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Portrait lens other than Nikon?
- Thread starter JohnBrew
- Start date
Swissblad
Well-known member
Hi John
I cannot comment on using a HB lens - other than it would be huge and awkward on a 35mm body.
There is a strong rumour of a Sigma 135mm f1.8 / f2.0 ART lens in the making - which would be great.
Other than that there are the Tamron/Sigma/Nikon 90-105mm macros.
I went the other route and ordered a new Nikkor 85mm f1.8 - as it was on sale....
Hope you find something suitable!
Cheers, S
I cannot comment on using a HB lens - other than it would be huge and awkward on a 35mm body.
There is a strong rumour of a Sigma 135mm f1.8 / f2.0 ART lens in the making - which would be great.
Other than that there are the Tamron/Sigma/Nikon 90-105mm macros.
I went the other route and ordered a new Nikkor 85mm f1.8 - as it was on sale....
Hope you find something suitable!
Cheers, S
Hi John,
Probably depends upon the distance that you will be from your subject ... and
whether you are after a head head and shoulders or full length portrait.
105 or 135 unless you have a gymnasium for a studio or are outside with enough
light outside of the picture area to work then perhaps the 200 or 300 range.
Nikon ... 105 DC 105 Macro or 200 Macro 300 F 2.8 or 4.0
Zeiss 100 Macro or 135 F 2 ZF.2s
Pentax 67 105 F 2.4 - gorgeous very sharp with outstanding bokeh ... an adapter for
P67 to Nikon ... the lens is compact short throw focus and looks like a Summilux in OOF areas
at wide open.
Newer Sigmas are great their macros very sharp with good contrast.
The smallest extension ring with a 50 or the above gives you very shallow DOF if that is
what you are after ... but it adds an element to you lens that obviates a specialized lens
in addition to a portrait short tele ...
The new 85 F 1.8 is in some ways better corrected than the 1.4 ... but you want longer.
Another element could be the 85 PC-E TS lens ... throwing the focal plane out to enhance
the sharp elements of the portrait.
My favorites would be the Zeiss 135 or 100 Macro and the P676 105 ... softening the former in
post or adding a softening filter as needed.
Regards,
Bob
Probably depends upon the distance that you will be from your subject ... and
whether you are after a head head and shoulders or full length portrait.
105 or 135 unless you have a gymnasium for a studio or are outside with enough
light outside of the picture area to work then perhaps the 200 or 300 range.
Nikon ... 105 DC 105 Macro or 200 Macro 300 F 2.8 or 4.0
Zeiss 100 Macro or 135 F 2 ZF.2s
Pentax 67 105 F 2.4 - gorgeous very sharp with outstanding bokeh ... an adapter for
P67 to Nikon ... the lens is compact short throw focus and looks like a Summilux in OOF areas
at wide open.
Newer Sigmas are great their macros very sharp with good contrast.
The smallest extension ring with a 50 or the above gives you very shallow DOF if that is
what you are after ... but it adds an element to you lens that obviates a specialized lens
in addition to a portrait short tele ...
The new 85 F 1.8 is in some ways better corrected than the 1.4 ... but you want longer.
Another element could be the 85 PC-E TS lens ... throwing the focal plane out to enhance
the sharp elements of the portrait.
My favorites would be the Zeiss 135 or 100 Macro and the P676 105 ... softening the former in
post or adding a softening filter as needed.
Regards,
Bob
Jorgen Udvang
Subscriber Member
Nikkor 105 or 135mm f/2.0 DC. The shorter is the sharper, but this are, and will always be, great portrait lenses. That's what they are built for. Prices are reasonable too, compared to more modern offerings.
I use the Nikkor 105mm f/1.8 AiS. That, and the f/2.5 version, are bargains if you can live with manual focus.
I use the Nikkor 105mm f/1.8 AiS. That, and the f/2.5 version, are bargains if you can live with manual focus.
JohnBrew
Active member
Thanks, everyone for your replies.
Jorgen, I prefer manual focus
I have the 105 2.5 Ai and the 300. I've shot with the Zeiss 135 f2 which is nice but too heavy. I had the 85 1.4G but sold it - lovely results but difficult to focus manually because the throw is so short. The old Pentax sounds good as does the Zeiss 100 Makro (I already have the 50 Makro - damn fine lens but I don't use it much since I got the 55 Otus) The old DC lenses have some appeal...
The reason I asked about the Hasselblad is there is someone on the Leica forum who uses a 100 on a Leica S and produces very dreamy images. Although he uses an H mount lens and I've seen B&H only carries a V mount adapter. And musing out loud, not so sure these lenses would produce the same OOF on a 35mm as you would be getting pretty much the sweet spot and all of the area outside the 35mm frame would not come into play in capturing the image.
And I suppose a Leica R lens could be a candidate, too.
So, it seems there are many candidates - now to make a choice I can love.
Jorgen, I prefer manual focus
I have the 105 2.5 Ai and the 300. I've shot with the Zeiss 135 f2 which is nice but too heavy. I had the 85 1.4G but sold it - lovely results but difficult to focus manually because the throw is so short. The old Pentax sounds good as does the Zeiss 100 Makro (I already have the 50 Makro - damn fine lens but I don't use it much since I got the 55 Otus) The old DC lenses have some appeal...
