Need a portrait lens for my R7 asap for a shoot next weekend. Ive seen people suggest the RF 50mm f1.8 but the crop factor makes it kinda tight for indoor shots. Then people say the 35mm but is that wide enough for headshots?
- Budget: under 400 bucks
- Location: small studio
- Goal: clean bokeh
What are you guys using?
Honestly, the Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM is kinda a letdown on a crop sensor for indoor stuff. I had issues with the focus hunting in tight spaces, unfortunately. If you really want that clean bokeh, grab the Sigma 30mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary instead. It feels way more natural indoors on the R7 and you wont have to back into a wall just to frame a shot.
Jumping in here, are you planning on shooting mostly headshots or full body stuff in that studio? If its just headshots, the Canon RF 85mm f2 Macro IS STM is a total gem for bokeh, but you might find it too tight. If you need more room, the Sigma 30mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary is usually the better call for small spaces. Let me know what you think!
Had a moment to think about your situation. Shooting portraits in a small studio with the crop sensor can be super tricky, and honestly, finding that sweet spot between focal length and bokeh is a total pain. I remember being in a similar spot a while back, feeling like 50mm was way too zoomed in and everything else just felt weirdly distorted for headshots. You might want to consider how much space you actually have to back up, because that usually changes everything. Make sure to double check your minimum focus distance too. I learned that the hard way when I couldn't get tight enough for some shots and ended up having to crop heavily in post, which killed my detail. IIRC there are some third-party options that offer a bit more character than the native glass, but be careful with autofocus consistency if you go that route.