Nice Portrait Lens for Nikon DX

[William W]

A few facts:

1. In a studio of modest dimensions, for example a studio with a maximum shooting distance of 20ft and similar width: the difference between using a 24mm lens or a 28mm lens renders that maximum shooting distance LESS by about 3ft.

2. A reduction of 3ft (about 1 metre) in the Shooting Distance can be quite significant, especially when the consideration of Subject to Background Distance enters the equation.

3. When one is shooting Portraits using an APS-C camera and is considering using F/4 maximum aperture lenses, Subject to Background Distance is a most relevant consideration for that shooting scenario.

4. The OP asked advice for a suitable lens to use for shooting portraiture in a studio in the Opening Post.

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On a tangent to this main theme of this thread, there has also been general advice given to all readers regarding the purchase of ‘crop only’ lenses and linked to that advice was the statement that ‘crop only’ lenses do not work on ‘FF’ cameras.

As has been pointed out the Nikon system having the availability for some of the Nikon Bodies to switch to using ‘crop lenses’.

But note: there is also the possibility to more widely use other ‘crop only’ lenses on other ‘FF’ bodies.

For one example: Canon ‘FF’ bodies can use Tamron; Tokina and Sigma ‘crop lenses’, but as already mentioned there will be some optical vignetting at some focal lengths.

In consideration of the fact of possible optical vignette it is important to clarify that these lenses will ‘work’ but with some limitations.

WW

[rpcrowe]

I admit that I have not read every posting word by word... What I cannot understand is anyone recommending 24-28mm lenses (especially on a full frame camera) for portraiture.

If I did not have enough studio space to use at least a 70mm to 90mm lens on a crop camera or a 100mm to 135mm on a full frame camera, I would certainly find some other place to shoot my portraits.

Yes, you can shoot "environmental" portraits with a wider angle lens but, for most studio portraiture, I would pick a 70-200mm zoom lens on either a crop or a full-frame camera. Canon has offered a very nice 70-200mm f/4L lens without Image Stabilization for years at a really decent price. I use the stabilized version of that lens since I use it in many venues besides studio portraiture. I don't like the razor thin DOF technique in my portraits, so f/4 is a very decent aperture. Canon's 70-200mm f/4L IS incorporates rounded aperture blades which produce exceptionally smooth bokeh. Perhaps Nikon has a similar lens. I am not familiar with Nikon equipment...

If I just had to just have a prime portrait lens, I would select the 100mm f/2 or either 100mm macro for a crop camera and the 135mm f/2.8 soft focus lens for a full frame camera.

BTW: IMO the 135mm f/2.8 Soft Focus (only available from Canon) is a hidden jewel for portraiture at a very low price. I picked mine up for about one hundred U.S. Dollars used... I don't use it terribly often (because I do most of my shooting at 135mm with the 70-200mm f/4L IS zoom) but, it is a very nice lens without any softening dialed in and can be fun to play with when some softening is dialed in...

[realdereal]

Thank you all for the suggestions. The reason I did not put my shooting distance etc. was because I had not been able to get back in and measure the room exactly. I am thinking my shooting variance to be 4-8 feet.

Tried a 24-70mm f/2.8 and 24-105mm f/4 on both the D750 and my D7100 and I am leaning toward getting a Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 for my D7100 although I am trying to figure out what would be a comparable for that scope if I do go FF within the next year or two.

I'm just a bit thrown as I always perceived that a wider angle than 85mm (FF) or so would not be a good choice for portraits but it sounds like I might be mistaken.

[William W]

. . . I am thinking my shooting variance to be 4-8 feet.

If you mean that your Shooting Distance is 4 to 8 feet then that is a very small studio.

If you do not mean that is your Shooting Distance, then I do not understand.

“Shooting Distance” (Subject Distance) colloquially, is the distance from Camera to Subject.

I'm just a bit thrown as I always perceived that a wider angle than 85mm (FF) or so would not be a good choice for portraits but it sounds like I might be mistaken.

