Newbie lens question (portrait lens)

I feel like this question shows my ignorance, but here it goes:

 

If you had to choose between a 35mm 1.8f lens or a 50mm 1.8 lens, which would you choose for DD portrait photography? These are the lenses I'm thinking about:

 

http://www.amazon.ca/Nikon-50mm-Nikkor-Digital-Cameras/dp/B004Y1AYAC/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1342283244&sr=1-2

 

versus

 

http://www.henrys.com/24040-NIKON-DX-NIKKOR-AF-S-35MM-F1-8-LENS.aspx

 

Also, can someone just explain the difference to me in a nutshell? Are both of these lenses autofocus and compatible with a Nikon D5100? The guy at the camera store recommended the 35mm due to it's autofocus compatibility (or something).

I have tried both actually before I ended up getting the 50mm

 

Both are auto focus-able with the D5100. Since they have the same aperture value you just have to look at which focal length you want. If you do a lot of indoor shooting than 50mm might be a little long, but it is good if you want more of that bokeh effect.

 

Sample photos with the 50mm:

 

 

Great shots! I do almost all my shooting indoors in a room, though . . . interesting. Might have to play with my camera's kit 18-55 lens and see what I like.

I use a 35mm f2.4 lens for my Pentax camera. I bought a 35mm instead of 50mm as i preferred to be closer to my girls when i take photos, in case something happens i can quickly catch them

If you want a better bokeh effect go for the 50mm as it will have a narrower background than the 35mm

 

My samples of a 35mm lens:

f2.4

IMGP8130 by XOHimitsuOX, on Flickr

 

f4

IMGP7556 by XOHimitsuOX, on Flickr

 

f5.6

IMGP8236 by XOHimitsuOX, on Flickr

 

f8

IMGP7539 by XOHimitsuOX, on Flickr

I would say it depends on two things:

- your camera's body (crop or full-frame)

- the size of your doll

 

I had in the beginning a crop camera (Canon 1000D and 550D) and especially for anything smaller than a 60-70cm doll the 50mm was way too much.

You had to be quite far away (which is bad when you have no doll-stand or if it's windy etc.), decent close-ups are also impossible and with smaller dolls you had to crop a lot away from the photo if you want a portrait or something with more doll and less background.

 

On the crop my 35mm was pretty much my favourite. I was able to come very close, for smaller dolls it's really awesome and if you want you can get a bit more background with the big dolls while still being moderately close.

 

Now I have a full-frame, Canon 5D II, and while I still like my 35mm for small things and close-ups, it's not so good anymore for portrais and bigger dolls.

You start seeing very slight distortions due the 35mm coming close to the wide-angle area now.

 

In short:

- if you want to take pictures of smaller things, close-ups, stay near to the doll AND have a crop camera (which you have) get the 35mm.

That was my all-rounder for everything in my crop times, for Cosplay and Dolls of every size, especially if you can only afford one lens.

 

- if you have the money, get both.

If you have a full-frame, especially get both because taking close-ups is a really neat thing.

Remember one thing.

 

35mm on cropped bodies give you a picture that resembles the world we see with our own eyes the most.

50mm on full frame bodies give you a picture that resembles the world we see with our own eyes the most.

 

it's just personal preferences on which lens you would like to use, but some times I realize I use a longer focal length lens (80mm Medium Format) so that I can "get nearer" to my girl without hitting the minimum focusing distance which is 70cm for my lens.

 

Therefore I would just say, both are equal. It's just preferences. Why not check out both lens focusing distance instead? Compare both lens and try to get closer to the subject by hitting the minimum focusing distance, and see which lens is more versatile in terms of focusing distance.

Remember one thing.

 

35mm on cropped bodies give you a picture that resembles the world we see with our own eyes the most.

50mm on full frame bodies give you a picture that resembles the world we see with our own eyes the most.

 

it's just personal preferences on which lens you would like to use, but some times I realize I use a longer focal length lens (80mm Medium Format) so that I can "get nearer" to my girl without hitting the minimum focusing distance which is 70cm for my lens.

 

Therefore I would just say, both are equal. It's just preferences. Why not check out both lens focusing distance instead? Compare both lens and try to get closer to the subject by hitting the minimum focusing distance, and see which lens is more versatile in terms of focusing distance.

 

So, is the Nikon D5100 a cropped body? How can I find the minimum focusing distance? I do like to be close to the doll.

Remember one thing.

 

35mm on cropped bodies give you a picture that resembles the world we see with our own eyes the most.

50mm on full frame bodies give you a picture that resembles the world we see with our own eyes the most.

 

it's just personal preferences on which lens you would like to use, but some times I realize I use a longer focal length lens (80mm Medium Format) so that I can "get nearer" to my girl without hitting the minimum focusing distance which is 70cm for my lens.

 

Therefore I would just say, both are equal. It's just preferences. Why not check out both lens focusing distance instead? Compare both lens and try to get closer to the subject by hitting the minimum focusing distance, and see which lens is more versatile in terms of focusing distance.

 

So, is the Nikon D5100 a cropped body? How can I find the minimum focusing distance? I do like to be close to the doll.

Yes it is a cropped body. Focusing distance is labeled on the lens? O_O If you have a focusing ring, then it should have a distance label haha.

 

For example:

 

See the infinity sign? That's the focusing distance label. You turn the right the other way to see what's the minimum focusing distance for that lens. Cause one side is the maximum distance (Infinity) and the other side is the minimum distance which can be 0.5m or some other distance

Thanks, got it. Seems like I probably need the 35mm for my purposes.

