# Best Nikon Lens for Family Portraits?



## mrshaleyberg

I use a Nikkor 50mm 1:1.4G for my portraits, but I'm wanting to find a lens that works well if I were to do some family portraits. Would the 35mm work good, or would something else work better? Please let me know!

    Thanks, Haley


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## tirediron

On what camera?  The holy grail of Nikon portrait lenses are the 85mm 1.4 and 105 DFC, but those are both $1000+ pieces of glass.  Assuming you're using an APSC sensor camera, then the 50mm 1.4 is excellent.  If you've got oodles of money you could always hunt around for a 50mm 1.2....


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## djacobox372

For large groups shots a 24mm may be a better choice assuming you're using a crop sensor camera.


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## mrshaleyberg

Well, I'm working with a Nikon D60 right now, but in a few months I'm going to sell that for a Nikon D300. I just don't want to get too many lenses for this camera if I'm going to be selling it..Since the lenses won't work with the D300.


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## KmH

mrshaleyberg said:


> Well, I'm working with a Nikon D60 right now, but in a few months I'm going to sell that for a Nikon D300. I just don't want to get too many lenses for this camera if I'm going to be selling it..Since the lenses won't work with the D300.


You are misinformed. The lenses that will work on a D60, will also work on a D300.


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## Looking Glass Photo

I wouldn't use too wide of a lens. If you're placing the subjects in layers, then a wide lens would make the people in the back row look smaller than those in the front. A longer lens would "flatten" the image and make everyone look as though they were on the same plane.
I think I'd go with a 50mm f1.4 or a 60mm f2.8. The 85mm f1.8 is the best overall portrait lens, although not the best group-shot lens.


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## D-B-J

KmH said:


> mrshaleyberg said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well, I'm working with a Nikon D60 right now, but in a few months I'm going to sell that for a Nikon D300. I just don't want to get too many lenses for this camera if I'm going to be selling it..Since the lenses won't work with the D300.
> 
> 
> 
> You are misinformed. The lenses the will work on a D60, will also work on a D300.
Click to expand...

 
Yes, very misinformed.  Any nikon lens you wanna buy will work on both the d60, and the d300.  The only difference is that some lenses will not autofocus on the d60 (im pretty sure there is no built in autofocus motor).  

Some lenses may not work on a FX camera, or full frame, because the lenses built for the d60 and d300 are called dx, which is a 1.5x crop of the traditional full frame (35mm size).


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## mrpink

I like my Nikkor 17-55 2.8.  It rarely comes off my D90 and I take a lot of family portraits.



p!nK


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## mrshaleyberg

Oh wow! I was under the impression that since the Nikon D60 didn't have the built in motor in the camera, that meant you couldn't use it with the D90's and above, that had the motor already built in! Wow..Now I feel retarded!! This is some super good news!!!!


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## KmH

D-B-J said:


> KmH said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> mrshaleyberg said:
> 
> 
> 
> Well, I'm working with a Nikon D60 right now, but in a few months I'm going to sell that for a Nikon D300. I just don't want to get too many lenses for this camera if I'm going to be selling it..Since the lenses won't work with the D300.
> 
> 
> 
> You are misinformed. The lenses the will work on a D60, will also work on a D300.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Yes, very misinformed. Any nikon lens you wanna buy will work on both the d60, and the d300. The only difference is that some lenses will not autofocus on the d60 (im pretty sure there is no built in autofocus motor).
> 
> Some lenses may not work on a FX camera, or full frame, because the lenses built for the d60 and d300 are called dx, which is a 1.5x crop of the traditional full frame (35mm size).
Click to expand...

DX lenses will work on an FX sensor, they just won't project an image circle big enough to illuminate the entire sensor.

The FX cameras D700/D3s/D3x detect a DX lens and have a DX mode that reduces the Image sensor pixels used to accomodate the DX lens.


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## ghpham

It depends on the number of people in the portrait and the available working space you have.  The longer the focal length, the more space you will need.


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## Trever1t

the 70-200f2.8 is a fantastic piece of glass that eventually you will purchase so start saving.


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## Vtec44

There's also the 35-70mm f2.8D.


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## EPPhoto

Trever1t said:
			
		

> the 70-200f2.8 is a fantastic piece of glass that eventually you will purchase so start saving.



I wouldn't leave home without it! 

The 50 1.4 and the 85 1.4 get my votes also!


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## Vtec44

Trever1t said:


> the 70-200f2.8 is a fantastic piece of glass that eventually you will purchase so start saving.



+1 that thing is sharp!


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## DiskoJoe

mrpink said:


> I like my Nikkor 17-55 2.8.  It rarely comes off my D90 and I take a lot of family portraits.
> 
> 
> 
> p!nK



Get this.


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## hoyinsiu

24-70mm f/2.8 is a very nice lens. I use it all the time


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