only same one with the 60mm is the 20/2.8D AF, but probably focal

length is more of a priority than filter size.

 

I read somewhere that the 85/1.4D AF has a rounded diaphragm, resulting to

more pleasing bokeh. But I guess the 85mm would be too long for shooting

indoor. I wonder if any of the lenses above has rounded diaphragm also?

 

How about zooms? Are there any zoom that's sharp as the primes?

 

I prefer fast lens since I will be shooting indoors and preferably not use

flash. If I have to use flash, then I plan to get SB-800 with Gary Fong's

diffuser.

 

My friend told me that the image perspective from a lens stays the same either

on 35mm or APS-C. For example, 200mm perspective on film will be the same as

on APS-C but cropped (So it's like taking a cropped image from a 35mm). Is

this true? To the best of my knowledge, his statement is wrong, but I didn't

have any illustration to show the physics behind this.

 

One more question. How long do you think the Fuji S5 price will stay the same

until it starts to drop? How long did it take for the Fuji S3 or Nikon D200

prices to drop?

 

Thanks,

Leo

Try the cheap and stupendous current 50mm f1.8 , or something similar.

I would get the 17-35mm 2.8 or the dx 17-55mm f2.8. Fast Prime would be nice but

nikon doesn't have any wide faster than 2.8. If money is tight, go for a 20mm f2.8 and

35mm f2 or 50mm 1.8 for a 2 lens kit.

 

I suspect the S5 won't come down in price atleast until late summer/ early fall.

 

Perspective is the distance from cam to subject and yes it would likely be different due to

narrower fov for a given lens.

 

Don't worry about bokeh, it isn't that important plus due to the dx sensor, it is quite

difficult to achieve especially w/ wide angles.

It is distance alone that determines perspective - not sensor size nor focal length. Pick a lens that lets you stand no less than 5 feet from your subject for an head-and-shoulders "portrait". This suggests usin a 90mm lens for 35mm or a 60mm lens for digital. This is not an hard and fast rule, particularly since you are shooting in "PJ" style, and have no particular need to flatter your subject with lighting, composition nor appropriate perspective.

I would say that Nikkor 50 f/1.8 AF-D is a cheap and really nice lens. It will be a 75mm with the 1,5X factor, performing as a fast medium tele.

 

Cheers.

Another vote for the 50mm f/1.8. This lens will cost you about 110 dollars new, although if you shop around a little you can find it a little cheaper. Should you buy second hand, be sure to get the AF-D version. Only AF-D lenses with a D-chip will provide 3D Color Matrix

Metering and 3D Multi-Sensor Balanced Fill-Flash. These options are not available with regular non-D AF lenses.

 

The 50mm has a plastic barrel, but don't let that scare you off. It is made out of high quality plastic and most importantly the lens mount is metal.

 

As for wide angle lenses, you'd need something in the 20mm to 30mm range to get a sufficiently wide angle on the 1.5x crop sensor. I've heard good things about the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM AF lens. A quick search on photo.net should get you some information about this lens. A zoom lens starting at 17mm will give you a much wider angle and more versatility. The 17-55mm will give you a maximum aperture of f/2.8 throughout the zoom range. F/2.8 should be ok for shooting indoors, unless light levels are really dim.

 

As for a possible price drop, I think you'd have to wait quite some time before we see that happen. The D200, upon which the Fuji S5 is based, was announced in November 2005. Only in the last couple of months have we seen price reductions on the D200 body.

The Fuji S5 may not be all the camera the hype is making it out to be. I suggest you take a close look at both cameras once it becomes available and try them both out prior to making your purchase, or at least buy from a store that accepts returns.

 

The d200 gives incredibly accurate and balanced exposures and extremely sharp images with every Nikon lens I own (I have 7 including several 'consumer' grade lenses). Very few cameras can make this claim.

50/1.2 AIS.

I have to agree with Vivek.

 

50 1.2 AIS or the 50 1.4 AFD.

 

Michael

I second Elliot,s response. I just got the D200 three days ago. It is so good that I am actually thinking of selling my D2X. In fact I'm pretty sure I'm going to sell it. I only bought it because I was a little lusty for all those megs and speed, which I really didn't need. Take a few shots with the D200 and you'll never look back. I don't know what Nikon did, but it is almost like the sensor has a slight polarizing affect and can see an extra stop of light.

