A Photography forum. PhotoBanter.com

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » PhotoBanter.com forum » Photo Techniques » Photographing People
Site Map Home Register Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

bokeh in portraits - best lens in nikon range



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old November 1st 03, 02:09 PM
Jan Werbiński
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default bokeh in portraits - best lens in nikon range

What to buy for spectacular portraits for Nikon? I have F100 and Fuji S2 (
x1,4).
Lens should work with full frame body (F100 and some digital SLR). Small
sensor of Fuji camera will not be an issue next year when I'll sell it. Lens
will be used many years

What about Nikkors:
105 DC
135 DC
105 2,5
What's the best and what are you ranking?

--
Jan Werbiński O0oo....._[:]) bul, bul, bul
Strona domowa http://www.janwer.com/
Nasza sieć http://www.fredry.net/


  #2  
Old November 2nd 03, 08:51 AM
zeitgeist
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default bokeh in portraits - best lens in nikon range


those lenses are double the 'normal' focal length, a good rule of thumb for
portrait work, (actually 42mm is the true normal lens as typically defined
by the diagonal of the film frame, as early 35mm cameras featured, it was
moved to 50mm cause it was easier to design a lens far enough forward of the
mirror, which is why the 85mm is what I consider the optimum portrait lens.)

since most digi cams have a smaller chip size, you might want to consider a
55mm lens.

What to buy for spectacular portraits for Nikon? I have F100 and Fuji S2 (
x1,4).
Lens should work with full frame body (F100 and some digital SLR). Small
sensor of Fuji camera will not be an issue next year when I'll sell it.

Lens
will be used many years

What about Nikkors:
105 DC
135 DC
105 2,5
What's the best and what are you ranking?

--
Jan Werbiński O0oo....._[:]) bul, bul, bul
Strona domowa http://www.janwer.com/
Nasza sieć http://www.fredry.net/




  #3  
Old November 5th 03, 02:45 AM
zeitgeist
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default bokeh in portraits - best lens in nikon range



those lenses are double the 'normal' focal length, a good rule of thumb

for
portrait work, (actually 42mm is the true normal lens as typically

defined
by the diagonal of the film frame, as early 35mm cameras featured, it was
moved to 50mm cause it was easier to design a lens far enough forward of

the
mirror,


Early 35mm cameras didn't even have reflex viewing, let alone a mirror
box.

The 50mm lens was in common use at the time as the "standard" lens for
the standard 35mm motion picture format, 18x24mm. This format was
doubled to 24x36mm in the Leica. Movie makers seemed to like the
flatter perspective of the slightly narrower angle of view

See http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-...?msg_id=005KKi


that is probably true, I was just thinking of some of the Leicas and zeiss
cameras that tend to feature a 42mm as normal vs the slr that is typically
50mm


  #4  
Old November 10th 03, 05:42 AM
Paolo Pizzi
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default bokeh in portraits - best lens in nikon range

Jan Werbiński wrote:

What to buy for spectacular portraits for Nikon? I have F100 and Fuji
S2 ( x1,4).
Lens should work with full frame body (F100 and some digital SLR).
Small sensor of Fuji camera will not be an issue next year when I'll
sell it. Lens will be used many years

What about Nikkors:
105 DC
135 DC
105 2,5
What's the best and what are you ranking?


The Nikkor 85mm is much better suited for
portraits (actually it was designed exactly for
that purpose...) Two versions are available,
f/1.4 and f/1.8. The former is about $1,500
retail, while the latter is less than half of that
and, unless you are a true professional, that's
what I'd recommend:

Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 AF-D.


  #5  
Old November 15th 03, 12:22 AM
Tim Smith
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default bokeh in portraits - best lens in nikon range

"zeitgeist" wrote:

those lenses are double the 'normal' focal length, a good rule of thumb for
portrait work, (actually 42mm is the true normal lens as typically defined
by the diagonal of the film frame, as early 35mm cameras featured, it was
moved to 50mm cause it was easier to design a lens far enough forward of the
mirror, which is why the 85mm is what I consider the optimum portrait lens.)


Actually, early 35mm rangefinder cameras (first Leica, and then later
Nikon), where a mirror is not an issue, established 50mm as the normal
lens for a full-frame 35mm camera. Contax still has a 42mm as normal
for rangefinder, I believe.

85-90mm has long been the standard focal length for a portrait lens.
Some photographers favor lenses that have a slightly "softer" (less
contrasty) look, and others go for good "bokeh" (a pleasing quality to
the out-of-focus parts on the image). Having both would be ideal, I
suppose. The Canon 85mm f/1.8 (pre auto-focus) had both, IMO. Leitz
Elmars in 90mm are great too, for a rangefinder lens. Which lens
(among contemporary auto-focus lenses for SLRs) is a debate that could
go on forever, but you are right that 85mm is probably the ideal focal
length--for full-frame 35mm cameras.

