Portrait Lens recommendation

[Kc007]

Hello! I am using a Canon 60d & I am looking to get a lens for portrait shots that bokeh a fair bit..any recommendation? Dont need to be a canon lens..thanks!

 

[Mercy77]

Budget?

Focal length? 30 50 85 135?

 

[JJLoke]

Ask urself how close u wanna be with respect to the subject.

 

[Kc007]

budget 1k or less? Distance from object about 1-3m? thanks..

 

[Mercy77]

budget 1k or less? Distance from object about 1-3m? thanks..

With that distance head shot / head and shoulder shot / half body shot / full body shot?

 

[lcheowl]

Hello! I am using a Canon 60d & I am looking to get a lens for portrait shots that bokeh a fair bit..any recommendation? Dont need to be a canon lens..thanks!

am using a 50/1.8 and happy with it.

you can consider 35/1.8 too but it is more ex.

 

[Kc007]

Half body

 

[Mercy77]

I think 30-85mm range is possible.
85 only if you are 3m away. You got to test it out.

Sigma 30mm F1.4 - $700 or so I think
Canon 50mm F1.8 - $120 or so (just because it's so cheap)
Sigma 50mm F1.4
Canon 85mm F1.8 - $550 or so I think
Sigma 85mm F1.4

Think the sigma 30mm F1.4 is a good choice. Gives more shooting options.

 

[Kc007]

Thanks a lot. What do u mean by more options? Sorry I m a newbie. Hee

 

[Mercy77]

With 30mm you have a wider angle and can move closer or further away within the 1-3m distance to get various shots.

If you got a lens that can do 30mm try and see if you comfortable with it.

 

[Kc007]

i @@ thanks..currently i got a tamron 17-55mm f2.8

 

[JJLoke]

Y not u use ur 17-55mm and try out 20, 24, 28, 30, 35 and 50mm ?

The f2.8 on ur tamron will give good bokeh as well

 

[UncleFai]

Thanks a lot. What do u mean by more options? Sorry I m a newbie. Hee

And consider compression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perspective_distortion_(photography)

See the section "Angle of view of the capture".

Hope this helps.

 

[AndersPixlr]

im using 85mm F1.8 USM . It's about 500 + . It's really a greats lens for portrait shots & Seriously fast focusing. I will stand about 2m away from subject if i only want to take half body .

 

[UncleFai]

By the way, I recommend the book "Digital Portrait Photography" by Steve Sint. Very readable and pleasant presentation style, I found. I borrowed mine from the Toa Payoh Library. Should be returning it soon.

 

[pinholecam]

Hello! I am using a Canon 60d & I am looking to get a lens for portrait shots that bokeh a fair bit..any recommendation? Dont need to be a canon lens..thanks!

It depends on your budget and on what you are taking and working distance.
Typically lenses used are :
50/1.4 or 50/1.8
85/1.4 or 85/1.8
135/2 or 135/2.8
70-200/2.8


Longer focal lengths, you need to stand further away from subject.
You also need a higher shutter speed of 1/focal_length for longer lenses.
These are important/practical considerations other than just shallow DOF.

 

[UncleFai]

These are important/practical considerations other than just shallow DOF.

Also, I find that with a very shallow DOF, focusing becomes an issue. The slightest jerk will cause your subject to go out of focus. So even though at the right shutter speed you won't see a motion blur, your subject is still not properly focussed. And also, if the subject is has complex depths and curves, getting the right focus requires a tripod and lots of tweaking of focus and aperture sizes.