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  • 4 Portrait Lenses

    Had a play on the weekend and did some shots while swapping out some of my “portrait” lenses – its had been a while since I used all four in the same day, and thought it would be interesting to check out there relative performance on the D700. And yes, I know many don't think of the 24-70mm as a portrait lens, but in fact it has become one of my favorite lenses for environmental portraits...

    No claims about scientific trial conditions, results could be altered by a million different things including my poor photographic skills, the kids kept moving and playing and not cooperating (they are kids, thats thier job), and the sun likewise moved away from the window. In other words, have a look at the characteristics of the four lenses in the spirit in which they are posted, for curiosity and an inkling of how they perform. I am sure others could could have done better testing, I am just a hack with some lenses!

    So, from my “portrait” lens collection and a Nikon D700 in “poor” light comes these images from a few hours of chasing girls...the boy was easy!

    50mm f1.4 @f4 (and a really nasty, blown window behind, sorry, don't have an f1.4 from the 50mm from this weekend to show, khe sera sera)
    Click image for larger version

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    85mm f1.4 (very crudely lit by two off-camera speedlights bouncing off the ceiling)
    Click image for larger version

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    105mm f2 DC @ f2, DC RF2 (Ambient, on-camera flash used only with a very light touch for catchlights)
    Click image for larger version

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    24-70mm @ f2.8 (That wretched window from before becomes God's gift to wannabee togs)
    Click image for larger version

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    And thats it, except for cropping images 1 (to remove blown window) and 4 (too much dead space in the foreground), the images as they came out of the camera with only things done to them that needed to done to get them onto the interweb.

    Edit: Gee, the compression algorithm on the Board adds some image artefacts doesn't it, or do I simply suck at posting images? Anyway, doesn't matter - can still see the differences (or non-differences) in those lenses I think
    Last edited by jeff; 26-07-2010, 11:15 PM. Reason: Added basic exposure information
    I Use Nikon Gear

  • #2
    Hi Jeff.

    Thanks for showing how focal legnth and aperture change images. personally I like number 2 best. Bounce flash with an 85 is the perfect length to get that glow in the face that just makes the subject pop.

    As for the compression algorythm, it will only resize the image if it doesn't conform to the requested dimensions and file size. To be safe an image that is no bigger than 1000px on its longest side and 400kb will not be touched by the image re-sizer
    Simon
    Olympus OM-D, Oly 14-42mm f3.5-5.6, Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4
    Flickr - Your Melbourne Family Portrait Photographer

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    • #3
      wow that 85mm 1.4 is really spectacular...(well i know it's the photographer that takes a good pic but this just seems to amplify how nice it is!)
      you have a dream collection of lenses there too Jeff! nice to see them being used
      O
      d7000, d90 + stuff

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