PORTRAIT LENSES

Think portraiture, and you’re probably thinking an 85mm prime lens would be a good chouce. And you’d be absolutely right. Mounted on a full-frame body, the 85mm focal length gives a flattering perspective and enables a comfortable working distance, so you’re not crowding your subject, but you’re still close enough to engage and give direction.

Even if you’re shooting with an APS-C format body, an 85mm lens works brilliantly for tight head shots and for head-and-shoulders portraiture; however, a shorter focal length is certainly preferable for Micro Four Thirds. Meanwhile, a ‘fast’ aperture rating enables a tight depth of field for blurring the background, literally focusing all the attention on the main subject.

There are some fabulous top-end lenses from around £1,500/$1,600, including the Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM, the Nikkor AF-S 85mm f/1.4G and the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 G Master, plus the sensational Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM at £2,799/$2,699. But let’s face it: most of us are not purely portrait photographers; we like to shoot all sorts of subjects.

Without a lottery