portrait lens

[MACPhotos1]

What's the best lens for most portrait situations with my EOS 7d?

[jamie_robertson2]

<p>Any 50mm. The best? Canon 50mm f/1.2L closely followed by the Sigma 50mm f/1.4. After that it's the Canon 50mm f/1.4. The cheapest option (and still a very good option) is the Canon 50mm f/1.8.</p>

[John Crowe]

<p>Even on a crop body I like the 85mm focal length, with a preference for the Canon 1.2 and alternative brand f1.4 lenses.</p>

[ridinhome]

<blockquote>

<p>with a preference for the Canon 1.2 and alternative brand f1.4 lenses.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>For most situations I'd say the Canon 85 1.8 would perform just as well. It is a superb lens.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>People take portraits with everything from ultrawide angles to long telephotos.</p>

<p>The most common "portrait" lenses in the day were short telephotos to medium telephotos* (35mm format, say 75mm to 135mm). On APS-C cameras like the 7D, though, the equivalent would be in the range of 50mm to 105mm focal length.</p>

<p>The advantage of a wider aperture like the f/1.2 lenses is their very shallow depth of field at maximum apertures - thus throwing the background out of focus. Generally speaking, if the eyes are sharp, the human viewer (and perhaps the chimp viewer?) will accept the portrait as acceptable. This means not simply accepting the auto-focus, but making sure that what you want to be sharp is actually sharp.</p>

<p>There are different "qualities" of out-of-focus experiences, so look up "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh">bokeh</a>" for more information. [not the village in Iran, though].</p>

<p>For these reasons, some people find older, MF classic lenses to be superb for portraiture, where the pace can be more deliberate. One of the finest "portrait" lenses ever made, the Nikkor 105mm f/2.5, can be adapted easily to any EOS camera. It's a trifle long for APS-C portraiture, but is such a sweet lens (and because so many were sold, amazingly cheap). Other old classics like some of the 75-85mm fast lenses, unfortunately, are rare and expensive.</p>

<p>______<br /> * not the least of the reasons for this is that shorter lenses tend to accentuate the nose, for example, while longer lenses tend to make the face look too "flat". This hints at the selection of portrait lenses as appropriate to the largeness or smallness of the subject's nose and other features. ;)</p>

[matthijs]

Light?

Distance?

Framing?

Size of group?

Environmental?

Emphasis on the subject?

 

Without info I'd say:

10-22

17-55

28/2.8

50/1.2 or 1.4 or 1.8

70-200/2.8 or 4

100/2 or 2.8

135/2

200/2 or 2.8

300/2.8

 

(-:

 

For most situations you may want to skip Canon and go Sigma 50-150 or Tokina 50-135.

 

But I'd narrow the scope a little if I were you that way you could choose a more optimized lens.

[mark_ethridge]

The 60mm EF-S f/2.8 macro also serves as a terrific portrait lens. It has the side benefit of being a macro lens as well. I routinely use it for portraits on my 7D. I prefer it to the 50mm f/1.8 because the higher aperture blade count makes for a smoother bokeh.

[mark_pierlot]

<p>My favourite lens for portraiture is the EF 85/1.2 L II, but depending on my working distance I use anything from 35mm to 200mm for portraits with my 5DII and 7D (that's an effective focal length range of 35-320mm.)</p>

<p>If you're doing mainly "standard" portraiture, the 50/1.4 is an excellent choice, as is the 85/1.8. Which is "better" for you depends on your working distance and whether you tend to do head shots or fuller length portraits. You also may want to consider the 24-70/2.8 L II, which combines prime-level quality with the versatility of a zoom. (Along with the 70-200/4 L IS, it's the best zoom I've ever used.) But it is expensive, and slower than the primes that have been mentioned in this thread.</p>

[William Michael]

<p>E-FS 17 to 55F/2.8 IS USM.<br>

"most situations" is reasonably easy to apply, when choocing <em><strong>one lens.</strong></em><br>

