Hey Everyone. Looking to buy lens for portrait photography!

[DSP121]

Hi, I am a total newbie. if you guys could help to get perfect one would be really good.
Thanks in Advance!

[Rachael Alice]

Details of budget and what is your preference as well as interest is necessary to be known.

[blackadder]

Rachael is right, to advise you we need to know, what format camera you have, I.e.. 4/3. APSC. FF. This affects the focal length you need.
The lens will need to be f 1.4 or 1.2 and these are expensive.
There is no such thing as a perfect lens, I guess Zeiss are the best and they start at £1800 aprox , for a 85mm 1.4.
Sigma make some good ones in their "Art" range.
So if you tell us what camera you have, we can help.

[Gidders]

Originally Posted by blackadder

The lens will need to be f 1.4 or 1.2 and these are expensive.

I disagree - when I'm working in a studio, most of my work is done at f8

A kit lens can be more than good enough when stopped down to this level. The classic portrait lens is around 85mm - full frame which equates to 50/56mm on APSC or 42.5mm on M4/3

[postcardcv]

What camera are you shooting? What sort of portraits are you wanting to do? What is your budget?

[DSP121]

Currently, I am working with D3400.
And the budget is not an issue.

[cuilin]

i would suggest the nikkor 6mm f/2.8 fisheye.

but if you want any serious suggestions you should provide a budget and a few more details of what you want.

or you could read up on how to use mtf charts and figure out what lens is best for your specific needs. here's a link to help get you started: https://photographylife.com/how-to-read-mtf-charts

[sassan]

[quote=cuilin;59989]i would suggest the nikkor 6mm f/2.8 fisheye.
[quote]


Hah hah Beth. Nice answer and nice that you pointed out to my dream lens! Yes I did see this lens in many of my dreams, even when I was a young boy! Interesting enough, there are people (Believers of Conspiracy theory) that say this lens was never made and its all made pictures! Then the recorded history, as I have gathered, shows only 3 copies of this 6mm F/2.8 Nikkor (The marvel of all lenses) were ever reached to USA land. The only one in public display was in Chicago camera shop window that during night, a car ran into the window and run away with the lens!!! I do not have a single photographer friend (And I have a lot friends!) that has ever seen this lens, in any situation, in person!
Once I saw a copy being sold in Germany and another time in USA, on ebay. The price was $35,000 (Ouch) but I guess this is a valid investment much better than 401K or stock market (Even bitcoin).

Anyhow and in order not to steal this thread & to answer Rachael, I must join Gidders and say: "There is a good reason that Kit lens is included in the box". Also as others said, unless you specify the exact need, style of photography and budget, its not possible to narrow down answer to your question.

Lastly, Nikon was one step ahead of others when creating F bayonet mount lenses when the standard of time was 42mm screw mount. The good thing is almost all the old Nikon lenses work on current bodies (In full manual mode or AV), if you can focus manually, so you have really plenty of choices.

Give more detail as to what is that you want to shoot and you get more precise answer. Meanwhile enjoy the kit lens and try to explore it maximally to extract what is that you miss there, which is the key as to what you need next.

[dordeduca]

The combination that i like verry much is:
Nikon d610 with 2 acc
14mm samyang +85mm
2 trigar from youngnuo and a external flash