Assistance With New Lense Search Required

Grandma Canoe

New member
Assistance With New Lens(es) Search Required

After having practiced portrait photography for a while I have come to realize that there are specific results that I desire to achieve. This means a new lense! However after steeping myself in the multitude of lenses that could work for my nikon I have to admit that I'm at a bit of a loss. The sort of results I wish to achieve are like that of this link:

https://iso.500px.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/portraitist_cover.jpeg
I really want to have that almost circular distortion in the background.

I also adore the extreme clarity of this image and hope to achieve that too: https://www.instagram.com/p/BJUKMxaDizA/?taken-by=davis.hilton

So what sort of lenses do I need for that? I'd like straight forward answers please:). However is this something that can/is achieved post editing? Or can it be achived with my af-s nikkor 55-300mm lense?
Thank you!
 
Last edited:

Bikerbrent

Senior Member
Hello and welcome aboard.

First off, knowing which camera you are using would be a big help. I will assume it is a DX camera since your af-s nikkor 55-300mm lens is a DX lens.

Next, I really doubt that the circular distortion in your first example is a product of any known lens. It is far more likely a circular patterned background shot with a good portrait type lens with good bokeh (a pleasantly blurred background). I don't believe it would even be possible for any lens to create a circular blurred background with a sharp, undistorted foreground.

Finally your existing lens would be at best very difficult to achieve the kind of result you desire. First, because this lens is not an extremely sharp lens and second, because to achieve the type of bokeh in your examples, you generally need an f1.4-f2.8 lens and yours is only f4.5 to f.5.6.

Again, assuming your camera is a DX, I would suggest the Nikon AF 50mm f/1.8 which can be purchased new for less the $150 or even cheaper used as a low budget solution. Another option would be a good quality 85mm f1.8 lens, but for a Nikon lens it is almost $500. You can also purchase f/1.4 versions of these lenses, but at much higher costs and the f1.8 will serve you well.
 

singlerosa_RIP

Senior Member
I'm guessing those photos are not straight out of the camera (SOC). And, some lighting might have been used. I'm not a portrait photographer, but when I am, I shoot mainly with a 70-200 2.8 and sometimes with an 85 1.8, both on full frame bodies. I've shot some portraits on DX with my 50 1.4 and they've been OK, considering you have a 75mm field of view, which is a bit short for portraits, but great bokeh at 1.4.

Back to post. I'd bet that most of the awesome pics you see have gone through a fair amount of post processing. Be prepared to spend some money on software or subscriptions in addition to buying hardware. And then there's the time you spend learning how everything works. But hey, if it was easy, everybody could do it. :)
 

hrstrat57

Senior Member
Every single studio shooter I know has a FF body with a 85 F 1.4 as the primary weapon in the arsenal.

IMHO any other choice is compromise.

You can see from my quiver that I therefore compromise when shooting portraits....
 

hrstrat57

Senior Member
...need flash guns too lot of them. Lots of practice using them too!

This is the right place we have posters here that are true experts in artificial lighting !
@WayneF has taught me the bulk of what I know...
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Re: Assistance With New Lens(es) Search Required

https://iso.500px.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/portraitist_cover.jpeg

I really want to have that almost circular distortion in the background.
Well I'm pretty certain what you are seeing in that particular shot is a manufactured background; either generated in Photoshop or a drop used in the studio. It's possible it's naturally occurring but I'll bet you you a Dr. Pepper it's not. Good bokeh is not only a function of a good lens using a wide aperture but also of the distance between the subject and the background. As a general rule, I find I get good results when then the background is 10 times the distance between myself and the subject. For instance, if the subject is 8 feet in front of me, I want the background to be at least 80 feet behind the subject. This can't be done in the typical studio however.

For further reading on bokeh in general you might want to see this thread: How Important is Bokeh, Anyway?

.....
I also adore the extreme clarity of this image and hope to achieve that too: https://www.instagram.com/p/BJUKMxaDizA/?taken-by=davis.hilton

So what sort of lenses do I need for that? I'd like straight forward answers please. However is this something that can/is achieved post editing? Or can it be achived with my af-s nikkor 55-300mm lense?
There are no "straight forward" answers for achieving shots like that and it's not simply a matter of attaching the right lens. Getting shots like that requires knowledge, skill and expertise behind the camera, in the studio and with post-processing. That being said, a large portion of what you are seeing in that shot was definitely accomplished with post-processing.
 
Last edited:
Top