| Author | Thread |
|
|
10/24/2005 11:47:58 AM · #1 |
Hi everyone,
I want to know what lenses are best for studio portraits, is the sigma 70-300 apo any good? A lot of the time im having trouble with my focus(i really want a sharp face)but cant seem to get it most of the time.Finally, what technique is the best to achieve a perfect focus on a face?
Your help would be extremely apreciated. Thanks. |
|
|
|
10/24/2005 11:56:02 AM · #2 |
Well, I'm hardly an expert but have been playing with some studio portraiture lately. I'm using the Canon EF 50mm 1.8 II lens for most of mine, but also the Tamron SP AF 28-75mm XR DI as well and am getting good results! It's amazing how good the 50mm is for it's price! Generally what I have been doing is centre focusing on the eyes and then reframing. Seems to work for me!
eg.  |
|
|
|
10/24/2005 12:05:03 PM · #3 |
I personallt think that the 70-300 may be a little long for the studio. It will work, but unless your just doing headshots, you'll need a pretty big studio to get a full length. I usually use my 24-70, and that works well. I am going to get a 50 1.8 soon and that will be fun. Definately focus on the eyes and re-frame from there. I would also shoot ata decent aperature, and try to keep the subject a good distance from the backdrop. I hope this helps?
|
|
|
|
10/24/2005 12:14:49 PM · #4 |
F5.6 and 90mm focal length. Make sure the eyes are in sharpest focus.
This is what I've been told! |
|
|
|
10/24/2005 12:15:00 PM · #5 |
| thanks alot for the replies. Looks like i should get the 50mm and it's not expensive too. |
|
|
|
10/24/2005 12:26:18 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by lucascarr:
thanks alot for the replies. Looks like i should get the 50mm and it's not expensive too. |
For $150(Aus) the Ef 50mm 1.8 was the best investment I have made for my camera. With that and my Tamron the old kit lens doesn't even make it into my camera bag anymore! :) |
|
|
|
10/24/2005 12:31:16 PM · #7 |
Just remember that focal length of the lens is not half as important as how fast the lens is. At f4-f5.6, the 70-300 is not fast at all.
The reason is that many portrait photogs prefer a very shallow DOF that allows them to get good focus on a critical element (usually the eyes, or a single eye) and then let the rest of the photo start to get fuzzy. When you do this correctly it works very well. Just look at Librodo's portraits... lots of them taken at f1.8! You just cant get the same look with a lens whose max app is f2.8...much more is in focus, so this is a real plus for the canon 50mm.
For me, with portraits, the faster the lens the better, and a slight telelphoto is usually more flattering than a wide angle. Beyond that, anything goes. |
|
|
|
10/24/2005 01:09:32 PM · #8 |
Most of my portraits are shot with 50mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.8.
The 85 is fantastic for head and shoulders and the 50 brings in more of the torso. I also use a 35mm f/2 for full length and environment style portraits, but it may not be a good fit for standard studio portraits.
I would consider a fast prime for the studio. You can use wide aperature to shrink depth of field and the primes will be sharper than most consumer zooms. The 85 is very sharp and the backgrounds just melt away when you open it up.
It's hard to see detail and sharpness in a web sized image, but here are a couple of recent portraits with the 85mm f/1.8 that might give an idea of the perspective at 85mm and what you can do with shallow depth of field:
  
Message edited by author 2005-10-24 13:51:51.
|
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Prints! -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/19/2024 05:05:56 AM EDT.
