# best portrait lenses Nikon



## MegaColor (Mar 1, 2010)

whats is the best portrait lenses for Nikon? Also whats is the best landscape lenses? Thanks!!!


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## IgsEMT (Mar 1, 2010)

*best* is subjective. 
For portraits, I like mine 28-105 (image from Ken Rockwell)
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Not big on landscapes but was pretty contempt with 17-35


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## robertwsimpson (Mar 1, 2010)

lol @ contempt



If you're using a camera with a crop sensor (I'm guessing you are since you are asking), I'd get a 50mm f/1.4 for portraits.

I just got a 17-50mm lens, and I'm quite happy with how wide it is for landscapes, but you might want something wider.


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## IgsEMT (Mar 1, 2010)

> lol @ contempt


I burrowed it from a body so used it for a while  yes, contempt


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## SrBiscuit (Mar 1, 2010)

not content?


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## robertwsimpson (Mar 1, 2010)

no, contempt.


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## SrBiscuit (Mar 1, 2010)

well considering the lens was burrowed, perhaps the contempt came from having to dig it back out. *shrug*


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## robertwsimpson (Mar 1, 2010)

I wonder how deep it burrowed before he was so full of contempt that he dug it out.


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## MegaColor (Mar 1, 2010)

Please don't high jack this thread.


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## robertwsimpson (Mar 1, 2010)

It's a pretty good thread to hijack.  I mean, there are a billion threads regarding this very subject that you could have found, had you invested 30 seconds in doing research.  And that's just on this site.  There are a plethora of other sites that would offer great information on the subject.  

The most interesting thing in this thread is the misuse of the English language by IgsEMT and yourself.  By "high jacking" this thread, we're probably doing people a favor.


Even so, you've got 2 good suggestions on what lens to try.  If you aren't ready to buy something, rent a lens and try it out for a week.


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## Derrel (Mar 1, 2010)

Nikon 's best portrait lenses have excellent bokeh, and the appropriate lengths to prevent excessive distortion of facial and body features, meaning--no wide-angles make the grade,and no classic normal lenses make the grade either. Nikon's commonly accepted "best portrait lenses" are typically considered to be the 85mm 1.4 AF-D, the 105mm f/2 AF-D Defocus Control, the 135 f/2 AF-D Defocus control, the 70-200 f/2.8 VR (the original version,since the new one has yet to truly earn its rep), and the 200mm f/2 AF-S VR-G. Those five are probably Nikon's best portraiture lenses. Those are the best, then there are "the rest". 

Some of "the rest" are older lenses like the old 85mm 1.8 H-series, which is long out of production, but will work unmodified (it is a pre-AI lens from the 1960's) on a baby Nikon like a D40, D60,D3000, or D5000. The old 70-150mm f/3.5 Series E is actually a pretty decent lens for portraiture, with a very useful focal length range and an affordable price.


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## MegaColor (Mar 1, 2010)

robertwsimpson said:


> It's a pretty good thread to hijack. I mean, there are a billion threads regarding this very subject that you could have found, had you invested 30 seconds in doing research. And that's just on this site. There are a plethora of other sites that would offer great information on the subject.
> 
> The most interesting thing in this thread is the misuse of the English language by IgsEMT and yourself. By "high jacking" this thread, we're probably doing people a favor.
> 
> ...


 

Thanks man but you don't have to be such an ass all the time.


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## Sw1tchFX (Mar 1, 2010)

14-24, because it's just big enough to really annoy your subject when you do a headshot.


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## JimmyO (Mar 1, 2010)

I suggest the Nikon AF-X 10-400mm f/.95


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## MegaColor (Mar 1, 2010)

what do u guys think about the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM for Nikon?


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## Jeremy Z (Mar 1, 2010)

I had a Tokina 90mm f/2.5 ATX Macro (manual focus) for my Nikon FM2n. It was AWESOME. No Nikon Tax either. 

Naturally, you end up with a portrait lens and a macro lens.

Only thing is that, as mentioned above, if you have a typical Nikon SLR now, it would be more of a short telephoto than a portrait lens.

I have an old 50mm f/2 for my Pentax DSLR and it is a great portrait lens, and only cost $60 off ebay.


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## Village Idiot (Mar 2, 2010)

I've used a 15mm f/2.8 fish eye for portraiture. It doesn't pay to worry about being normal...


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## IgsEMT (Mar 2, 2010)

> I've used a 15mm f/2.8 fish eye for portraiture. It doesn't pay to  worry about being normal...


I took few with 10-17 Tokina Fisheye, it was a *very* different look and people loved it.


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## Mike_E (Mar 2, 2010)

An AI/AI-S 105mm f2.5  works pretty well if you want inexpensive.


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## lamar328 (Mar 4, 2010)

hey, can you post a link to see the fisheye portraits you took? Love to see em.

I haven't gotten the lens yet, but I'm ordering a Sigma 50mm f/1.4 pretty much just for portrait and street use. I shoot with a Nikon DSLR and I was going to get the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G, but the Sigma's a bit sharper and the bokeh looks nicer.

If you check up on Amazon you can find some sweet lenses for reasonable prices!


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## SNAPaPHOTO (Mar 4, 2010)

I use routinely the Nikon 24-85mm 2.8 or the 50mm 1.8 lens


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## JustAnEngineer (Mar 4, 2010)

For a camera with an APS-C (DX) size sensor, it's possible that the Tamron Di-II 17-50mm f/2.8 VC, the Nikon AF-S DX 17-55mm f/2.8G, the Tamron Di-II 17-50mm f/2.8 or the Sigma DC 18-50mm f/2.8 HSM could work for both landscapes and portraits.


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## mdtusz (Mar 4, 2010)

I would go for a faster and longer lens like that. As stated above, the 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 works great for portraits on a crop sensor (IMHO because I don't like being far away from people when I shoot headshots and rarely do full body) but wider and longer will work too. Just decide what kind of portraits you will be doing and where you will be shooting them most of the time.

Edit: I also think that the 1.4 isn't nessescary if you go the 50mm route. 1.8 is plenty wide and still provides beautiful bokeh for 1/3 the price (about)


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## Village Idiot (Mar 5, 2010)

lamar328 said:


> hey, can you post a link to see the fisheye portraits you took? Love to see em.
> 
> I haven't gotten the lens yet, but I'm ordering a Sigma 50mm f/1.4 pretty much just for portrait and street use. I shoot with a Nikon DSLR and I was going to get the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G, but the Sigma's a bit sharper and the bokeh looks nicer.
> 
> If you check up on Amazon you can find some sweet lenses for reasonable prices!


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