The wider the focal length, the more you can fit into the frame, because of the field of view of a wider angle. While the 85mm is the favorite prime lens of many portrait photographers, the 50mm and 35mm can both create fabulous portraits. Now, it seems that 85mm-105mm is most recommended for portraits (full-frame), so a 50mm on a crop-sensor might be too wide (you'd have to get in tighter and introduce more distortion). While I think every photographer should have a 50mm lens in their bag somewhere, the 85mm on a crop sensor camera will be even more awesome in giving that shallow DoF, with the longer focal length giving a more pleasant perspective for close-up portraits. Use a 35mm for environmental portraits. Now examine your photos on the computer. Wide lenses are typically a bad choice for shooting portraits. The Canon 60D is an APS-C (cropped-sensor) camera, so you’ll need to multiply the focal length of each of your lenses by 1.6x in order to determine their effective focal length on this camera (though if you use Nikon APS-C cameras, your crop factor is 1.5x). It’s not ideal, but it works and you won’t distort your subject. Required fields are marked *. On the left I used a 28mm focal length and the image on the right is the last in the series using a 200mm focal length. You’ll still see a difference. 35mm equivalent: 38.4mm. Line them up in your viewfinder for a head and shoulders shot, Take note of exactly where they are in frame. Your choice of focal length for portraits will have a big impact on the image. Yes, it is. The lens uses one aspherical element of its six elements in five groups and a seven-bladed aperture for beautiful bokeh. Some lenses are designed specifically for full frame sensor cameras. 35mm on a crop sensor is ideal for 1/2 body portraits, imo, and if space allows there's no reason not to make a 3/4 or even full body portrait with it. On the narrow end, 70mm gets you in closer to the subject for things like tighter headshots. Our focal length multiplier conversion chart lists the effective focal lengths of lenses by the crop factor of digital single lens reflex cameras. Also, we love good news, so if our portrait focal length tips have helped you to understand how to decide on focal length, share that too. There are several factors to keep in mind when choosing a lens for Milky Way photography. For a head and shoulders portrait, it is twice the normal focal length. Canon SL 2: I know, modest) and Cactus triggers. And just to be clear, a full frame 50mm lens on a full frame camera photographs at 50mm. Enroll in our Portrait Photography Mastery Course and join the photographers who have fast tracked their learning by mastering the art of taking awe-worthy portrait shots in just a matter of days. But seeing the DOP’s on set who are decades in learning their skills has overwhelmed me in understanding the lighting and its powerful and at the same time delicate results to the portrait . It’s also a light lens and doesn’t scream “serious about photography”, so perfect for street photography as it’s less noticeable. It’s called the crop sensor because you’re effectively cropping the full-frame image. This means that in general, you will be standing further away from your subject with the 85mm lens, than you will with the 50mm. Aside from the difference in physical size of the sensor, there are several other differences between a crop sensor and a full frame sensor. Quick tip: using your rule of thirds grid, place the top right intersection of lines on the left eye (the eye that’s camera right). Most sensors used in digital single lens reflex cameras have a smaller area than the surface of 35mm film but focal lengths are still expressed in the 35mm format. It is an excellent addition for environmental portraits, for those detail shots at weddings and other events. A full-frame sensor is 36mm x 24mm. Still haven't uncovered all the tools, tips & tricks you need to take the stunning portrait shots you want? As photographers we get very involved in thinking about the maximum aperture of a lens, the make of a lens and creating great background blur. Below from left: 85mm, 105mm, 135mm, 200mm, It’s always best to do something for yourself so that you can see the results and know what was involved. Canon 24mm f/2.8 STM ($99) Category: Street/travel. Plus, now you know which portrait focal length to use for headshots. So, a full frame 50mm lens on a crop sensor camera photographs more like an 85mm focal length. If you have any questions about the best focal length for portraits, let us know in the comments. As I mainly photograph boudoir indoors, my most popular focal length is 70mm. Additionally, many 90mm lenses have minimum focusing distances of less than one foot, which means you can get up close and take detailed shots of the eyes or lips, for example. That’s the gear The main issues you could provide would be great: framing in a spare room, camera/ sticks placement (height, angle) and of course controlling and creating effective (not passport…) lighting techniques for submitting to background work. A wide angle will make noses and foreheads grow! Notify me of follow-up comments by email. These are the perfect focal distances for close-up portrait photography, as the perspective will not be distorted as in the case of 24-70mm. So, you’ve been looking at how her face changes when comparing focal lengths. On the wide end, you can open up to 24mm and get full-body or half-body portraits, environmental portraits, and even casual street photography, too. 2 octagon soft boxes (27in, I know: modest size) a third un-modified speedlite for bouncing off the 8ft white ceiling to “separate” subject from background (and maybe a tiny bit of hair/rim-light, if lucky. Fill the frame for photos with impact – how, when, why, How to hold a camera correctly for sharp photos, Monitor calibration for photography and 3 other fixes for off color, Understanding the exposure meter – controlling exposure part 1. Scratch that- it's fantastic. Great ergonomics. Do this for every shot to make sure their eye is roughly in the same place for each photo. I think this is why you'll see people using a 70mm (like a 70-200mm) for portaits on a crop-sensor (yielding an effective 105mm on full-frame). Jane is the founder of The Lens Lounge and a professional portrait photographer living on the “sunny” south coast of England. Remember, she didn’t move from that spot for the entire exercise. Crop vs Full Frame. They’ll like you for that. Direction & Quality of Light Our two favorite lenses for such kind of photography are 85mm and 100mm. For cropped frame sensor cameras, what lens would work best for taking portraits close to the face? On a Canon camera, this lens has an effective focal length of 105-300mm and on a Nikon camera, it's effective focal length is 112-320mm. But paired