"Best" Portrait Lens...

[Graham_of_Rainham]

I love that an Olympus 45mm f/1.8 gets 4.5 stars and a Leica 42.5 f/1.2 gets 5 stars.

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/top-42-best-portrait-lenses-money-can-buy-2018-29223

[Loup Garou]

Re: "Best" Portrait Lens...

From purely an optical point of view, Olympus 45mm f1.8 and 75mm f1.8 are almost equally good. The difference would be if one wants "face only" portraits in which case the 75mm flatters the features rather better. I owned both for a few years but sold the 45mm f1.8 on because I felt that the build quality was a bit too lightweight for a portrait lens. Most of my 'people' pictures are of family and relatives and despite my tendency to protect my kit at gunpoint, I was worried about damage during hurried situations. Home dynamics are a bit like that, I'm afraid.

I replaced the 45mm f1.8 with the PanLeica Nocticron rather than the Olympus 45mm f1.2. After playing with both, I liked the Nocticron better because I felt that at full aperture its portrait images were marginally sharper.

PS: Incidentally, what is this thread doing under the 'zoom' heading? Should it not be under the Telephoto section?

[Ian]

Re: "Best" Portrait Lens...

From purely an optical point of view, Olympus 45mm f1.8 and 75mm f1.8 are almost equally good. The difference would be if one wants "face only" portraits in which case the 75mm flatters the features rather better. I owned both for a few years but sold the 45mm f1.8 on because I felt that the build quality was a bit too lightweight for a portrait lens. Most of my 'people' pictures are of family and relatives and despite my tendency to protect my kit at gunpoint, I was worried about damage during hurried situations. Home dynamics are a bit like that, I'm afraid.

I replaced the 45mm f1.8 with the PanLeica Nocticron rather than the Olympus 45mm f1.2. After playing with both, I liked the Nocticron better because I felt that at full aperture its portrait images were marginally sharper.

PS: Incidentally, what is this thread doing under the 'zoom' heading? Should it not be under the Telephoto section?

With the 75 you can stand further back and still get great bokeh

Ian

[Loup Garou]

Re: "Best" Portrait Lens...

With the 75 you can stand further back and still get great bokeh

Ian

Yes, agreed. This is probably because of its 9 aperture diaphragm blades as opposed to 7 in the Olympus 45 mm f1.8. I also found that the bokeh with the 75 mm f1.8 at 3.34 metres is better than at an equivalent subject distance 2 metres with the 45 mm f1.8.

[pdk42]

Re: "Best" Portrait Lens...

Yes, agreed. This is probably because of its 9 aperture diaphragm blades as opposed to 7 in the Olympus 45 mm f1.8. I also found that the bokeh with the 75 mm f1.8 at 3.34 metres is better than at an equivalent subject distance 2 metres with the 45 mm f1.8.

The number of blades is irrelevant if you shoot wide-open

[pdk42]

Re: "Best" Portrait Lens...

The Sigma 30/1.4 is a great option too. It's got slightly more blur potential than the 25/1.2. Not expensive either.

[Loup Garou]

Re: "Best" Portrait Lens...

The Sigma 30/1.4 is a great option too. It's got slightly more blur potential than the 25/1.2. Not expensive either.

The Sigma 30 mm f1.4 is a superb lens and one of the best value buys around. Though plastic, it has a high quality feel and optical performance is superb. Ideal lens for full length or dual (couple) portraits; at that focal length, it is a very useful "general purpose" lens too.

[blu-by-u]

Re: "Best" Portrait Lens...

While we are at the best portrait lens, what about that MF Voigtlander 25mm f0.95? Is it worth it to have?

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: "Best" Portrait Lens...

While we are at the best portrait lens, what about that MF Voigtlander 25mm f0.95? Is it worth it to have?

[Loup Garou]

Re: "Best" Portrait Lens...

While we are at the best portrait lens, what about that MF Voigtlander 25mm f0.95? Is it worth it to have?

[Tordan58]

Re: "Best" Portrait Lens...

I'd like to nominate the the 50mm F/2.