Which prime lens is best for portrait photography on Nikon DSLRs?

Question

so Ive been looking at upgrading my kit for a while now because my sister asked me to do her graduation photos next month in the local park and I really want them to look professional you know? Im shooting on an older Nikon D750 which I still love to death but Ive just been using the kit lens and some old zooms forever and they just arent giving me that blurry background look. I did a ton of reading online and basically everyone says the 85mm f/1.8G is the gold standard for portraits because of the compression and bokeh but then I saw some people arguing that the 50mm is way more versatile if we end up doing some shots indoors at the party later on.

My logic was that the 85mm would give me that really creamy background blur Im after but Im worried about being too far away from her to give directions if there are a lot of people around in the park that day. Plus I keep seeing these reviews for the 105mm macro lens saying its actually better for skin tones and sharper than the dedicated portrait lenses? That just made me more confused honestly because I always thought macro was just for bugs and flowers.

I have a budget of maybe $600 max and Im looking at used gear on some of those refurbished sites to save some cash. Is the 85mm really that much better than the 50mm for just basic head and shoulders shots? I dont want her face to look weirdly wide which I heard can happen with wider lenses but then some people say 50mm is natural to the human eye so it should be fine right? Im also worried about the autofocus speed on the older G series lenses versus something newer like a Sigma Art but those seem way out of my price range and heavy as hell to carry around all day. I just want something that makes the subject pop without me having to stand 30 feet away... what do you guys actually use in the field for this kind of thing?

ThunderPhoenix42 · Accepted Answer

> I saw some people arguing that the 50mm is way more versatile if we end up doing some shots indoors at the party later on. I was in your exact shoes when I started doing senior portraits. I ended up playing it safe and getting a used Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G and it really is the sweet spot. I remember being terrified that I'd be shouting directions from across a field, but for a head-and-shoulders shot, you're really only standing maybe 7 or 8 feet away. It's close enough to talk normally but far enough that the background just melts. I also experimented with the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G VR Micro because of the sharpness rumors, but found it a bit heavy for a long day. Plus, it's so sharp that it captures every single pore, which most people dont actually want in a portrait. Stick with native Nikon glass... the reliability on the D750 is worth the peace of mind. It wont kill your budget either.

KodxCrypt0lot · Answer

I actually started out trying to save money with third-party lenses on my D750, but unfortunately, I had major autofocus calibration issues. It was so disappointing to get home and realize half the shots were blurry. The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G is okay, but honestly, it was not as good as expected for tight headshots. You get too much perspective distortion if you get close, which makes faces look wide. For a reliable setup that just works, stick to the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G. I bought mine used and it has been bulletproof. You have to stand back a bit, but it is not 30 feet, more like 8 to 10 feet. The autofocus is plenty fast and it is way lighter than those heavy Sigma Art lenses.

Carolina Blue · Answer

Hey there! Love the D750, it is seriously such a fantastic sensor even today! Quick question before diving too deep into the specs, are you planning on doing mostly tight headshots of your sister, or do you want to get more full-body shots showing off the graduation gown and the park environment? That details really matters because the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G is absolutely amazing for head and shoulders shots. It keeps facial features looking completely natural, unlike a 50mm which can kinda distort things if you get too close. You wont need to stand 30 feet away either, more like 10 feet! And honestly, the autofocus on the G series is plenty fast for portraits. If you want a cheaper alternative that still kills it, check out the Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD used, it has image stabilization which is awesome...