"best" will need to address several compromises, governed mostly by the choice of FOCAL LENGTH and MAXIMUM APERTURE.<br>

For "most situations":</p>

<ul>

<li>qiven the IQ of high end zooms - a zoom is the answer to your question.</li>

<li>given that F/2.8 is the fastest zoom speed, then F/2.8 is your answer.</li>

</ul>

<p>Having used it - I'd choose the 17 to 55/2.8 IS.<br>

Rewording your question you might ask something like: "If only ONE LENS - what is the most useful AND most used lens for Wedding, Events and Studio Portraiture on an APS-C Body?”</p>

<p>WW</p>

 

[dcstep]

<p>I love my EF 70-200mm f/4L IS for most portraits. It has great bokeh and IQ.</p>

[de_isaacs]

<p>My favorite lenses for portraiture are either the EF 135/2.8 Soft Focus or the Tamron 90mm f2.8 Macro lens. If I use a zoom, I have a Sigma 18-125mm with my 5DII and 7D.<br>

If you're doing mainly "standard" portraiture, the 85/1.8 is an excellent choice. The "better" lens for you depends on the working distance and whether you want to do head shots or full length portraits.<br>

The 135/2.8 Soft focus is nice for that 1970's 'retro' look.</p>

[jack_nordine]

<p>I think the 100mm f2 is a terrific lens for portraits.</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>First of all, I'd recommend looking at the portrait shots posted by people who have made recommendations. See if they look like what you want to do. </p>

<p>Second, William W has given a reasonable answer, although I don't think maximum aperture matters all that much unless you've decided there's a certain look you want.<br>

<br />Third, on a 1.6x body, I generally use the 17-40. Here's an example.</p>

<p><img src="http://spirer.com/images/keri2.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="480" /></p>

<p>That's one of my favorites, but you may not have a studio. Here's one with the same lens.</p>

<p><img src="http://spirer.com/images/kat1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="525" /><br>

I don't buy into the "special portrait lens" hoo-hah. Nobody has ever been able to say how my portraits would be improved with some specific lens. I shoot with lenses that let me get close to the subjects and interact with them. That's a lot more important, at least to me, than focal length or aperture.</p>

[Brad_]

>>> What's the best lens for most portrait situations with my EOS 7d?<p>

 

What kind of portraits? Environmental? Corporate head shots? Weddings? That's a very broad range. For that reason,

without further information, it is impossible to make an ideal recommendation. I also don't buy in to the

notion there are "portrait lenses."<p>

 

That said, for the kind of portraiture I shoot (strangers I meet on the street in their environment) a 35mm

using a full-frame body is ideal for me. That would translate to roughly a 20mm on your 7D.<p>

 

I also like William W's 17-55mm zoom recommendation (on a crop body). That should give you a wide

range to experiment with.<p>

 

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<img src= "http://citysnaps.net/2013%20photos/Mackenzie.jpg"><BR>

<i>

Mackenzie • Tenderloin, San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2013

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</center>

[markonestudios]

<p>Michael, your question is very subjective. However, I will share my ow experience. My favourite portrait lens was my nifty 50 (f/1.8). However, when I got my 85mm f/1.8, I now never use my 50mm at all. In fact, I am on the brink of selling it. I also own Tamron's 28-75 f/2.8 which I also regularly use for portrait work.</p>

<p>PS I own a 5D2 and a 7D. </p>

<p> </p>

[model mayhem gallery]

<p>I shot with a crop sensor camera for a while and hated both the 85 1.2L and the 50 1.8. Too hard to frame subject in small studio's. <br>

I definetely prefere a zoom for portrait on full frame I use teh Tamron 24-70 2.8 Vr on my 7D my goto lens is the Canon 17-40 F4L. However, the 17-55 F2.8 IS also sounds good here.<br>

a zoom lens allows you to crop in camera not in post....</p>