lens for portrait work
anderson_paul
Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
anderson_paul
Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
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You don't say what lenses you have available to you, but if you have a 70-200, that will do the job at the wide end. The only disadvantage, is that some people don't like a huge big lens pointing at them.
Great advice - except that Nikon don't have 24-70/2.8 lens !!!
Anyway for portraits I'd suggest light primes like 50, 85, 135, 200 or just standard zoom 70-200/2.8 (both Canon and Nikon got them
XTi, G9, 16-35/2.8L, 100-300USM, 70-200/4L, 19-35, 580EX II, CP-E3, 500/8 ...
DSC-R1, HFL-F32X ... ; AG-DVX100B and stuff ... (I like this 10 years old signature :^)
They've gotta have some sort of normal-to-wide 2.8 zoom. Something akin to the Canon 17-55/2.8 would work too.
As for focal length, I was suggesting on the wide end because I assume on the beach he'd want to include some ambiance. 85mm is a great focal lengh for headshots on APS-C (which is all you can get from Nikon). On an APS-C body, I'd use 135mm for candids, but not often for posed shots.
Tamron makes a nice 28-75MM f2.8. I just got mine this week from Adorama and so far I really like this range. The Nikon mount is $359 after a $10 rebate. I think I also saw it on Abe's of Maine for $339. I also got to rent a 85MM 1.4 a few weeks ago, and what a fine piece of glass that was. But at over $1000, its out of my range. But the f1.8 version is $360.
What kind of portrait work are you going to be doing? Groups, headshots, couples?? What glass and body do you already own?
I recently did an engagement shoot and opted for just two lenses on there own bodies. I'm reluctant to change lenses at the beach. I did most of the shooting with the Nikkor 28-70mm, f2.8. This is easily my favorite lens.
I also brought the Nikkor 70-200mm, f2.8VR for some longer portraits with some better background separation.
Hope this helps. Good luck on the beach!!
http://clearwaterphotography.smugmug.com/
HTH
85 1.4 creamy bokeh
200 2.0 VR, also creamy bokeh, but have to setup further away of course.
Nice work Mitchell
www.jennifernicholsonphotography.com
At one time all the photo instruction books said lenses of 85-170 were considered portrit studio lenses...so I felt good about my Vivatar Series 1 70-210 2.8/5.6 lens....that lens literaly paid my wages for many years until it was stolen and I was told that Vivatar no longer had it......so I moved over to Sigma.
What camera body/bodies do you have?
What type(s) of photography do you wish to use the new lens for?
Relating to portraiture, what type of portraiture? (Head shots, 3/4 length, full length, environmental, etc.)
Indoors, outdoors, any restricted spaces (size wise) in which to shoot?
The more you tell us about your equipment and needs the better we can advise you on specific lenses.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
I have a Canon EOS Rebel T4i. It came with the "preinstalled" 18-55mm lens, and I want to move forward with my photography skills.
I would say the standard type of usage (mixed usage), but I plan on making more nature (well mostly animals, plants and nature) shots.
Mostly full length and environmental shots. That is why I chose a 75mm focal lenght with a F/2.8 aperture. Low light shots in a tow...
Mostly outdoors, but conditions may vary.
I have only just begun juicing my equipment (bought a nice tripod, HD 58mm Wide Angle Lens etc). And I believe that this lens will deliver a lot of great shots. It is as simple as that.
Thank you for trying to help me, but I already had my mind set up on it... Will definitely ask you another time. You seem to be asking the right questions
Since you have already purchased the lens, 'congratulations'.
The Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) is a very good choice for most of your stated needs. It is a standard/normal zoom intended for full-frame (FF) bodies, but actually a somewhat better choice for an APS-C/crop 1.6x body, like the Canon 650D / dRebel T4i. The reason is that this lens gets pretty soft at the edges and corners on a FF body, but the dRebel T4i uses the best part of the center of the lens.
I'm a big proponent of constant aperture f2.8 zoom lenses, partly because they activate the high-precision center AF dot of many Canon bodies. Partly too because they tend to be a superior optic design versus variable-aperture zooms.
I suggest keeping your EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II "kit" zoom as it has a very wide 18mm setting which allows more flexibility in close quarters plus a wide-angle view for vista landscapes and similar applications, including environmental portraits.
With the close-focus capability of 13" (33 cm) the lens can do very good close-focus work without other adapters. Not a true macro, it still should be satisfying for many smaller nature subjects up close.
The 75mm end should indeed serve nicely for outdoor portraiture, and should not require too much rectilinear correction for the moderate pincushion distortion, if you might desire.
I think that you will find the Tamron lenses' zoom and focus rings turn in the opposite direction from Canon lenses. Some find this unsettling, but I really don't notice too much unless switching back and forth between different manufacturer's lenses.
In short, a great lens for your purposes. Coupled with your existing standard zoom you have greatly expanded your capabilities.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
MUCH too short, faces look fat. 50 on a crop sensor maybe, but still getting out a bit longer is better.
Where in the world did you hear that. The 24-70/2.8 is a classic Nikon lens, and a staple in most Nikon shooter's bag. Extremely sharp and nicely reliable.
I don't do a lot of portraits but on Nikon I vastly prefer the 85/1.4G (D is good also). But the 24-70 works nicely in a pinch, especially on a crop body at the long end.