The reason I asked about the Hasselblad is there is someone on the Leica forum who uses a 100 on a Leica S and produces very dreamy images. Although he uses an H mount lens and I've seen B&H only carries a V mount adapter. And musing out loud, not so sure these lenses would produce the same OOF on a 35mm as you would be getting pretty much the sweet spot and all of the area outside the 35mm frame would not come into play in capturing the image.
And I suppose a Leica R lens could be a candidate, too.
So, it seems there are many candidates - now to make a choice I can love.
John,
If you can find one, the Hasselblad 110 f2.0 F or FE T* lens is excellent with gorgeous bokeh character. (Hassy F/FE lenses are V mount lenses without built in shutters made for the focal plane shuttered F body. As such they are also generally a stop or 2 faster than comparable V lenses. You cannot adapt H mount Hassy without some form of electronic coupling to drive the aperture, and Leica made such for the S to expand their limited S lens line.)
But that said, I don't believe it's significantly better than the Nikkor 105DC which is going to be less than ½ the price. And the DC is of course auto everything, while the adapted Hassy is manual every-thing including stop-down metering. (FWIW comment: A misunderstood feature of the DC is what exactly the DC does. In practice, it alters the bokeh character by allowing you to "move" the DOF zone fore or aft of the subject focus point and thus bias bokeh rendering to your preference. My personal preference for portraits is to bias it to the rear by half the aperture I'm shooting at. So if I'm doing a portrait at f5.6, I'll set the DC ring to minus 2.8.) I love this lens for head and shoulder portraits.
For faces I like the Nikkor 180/2.8 AF-D lens. It renders a very complimentary flattening and smoothing of features with outstanding bokeh.
And you can own both of these Nikkors for probably still less than the Hassy 110 F lens, for whatever that's worth...
If you can find one, the Hasselblad 110 f2.0 F or FE T* lens is excellent with gorgeous bokeh character. (Hassy F/FE lenses are V mount lenses without built in shutters made for the focal plane shuttered F body. As such they are also generally a stop or 2 faster than comparable V lenses. You cannot adapt H mount Hassy without some form of electronic coupling to drive the aperture, and Leica made such for the S to expand their limited S lens line.)
But that said, I don't believe it's significantly better than the Nikkor 105DC which is going to be less than ½ the price. And the DC is of course auto everything, while the adapted Hassy is manual every-thing including stop-down metering. (FWIW comment: A misunderstood feature of the DC is what exactly the DC does. In practice, it alters the bokeh character by allowing you to "move" the DOF zone fore or aft of the subject focus point and thus bias bokeh rendering to your preference. My personal preference for portraits is to bias it to the rear by half the aperture I'm shooting at. So if I'm doing a portrait at f5.6, I'll set the DC ring to minus 2.8.) I love this lens for head and shoulder portraits.
For faces I like the Nikkor 180/2.8 AF-D lens. It renders a very complimentary flattening and smoothing of features with outstanding bokeh.
And you can own both of these Nikkors for probably still less than the Hassy 110 F lens, for whatever that's worth...
Jorgen Udvang
Subscriber Member
Pity you don't live in Thailand. Here, partly due to the exchange rates, the 105 DC is the equivalent of $850 new at the moment, and I bought my almost mint 180mm for $350 earlier this year. There's a Zeiss/Hasselblad 110mm f/2 for sale at the Great Big Auction Site for $2,450. Maybe I should buy that 105mm while the price is still low.
Jorgen Udvang
Subscriber Member
There's also the long discontinued Spiratone 135mm f/1.8. It's a very interesting lens, and surprisingly usable.
http://allphotolenses.com/lenses/item/c_1990.html
https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=spiratone 135mm 1.8
http://allphotolenses.com/lenses/item/c_1990.html
https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=spiratone 135mm 1.8
Jorgen Udvang
Subscriber Member
Now we're talking. And some Tri-X too
rollsman44
Well-known member
Is there an adaptor for the Pentax to Nikon D810 ?Now we're talking. And some Tri-X too
Click the B&H link on our forum homepage (we get brownie points and a few shekels from each sale that help run this site!) and search for Fotodiox, Pentax to Nikon -- about $79 later you are set
The Voigtlander 180/4.0 is also a very nice portrait lens. It is really compact but most of all has a lovely rendering especially of OOF areas. It's price has gone up over the years but still isn't anywhere near the insane prices of the 125macro. I picked one up years ago, don't use it that much but I am always pleasantly surprised when I do use it.
Recently I saw some images passing by from a Polish photographer that converted a Contax 50/1.4 to Nikon which seems to be a somewhat difficult task. These images made me really lust for doing the same thing. 50 isn't really a portrait lens focal length though.
Recently I saw some images passing by from a Polish photographer that converted a Contax 50/1.4 to Nikon which seems to be a somewhat difficult task. These images made me really lust for doing the same thing. 50 isn't really a portrait lens focal length though.
FWIW, the 85/1.4G is still my favorite portrait lens. For older faces, I usually go to my 105DC -- it's still laser sharp but can be dialed back with the DF ring, but it also flattens perspective out just a tad which somehow enhances character. Finally for when I want more working distance, like for kids candids, I really like the 180/2.8D (late) Nikkor wide open. My 4th choice is the 85mm Petzvl, especially like for old fashioned look -- but it's a PITA to use well and needs some experimentation and patience for good results.
