p.3 #1 · Best versatile portrait lens for APS-C: Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 or RF 35mm f/1.8
gdanmitchell wrote:
As I wrote earlier, you can make portraits with any lens, even one that is not typically a portrait lens.
I'll go back to something I think I wrote earlier — why not get a good zoom lens that covers the range that you might want to use? T/here's nothing that says you must use a prime for portraits, and if you do varied types of portraits and/or you are not sure yet (still need more experience?) what focal lengths will be right... the zoom gives you flexibility and a chance to become more familiar with the effects of focal length on the photographs you intend to make.
Don't get too hung up on super large apertures either. Even with those lenses, most portraits (and even more so with the type you describe) are more likely to use a smaller aperture, perhaps in the f/4 range or so....Show more →
Since "distortion" was mentioned a few times, I was simply pointing out how it may not be a concern for portraits in my case, since I won't be standing close enough to the subject to cause it, even with a wider lens. It's good general advice, though, so I appreciate you noting that!
Maybe you missed my previous reply to your initial post, but I’ve explained why zooms aren't an option for me and that I'm fairly sure about the focal length I want for 'perspective' (which is 35-40mm on FF). It was really just the background blur that I was unsure about. My ideal portrait is one where the subject is clearly separated from the background, and I absolutely need blur for that, even if it's not as extreme as what you'd get with longer lenses. I simply don't want the background to be in focus for some of my shots. But since I'm space-constrained, I need a shorter lens with a larger aperture (as you mentioned in your initial post) to get as much blur as optically possible at that focal length. The 24mm 1.8 seems to be my only option.
Thank you for all the suggestions, I appreciate it!
