I've always wanted to take a shot at portraiture. After getting tired of making do with my kit lenses, I have pondered of buying my first portrait lens.
There are two types of portrait lenses that I'm choosing from: a 50mm and an 85 mm. Both lenses comes with f1.4 and f1.8. My first experience with a portrait lens is with a 50mm and I liked how creamy and bright the background even at night when you only have light fixtures in the room as source for ambient lighting. But an 85mm gives me more zoom and nice DOF while keeping some comfortable space between the camera and the subject.
As for the price, 85mm proves to be much more expensive than the 50mm but if I wanted wider angles, I can easily pick up a 50mm and maximize the aperture for poorly lit subjects.
The list of pros and cons goes on and on until I found a winner. Thanks to this
flicker site of sweethobbes. Most of his photographs are taken using 50mm f1.4. He is using a Canon though which can have some technical difference with my Nikon but I believe the concept is all the same.
Also, Ken Rockwell approves of this. Even if there is no stark difference between its brother 50mm f1.8, I would rather get lenses that can do low-lit photography and daylight at the same time even it is worth 3 times the price of f1.8 (50mm f1.4 AF costs SGD 450++ btw).
Time to tighten the belt and save up for this baby.
i have and use both 50mm 1.8 and 85mm 1.8.. both are very good. the 50mm is very cheap while i got the 85 from a friend, so good price na din.
