Are you looking for the Best Portrait Lens Ever? Photographers have a love-hate relationship with portrait photography. On one hand, it is a challenging and rewarding experience, but on the other hand it requires an endless set of technical skills and expertise to ensure a perfect image each time. To ensure the perfect results, it is important to use the right lens. With so many lenses on the market to choose from, it can be a daunting task to decide which lens is the best for portrait photography. To help you navigate the world of portrait lenses, this article will provide you with a comprehensive review of the 12 best portrait lenses ever.

The 12 Best Portrait Lens Ever

1. Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L

The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L is a well-known lens in the world of portrait photography. It produces sharp images with a shallow depth of field, perfect for isolating a subject from a busy background. The lens is also fast, allowing you to catch fleeting moments with ease. Plus, with its wide range of focal lengths, it is ideal for capturing intimate images from a distance.

Pros: Fast and sharp performance, easy to isolate subject from background, wide range of focal lengths.

Cons: Expensive and heavy, not the best choice for low-light shooting.

2. Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G

The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G lens is one of the most popular and respected portrait lenses available. It is known for its fast and sharp performance, with excellent separation of the subject from the background. Its wide aperture also allows you to shoot in low light without sacrificing image quality.

Pros: Fast and sharp performance, wide aperture for shooting in low light, good background separation.

Cons: Somewhat expensive, not the best choice for shooting in windy environments.

3. Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG

The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG lens is an excellent portrait lens that allows you to shoot crisp and vibrant images. Its large focal length and wide aperture permit you to isolate the subject from the background and capture stunning images with beautiful bokeh.

Pros: Fast and sharp performance, excellent separation of the subject from the background, wide aperture for low light shooting.

Cons: Heavy and expensive, not the best choice for shooting in windy environments.

4. Tamron SP 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD

The Tamron SP 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD lens is a great portrait photography lens that combines sharpness and light weight into one package. With its wide-angle focal length and wide aperture, it is capable of producing images with excellent bokeh and shallow depth of field.

Pros: Sharp and lightweight, wide focal length and aperture, excellent bokeh and shallow depth of field.

Cons: Expensive and not the best choice for shooting in windy environments.

5. Sony FE 70-200mm ƒ/2.8 GM

The Sony FE 70-200mm ƒ/2.8 GM is an excellent portrait lens that works with both full-frame and APS-C cameras. Its fast and sharp performance, paired with its wide range of focal lengths, make it an ideal choice for both close-ups and long-range shots.

Pros: Fast and sharp performance, wide range of focal lengths, works with full-frame and APS-C camera.

Cons: Expensive, heavy and bulky.

6. Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4

The Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 lens is one of the premier portrait lenses on the market. It offers excellent sharpness, smooth bokeh and an incredibly wide aperture, perfect for low-light conditions. Plus, its built-in stabilizing system provides sharper images and smoother videos without sacrificing speed.

Pros: Sharp and smooth performance, excellent bokeh, wide aperture for low light conditions, built-in stabilization system.

Cons: Expensive and bulky.

7. Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II

The Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II lens is a popular portrait lens that produces stunning images with sharpness and beautiful bokeh. Its wide aperture allows you to capture images with shallow depth of field that are perfect for isolating a subject from the background.

Pros: Sharp and smooth performance, wide aperture for shallow depth of field, good performance in low light conditions.

Cons: Expensive and heavy.

8. Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G

The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G lens is a great choice for portrait photography. It produces incredibly sharp images with beautiful bokeh and shallow depth of field. For videographers, it also offers an impressive 720 fps shooting mode for high-quality slow motion shots.

Pros: Sharp and smooth performance, wide aperture for shallow depth of field, 720 fps shooting mode.

Cons: Expensive and not the best choice for shooting in windy environments.

9. Fuji XF 56mm f/1.2 R

The Fuji XF 56mm f/1.2 R lens is one of the best lenses for portrait photography. Its wide aperture allows you to capture incredibly sharp photos that are perfect for isolating the subject from the background. Plus, its length provides you with an ideal range for capturing up close and personal shots.

Pros: Sharp and smooth performance, wide aperture for shallow depth of field, good choice for up close photos.

Cons: Expensive and not the best choice for shooting in windy environments.

10. Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II

The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II is one of the most popular lenses for portrait photographers. With its wide range of focal lengths, you can capture stunning images at different distances. Plus, its fast and sharp performance make it ideal for capturing fleeting moments.

Pros: Wide range of focal lengths, fast and sharp performance, good for capturing fleeting moments.

Cons: Expensive and not the best choice for shooting in low light conditions.

11. Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art

The Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art is a great choice for portrait photography. It offers stunning image quality with extremely sharp and crisp details as well as stunning bokeh. Additionally, its wide aperture allows you to capture amazing images in low-light environments.

Pros: Sharp and smooth performance, wide aperture for low light shooting, excellent bokeh.

Cons: Heavy and expensive.

12. Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR

The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR is an all-in-one lens that is perfect for portrait photography. With its versatile zoom range, you can capture detailed and creative portraits. Plus, its built-in image stabilization system ensures smooth and stable shots even in low-light conditions.

Pros: Versatile zoom range, built-in image stabilization, fast and sharp performance.

Cons: Not the best choice for creating shallow depth of field effects.

Final Thoughts On Best Portrait Lens Ever

Portrait photography is an art form that requires skill, patience and the right lens. With the variety of portrait lenses available on the market, it can be a daunting task to decide which lens is the best for your needs. The 12 best portrait lenses explored in this article are a great place to start when choosing the best lens for you. Whether it’s the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L or the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, each lens featured offers specific advantages that make it perfect for portrait photography. Careful consideration of your technical and creative needs coupled with the pros and cons of each lens listed will help you choose the best lens for your needs.