People What Lens To Always Have In Your Kit

Bryan Carroll

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I typically shoot landscapes, but lately I have had people ask me to shoot some portraits for them. So I am curious, what do you think is the number one portrait lens that should always be in your kit no matte what type of photographer you are? (It can be a Sony lens or 3rd party lens)
 
Hmm. I'd probably pick the 135 1.8
 
As a portrait photographer I'm in love with the Sony 85mm 1.8. It's such a flattering lens for shooting people. The color rendition, bokeh and sharpness are just too notch in my eyes.
I just got that 85mm and it has left my a7IV since it came out of the box. I’ve always love the 85mm lenses. I used a manual focus Nikon 85 f:1.4 for 30 years even on my autofocus cameras
 
The 85 F1.8 is getting some love in this thread and for good reason, great focal length and pin sharp. I have always got mine in my kit.
 
Sony's 135mm f1.8 GM. I like the 85 but there is something about the 135 that just seems magical!
 
I agree!
 
I have the Sigma 85 mm f1.4 and used the Nikon 85mm previously and researched the Sony 85mm
extensively before finally buying the Sigma and have not been disappointed by its performance it
is very sharp and has many performance advantages over the Sony equivalent as well as a significant
cost advantage..........

The above said I also have the 135mm f1.8 and quite honestly I have yet to come across a lens with the
same degree of sharpness/quality of image. I have been shooting with it for many months both for close
and middle range subjects and the quality achieved never ceases to amaze me.

On the practical front, both the 85mm and the 135mm require a degree of taking a few steps back if full
length portraits are required over half body or head and shoulders so as long as you are not constrained
by environmental subject to camera space limitations they are good to go.......But if i were you, I would
support Tim's view and buy the 135mm F1.8, it is truly outstanding, AND ACKNOLWEDGED BY MANY
PROFESSIONALS AS ONE IF NOT THEE INDUSTRY LEADING LENS and depending on your shooting
genre and camera, especially with a high resolution camera, will suffice for the sharpest possible portrait
images as well as equal middle distance performance with loads of cropping flexability and minimal
loss of image sharpness/quality.
 
I recently got the 24-70 mm f2.8 Sony GM II and I love it. Having the range from 24 to 70 is an advantage for me.
 
I love the 24-70 and the new 70-200 GM lenses! They've become my go-to lenses.
 
For full-length portraits I use and recommend the 50mm f/1.2 GM - absolutely superb lens, and my first choice shooting under studio lights, too.

I do use 85mm for head-and-shoulders - I have both the Sonys 85/1.8 and 85/1.4 GM, and it’s hard to choose between them when stopped down. Now if Sony released an 85mm f/1.2 GM…

For headshots, the 135mm GM is a wonderful lens; also good for candids.

I have the 100mm STF GM, but it really doesn’t wow me. I should probably sell it, but I keep thinking I need to learn to use it properly (or I’m trying to fool myself into believing it wasn’t a mistake to buy it…)
 
50mm, 85mm, 135mm
I have the Sigma 85 mm f1.4 and used the Nikon 85mm previously and researched the Sony 85mm
extensively before finally buying the Sigma and have not been disappointed by its performance it
is very sharp and has many performance advantages over the Sony equivalent as well as a significant
cost advantage..........

The above said I also have the 135mm f1.8 and quite honestly I have yet to come across a lens with the
same degree of sharpness/quality of image. I have been shooting with it for many months both for close
and middle range subjects and the quality achieved never ceases to amaze me.

On the practical front, both the 85mm and the 135mm require a degree of taking a few steps back if full
length portraits are required over half body or head and shoulders so as long as you are not constrained
by environmental subject to camera space limitations they are good to go.......But if i were you, I would
support Tim's view and buy the 135mm F1.8, it is truly outstanding, AND ACKNOLWEDGED BY MANY
PROFESSIONALS AS ONE IF NOT THEE INDUSTRY LEADING LENS and depending on your shooting
genre and camera, especially with a high resolution camera, will suffice for the sharpest possible portrait
images as well as equal middle distance performance with loads of cropping flexability and minimal
loss of image sharpness/quality.
I feel the same way about my 135mm. Colors are great too.
 
On my last Canon camera, and on the Nikon before it, I was using Sigma Art lenses. I wasn’t too thrilled by Canon L series EF lenses, and even less thrilled by Nikon F series (the Nikon was a D810 - excellent camera, but the Nikkor 85/1.4 and 50/1.4 didn’t do it justice, and the 135 was poor). These were DSLR cameras, so I’m talking about the older Art lenses, not the current ones. The Sigma Art 85/1.4 and 135/1.8 lenses suited me then, but they were big and heavy (both well over 1kg). After that experienc, Sony GM lenses were a treat: lighter, sharper, and brilliant image quality (the 135 GM is extraordinary). I haven’t tried the new Sigma lenses - felt no need to do so - they may be lighter and smaller, being made for mirrorless
 
For me, on the APSC, a 2.8 zoom is a non-negotiable standard for my kit when taking picturesat parties. However, if I want a bit more glamor, I use the Sony 35mm (almost a full-frame equivalent of 50mm); and though its an f1.8, I think f2 is usually the sweet spot. I hear rave reviews about the Sigma 56mm f1.4, but I haven't budgeted for that yet.
 
Easy one for me as it is any Sports 200/600mm and I would like to get another 90mm Macro lens as well and then I will have the need for maybe a maybe 300mm much later on. That is what I have on my wish list.
 
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