gd lens for taking portraits

[Juvelyn]

wondering what's a good lens to take portraits

a 50mm or something with a range up to 85mm or 105mm?

wide angle lenses aren't gd for portrait, right?

 

[Tweek]

there was a thread here a long time ago, where people argued which range of focal length is the most suitable for portraits, and it boils down to your style of portraiture and the environment actually.

I guess for conventional style, 50mm is good for half or even full body shots, gives you a good working distance and proper perspectives. However, if u go in close on facial with the 50mm, u may get perspective effects like big noses and all, but that may be the style u wish to go for. And again, for conventional style, a range of 80-135mm is useful for headshots, esp with a wide f2.8 to give nice bokeh.

that said, have to disclaim that I'm not saying the above lenses are the only ones, or the best ones, for portraiture purposes, they're just what people usually use.

 

[Knighthunter]

It depends but from my experience, wide angle lens below 35mm not so suitable for portrait. For me I like 50mm above to take potrait and always control the distance and compose. I use both fast lens (80-200 f2.8) and slow lens (80-400 VR f4.5~5.6) to take picture, these lenses give two different characteristics of potrait shoots.

 

[tsdh]

Originally posted by Tweek
there was a thread here a long time ago, where people argued which range of focal length is the most suitable for portraits, and it boils down to your style of portraiture and the environment actually.

Probably these are the threads:

http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12108
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8240
http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11176

 

[hoppinghippo]

juv, you may consider minolta's 50mm f1.7, relatively cheap for such high quality and speed. I got that with portraits in mind too. its very very sharp. all pimples also can see!

 

[Juvelyn]

all pimples also can see!

heehee - if like that, all my friends will run away when I'm with my camera, even if my photography skills are good

I'll consider it. *kekeke*

which shop did you get it from and at what price?
thanks

 

[hoppinghippo]

I bought from john316, check the other thread here in the minolta forum for the price, think it's 100 plus. personally I'm interested in the tamron sp 24-135, think it'll be more versatile, but no $$$ sigh... plus still want to buy BP200.... need to rob bank liao... ok back to mugging me books...