Thanks, got it. Seems like I probably need the 35mm for my purposes.

To be honest, normally I recommend people to get a wider angle haha

But remember, wide angle is usually awful for portraits. Doll portraits are no exception.

Different angles of view give different perspective and different distortions.

There is a reason behind the fact, that for 35mm format the lenses in "classic portrait range" have 90-150mm focal length. Which translates to 60-100mm in 1.5x crop cameras (In this case 50mm is a short tele/potrait lens (75 eq.) and 35mm is an equivalent of a 50mm "normal" lens)

 

Make a close-up of a face with short focal lens and You will get a very big nose, wide eyes, and the ears will hide behind the head.

So although wide angle is great for landscape shots, don't do closeups with them

 

Another matter is minimum focusing distance - well, portrait lens are mean for people's portraits.

Dolls are three or more times smaller so for the same view we have to be three times closer - and in many cases this is too close to focus. But because this is practically a macro work, we may use the macro equipment. A macro lens sometimes work best, but it's not the only option.

For example, a macro extension ring for the lenses, available (I think) for all digital SLRs out there

 

 

It doesn't change the optics, only the minimum (and maximum too) focusing distance, making our lens more suited for taking closeups.

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/macro-extension-tubes-closeup.htm

Well using range where 60mm-120mm is indeed appropriate.

Thank you, very interesting. I guess I keep forgetting to factor in the 1/3 scale, as well!

Thank you, very interesting. I guess I keep forgetting to factor in the 1/3 scale, as well!

You just have to remember the focusing distance ^_~

Personally, I prefer to shoot with a 50mm on my d7000 for most doll photography. I have the predecessor to the lens you're contemplating (no built in af motor) and its one of the best values in Nikon's catalog. I've also played with a 35mm, but I didn't find it to be much different for shooting dolls, though having to get in closer for the true portrait shots was annoying.

 

The other lens that I shoot with mostly is a 12-24mm ultra wide. You can get some fun angles with ultrawides, and they really force you to get up close and personal with the subject if you want a portrait

So the 50mm might be better? I'm so confused! I thought that 35mm with a cropped sensor would be the best to mimic what the eye sees.

A lot of people I know go straight for the 50mm, because everyone says "OMG PEFECT PORTRAIT LENS", and none of them ever even try a 35mm. Also a perfect portrait lens for humans is different to a perfect portrait lens for dolls.

Sure, you have to get close to the doll, but honestly, what's better?

Being able and forced to go near for getting a close view, or being forced to be far away or else you can't even take a photo?

 

Honestly, you can't go wrong with either of them, but for me 35mm on a crop worked the best.

Maybe try them out both? You can lend lenses in some shops (also online) or go into a shop and ask them if you can try out the lenses on your body.

What you should do is use your std zoom lens and take photos at 35mm, then 50mm. To get the feel of the distance and what to expect the photos to look like. Then judge, which focal length suits you more.

The only problem that i found using a 35mm is when shooting outdoors when the sun is behind me and i cast a shadow at the area where i'm photographing. I guess i should switch to my 55mm - 200mm lens for those.

I shoot my doll portraits with an 85mm, a 50mm, and 35mm primes on a cropped sensor. Each lens has its particular characteristics that differentiate the images, which are not so much affected by which sensor type is in the camera as the lens' actual angle of view is the same, only the part of that angle of view which the sensor sees/uses is changed. It's this original angle of view that determines how nicely a lens handles portrait shooting, along with personal preference.

 

50mm is an excellent everyday "walk around" lens, and the 35mm to a fair extent falls into this category as well as they both have a good viewing angle for most everyday shooting along with a minimum focus distance that allows for close-ups, portraits, and even some very minor macro type shooting.

 

What you should do is use your std zoom lens and take photos at 35mm, then 50mm. To get the feel of the distance and what to expect the photos to look like. Then judge, which focal length suits you more.

The only problem that i found using a 35mm is when shooting outdoors when the sun is behind me and i cast a shadow at the area where i'm photographing. I guess i should switch to my 55mm - 200mm lens for those.

 

This helps make those decisions as well, aside from the standard kit zooms being a couple of stops slower than the equivalent primes, the minimum focal distance is close to that of the primes.

That's why it's hard for me to give suggestion because it's up to your preferences like I said a few post ago haha

What you should do is use your std zoom lens and take photos at 35mm, then 50mm. To get the feel of the distance and what to expect the photos to look like. Then judge, which focal length suits you more.

The only problem that i found using a 35mm is when shooting outdoors when the sun is behind me and i cast a shadow at the area where i'm photographing. I guess i should switch to my 55mm - 200mm lens for those.

 

This is probably the best advice so far.

 

Grab one of your general purpose zoom lenses (like the 18-55mm kit lens that came with your camera), stand in one place, shoot a picture at 35mm, take a picture at 50mm from the exact same point, and compare.

 

Technically, 35mm on a Nikon crop body is roughly the equivalent of a 50mm in 35mm land (52.5mm to be exact), though there will probably be very little discernible difference. In actuality, 50mm isn't usually used for portrait in 35mm, it was considered general purpose. Old film SLRs and rangefinders usually came with one lens: a 50mm. 85mm is technically considered portrait for film.

 

That being said, try it out. If you have a camera shop near you (or even one of those mall camera shops), go in and see if you can try them out. They are common enough lenses that you should be able to get your hands on one. Nikon also has a "lens simulator" on their web site so you can get a feel for how it would act: http://static.nikonusa.com/Lens-Simulator/simulator.htm