 

I use my girlfriend's cat as a test target for new lenses. Poor thing's eyes are probably flash burned by now. Anyway, he was the first thing I tested the new body on with an 85 1.4 attached. I noticed alot of brown in his fur after a few shots. I never really looked closely at the cat before and always thought he had mostly black fur with a little white mixed in. Anyway, after catching him and looking closely at him, he had alot of subtle brown in his fur that the D200 pulled out ( he hates to be touched so I suffered some scratch wounds for the cause, purple heart anyone ). Also, shooting in slightly mixed light, IMO, it blows the D2X away.

Oooops. Got off track. My vote is for the 50mm 1.8 also. 50mm 1.2 if you can afford it, but get it quick, because prices are going to go up for this lens.

"How long do you think the Fuji S5 price will stay the same until it starts to drop?"

 

Leo, how long ar you going to wait for the "perfect deal"? Seriously, find the camera that will

work for you and get it. A bunch of photos taken today with a camera that you might have

paid 100 or 200 more for are way better than no photos because... oh yeah... no camera...

Oh, yeah... I forgot...

 

50mm f1.8 and 17-35 f2.8. Oughtta do you. Then you can get a long lens later if you need it.

Please, be careful with old, non current lenses. They are very good, pristine images, but age is age, they can be culturing fungus inside, and that is no good for a lens. So if you buy one, second hand, look it close and carefully.

 

Regards.

I agree. Waiting a couple of months for a price drop, I can handle. But if I have to wait 6 months or more for price drop, then that's too long. Not worth the wait. Getting tons of photos in a few months and gaining all the experience is priceless. For the price difference, well... there's mastercard. Right? :)

The 85mm f1.4 is pretty awesome for tighter shots and low DOF. The 50mm f1.8 is nice and can't beat the price, either.

Try 28-70mm/f2.8, AFS, if you are going to be serious on portrait. I've mounted about 2 dozen lenses -- prime or pro-zooms -- on my Nikon for over 100 shots, that lens is the best, indoor or outdoor.

 

Good luck. -- Ray

I would go for the 28-70 2.8 AFS. As for the S5 we have a S3 and have found serious flaw's in it's use for one the autofocus acts like wet treacle and from what Fuji have told me a lot of what I found as flaws haven't been addressed in the S5. Personally i would invest the money in Nikon at least your getting 1st generation tecnology instead of 2nd generation.

>>>It is distance alone that determines perspective - not sensor size nor focal length<<<

 

Sure but once you change FL you are mostly likely going to change your perspective. You are

not going to shoot a 90mm and 20mm at the same spot are you? You are not going to shoot

a 20mm on a 135mm at the same spot as 20mm on a dx cam are you? The dx sensor size

changes FOV on a given FL therefore you shoot at a difference distance from the subject.

 

In practice most of the time, either with FL changes or sensor size format (fov change)

change will make you change perspective.

sorry for typos...just woke up

Pete,

 

I am in the same situation as Leo, trying to decide between waiting for the Fuji S5 as my first DSLR or grabbing a D200 now that prices are dropping. Apart from the autofocus issues you've experienced with the S3 (which I'm not too worried about as autofocus speed is not that big of an issue given the subjects I normally shoot), have you found anything else that would tilt the balance towards Nikon?

 

Ray,

 

I've checked the 28-70mm f/2.8 AFS you mentionned, but it surely comes with a hefty price tag. "I've mounted about 2 dozen lenses -- prime or pro-zooms -- on my Nikon for over 100 shots". Could you share some of your findings with us? I mean, apart from the 28-70mm, which other lenses could you recommend and which ones would you avoid at all cost?

 

Thanks for any info you can give me.

 

Jan

I've used the much cheaper but equally sharp Nikkor 35-70 f2.8 for candid portraits on DSLR.

It works GREAT. One-third the price. You lose some wide end that maybe you don't need for

portraits, or you can get an 18-35 to supplement it.

The S5 is a D200 with a different sensor, to all intents and purposes. AF and metering will behave identically.

you should try a 85 f/1.4 and you will love it forever ;-)

I don't recommend the 17-35, though I own one. It's a huge lens for what it is and yet not really long enough for shallow depth of field portraits. It's also expensive.

 

If you're interested in a zoom, I'd say a 28-70 would be better, even a cheap one. You don't necessarily need Nikon's 2.8 model, which is also big and expensive.

 

I recommend a 50mm.