‘Portraiture’ is the genre of making photos of people.

Portraiture is NOT exclusively - “An Half Shot of a Single Person”

So maybe we are not discussion the same topic; or at the least, maybe we are not communicating our meanings precisely?

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Your OP specifically mentioned Portraiture in a natural light studio.

Such ‘Portraiture’ encompasses a wide raft of sub-genres including, but not limited and just as one example Group Portraiture, for example a family of four people, and perhaps the dog.

Taking only this one example of, a Family of Four and the Family Dog, it would be a common situation to arrange that Portrait Shoot such that there were a combination of ¾ to ½ Shots of the Group, maybe in a few different arrangements and also some Full Length Shots, possibly some seated and some also standing.

To accommodate these group arrangements, in a modestly sized studio, using an APS-C camera (which you also noted that your are presently using), it would be common to HAVE TO USE a lens than is WIDER than a ‘normal lens’ on APS-C. A ‘normal lens’ on APS-C is a lens with a Focal Length of about 28~30mm.

Notwithstanding the probably need for the 24mm to 28mm FL range for shooting Portraiture inside a studio with an APS-C camera, there are situations requirements for wider than an 85mm lens when shooting Portraiture outside.

Again, as only ONE example, in the situation where on camera Flash is being used as Fill in sunlight, perhaps for a candid style of Portraiture which is often employed for Child Portraiture.

The Effective Flash Distance needs to be accounted: in which case the Photographer usually is shooting at an S.D. at or shorter than 12 to 15ft, which (for an APS-C camera) usually means a lens in the 28mm to 70mm range for a single child to get a range of shots, a lens extending to wider is often required for a group of two or three or more children.

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Further, specifically to portraiture in a ‘natural light studio’ one has to be cognisant of the typical Light Levels in the studio apropos the relationship of the EV to SUBJECT MOEVMENT – ergo SHUTTER SPEED – ergo the appropriate maximum aperture of the lenses chosen such that one can be assured of arresting any SUBJECT MOVEMENT (or minimizing it).

So again, just as one example, if the available light portraiture is to include small children, or the family dog, or an elderly person - to arrest any SUBJECT MOVEMENT for these Subjects typically one requires double or even four times the shutter speed, than for that of an adult who is in good health and can be instructed to maintain a stance or pose.

So this is only one area where the choice of F/4, or F/2.8 or F/2 comes into the equation

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These are only three of the many reasons why I asked, as my preliminary two questions:

Q:

1. How big is the studio? (i.e. all dimensions of room please and then include max shooting distance length)

2. What types of Portraits? (i.e. Singles; Couples; Family groups including the kids and dog, Corporate Headshots only; mixed bag, etc . . .)

WW

[William W]

. . . I'm just a bit thrown as I always perceived that a wider angle than 85mm (FF) or so would not be a good choice for portraits but it sounds like I might be mistaken.

Additional thoughts –

You might find post #5 in this thread useful as an example of how Different Focal Length Lenses were used for Portraiture (on a 135 Format or ‘full frame’ camera)

Advice for a new lens

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Also, here are more examples exhibiting a wide range of Focal Length Lenses (on FF cameras).

Perhaps these examples are closer to the shooting conditions which you describe and/or the general style of shooting that you want to employ.

As you do not mention flash, at all in your OP, and you specifically mention ‘natural light studio’ then it is a reasonable conclusion that you might choose NOT to use flash outdoors either, so for examples I chose all these shots indoors and outdoors that were made ‘sans flash’ – except the first.

