17-50 2.8

[episodic]

If I invested in a 17 to 50 f2.8 lens would that create the excellent portraits with a blurred background and have decent bokeh?

 

[episodic]

Sorry I have Nikon d3100.

 

[Syborg1211]

You'll get pretty good results at 50mm f/2.8, but won't be nearly as good as a 35 or 50mm prime at f/1.8

 

[biostud]

If you want a really good portrait lens get the nikkor 85mm f/1.8G.

It's by far my favorite lens, and it has only gotten stellar reviews from every reviewer.

http://www.photozone.de/nikon--nikkor-aps-c-lens-tests/718-nikkorafs8518dx

 

[iGas]

Nikon make some excellent 50mm prime lenses, but I'll wait for the Sigma 50mm Art lens to come out to the market before I make the decision on a portrait lens for a crop body.

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM "A" (Tested)

 

[AViking]

If you want good portraits I agree that you should get a 85mm f1.8 prime. It's pretty stellar.

 

[biostud]

Nikon make some excellent 50mm prime lenses, but I'll wait for the Sigma 50mm Art lens to come out to the market before I make the decision on a portrait lens for a crop body.

Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM "A" (Tested)

But isn't that a full frame lens?

 

[Syborg1211]

But isn't that a full frame lens?

The 85mm lens you suggested is a full frame lens as well. Why the distinction just for the 50mm?

Do you use the 85mm prime on a crop body? With the crop factor, an 85 is pretty zoomed in. You aren't going to be doing anything more than headshots when indoors and don't have enough space to get that far away.

 

[biostud]

The 85mm lens you suggested is a full frame lens as well. Why the distinction just for the 50mm?

Do you use the 85mm prime on a crop body? With the crop factor, an 85 is pretty zoomed in. You aren't going to be doing anything more than headshots when indoors and don't have enough space to get that far away.

yeah, I use it on a D5100.

Actually I don't really know the difference, so it was just a question.

 

[ElFenix]

yeah, I use it on a D5100.

Actually I don't really know the difference, so it was just a question.

the difference is that a lens for 35 mm has an image circle that covers at least a 35 mm sensor. a lens made for aps-c has an image circle that covers at least an aps-c sensor. it may also cover a 35 mm sensor, but not necessarily, or at some focal lengths but not others. my sigma 10-20 covers a 35 mm sensor at the long end and in the middle, but not the short.

Do you use the 85mm prime on a crop body? With the crop factor, an 85 is pretty zoomed in. You aren't going to be doing anything more than headshots when indoors and don't have enough space to get that far away.

yep, but you may be going for that. portrait range on 35 mm generally starts with 85 but goes all the way up to 200 mm; it's one of the reasons for fast 70-200 zooms. 85 on crop is going to be fairly close to the FoV of the canon 135 soft focus, which is a very specialized portrait lens.

 

[Mgz]

85mm 1.8G on a D5200 here, and I got stellar result from this. And my first DSRL is D5200 which I bought just over a year ago.

here is a few example picture that I took for my girlfriend in a friend wedding last week.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27138197@N08/13696416554/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/27138197@N08/13671139504/

 

[iGas]

85mm 1.8G on a D5200 here, and I got stellar result from this. And my first DSRL is D5200 which I bought just over a year ago.

here is a few example picture that I took for my girlfriend in a friend wedding last week.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27138197@N08/13696416554/in/photostream/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/27138197@N08/13671139504/

The colour is off, but that is not the fault of the camera.

The lens bokeh is nice, but it seems as if the shots are a bit soft, and missed focused (possibly narrow DOF and/or AF is too slow to keep up/lock on), and blur due to subject movement.

Shoot in shutter priority and set the shutter to at least 1/125s and wait for the subject to settle down before you shoot. Or, take the shutter up to 1/500s to stop motion.

IMHO, it make sense to try out various lenses at the local camera shops or rent before making the final purchase decision.

 

[biostud]

The colour is off, but that is not the fault of the camera.

The lens bokeh is nice, but it seems as if the shots are a bit soft, and missed focused (possibly narrow DOF and/or AF is too slow to keep up/lock on), and blur due to subject movement.

Shoot in shutter priority and set the shutter to at least 1/125s and wait for the subject to settle down before you shoot. Or, take the shutter up to 1/500s to stop motion.

IMHO, it make sense to try out various lenses at the local camera shops or rent before making the final purchase decision.

Looks like a low light situation, difficult to have good shutter speed, a reasonable iso value, and a good depth of field.