What is the best lens to use for portraits and headshots. This is an in-depth look at lens selection from the standpoint of the type of portrait photography you are doing and the environment that you are shooting in. I’ll also give you some great tips and I’ll share my favorite portrait lens.
Tokina AT-X 100mm f/2.8 PRO D Macro Lens at Amazon:
Nikon Mount:
Canon Mount:
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Comments
41 responses to “Best lens for portrait photography and headshots”
Hi Joe,I am your new subscriber
I really love your photography tutorials.Thank you very much for devoting so much time for putting up all these great informative videos.
I am a beginner in photography and i love taking outdoor portraits of my wife and kid.
I have Nikon d300 old crop sensor camera along with18-55mm kit lens.
I am thinking of buying a zoom lens for outdoor portraits for a little versitality and may be get a little background blur in my photos.
As frankly speaking I don't have a budget to buy 70-200 2.8 lens or an expensive primes.
I have found a good deal on nikon 55-300 vr but i am not sure if it will do the job for my needs.
Therefore i need your suggestion so that it will help me make my final decision.
I highly value your recommendation
Thank you very much
Thank you for the info 👍 just subscribed to you. I like your videos very helpful.
Visual compression from 105mm is the most appealing for me.
Super helpful and well explained. Thanks
😭👏🏻
Problem solving regarding the subject: you have camera and lights. If they’re not attractive? Turn off the lights 😂
Okay just kidding of course, this was a really helpful video thanks!
Maybe I'm late seeing this but…. thanks! Very helpful.
Awesome lesson! Thank you for putting it out like it is!
Excellent video! You should do another similar one now that you are using micro four-thirds cameras.
Joe, I met you this past Wednesday in Charlotte and I just have to say that I really enjoyed your class and the model walk. I've been struggling with getting sharp and clear images. After applying what I learned, the next day I had a shoot with a little boy turning 3. Not every image is where I want it, but I got a couple that are 💯 tact sharp! I'm going through images to see where I can improve like you suggested. Thank you so much for your videos and passion to teach! God bless! ~January
Thank you. This is exactly the sort of comparison I have wanted to see.
Just stumbled across your videos last week. Subscribed and have loved each one I have watched so far.
Kudos!
Nikon 105 2.8 cost 2 times of this tokina
another quality video and i learn a lot
I bought the Tokina a couple of years ago for macro work, great lens and for portraits.. wow!
Would be glad if you can reply.. I mainly shoot portraits of my family. I already have 85mm 1.8. But wanted to invest in the longer lens. Should I go with Canon 100mm F2(non-macro) or Tokina 100mm or canon 70-200 f4 ?
Fantastic video well set 100% I learned all this the hard way now I know better and you confirmed it thanks a lot much much success👍👍👍
Hey that's a lot of nice information , seen your video I was wondering if a macro lens will be ok for portraits, for example a 90 or 100 mm macro
1:09 Hurray! Common sense for a change. Most people have enough lenses to find one suitable for the portraits they want to take. The important point is that lenses don't make portraits. Or, more to the point, lenses are just one element and probably a less important one than things like lighting and capturing the right look. 6:09 is an absolute gold nugget. If you're taking pictures and going on about the background blur then the photograph is a failure.
what about a canon macro 60 mm 2.8 ? can Iuse for fashion portraits or even full body?
Can’t you get rid of distortion with ‘lens correction’ in Lightroom?
I love your videos. It's very helpful! I'm planning to build a small studio at home. I'm currently using Canon EF 50mm 1.8, EF-S 10-18mm 4.5-5.6, and EF 70-200mm F4. However, the space at my studio is very limited, so I don't know if the lens EF 50mm works, or can I use the EF-S 10-18mm? I know this lens can cause distortion.
I use the Tamron 90mm Macro for portraits on the Nikon D7500
Haha…Looking for best portrait lens, turns out I already have it. Love the Tokina. Still want the Samyang 85 f1.4 though.
I use a 50mm prime
Lens , how is this different from the Tokina ? I use a Nikon camera
Great job! Very helpful and informative. This will be a tremendous help to me.
Great video. Learned a lot. What about headshot angles?
you are awesome!
Thanks for that video.
Just after watching this video, I absolutely wanted to subscribe. I am fascinated by your style of explaining everything! You inspire me to be confident and to experiment. I'll keep watching your videos. Thanks for sharing and for transmitting such a positive attitude. 👍 ¡Adiós! 😉
Joe, when u mentioned that when u attend workshops u look over in the photographer's LCD SCREEN and notice that they're shoot something different from what the lens actually is.
I'm trying to figure out if I have been doing that but I can't find a setting in my Nikon D3400 that will allow me to choose which lens I'm shooting with (if that's what u mean).
I just got this lens and along with few macro shots, I also used it for a portrait shoot recently for both face and full body shots and loved every bit of it. I am already in love with this lens. Oh yeah, subscribed too 🙂
Do you think the tokina will be a noticeable improvement over a canon 18-135 for portaits (at 135 mm) f 3.5-5.6 IS STM for portraits?
Hi there, what's you opining on a 105mm for portraits?, great video
Great video
I like the distortion that the 50mm makes more than a telephoto.. The 180 makes the face look flat like its been punched..
Also a wide lens makes the image look more deep and gives some dimension, rather than the flat compressed image from a tele lens. My portraits are 50mm most of the time
love you , love your video
photography is so expensive to get into but im going for it. Getting my Nikon D5600 soon with a couple of lenses and hope that my work will grow
Hi Joe-Thank you for your Bullet point video.I was almost decided on 85 1.8 G.What more the Tokina get me at 100 MM.Im seriously considering Head shot photography and Event photography assignments.There is Then the 100 F2 DC Nikkor with a high price tag.Appreciate much
Thanks for sharing, question: D3400 crop sensor, should i go for a 50mm f1.8 FX much cheaper (€150), or do I need the 85mm f1.8 FX lens (€400,-) I want to do headshots but also full body
Great video! Very well explained! Thanks!
nice