If you’re out to shoot portraits, picking the right lens is even more important than picking the right camera. After all, you’re dealing with human subjects. A tree doesn’t mind if you take an unflattering picture of it; a wild animal won’t refuse to hire you again if you make it look silly.
People, on the other hand...
well, let’s just say it pays to get the shoot right first time. With so many lenses out there, and so many different camera systems to use them with, narrowing down the best lenses for portrait photography has been a tough beat. This list is well populated – we’ve tried to stick to sensibly priced lenses that most people will realistically be able to buy and use, though a few premium options are included for those blessed with cash.
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..for others less so, we have a dedicated guide to the .
Before we get into our selections, let’s take a quick look at what makes for a good portrait lens, and how to go about choosing one that’s right for you. When people talk about portrait lenses, two topics generally come up – and . Let’s deal with each one in turn.
.. Conventional wisdom dictates that the best lens for portraiture is a short telephoto, with , and not exceeding 135mm.
A large maximum aperture is also generally deemed a must, to the point where lenses that fulfil all these criteria are often referred to as ‘portrait lenses’. For producing well-balanced, head-and-shoulders shots with a nice blurred background, this is indeed the correc.