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Have a hard time picking out my next lens to get for portrait work


12 years 4 months ago #192209 by Kenya See
I'm shooting with a Nikon D7000 and have a 85mm and 18-200mm but would like to get a 105mm and 70-200mm, but I can only afford to get one at a time. The 105mm will be cheaper to pick up but doesn't of couse have the focal range that the 70-200mm has. Do you use a 105mm for portraits?

Why doesn't Nikon make a 70-200mm f/4 like Canon?
Photo Comments
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12 years 4 months ago - 12 years 4 months ago #192213 by Stealthy Ninja
Theses are serious questions, not judgments: :)
What makes you think a 105 will be better than a 85 for portrait work? Do you mean the 105 f/2D DC or the 105 macro?
How about the 135mm f/2D DC?
Which 85mm do you have?
Which 70-200 are you thinking of getting?

Answer:
I don't know, maybe they have one in the works. However a 70-200 f/4 isn't the best portrait lens. It's sharp, but you just don't have the DOF control you get with a 2.8 AND on a DX sensor it would have an even greater apparent DOF, so not great for portraits.
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www.aevansphoto.com
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12 years 4 months ago #192214 by john_m
I have seen some fantastic portraits taken with the 105mm. There are a few photographers on another site that I'm on that use that lens exclusively for portraits.
Nikon D200
Nikon 50mm f1.8D, Tokina 28-80 f2.8, Nikon 75-300, Sigma 18-200, Nikon SB-600, Nikon SB-25, Promaster triggers
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12 years 4 months ago #192222 by mattmoran
If you are shooting portraits with a crop sensor & an 85, I'm surprised you want to go longer and not shorter. I would think a 50/1.8 or 50/1.4 would be a logical step. A 105 is going to push you even farther away from your subject. But maybe thats what you want?
-Matt
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12 years 4 months ago #192261 by Stealthy Ninja

mattmoran wrote: If you are shooting portraits with a crop sensor & an 85, I'm surprised you want to go longer and not shorter. I would think a 50/1.8 or 50/1.4 would be a logical step. A 105 is going to push you even farther away from your subject. But maybe thats what you want?


Good point.
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www.aevansphoto.com
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12 years 4 months ago - 12 years 4 months ago #192290 by McBeth Photography
I totally get the idea about getting a 105mm portrait lens, most all of the Nikon 105's set the standard for IQ. I went through this too, what I did was purchased an old Nikkor-p 105mm f2.5 Ai'd and shot with it for a while .......AMAZING lens, and it would be perfect on a full-frame camera. But at 1.5 crop, I didn't like the limited use and eventually sold it to buy a 85mm f2 Ai. As much as I love the IQ from the 85mm, I'll probably sell it because my AF Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8D has exceeded my expectations! What I am trying to say in too many words is ..... if you can, get the big zoom first. The 70-200mm is an amazing lens, no question, but if you need to save yourself about a grand....take an 80-200mm f2.8 out for a spin, you'll like it as long as you don't need the VR and sell it later to buy the big glass (chances are you won't lose money on it).
It is what it is.
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12 years 4 months ago - 12 years 4 months ago #192291 by McBeth Photography
By the way, I owned a AF Nikkor 70-210mm f4 for a couple of years and liked it.....never loved it. I caused me to carry 2 tele zooms around because my old Zoom-nikkor 80-200mm f4.5 Ai'd had so much better IQ than the 70-210mm f4, I only used the AF 70-210mm when I just had to use autofocus. My bag actually got lighter by buying the AF Nikkor 80-200mm 2.8D. lol.
It is what it is.
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12 years 4 months ago #192327 by Jessica Photography
Isn't the 105mm you speak of a macro lens? I know you can use that as a portrait lens, but I would lean more towards the 70-200. There may be times you want that zoom.
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12 years 3 months ago #192486 by Photo Mojo
Another vote for the 70-200mm :thumbsup:
Photo Comments
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12 years 3 months ago #192550 by Shadowfixer1
The 85 should be your portrait lens. Go with the 70-200 unless you love macro, then the 105 is a good choice. You need to decide what you want to do before picking the lens.
www.betterphoto.com/?ramshots
Photo Comments
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12 years 3 months ago #192554 by Stealthy Ninja

Jessica Photography wrote: Isn't the 105mm you speak of a macro lens?


Not necessarily. Nikon do make a 105mm 2.8 micro, but they also make a 105 (and 135) f/2 DC lens (DC = defocus control). These lenses are quite interesting as portrait lenses but take some getting use to.
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www.aevansphoto.com
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