rollsman44
Well-known member
I am looking for a nice portrait lens that won't break the bank for the D750 AF I don't need to shoot wide open so anything F2.8 and higher will work for me. Any suggestions . Thank you
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Looking For a Portrait Lens for Nikon D 750
- Thread starter rollsman44
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Jorgen Udvang
Subscriber Member
The obvious, boring choice is the Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 AF-S. It's cheap, sharp, mostly renders a nice bokeh and it's relatively lightweight and small.
If you want something more exotic and can live with manual focus, the older model Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 ZF is a nice portrait lens, but you have to stop it down considerably to get sharp corners.
Me? I'm using a Samyang 135mm f/2. Fantastic lens, cheap at around $500, with a chip so I get correct EXIF information, but it's rather large and heavy. Manual focus obviously.
Here are two taken with the Samyang with the F6 and HP5:
F6 and Portra 400:
If you want something more exotic and can live with manual focus, the older model Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 ZF is a nice portrait lens, but you have to stop it down considerably to get sharp corners.
Me? I'm using a Samyang 135mm f/2. Fantastic lens, cheap at around $500, with a chip so I get correct EXIF information, but it's rather large and heavy. Manual focus obviously.
Here are two taken with the Samyang with the F6 and HP5:
F6 and Portra 400:
Frankly
New member
Pretty much anything over 50mm used wide open can be a nice portrait lens. Even the optical defects can be considered “character” especially with a little post-processing. Converting to B&W or pretending to be artistic with color hides a lot of sins.
Older manual Nikon AI or AIS lenses can do pretty well at reasonable prices and good build quality.
An older 80-200 AFD lens can do very well and surprisingly will focus faster and more accurately than their similar vintage primes.
The 105 Micro can be too sharp but you can learn how to soften it.
Older manual Nikon AI or AIS lenses can do pretty well at reasonable prices and good build quality.
An older 80-200 AFD lens can do very well and surprisingly will focus faster and more accurately than their similar vintage primes.
The 105 Micro can be too sharp but you can learn how to soften it.
rayyan
Well-known member
Investigate a 85/1.4 D. They are relatively inexpensive.
Or, as Jorgen mentions, a 85/1.8 G is a very good lens. Used, it can be bought very inexpensively. Use it for more than just portraits.
Available distance to position oneself could also restrict you to certain portrait lenses and fls. H&S, full length etc...also has a bearing on your lens choice.
Nothing stops one from using a 35/28/24 even...if one knows what one is doing.
Check out some fashion shots with lenses wider than 50mm.
Best.
Or, as Jorgen mentions, a 85/1.8 G is a very good lens. Used, it can be bought very inexpensively. Use it for more than just portraits.
Available distance to position oneself could also restrict you to certain portrait lenses and fls. H&S, full length etc...also has a bearing on your lens choice.
Nothing stops one from using a 35/28/24 even...if one knows what one is doing.
Check out some fashion shots with lenses wider than 50mm.
Best.
The fast 85's are the obvious choice, but can be expensive. The sleeper lens for portraits that doesn't break the bank is 105 DC -- one of the nicest portrait lenses Nikon ever produced IMHO.
Here's a shot with it at f4:
PS: every time I review images I've made with this lens, I wonder why I even bother to keep the 85/1.4G
Here's a shot with it at f4:
PS: every time I review images I've made with this lens, I wonder why I even bother to keep the 85/1.4G
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Photon42
Well-known member
Well - if you can get away without autofocus, I'd go for a 105/2.5 (my first ever lens). Classic and wonderful. Your bank account very likely will be able to swing it.
If AF is required, the question would be: Does the lens needs to mount on older film bodies pre F5. If yes, the 105/f2 AF-D with defocus control, the AF-D 85/1.4 or AF-D 85/1.8 - else a (used) present AF-S 85/1.8.
As I use mostly a 58 as a standard lens, I find the 105 lenses quite a good addition, more so than the 85. But this is highly subjective and also depends on your most used subject distance. Indoors cross the table an 85 is often already too long.
Ivo
IMHO, a 105 is slightly more flattering than an 85 for *most* people's portraits due to it's added "flattening." The 85 is probably best for head-and-shoulders and/or couples headshots, while the 105 is my goto for single headshots... The added advantage of the 105 DC *IS* the DC or Defocus Control -- with it you can move the DoF limits fore and aft, also altering the look of the Bokeh, to taste as your image requires.
PS: The image above had DC set to zero or neutral, but I'll frequently set it 1 or 2 stops to the "R" (rear) to better blur out any background clutter; using "F" (front) reduces foreground clutter.
PS: The image above had DC set to zero or neutral, but I'll frequently set it 1 or 2 stops to the "R" (rear) to better blur out any background clutter; using "F" (front) reduces foreground clutter.
Hi,
Budget? what kind of portrait ? do you have some examples of what you like to shoot? manual (the 135mm Zeiss is one of the most underrated portrait lenses ever, and it's not underrated).
A 70-200mm f2.8 will revolutionize dynamic portraits for most people. The 80-200mm does not have the resolution to do justice to the D810 but, close it a little and you have magnificent color and character. The Tamron 70-200mm g2 is another excellent option.
Lighter you have the 85mm f1.8G much better in my opinion than the 85mm f1.4D, you have the Nikon 105mm f1.4 and the Tamron 85mm f1.8. The sigma struggles a little with autofocus but it's magnificent too. it's, however, a little on the heavy side.
On a budget, almost nothing beats the 85mm lenses and you can use them indoors.
Best regards,
Photon42
Well-known member
I really like the last one you did. Love the combination of colors, contre jour and blur / bokeh.
Cheers
Ivo