105mm or 135mm Prime for Portrait?

Hey there!

It's time for me now to get a good telephoto lens for my

portraits..All I use now is an F3 with 50 1.4 Ais.

I'm just a little confused...I've seen the 105 2.5 Ais that seems

pretty good...but also the 135 (don't know the difference between the

2.0 and 2.8 Ais and their price..)

So my question is...which difference in qualiy and price runs between

these three lenses...?

Which would be the best burgain for me? (my budget is around 150$ for

a used one)

Don't know if it is important but I mainly shoot B&W, and this lens

would be for portraits head and shoulders mostly.

 

Last thing..is there any MF zoom lense around this focal lenght that

would be equally good for my work?

 

Thanks for your time.

 

Gabriele

Another factor you should consider is how much room you have to work in. For me the 105 is too long to use indoors (I can't back up far enough) so I use the 85 f/2 for h&s portraits.

Hi Gabriele,

 

Can't go wrong with 105 2.5 AI(S).

 

Best regards,

 

Miha

You are absoluely right James.

It would be too long for indoors for me too...for that I use the 50 1.4 that works pretty good.

 

I need a telephoto aspecially for outdoors...especially for street photography.

 

Thanks

Get the 105 f/2.5 AIS. You can use it for other than portraits as well. Fine lens.

I have an early non-AI 105 f/2.5 and it is a great lens. The newer versions are supposed to be even better.

 

I have no experience with the 135, but you can probably get that lens cheaper than the 105. The 135mm focal length was once a mainstay of photographers but seems to have become unfashionable, while the 105 seems to have acquired a legendary status among photogs and is very much in demand.

I've owned the 85, 105 & 135 & hands down the 105 is the clear choice unless you need distance go w/135, need more room the 85 & if you need speed go with the 105 f/2 DC or an 85 1.8 or 1.4 but these are quite a bit more than 150. so I suggest the 105 f/2.5 or the 85 f/2

either a 85 or 105 will do well for you. a 135 also but they are expensive.

Both 105/2.8 and 135/2.8 AiS are great solid MF lenses. The 105 is absolutely tack sharp and I found it's very accurate for portraiture and compact with excellent balance in any use.

If I had to choose I'd go with the 105mm F2.5 AIS. But don't get me wrong, I love my 135mm for street portraits. It's just that the 105 is a heck of a lot sharper.

For zoom lenses I have heard the 70-210mm Nikon is an excellent lens for

portraiture and it is lightweight. If you want to spend more there is the 80-200mm

f2.8 which is what I use, but it is a heavy lens to carry around.

The 105mm f/2.5 AI-S is more than "pretty good." "World class" comes to mind.

 

Either 105mm or 135mm will take a nice head-and-shoulders portrait, but your working distance will be longer with the 135mm. Since perspective changes with working distance, the portrait shot at 135mm will have a slightly more distant and formal feel. That's great for the annual report shot of a CEO, not so good for a romantic shot of a spouse. I also prefer the longer focal length when shooting kids or pets.

 

The Nikon Series E 75-150mm f/3.5 is an outstanding portrait zoom. Less well known is the Nikkor 50-135mm f/3.5, but it too does a nice job. Recently, I tried a Tokina 60-120mm f/2.8 with good results as well.

<i>"Last thing..is there any MF zoom lense around this focal lenght that would be equally good for my work?"</i>

<p>

Have you considered the 75~150 f/3.5 Series E Zoom? That will give you 85mm, 105mm and 135mm.

The Nikon Series E 75-150mm f/3.5 is a great lens. I wished I had one. I bought one last year via e-bay but sent it back because something was very loose inside. Right now all my lenses are E's. I have 2 50mm's, a 100mm and a 135mm. All are the metal ring versions.

105mm 2.5 ,is beautiful for portraits.I do not think you can get a better lens for nikon than this one. It focuses quickly.The only 135mm I ever used was a f2,which you had to turn forever to change focus.

of the two I personally prefer the fast 135 (f2.0) because my subjects are furhter away ( on stage)

 

I have used both but find the I use an 85 more than the 105.

 

So it all depends upon the distance your are from the subject and how much image compression is desireable.

