Finding the right camera lens for portraits – 6 lens picks

Selecting a suitable lens for taking portraits by a digital photographer can be very tricky.  A Lens is a very important component of the camera as it can make or break your photos.  There are lots of camera lenses on the market and many of them cannot be used specifically as portrait lenses. 

In order to ensure that your money doesn’t go down the drain, it is highly important to consider certain criteria before purchasing a lens. You need to take your time and choose carefully the lens that would help you produce the best type of photography.

In this post, we are going to look at the checklist of points to look for when choosing a lens for your camera. They are:

Determine Your Budget

First things first, you should ascertain your budget towards purchasing a lens.  This is because your budget will determine the type of lens that you can afford.  One does not have to spend a huge amount before he/she will get a sound lens but you should have it at the back of your mind that high-quality lens churns out better quality images and have a higher life expectancy.  You should not skimp, rather you should ensure that you secure a top-notch lens that would give you what you really need in portrait photography. With a budget in mind, you will be able to acquire a lens that would match your photography goals.

Focal Length

You should consider the size of your camera’s sensor before buying a lens.  The size of your camera’s sensor will allow you to purchase the lens that will fit perfectly into your camera. For example, a 50mm camera sensor will give you the rough measure of focal length around 75mm.

Focal lengths from 35mm to 220mm are suitable for portrait photography depending on the preference of the photographer, the space of the environment and the subjects and the style of photography.

Type of Lens

Another point to bear in mind is whether you need a zoom or prime lens. The lens that you would need hinges largely on the type of photography that you are into. An event photographer would require a different type of lens to that of a landscape photographer.

Again, the type of lens that you will buy also boils down to the quality of an image that you want to make. A prime lens is perfectly good for portrait photography as it offers better image quality than the zoom lens. It also has a mouth-watering feature which is a wider aperture (ranging from f/1.41 and f/1.8) for photographers. This makes taking pictures in dimly lighted environments with ease without using flash.  The prime lens makes it easy for you to take lots of pictures without switching the gear. This lens is quite budget-friendly.

Another feature to consider in a lens before acquiring it for portrait photography is the angle of the lens. A wide-angle lens is nice for landscape photography.

A telephoto lens is used mainly to produce portrait photographs that are professional looking. This is because this type of lens has the ability to separate the subject from the background making it much more conspicuous. They are heavy and expensive but are really worth splurging your money on as it would give you a distinct and clear image.

Buying a lens for your portrait photography would be very easy with these tips. You will not only get to avoid throwing away your money on a poor lens but you will get to snap portrait photographs like a professional.

We have selected a range of lenses to suit all budgets, these are aimed at photographers requiring a sharper lens for portrait photography.