Help me buy a... Portrait lens
What to look for in a portrait lens
Get in-depth with the Canon
EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USMhttp://www.digitalcameraworld.com MARCH 2020 DIGITAL CAMERA^133
Fast aperture
This Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM is unusual
in combining a fast f/1.4 aperture rating with
an optical image stabiliser. The latter is well
worth having, considering that Canon DSLRs
don’t have in-body stabilisation.Focal length
85mm is ideal for many styles of full-frame
portraiture, but shorter focal lengths work
better in some situations. These include
full-length and environmental portraits,
as well as group shots. Don’t forget to
factor in the focal length multiplier if
you’re using a crop-sensor camera.Autofocus system
When you use a telephoto lens with a very wide
aperture, focusing accuracy is critical due to the
tight depth of field. If you’re using an DSLR rather
than a mirrorless camera, sensor-based (Live View)
autofocus typically gives a better hit rate than the
phase-detection of viewfinder-based shooting.Zoom range
70-200mm lenses have
a very useful zoom range for
portraiture. Some, like this
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG
OS HSM Sports, deliver
image quality that matches
or even exceeds that
of many prime lenses.Constant aperture
Although the f/2.8 aperture
rating is two full f/stops slower
than in an f/1.4 prime lens, the
constant-aperture design stops it
dropping off even more towards
the long end of the zoom range.
At longer settings, the depth of
field can be impressively tight.Optical stabiliser
Some prime lenses, like this
Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC
USD, have a more modest
aperture rating but add an
optical stabiliser. It can be
useful trade-off, especially
when you’re shooting under
dull ambient lighting.Weather-seals
Outdoor portraiture in the
rain might seem improbable
but wedding and event
photographers would disagree.
If you need to shoot in all
conditions, a lens that features
weather seals gives you one
less thing to worry about.