with a camera using an APS-C sensor, the focal length becomes equivalent to a 75mm lens—great for portraits, particularly of the full-length variety, or when working in close quarters. If the math seems out, don’t worry, it’s an approximation. Dynamic composition vs static composition, How to use repetition to make your photos irresistible, How to use unity in photography for good design, https://thelenslounge.com/5-portrait-lighting-patterns-you-need-to-know/, https://thelenslounge.com/why-you-need-a-light-meter/, the shape and proportions of your subject’s face. Rather sharp, even at 1.2. What’s the difference? In the end, an expensive lens works out cheaper than a cheap lens. Get them to stand or sit still in one place for the duration of the exercise. It makes no sense to make 35mm vs 50mm comparison, if we are talking about … Best Portrait Lenses for APS-C (1.6 Crop) Canon Body On a Full-Frame camera, such as the Canon 5Dii, the Canon 50mm 1.4, also known as the "nifty fifty" is a great portrait lens. Did you notice the bricks on the wall behind her? Depending on the crop factor - that is, how the size of the sensor impacts the effective focal length of the lens - a 90mm lens will behave more like a telephoto lens (135mm on a Canon camera and 144mm on a Nikon). The 35mm is the popular focal length for portrait photography. Share the learning… pin it, post it, tweet it. It’s not just about wide apertures either. On a crop sensor camera, the 35mm acts like a 50mm, making it perfect for both full-frame and crop sensor cameras. Your email address will not be published. For example, a 70-200mm lens becomes a virtual 105-300mm lens on a 1.5x APS-C sensor. It’s a good question and there’s a good reason why portrait photographers obsess over focal length. Further reading: Expensive lens or expensive camera – which is better? When a Nikon 50mm f/1.4 lens is attached to that Nikon DSLR, the focal length is multiplied by 1.5x and effectively acts like a 75mm lens on a full frame DSLR. One last look… On the left, 28mm focal length, middle is 85mm focal length and on the right I used a 200mm focal length. There are great lenses on the market that offer this focal length for APS-C sensor cameras, the 30-35mm prime. level 1 lns52 The great thing about a zoom lens like a 24-70mm is that it gives you incredible versatility in terms of focal length. Anything between 50ish and 135ish in FF equivalent makes for natural looking portraits from almost any distance. How to choose the best lens for portraits to avoid bad photos, What is focal length and how to use it in photography. The great big camera debate and why it doesn’t matter, 4 of the best photography viewpoints for impressive composition, DSLR Live View pros, cons and how to use it, Why you need to know the rule of thirds, and how easy it is, Using symmetry in photography composition, How form in photography brings subjects to life, How texture in photography composition adds interest, 19 photography composition rules you need to know to be awesome, Using vertical lines in photography composition, 7 types of lines in photography composition and how to use them, Cropping photos for maximum impact and better composition, What is contrast photography and how to use it well. It doesn’t mean that you have to break the bank, just get the best that you can afford. … With the 85mm lens, the minimum focusing distance is 2.8 ft, and with the 50mm lens, the minimum focusing distance is 1.15 ft. (Yes, I’m stressing this point, because it’s important), Take a shot at 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 70mm, 85mm, 105mm, 135mm, 200mm. Obsessed with light and composition. I don’t need to say anything more. CROP SENSOR. I would assume that most portrait photographers don't typically use a 70-200mm lens for portraits, especially with a crop sensor camera. Additionally, the longer focal length will help minimize the depth of field, which helps set your subject apart from the background. I do a lot of walking back and forth to my subject to communicate between each series of shots, especially when using a focal length of 200mm! It will make faces thinner and noses bigger. Crop Sensors. For each new focal length, starting at 28mm, you’ll have to move further back and realign your subject in the frame as closely as possible to your first photo, Take note of exactly where your subject is in the frame and keep it as constant as possible. That’s what’s so great about photography – it’s continuously challenging and stimulating. One of the biggest differences between the 85mm lens and the 50mm lens is the distance that you’ll need to stand from your subject. You’ll replace your camera a few times while your good quality lens will just keep on going. in front of shoes. The Best Lenses For Portrait Photography 2019 ... A focal length between 85mm and 135mm has a flattering effect on faces and blurs the background for a shallow depth-of … Extreme telephoto lenses round … However, whilst a longer portrait focal length (narrower field of view) will flatten the middle of a photo, and therefore make a big nose seem smaller, after a certain point, it will also start to widen a face. So while the lens' focal length of 50mm and aperture of f/1.8 did not change, the lens ACTS like an 80mm f/2.7 lens on a crop factor body. Normal focal length for any lens is about the length of the format’s diagonal. Beyond that the face will start to become wider. As your focal length changes you’ll need to adapt. Once you know the effect a particular focal length will have and how close or far you need to be from your subject with that portrait focal length, you can start looking at other aspects of portrait lenses. So much so, in fact, that deciding between them can be difficult. All the YouTube videos and blog posts in the world about portrait focal length won’t teach you as much as this five minute exercise…, To recreate your own series of photos like mine above…. Portrait lenses fall into this range and you increase focal length telephoto compression will cause foreground and background objects to appear close together. It is with these on crop sensors, we get a field of view similar to the 50mm. This is not a time to start cracking jokes and making it hard for them to cooperate! I shoot with focal lengths mainly between 85mm and 200mm when outdoors. If all you have is a 50mm lens and you want to photograph headshots, then just shoot with more space around your subject and crop the image in post. If you don’t have an infinite budget for the best of everything, rather spend more on a good lens and less on a camera. So far 18% grey cotton backdrop (9ft W X 14ft L, to provide 3-4in. Also, a 50mm lens on a crop sensor camera is equivalent to 75mm lens on a full frame camera, which is closer to the ideal focal length of at least 85mm for portraits.