On a crop body, when should you use a 50mm vs 85mm lens for portraits?
Asked 11/19/2011
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If you have both a 50mm f/1.4 and an 85mm f/1.8 on a crop-sensor camera, how do you decide which to use for a portrait when light and shooting space are not limiting factors? Assume you might shoot around f/2.2 and want to know how focal length affects portrait look, perspective, framing, and background blur.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
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When there's enough light and room, the 85mm seems to be a better choice. In addition to better perspective already mentioned by @Itai, the narrow angle of view means that your shot will include less background, which means the bokeh will be smoother for same DOF (because there are less background objects to smear across the same area).
Portrait/wedding/boudoir photographer Neil van Niekerk recently blogged about this and has similar advice: try first using your longest focal length as far as you have to, and go wider only if you can't get your composition otherwise.
But to be really sure what suits your style, just try both lenses with same model and setup and see which you like more.
Originally by user4390. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4390
14y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Both lenses can work, but for tighter, classic portraits the 85mm is usually preferred. To get the same framing with the 85mm, you stand farther back, which gives a more compressed perspective that is often considered more flattering for faces. It also gives a narrower angle of view, so you include less background, and at the same aperture it will generally blur the background more.
The 50mm is often better when you want a wider composition, such as half-body or full-body portraits, or when you can’t back up enough to use the 85mm. It can also suit a more environmental or reportage-style portrait.
So, if you have enough room and want a headshot or traditional portrait look, start with the 85mm. If you need a looser composition or less working distance, use the 50mm. The best choice also depends on your taste, so trying both with the same subject and setup is worthwhile.
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AI14y ago
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