Ideal focal for portraits

[benoitc23]

Hi everyone,

I always thought that the best focal length for portraits was about 80-100mm, that it was the most flattering for your subjects.
That over 100mm, everything was too compressed in the photo and it lost it's impact.
Too wide, your subject looked distorted.

Lately, i'm hearing that alot of pros use those long lenses (200-400mm) for portraits.
And that wide angle lens are increasingly used for portraits, and i've seen some really good pictures done between 24-36mm.

I don't know what's best to use anymore!
It's like, really, any focal is good as long as you use it well in it's limitations?!

What focal do you personaly prefer for portraits?
Anyone knows some tips for portraits in wide-angle that are not distorted?

[Marko]

I'm not sure about what's 'best' anymore given crop factors with DSLR cameras. I can say that I my 70-200 mm for portraits and I'm often working at the 110-200mm end. I see no reason why interesting portraits cannot be taken with a 200-400mm. The main con might be the fact that those lenses (especially the good ones) are big to lug around and expensive and need faster shutter speeds when hand-held....making them often more suitable for images that need a tripod (which is not the best for casual portraits. The BEST focal length will always be personal.

I've taken many portraits with wide angles. As you get closer to the subject the image distorts. Back off just a bit and the distortion is WAY less noticeable.

Hope that helps!
Marko


Hi everyone,

I always thought that the best focal length for portraits was about 80-100mm, that it was the most flattering for your subjects.
That over 100mm, everything was too compressed in the photo and it lost it's impact.
Too wide, your subject looked distorted.

Lately, i'm hearing that alot of pros use those long lenses (200-400mm) for portraits.
And that wide angle lens are increasingly used for portraits, and i've seen some really good pictures done between 24-36mm.

I don't know what's best to use anymore!
It's like, really, any focal is good as long as you use it well in it's limitations?!

What focal do you personaly prefer for portraits?
Anyone knows some tips for portraits in wide-angle that are not distorted?

[baddness]

I was told that 50mm or an 85mm are good for portraits. I have the 75-300 but I use that for sports and haven't tried it for portraits.

[tirediron]

I've had some good results using my 60mm (90mm equiv) for portrait work, and the venerable 50mm 1.4 is hard to beat as well. A lot depends on how much room you have. If I actually did any serious portrait work, this little toy would be a must: http://www.popphoto.com/cameralenses/4411/lens-test-nikon-135mm-f2d-af-dc-nikkor.html

[baddness]

ack that a nikon lens :)

[benoitc23]

Thanks all for your input!
I rarely do portraits, but for now I think I will stick mainly to my 50mm prime (100mm equivalent on my E-410) since it's my best lens.
I might experiment with wide-angle when I don't want to blur the background.. do more a story-telling kind of portrait.

Happy shooting!

[cdanddvdpublisher]

Thanks all for your input!
I rarely do portraits, but for now I think I will stick mainly to my 50mm prime (100mm equivalent on my E-410) since it's my best lens.
I might experiment with wide-angle when I don't want to blur the background.. do more a story-telling kind of portrait.

Happy shooting!

Experimentation is often the way to go - you know your equipment and what it does - most people discover different settings by pushing the boudaries here and there. Sometimes the effects are pretty good - sometime horrid - you wont know unless you try it out.

[tegan]

The general thinking of the pros is that 80mm is far enough away to avoid distortion caused by camera angles and yet close enough to imply interaction and a visual relationship with the photographer/viewer. The camera is also not too close to invade the "personal" space of the model so the resulting comfort level supposedly produces better results as well.

Personal style is also involved too. Some photographers like to shoot from a "detached" distance using a longer lens, whereas others like to shoot up close and personal.

Tegan

[Richard Annable]

With the possible expections of the extremes focal ranges (fisheye and super telephoto) don't discount any lens as a portrait lens as each will provide you a different look and feel.

My favourite two are the 85 1.8 and the 70-200 2.8. In theory these are either side of the 100mm standard.

[tegan]

With the possible expections of the extremes focal ranges (fisheye and super telephoto) don't discount any lens as a portrait lens as each will provide you a different look and feel.

My favourite two are the 85 1.8 and the 70-200 2.8. In theory these are either side of the 100mm standard.


Well the 85mm 1.8 is an excellent portrait lens and I have used a 200mm 2.8 prime for memorable 8 by 10 portraits of children, so I would say that my experience supports your views.

Tegan

[AcadieLibre]

I have found it depends on what I want from the portrait on what lens I use. I show up the shoot, get a feel for who I am shooing, the environment and what I want to accomplish. Not sure if this was mentioned, but remember if you have a cropped camera you need to take the into consideration for what lens you use and what you buy.

I find I shoot a lot of my portraits with me 70-200 mm 2.8 lens, just find I am more creative with it, and all depends on what you want out of portrait. I do lots of musicians and I try to me creative in my portraits of them. So far no unhappy people and if they like it, their reps want to use it I know I have accomplished what I have set out to do. If I am not happy with it they never see it, they like what I give them, but what is important to me is I like it, if they don't they can hire someone else. Has yet to happen and all my referrals are through those I have already done work for. Experiment as someone else mentioned.

[mindforge]

I only shoot lifestyle portraits or as I like to call them 'active portraits'. I move a lot, can't really use a tripod because I have to get into weird spots sometimes and I just need mobility. I shoot these active portraits and family shots with just two lenses; 18-70mm 4.6 and a 80-200mm 4.6 and they work great. I usually start at about 20 feet away or so and start shooting, moving and getting into my groove and allowing the uncomfortable first minutes of a shoot disappear. As I do, I have to adjust constantly. I find that I am at about 100mm or close most of the time. But then I am at probably 60mm for the entire last half of the shoot.

So if I had to say where I was most the time....

60mm and 100mm about evenly.

[tegan]

I have also done a lot of children shots with a 28mm 2.8 prime. Very sharp and gives me depth of field even when shooting in natural light. I am usually very close and careful of the camera angle to avoid distortion. There is however less distortion with a wide angle prime than a wide angle zoom.

Tegan