[pres589]

Last time I shot portraits I was handed the camera to use; a Canon 5D and the kit 24-105 f4 lens. Every shot I took was at 105mm and wide open. They came out pretty nicely; I wish I had some shots to share. On a K-1 something like the Tamron 70-200 f2.8 (because of its relative light weight and size) would be appealing to me.

LATE ADDITION: Based on my time with that Canon setup, I purchased a Pentax M 75-150 f4 zoom for portrait work on my film cameras. I haven't had chance to do anything with portraits since covid-19 happened and other life changes. I have a hunch that this lens will be quite good for this purpose with an awesome zoom range to do what I want.

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Last edited by pres589; 05-26-2020 at 10:41 AM.

[GUB]

I would love to do more portraits than I do. Opportunity only occasionally presents itself.
As a bit of a hulk of a guy I prefer a little distance between myself and the subject - best for a natural look in the subject's eyes. So a long lens is good.
I tend to use my lenses as wide open as I can get away with - often wide open.
That is for a soft background and for closing in on the essential characteristics.
I don't use zooms and don't believe a zoom would bring anything extra to a portrait image - just a likely loss of maximum aperture.
A long lens gives you more control over your background which, combined with bokeh, is important to me.
Sharpness is not the end all to me which is fortunate as I use exclusively old glass.
Various 50 1.4s, SupTak 85 1.8, K 105mm 2.8, Sup Tak 135 2.5 and masses of other great old glass. I wouldn't hesitate to go to a 200mm for portraits on my K-1
This shot is with a classic old Vivitar series 1 135mm 2.3 @ f2.3 .
It was a beat up old lens when I got it with a cloudy coating on the rear element. The only lens I have used toothpaste on but still only got most of the cloud off!!
And I certainly didn't get the horrifically complicated internal focusing helicoid reassembled correctly - but--
The point is this image says heaps about my little buddy I photographed -- it is just so much more than the simple technical quality of a lens.

[Kerrowdown]

Longer focal length portrait lenses?

Here's my preferred portrait "Ladies" that I use most often Sweetheart Pentax-A*85mm F1.4, Lady Luck Pentax-A*135mm F1.8 and Gorgeous Lady Pentax-A*200mm F2.8 ED'

Examples of each in order.

[MossyRocks]

Well I'm not into portrait photography and really haven't been able to figure it out so take my opinion for what it is worth. However a lens that I've always like is my Vivitar Series 1 135mm f/2.3 close focus. I have the M42 mount version but there is a k-mount version as well. It is soft, glowy, and gives an ephemeral feel when wide open but stop it down some and it gets real sharp real fast. It was one of my all time favorites on my spotmatic and still is with digital although I haven't used it much lately. I don't have any good portrait photos to show with it since I've only manage 3 good ones in my life and non were with that lens but that is all a function of my inability to do portrait photography. Of those 3 images 2 were taken with my S-M-C 55mm f/1.8 on my spotmatic and one was taken with my Sigma 300mm f/4 APO macro on the k-3, all by pure dumb luck. My only complaint is that this lens is awful for astro photography so don't even bother with it there.

[Wheatfield]

Well I'm not into portrait photography and really haven't been able to figure it out so take my opinion for what it is worth. However a lens that I've always like is my Vivitar Series 1 135mm f/2.3 close focus. I have the M42 mount version but there is a k-mount version as well. It is soft, glowy, and gives an ephemeral feel when wide open but stop it down some and it gets real sharp real fast. It was one of my all time favorites on my spotmatic and still is with digital although I haven't used it much lately. I don't have any good portrait photos to show with it since I've only manage 3 good ones in my life and non were with that lens but that is all a function of my inability to do portrait photography. Of those 3 images 2 were taken with my S-M-C 55mm f/1.8 on my spotmatic and one was taken with my Sigma 300mm f/4 APO macro on the k-3, all by pure dumb luck. My only complaint is that this lens is awful for astro photography so don't even bother with it there.

Hah. Years ago, the Queen and Prince Philip came to town to lay a wreath at the local Cenotaph on Remembrance day. I did my homework and positioned myself fairly far back along the sidewalk and used a 300mm lens to get some pictures of the ceremony. Being the dope that I am, i left my 50mm lens in the car a few blocks away.
Well, wouldn't you know it, they decided to walk right past me, and stopped about 10 feet from me and posed momentarily for me to take a picture of them.
Like I said, being the dope that I am.......
I snapped the shutter just to make them happy, and they went on their way.

[pschlute]

I snapped the shutter just to make them happy, and they went on their way.

With Philip saying to the Queen..." did you see that idiot trying to take our picture with a 300mm lens !"

[Wheatfield]

With Philip saying to the Queen..." did you see that idiot trying to take our picture with a 300mm lens !"

I imagine so.
Fast forward a few years, I was coming home on my Low Rider from Prince Albert to Regina via Saskatoon. The ramp that I wanted was sort of blocked off, but I went up it anyway and found myself riding beside the Limo that was carrying Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
I expect nowadays I would have been picked off by a sniper, but this was back before the civilization killing paranoia that we now live with had set in. They smiled and waved, as did I.
Good times.

[pschlute]

found myself riding beside the Limo that was carrying Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip

Are you sure they are not personal friends and you are just being coy ?

[hjoseph7]

For 3/4 length shots, or groups I use a fast 50 mm lens. For head shots or head & shoulder shots, I will use a fast 85 mm or 75 mm. If I got the room, I might go for the 105 mm or even the 115 mm, but nothing longer. Some photographers swear by the 210 mm, but they have football field size studios.

[angerdan]

This photo has been taken with an 300mm 2.8.
Okay, it's not a full portrait and only with f11
https://laceysfilms.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/2008_quantum_of_solace_002.jpg

I do like shooting portraits with +300mm...

You Tube

You Tube

You Tube

You Tube

[MossyRocks]

I do like shooting portraits with +300mm...

So you are saying I should take up portrait photography with my A* 400/2.4, although I don't think I would be able to swing that lens around like they are doing with those lenses in the videos.

[gofour3]

Sweetheart Pentax-A*85mm F1.4, Lady Luck Pentax-A*135mm F1.8

+1 for these two beauties!

Phil.

[Kerrowdown]

+1 for these two beauties!

Phil.

Aye they know their place in my Harem is secure.

[lesmore49]

I've been thinking of this as of late...using a telephoto to take portraits...of people or vintage vehicles. With body distancing requirements being in force I was half joking to my wife that if there was an outdoor car show going on and the number of people who were able to attend was severely restricted, than I might consider using my Sigma 150-500 @ 400-500mm setting to get some hot rod photos.

I would certainly be well over any required body distance length and it would be interesting getting some candid shots of both people and cars @ 500mm or so.

I've used my 'Bigma' for portraits of things like Great Grey Owls, etc...and have had no complaints from these subjects.

I would like to try people portraits at 500mm...just to see the effects of such a long lens. Think it would be good.

[mikesbike]

Why, with a long enough lens, it would be possible to get a candid portrait of three people right together, head and shoulders looking real chummy, but in reality they don't know each other at all, and are 10 feet apart, one behind the other!