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My next prime portrait lens should be ... ?

Started 7 months ago | Questions thread
KariP
KariP Veteran Member • Posts: 6,451
I would take RF 85 f 2 IS macro

atolk wrote:

I don't strictly speaking NEED a portrait lens because I don't shoot all that many portraits, and my EF 70-200mm f/2.8 and EF 85mm f/1.8 are adequate, but I have the bokeh envy from all the FB posts and YouTube reviews, and I know that I am supposed to want a prime lens for sharpness (I think my old 85mm 1.8 has issues), so I am thinking about getting a lens that I don't need but will love and use a lot. And just in time for a requested senior shoot. Make the customer's friends and family ooh and aah and start knocking my door down for more sessions.

Let's say the RF 85mm f/1.2 at $2,699 sets the upper limit of desirability and budget.

Let's say that something like Samyang/Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 AF at around $499 is an acceptable low end alternative. (Oh, and I just found out than an RF version exists, except it seems that it does not.)

Not to mention the $349 manual focus version with RF mount. An option? Why not?

And the three famous Sigma ART lenses comfortable occupying the middle tier and running between $1,049 and $1,499, commanding a cult following of sorts.

In your own humble professional opinion, what lens delivers the greatest wow/price ratio? Make your recommendation as succinct or verbose as you please.

I will buy the lens YOU recommend. And if I don't, we can have a nice gear chat.

Samples are always welcome! Especially if you do senior shoots.

Of some reason many of us think that f 1,2 - 1,4 is the thing in portrait photography - why ? Beautiful bokeh is of course nice, but the person in the picture should be photographed - not just the smooth background blur

IMO it is difficult and disturbing to use f 1.2 or 1,4 for taking portraits - DOF is practically always too shallow. One eye sharp and the other slightly blurred or a beautiful earring is not sharp at the same time as eyelashes ... I usually use something like f4-5,6 if it is a headshot. I'm quite happy with RF24-105L when i take portraits - perspective and framing easy to control.

Anyway RF 85 f2 could be quite useful in low light/outdoors/evenings because it has IS. Price is OK and the lens has other uses too.

85mm is  classic focal length of a portrait lens (FF)

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Kari
I started SLR film photography in 1968. Now two systems: Fujifilm X-H1 + X-E3 and Canon FF gear 5dMkIV + R6

 KariP's gear list:KariP's gear list
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Fujifilm X-E3 Fujifilm X-H1 Canon EOS R6 Canon EF 50mm F1.4 USM +13 more
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