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Firstly this is a Casual Portrait of a group of adolescents who were the guests of some girls at their High School graduation ceremony. The EF24F/1.4L lens was used on an EOS 5D and that lens was NOT chosen for an “environmental study’ but rather to allow a tight Perspective to enhance the feeling of ‘group’ that is typical of that age of young males:

“Boys”

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Secondly , this is from a Portrait Shoot of an Artist (painter) shot in-situ at his studio: the Photographer used only Available Light and the primary lens used was the EF 16 to 35 F/2.8L MkII on an EOS 5D – and this lens choice was to enhance the ‘environment’ and ‘the artist’ as being intrinsically linked. This photo was made with the 16 to 35 nearer the 35mm end of that lens:

“Artist in his Studio”

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Thirdly, this is one resultant ‘Picture Story’ shot for use at a Master-class Exercise. This shoot used ONLY a 35mm Lens on an EOS 5D and NO FLASH:


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Fourthly this is from an outdoor Portrait shoot defining a typical ‘male pose’. The shot utilizes the available light, the background, the Subject to Background Distance and Lens’s large Aperture and Focal Length to create the definitive foreground and background depth and also a the Perspective which is assigned to a traditional ‘male pose’. This image was made with the EF135/2L and EOS 5D;


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Fifthly, this is another experimental shot for a master-class exploring portraiture textures, however original image was made in low level available light using an 85mm lens on an EOS 5D: that Focal length used on a FF camera most usually provides an intimate perspective for a tight head shot, especially for a female Subject:

“Portrait Textures 01v02”

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Sixthly, terribly intimate portraiture for a male Subject can be accommodated by a longer lens, this example employed the EF135/2L on a 5D:

“Portrait at Sunset”

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And lastly, to show that intimacy need not always be the purview of the longer Focal Length Lenses. These two images were made with a 50mm Lens, again an on an EOS 5D:

“Woman sitting at a Swimming Pool”

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(Swimmer in) “Change Room before the Race”

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For clarity of my meaning:

I note that Richard mentioned that he was perplexed as to why anyone would recommend 24 to 28mm on a FF camera for ‘Portraiture’.

I note also that Richard mentioned that he had NOT read all the content of the various commentaries: if he had it should have been clear to him that I particularly noted the use of 24mm to 28mm on APS-C cameras and for the particular purposes that you detailed in your OP.

Also, from my experience I note that it is NOT always possible just to simply 'move outside' for any range of reasons: inclement weather or time of day (night time) are are two obvious reasons, but there are more.

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So just in case my commentaries were unclear to you:

I am not, nor have I recommended to you that you should use wide angle lenses on Full Frame cameras.

I was initially however alerting you to consider the reasons why you might need 24mm to 28mm on your APS-C camera for your studio use.

Additionally - as you have now opened the conversation further by asking a general question about using a wider than 85mm lens on FF for Portraiture, I have sought to address that question also.

WW

[JR1]

TWO comments

What I cannot understand is anyone recommending 24-28mm lenses (especially on a full frame camera) for portraiture.

1. In a studio of modest dimensions, for example a studio with a maximum shooting distance of 20ft and similar width: the difference between using a 24mm lens or a 28mm lens renders that maximum shooting distance LESS by about 3ft.




First there was NO comment about what distance the portrait was to be shot, suggested lenses are guesswork

Second, to say not to use a W/A lens for portrait is a pointless as stating do not use a telephoto lens for landscape, you use whatever lens gives you the desired effect.

[William W]

TWO comments
What I cannot understand is anyone recommending 24-28mm lenses (especially on a full frame camera) for portraiture.
1. In a studio of modest dimensions, for example a studio with a maximum shooting distance of 20ft and similar width: the difference between using a 24mm lens or a 28mm lens renders that maximum shooting distance LESS by about 3ft.
First there was NO comment about what distance the portrait was to be shot, suggested lenses
are guesswork
Second, to say not to use a W/A lens for portrait is a pointless as stating do not use a telephoto lens for landscape, you use whatever lens gives you the desired effect.

I do not understand the author's meaning of post #26 at all.

WW

[pnodrog]

Just to be completely different I have an acquaintance that uses a 60mm macro lens to produce very successfully portraits on a cropped camera.