# Best Portrait Lens for nikon d3000?



## Kayleysmom (Oct 6, 2010)

Looking for one for portraits, thanks in advance.


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## IgsEMT (Oct 6, 2010)

Cheap and good.
Nikon. 28-105 3.5-4.5.
A q for you, do you know how to take PROPER portrait?


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## Kayleysmom (Oct 6, 2010)

IgsEMT said:


> Cheap and good.
> Nikon. 28-105 3.5-4.5.
> A q for you, do you know how to take PROPER portrait?


 
I am learning and once I start school, I will learn even more, lol


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## IgsEMT (Oct 6, 2010)

> I am learning and once I start school, I will learn even more, lol



What school?


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## Kayleysmom (Oct 6, 2010)

IgsEMT said:


> > I am learning and once I start school, I will learn even more, lol
> 
> 
> 
> What school?


 

My local institute in my state....I am hoping to go to the one that my cousin went to.


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## IgsEMT (Oct 6, 2010)

Ok,
So let me tell you about this lens. Its about a 10 y/o model that was used back in the film days. It still has an amazing image quality to it, it doesn't have VR but is a macro lens as well. & you can probably get it for under $250
I try to use is as MUCH as possible on my jobs but when you're shooting Dx, 28mm sometimes isn't wide enough. However, quality wise it is amazing. If I remember correctly, I believe Nikon 24-70 is considered the best zoom lens in the Nikon lineup. Then, one of my favorites is 24-85 -> a cheaper alternative to 24-70 also has amazing IQ. I'm not mentioning 70-200 2.8 but it's a GREAT glass that will deliver superb images. 
Then we got primes: on Crop body, 35, 50, 60 are amongst the popular ones for portraits. 85 prime, is considered to be the BEST Nikon glass, never used it but know people who do = mixed reactions to it. Personally, I only my 50 prime for in-studio work or need REALLY shallow DOF, otherwise its in a drawer somewhere (don't like primes really).
Hope that helps somewhat and good luck.


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## Derrel (Oct 6, 2010)

I do not think the 28-105 spoken about in the posts above will autofocus on her D3000. The 24-85  AF-S f/3.3~4.5 on the other hand, has AFS focusing, and so it WILL autofocus on her D3000. That's an okay to good zoom lens, if you get a good copy of it, and it has the slightly wider 24mm bottom end. It's moderate in size too, uses 67mm filters.

I dunno...how much money do you have to spend on a portrait lens? Do you absolutely need AF?


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## IgsEMT (Oct 7, 2010)

derrel,
gd call on AF, I completely 4got abot this on lower end models. The 24-85 I was talking about is f/2-4.


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## Jeatley (Oct 7, 2010)

If you want to work harder but get some great shots just get a 50mm Prime 1.8 or the 85mm prime.  You will just have to work harder to get the right framing.


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## Derrel (Oct 7, 2010)

IgsEMT said:


> derrel,
> gd call on AF, I completely 4got abot this on lower end models. The 24-85 I was talking about is f/2-4.



Yeah, the 24-85 f/2.8~4 is a screw-drive lens, and a very,very good zoom. So, no AF on the Baby Nikons with that one.

The 24-85 AF-S is one I own currently...it's f/3.3~4.5 and was lower-cost than the older 24-85mm f/2.8~4 AF-D, which was about a $699 lens.

Ken Rockewll or Thom Hogan have web sites where the OP can get rundowns on many,many lenses for Nikon cameras.


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## MrLogic (Oct 7, 2010)

Jeatley said:


> If you want to work harder but get some great shots just get a 50mm Prime 1.8 or the 85mm prime. You will just have to work harder to get the right framing.



^ The 50mm f/1.8 will not autofocus on a D3000.

The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM and the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S are the only 50mm lenses that will autofocus on a D3000.


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## Jeatley (Oct 7, 2010)

I did not know if it would or not so thanks for the additional info!  It was just a though I had!


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