When buying a new camera most people, unless they already have lenses, will get it with a decent kit zoom. Their first lens purchase will almost inevitably be a portrait lens.There are so many great lenses out there for portraits, it’s hard to pick winners. So my compromise is to pick my five favorites.
Coming in at just under $500, the 85mm f/1.8 is one of the of the most highly regarded lenses in Nikon’s arsenal. Not a great choice for low-light situations, but portrait photographers swear by it.
Specifically that would be head and shoulders style portraits or close-ups. If you want to take full body shots, you’ll have to step back quite a bit.
Nikon makes a f/1.4 version of the same lens, but at twice the price it’s hard to justify the cost.
Criticized lately on build quality, it’s still a fine portrait lens for around $200. Maybe a tad less sharp than the 85mm, but it takes better eyes than mine to see much difference.
Mounted in front of Nikon’s APS-C, a slightly larger sensor than the Canon APS-C, it yields an effective zoom of 75mm.
Canon 100mm f/2.8 Autofocus Prime
This lens might be a tad long for APS-C models, like my Canon 7D, but matched up with a full size sensor on a 5D, this is a killer portrait lens.
Fast enough to provide good performance in low light, and snaps to focus nearly silently. Work a stop or two under wide open and it’s sharp enough to slice paper. Priced around $600.
The only downside to using this lens all day is the weight. It’s one of the heavier lenses of the top picks.
Canon “Nifty Fifty” 50mm f/1.8
You knew this one was coming. It’s one of the finest portrait lenses Canon makes. Priced around $100, it’s the first lens most Canon shooters purchase and the one that ends up spend the most time on the camera.
Newer models have developed a noticeable buzz in the auto-focus.
This is my personal favorite. A little more expensive than some of the others and the only zoom on my list, I love this lens. It’s a great performer in low and mixed light and delivers razor sharp quality.
The auto-focus is noisier than you’d expect for a lens at this price point and it can act confused and slow hunting around for focus.
Priced in the mid-$600’s, it’s still my choice for portraits or weddings.