Macro Lens

Can I use macro lens to shot portrait photo?

Since I'm planning to buy a lens for taking portrait photo (i'm kinda looking for prime one).
with quite big aperture for out of focus background like f1.8

If I can shot portrait photo with macro lens i might contemplate prime macro lens or look for macro prime lens, since i can use it for portrait & macro, even if most of macro lenses' aperture are 2.8

thank you.

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Originally Posted by drewphotograph

Can I use macro lens to shot portrait photo?

Since I'm planning to buy a lens for taking portrait photo (i'm kinda looking for prime one).
with quite big aperture for out of focus background like f1.8

If I can shot portrait photo with macro lens i might contemplate prime macro lens or look for macro prime lens, since i can use it for portrait & macro, even if most of macro lenses' aperture are 2.8

thank you.

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A macro can be used for "regular" photography. The only differences is that a macro lens can extend further meaning it can get 1:1 and it also has a flat field. Neither has an effect on non-macro photography.

Yup, a macro lens can be used for taking portraits. I have used my EF 100mm F/2.8 macro lens for portraits and it works great. I don't know what you are shooting with, but I know Canon does make a very specialized macro lens that is ONLY for macros. Other than that one lens, you should be fine for taking both portraits and macro shots.

While you can use a macro lens to take portraits it's probably not the ideal way to go. As you may already know the ideal portrait lens is around 100mm for 35mm (or 70mm for the typical DSLR with its smaller sensor). Portrait photographers usually want less depth of field while macro photographers usually are looking for more. Would a slower macro lens give you a small enough DOF to get the results that you want? Nikon makes macro lenses in three focal length ranges (55-60mm, 105mm, and 200mm). The differences between the different focal length are weight, obviously, and working distance to your subject. A shorter focal length is great for photographing static objects or inside of things where you don't have a lot of space to work (like trying to take detail pictures of a speaker crossover through the opening of a speaker box after removing the big woofer). Longer focal lengths give you a lot more space between you and the subject, which is best for taking pictures of insects because they spook when you get too close or taking pictures of flowers when you don't want your shadow to get in the way.

Ideally, you should get a dedicated portrait or macro lens, depending on which is more important to you.

Seems you want a lens that can give you a compromise between the two and save you a buck. Thats good, the macro 2.8 will take good portraits. The only thing you will not be able to do is blur out the bg as well as the 1.8 Both should give you great quality and sharpness.

thank you..
yup, i think i'll buy the macro one.
thanks for helping me out