Go with the 105 f/2.5. There's a reason that it's become "legendary". I'd never part with mine. For my taste's, the 135mm, is much too long.

 

Russ

The lens does not determine perspective. Perspective is a

function of the distance from the subject to the lens. <br>

<br>

Chose the distance first to give the perspective you want.<br>

Chose the focal length second to give the angle of view or

coverage you want.<br>

<br>

The typical selection of focal length and subject for portraiture is as follows...<br>

<br>

50mm, full standing figure.<br>

85mm, 3/4 view.<br>

105mm, head and shoulders.<br>

135mm, tight head shot.<br>

<br>

These are not hard rules that must be obeyed but they are based

on social norms and not whim. <br>

<br>

We look carefully at anothers face at a friendly

conversational distance so this is the distance that gives what

we see as natural perspective. This is typically the

distance across a small circle of friends or across a dining

table, about 2 meters or a little less. Closer looks more

intimate until it looks distorted, farther looks more aloof.<br>

<br>

On a primal note, when a creature with binocular vision stares at

another creature from a distance the first usually has food, sex

or rivalry (combat) on its mind.<br>

<br>

---<br>

<br>

Gabriele,<br>

<br>

The best lenses for your purpose are the 105/2.5 AIS and 135/2.8

AIS. The AI versions have the same optical formal but you may

prefer the smoother helical in the AIS models. The 105/2.5 (Xenotar-type

or modified Gaussian) the ones with the larger rear element,

produce lovely defocused background rendering when used at larger

apertures. These include the AI and AIS as well as some previous

versions.<br>

<br>

My preference is the 105/2.5 AIS though I own both 85mm and 135mm

lenses. I dont use the built in hood on the 105/2.5 AIS as

the HS-8 and HS-14 hoods provide better protection. The 105/2.8

AIS Micro and 135/3.5 AI/AIS are fine lenses but less suited to

portraiture.<br>

<br>

The 75~150/3.5 Series E Nikon lens has fine optical quality and

is multi-coated. They are mechanically quite good but often have

a loose zoom. I find prime lenses more suitable for portraiture. I

prefer the handling of primes. Ill recommend buying the

75~150/3.5 E after the 105/2.5 AI or AIS. <br>

<br>

Here is an article you might like to read...<br>

<br>

<a

href="http://www.nikon.co.jp/main/eng/society/nikkor/n05_e.htm"

target="_new"><u>http://www.nikon.co.jp/main/eng/society/nikkor/n05_e.htm</u></a><br>

<br>

Regards,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

Thank you guys for the tips!

Thanks Dave for the accurate answer!

But how to recognize the better Gaussian version of the 105 2.5 Ais?

Is it possible from the serial number or any external features or something..?

 

Thanks again for your time.

 

Gabriele

Just one more opinion, especially for a person shooting with a manual focus camera... <B>To own a Nikon and to not use a 105mm f/2.5 is a crime.</B>

I have the original version (small rear element) of the Nikon 105 f/2.5. It delivers beautiful results.

 

Russ

Hi, Gabriele, I'll put my 2 cents in for the 105. It's too sharp sometimes, but a softening filter or photoshop can work wonders. Check out this website.

 

Don

 

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/105mmnikkor/105mm25.htm

105mm 1:2.5 AIS -- nothing better IMHO for portraits

Few weeks back I took my 105/2.5 on a F100 with SB-26 in a auto show, the details from the shot of a sports car was just spectacular.

I use different focal lengths:

 

1. To accomodate the space available.

 

2. Based on an intuited photographer-to-subject comfort zone.

 

I have 50mm, 85mm, 105mm, 135mm (not a Nikkor) and 180mm lenses. Each has its purpose. I'd like to use the 180mm more often for portraiture but that isn't often practical except when outdoors.

 

BTW, IMHO, there's not a nickel's worth of difference between the my 85mm f/2 AIS and 105mm f/2.5 AI Nikkors. Not even enough difference in minimum focus range to matter much. The 85mm f/2 is smaller, about the size and weight of a normal lens. It's worth considering.

 

Blasphemy, I know. I'm still keeping my 105/2.5 Nikkor.

 

I wish I'd considered the 105mm f/2.8 AIS Nikkor, considering how I've been using this focal length.