What Lens is good for portraits with a Nikon D3000

<p>ok so far i have been using the kit lens that came with my D3000 wich is the AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm <br>

Here is a link to a video i made the other day that shows all the pictures i have taken so far. <a href="

Yesterday i got my senior picture taken and i talked to the lady who was taking the pictures and she told me that i should get a 1.4 lens. What does this mean she also said like a short telophoto. <br>

I was looking at the AF-S DX VR zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm IF-ED but a lot of the reviews say that the part where the lens mounts to the camera is very bad quality and breaks very easily and Nikon cant replace your lens if it happens.<br>

Any response would be much appreciated<br>

thanks <br>

Tommy M</p>

<h1 title="AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED "></h1>

<p>It all depends. If you plan on taking a lot of portraits, you might consider a prime lens. The 85mm f/1.4 lens is amazing but I suspect that it is above you budget at $1,400. A cheaper alternative is the 50mm f/1.8 lens at about $200.</p>

<p>However since it sounds like you are just starting your journey into photography, I would hold off on buying anything for a while and learn to take great pictures with what you have. Only after six or twelve months, you will then know more about what you like to shoot and what lenses you will need to use, unless of course you have money to burn.</p>

<p>Remember that a camera does not make a person a great photographer. It is only a tool. Spend as much time as you can learning and you will do fine.</p>

<p>Tommy -</p>

<p>The 55-200mm is the same build quality as your 18-55mm. If you don't have issues with your 18-55 breaking at the mount than I doubt you will have that issue with the 55-200mm.</p>

<p>As for your senior portrait photographer's comments:</p>

<p>An f/1.4 lens refers to a lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.4...which is a very fast lens. I do not know of any f/1.4 zooms...only primes. I shoot portraits with 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm f/1.4 lenses along with a 105mm f/2 and 70-200mm f/2.8 The cheapest of the lenses, (the 50mm), is around $500...the most expensive (70-200mm f/2.8) is over $2000.</p>

<p>A short telephoto is somewhere between 70mm and 135mm...typical portrait photography focal lengths on a 35mm film camera/FX DSLR. Equivalent focal lengths on your D3000 would be roughly 50mm to 85mm. </p>

<p>As I recommend to all new photographers:</p>

<p>Learn your basics before buying more equipment. Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson is highly recommended and something I try to read at least once every 6 months.</p>

<p>Once your basics are down you need to determine what your current equipment doesn't do for you before buying more. Make a list of things you need to improve on and when you've done all you can with technique and practice, move on to equipment shortcomings. </p>

<p>Once you've determined it's equipment that you are lacking, it's time to assess your budget and equipment costs...then prioritize your equipment list. Keep in mind that a $2000 lens will last a lifetime or longer. A cheap plastic zoom, maybe a couple of years of heavy use.</p>

<p>Keep shooting and lets see some photos of the photo shoot you were so anxious about a few weeks back.</p>

<p>RS</p>

<p>Hold off until you reach a point where ALL of your photos won't fit on a YouTube video. The fact that they currently do indicates to me that you don't have enough experience with what you already own. I strongly advocate renting, in the mean time. You have no obligation, it's certainly less expensive than buying something you aren't sure you even need, and the small investment will encourage you to experiment and learn while you have it.</p>

<p>There are many, many excellent portraits out there taken with the 18-55 kit lens. I understand our gender's urge to accumulate hardware but the truth is, investing in something you're not even sure you need doesn't make you any more capable as a photographer. The only way to justify purchasing a new lens is to prove that you can't easily accomplish what you want with the equipment you already have.</p>

<p>I'll retract some of that, because it sounds condescending and the truth is, I see some real genius in your composition and shooting style (I hadn't watched your YouTube prior to posting). I still think that throwing money at something you're not sure you need is a bad idea but, in general, I have this feeling that your obvious talent will allow you to utilize whatever lens you set your sights on and use it well.</p>

<p>Just remember, equipment is no substitute for learning and understanding. I can tell from some of your photographs that a lack of technical prowess has let you down in an otherwise outstanding image.</p>

<p>Tom<br /> First of all, you need to define what YOU mean by portrait. Because there are a LOT of different kinds of portrait ranging from group shot (example a family of 6 or more people) to a TIGHT head shot, and everything in between.<br>

<br /> Next is the space you have to work in; camera to subject distance, subject to background distance. Example, you can't use a tele in a small room to do a group portrait. You cannot back up far enough to get the whole group in the frame.<br /> Both of these define the lens you will use.<br>

<br /> So shoot as much as you can to figure out which of the various types of portrait (or maybe all) that you will want to shoot. You may find yourself gravitating to one type or another, or many (which is where using a zoom helps).<br>

I would use the gear you have until you really see where it is limiting you.<br>

The 55mm position on your lens IS a short telephoto focal length. The reference for a short tele on a 35mm camera is about 85mm to 105mm. This corresponds to 55 to 70mm on a Nikon DX camera like your camera.<br>

<br /> If you grab and pick up and hold the camera by the lens, rather than holding the body, then YES you will strain the lens mount. Take care of the gear and it will work fine. Abuse it and it WILL break.</p>

<p>A YouTube video is an unusual way to show off your photos (makes it difficult to focus on each one) but despite that, I enjoyed viewing them.</p>

<p>The photographer was referring to the maximum aperture of the lens. Your 18-55mm zoom has a maximum aperture of f/3.5 at 18mm and f/5.6 at 55mm. That means the aperture can only open so wide. Professionals like the ability to open the lens to a wider aperture so that they can take photos in lower light and control the depth of field. The wider the aperture (i.e. the smaller the f/number) the shorter shutter speed you need (for the same ISO) and the shallower the depth of field.</p>

<p>You can take a portrait with any lens, but many times potraits are taken at fairly wide apertures (to blur the background) and with a longer focal length (also to blur the background, to have a longer working distance, and to flatter the subject's face with a flatter perspective).</p>

<p>Professional f/1.4 prime lenses (lenses that don't change their focal length from "wide" to "telephoto" like your zoom) and professional f/2.8 zoom lenses, are expensive, and generally big and heavy. However, there are very inexpensive, small and light f/1.8 prime lenses that might be just the ticket for you at this stage.<br>

<br />For portraits in particular, I would recommend the new 50mm f/1.8 AF-S lens (the older 50mm f/1.8 AF-D lens won't autofocus on your D3000). It is not very expensive, and would give you new options to play with creative depth of field, and is traditional focal length for portraits on your camera.</p>

<p>Keep on taking photos!</p>