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  1. #1
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    Lense reccomendations for portrait photography

    Aloha,

    I am going to be getting a canon 50D and was wondering if anyone had some reccomendations for some great lenses for that camera? I love photographing couples, families, and infants. I would consider myself very artistic and love being creative with my photographs. Any help would be great, thanks!

  2. #2
    They call me P-Wac JETA's Avatar
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    Re: Lense reccomendations for portrait photography

    My portrait lens of choice is the canon 24-70 f/2.8L. It doesn't get much better then that imo.
    It's not blurry. It's bokeh.

    Canon EOS 1D Mark IV
    Canon EOS 5D Mark II
    Canon EOS 1D Mark III
    Canon 24-70mm EF f/2.8L
    Canon 24-105mm EF f/4L IS
    Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS
    Canon 17-40mm EF f/4L
    Canon 15mm F/2.8 EF Fisheye Lens
    Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro
    Canon 50mm f/1.8
    Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite
    Canon 580EX Speedlite
    Canon EOS Rebel 300D

  3. #3
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    Re: Lense reccomendations for portrait photography

    I use the Tamron 28-75 2.8. Very sharp and for around $450 it is very hard to beat.
    Nikon D300s with Nikon grip
    Nikon D300 with Zeikos grip
    Nikon D40x
    Nikkor 80-200 2.8
    Nikkor 70-300 VR
    Nikkor 18-55 Kit lens
    Nikkor 50 1.8
    Nikkor 35 1.8
    Tamron 17-50 2.8 VC
    Tamron 28-75 2.8
    SB-900
    SB-600

  4. #4
    Senior Member Medley's Avatar
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    Re: Lense reccomendations for portrait photography

    OK, I need to mention the nifty fifty here. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II.

    Prime lens, less glass= better image quality.

    Fast. 1.8 makes it usable indoors or out.

    Light. 4.6 ounces.

    Retails for $80 -$100. Nope, not a typo. Least expensive lens you'll ever buy, and (in my opinion) no Canon user should be without one in their kit.

    The downside is that the lens mount is made of plastic. I understand that eventually, they go bad. But I've had mine for over two years, and haven't had a problem. At this point if it breaks, I'm still money ahead to trash it and buy another.

    - Joe U.
    I have no intention of tiptoeing through life only to arrive safely at death.

  5. #5
    Senior Member freygr's Avatar
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    Re: Lense reccomendations for portrait photography

    For Portrait's the 50mm can't be beat I would get a little more costly F1.4 better low light and better bronken, but for groups you will want a zoom lens a Good Zoom Lens.
    GRF

    Panorama Madness:

    Nikon D800, 50mm F1.4D AF, 16-35mm, 28-200mm & 70-300mm

  6. #6
    Liz
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    Moderator Emeritus Liz's Avatar
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    Re: Lense reccomendations for portrait photography

    Quote Originally Posted by maui no ka oi
    Aloha,

    I am going to be getting a canon 50D and was wondering if anyone had some reccomendations for some great lenses for that camera? I love photographing couples, families, and infants. I would consider myself very artistic and love being creative with my photographs. Any help would be great, thanks!
    When I owned Canon dslrs, the 50mm/f1.4 was the lens that I used the most. It's good for low light, portraits, street photography, etc.

    Having said that, the 24-70/f2.8L lens mentioned above is awesome. It's a bit more money, and if you can afford it, I would recommend it highly.

    Liz

  7. #7
    Member gryphonslair99's Avatar
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    Re: Lense reccomendations for portrait photography

    The Canon 85mm f1.8 is an outstanding portrait lens at a good price. Only thing better is the 85mm f1.2 at a ridiculously high price.

    Personally I prefer primes over zooms for portraiture as a top quality prime will be sharper than a top quality zoom.

    My three most used portraiture primes are the 85 f1.8, 135 f2.0L and the 200 f2.8L.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Anbesol's Avatar
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    Re: Lense reccomendations for portrait photography

    Definitely the 50mm f/1.8 (or the 1.4 if you're feeling a bit spendier) , the 85mm is a great portrait lens too, but its a very tight crop on an APS body like the 50D, as such I think the 50mm is a better portrait choice.

    The 24-70 f/2.8 L and Tamrons 28-75 f/2.8 are also excellent zoom choices. I do a lot of portraiture and use both the 28-75 and the 50, but the 50 is my first go to choice, I only use the 28-75 if I am forced to it by limited space/large groupings.

    And yeah - by a mile its the best cost to quality you can get in a lens.
    Last edited by Anbesol; 06-16-2010 at 10:48 PM.

  9. #9
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    Re: Lense reccomendations for portrait photography

    Thank you everyone for your suggestions this really helps me!

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