What is the best lens for portraits?

Photographer: Al Jurina

So let's assume that you have purchased your first SLR. You begin taking photos of your family and friends, and, at first, you are super excited. The pictures look great. However, after a few weeks you begin to notice something: your portraits just seem to be missing something. They don't seem to have that "look" that other photographers have. As you stare down at your 18-55mm kit lens, you wonder. Is it the lens?

The answer to that question is both yes and no. However, all photographers must admit that the key to a good portrait has a LOT to do with the kind of lenses that you use. In fact, if you are considering taking mostly portraits with your SLR, you should consider a good portrait lens.

But what IS a good portrait lens? What is wrong with the lens that the camera comes with?  For general photography, the 18-55mm kit lens is just fine. It will produce "average" photos. One of the marks of a good portrait is to make your subject stand out from the background. To do this easier, you should consider finding lenses with apertures that open wider, such as f/1.8 or 2.8. The wider aperture will give you a shallower depth of field, thus allowing you to separate your subject from the background much easier. Many great portrait lenses that don't cost an arm and a leg will be found in what are called, Prime Lenses. These are lenses that do not zoom. They are fixed-focal-length lenses that typically carry wider apertures and lower price tags (sometimes) than their zoom cousins.

Since this post is more about gear, I will give a tip to any interested: If you desire to take mostly portraits, and have not yet purchased an SLR, consider the following: Purchase an SLR body (without the kit lens), and then purchase a separate 50mm 1.8 prime lens. You will never look back.

I could write a whole post on the merits of the 50mm lens, but instead, I will post some links here to 50mm lenses and some other portrait lenses that give wonderful portrait results. The links on this page go to amazon.com, of which I am an affiliate. Buying anything through these links helps support this blog. If you are in the market for a new lens, consider purchasing via these links if you like.

Canon 50mm 1.8 lens (the absolute steal of portrait lenses)
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens

Canon 50mm 1.4 lens (an worthy upgrade to the 1.8 version)
Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras


Nikon 50mm 1.8 AF-S lens (this version works with ALL entry-level nikon slrs)
Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S NIKKOR Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Canon 85mm 1.8 lens (One of my favorite lenses of all time)
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Nikon 85mm 1.8 AF-S lens (expensive, but works with ALL entry-level nikon slrs)
Nikon 85mm f/1.8G AF-S NIKKOR Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras




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