  #6  
Old February 4th 04, 08:20 PM
KBob
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default bokeh in portraits - best lens in nikon range

On Sat, 1 Nov 2003 14:09:31 +0100, Jan Werbiński
wrote:

What to buy for spectacular portraits for Nikon? I have F100 and Fuji S2 (
x1,4).
Lens should work with full frame body (F100 and some digital SLR). Small
sensor of Fuji camera will not be an issue next year when I'll sell it. Lens
will be used many years

What about Nikkors:
105 DC
135 DC
105 2,5
What's the best and what are you ranking?


Nikon's 85mm f/2.8 PC-Nikkor is famous for it's excellent bokeh in
portraiture use. Its specially bladed diaphragm permits stopping down
to f/45, but this feature may have relatively little value.
Unfortunately it does not fit up to the Kodak 14n because of clearance
restrictions.

The special Nikon 105 and 135 DC lenses have adjustable settings that
control spherical aberration, and also have specially rounded
diaphragm openings. But this is also true of the diaphragm for the
85mm f/1.4 as well as the PC type noted above.

I have not examined closely the bokeh from the 60, 105 and 200 macros,
but my understanding is that all of these have also found use in
portraiture, and are good for lots more things as well.
  #7  
Old February 4th 04, 08:26 PM
KBob
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default bokeh in portraits - best lens in nikon range

On Wed, 05 Nov 2003 08:57:11 GMT, wrote:

On Wed, 05 Nov 2003 01:45:03 GMT, "zeitgeist"
wrote:

Early 35mm cameras didn't even have reflex viewing, let alone a mirror
box.

The 50mm lens was in common use at the time as the "standard" lens for
the standard 35mm motion picture format, 18x24mm. This format was
doubled to 24x36mm in the Leica. Movie makers seemed to like the
flatter perspective of the slightly narrower angle of view

See
http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-...?msg_id=005KKi


that is probably true, I was just thinking of some of the Leicas and zeiss
cameras that tend to feature a 42mm as normal vs the slr that is typically
50mm


Sorry, those early, pre-WWII Leica and Zeiss Ikon cameras were not
SLRs. The Contax S (circa 1948) was the first SLR to have a
pentaprism and the M42 mount. The Leicaflex did not come out until
1964 and did not even have an M42 mount. And no Leica camera ever
did.

The 50mm focal length was long in use in cinematography when the first
Leica came out in 1925.

However, a focal length around 40-45mm does appeal more to me as a
normal lens than the 50mm, which can be a little too tight at times.

Rick

"Standard" 35mm lenses have varied from 38mm to 58mm or perhaps even
more. As far as portraiture and fashion photography goes, the idea of
what is an "ideal" focal length tends to change with whatever is in
vogue at the moment. Right now it is fashionable to use long lenses
to achieve the desired "flat" look that distances the viewer from the
model. It's common for fashion shooters to use quite long teles (up
to 600mm) to exaggerate the "flat look."
  #8  
Old February 5th 04, 03:43 PM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default bokeh in portraits - best lens in nikon range

On Wed, 04 Feb 2004 19:20:19 GMT, KBob wrote:

...
I have not examined closely the bokeh from the 60, 105 and 200 macros,
but my understanding is that all of these have also found use in
portraiture, and are good for lots more things as well.



feb504 from Lloyd Erlick,

In 35 mm, I've used the 55-60 mm macros and 100-105 mm macros quite a
lot for portraiture over the years. I've been using the Hasselblad
Zeiss 'Makro' (120 mm) for almost twenty years for portrait work. I
find them just beautiful for portraits.

regards,
--le
_______________________________________
Lloyd Erlick Portraits,
2219 Gerrard Street East, unit #1,
Toronto M4E 2C8 Canada.
---
voice 416-686-0326

http://www.heylloyd.com
_______________________________________
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Focal plane vs. leaf shutters in MF SLRs KM Medium Format Photography Equipment 724 December 7th 04 10:58 AM
PC lens on Nikon N90s bayydogg 35mm Photo Equipment 10 July 4th 04 11:35 PM
Mamiya lens on Nikon? Matt Clara 35mm Photo Equipment 2 June 30th 04 02:24 PM
swing lens cameras and focussing distance RolandRB Medium Format Photography Equipment 30 June 21st 04 05:12 AM
The opposite of a close-up lens? Ralf R. Radermacher Medium Format Photography Equipment 44 April 14th 04 03:55 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 07:22 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 PhotoBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.