Looking for the best portrait lens for a Canon Rebel T7.

Question

Ive been looking into getting a dedicated portrait lens for my Canon T7 before my daughter graduates next month. I finally have about 250 bucks saved up for it. I keep seeing everyone rave about the cheap 50mm f1.8 stm but then I also saw some videos saying the 85mm is way better for that blurry background look.

My main worry is that since the T7 is a crop sensor Im not sure if the 85mm will be way too tight for taking photos inside the hall. I dont want to be backing into a wall just to get her shoulders in the shot. Between those two or maybe something else entirely what would actually work best for a beginner on a crop body?

Heathprete · Accepted Answer

Jumping in here... honestly you are totally right to worry about that 85mm being too tight indoors. Since the T7 has a crop sensor, that 85mm lens behaves like a 136mm. That is basically a telescope in a crowded hall lol. I would definitely play it safe and grab the 50mm. It is much more reliable for your situation and leaves you plenty of cash for a nice bag or extra batteries.Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STMThis is the safest bet. It is cheap and gives you that blurry background without making you stand 20 feet away.Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USMBeautiful lens but you will definitely be backing into walls trying to get a headshot.Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STMVery wide if the hall is tiny, but wont give you as much blur. Stick with the 50mm. It is the most sensible choice for a beginner.

Cvety_ucma · Answer

Look, i gotta be real with you... if you try to use an 85mm inside a crowded graduation hall on that T7, youre gonna have a bad time. I have been shooting for years and that focal length on a crop body is basically a telephoto lens. Youll end up taking photos of just your daughters ear because you wont be able to back up far enough without hitting a wall or another parent. Stick with the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM. It is the gold standard for a reason and it only costs like 125 bucks brand new. Since you got 250 saved up, dont blow it all on one lens anyway. Indoor graduations usually have the worst lighting imaginable—think sickly yellow overheads or weird shadows. I would strongly suggest grabbing that 50mm and then spending the rest of your cash on a Godox TT685II-C Flash for Canon. Having a flash you can bounce off the ceiling will make a way bigger difference for your portraits than the tiny bit of extra bokeh you get from an 85mm. It is a much more versatile setup for a beginner. Just be careful when youre shooting wide open at f/1.8 tho... the depth of field is so thin that if she moves her head slightly, her eyes might go out of focus. Practice a bit before the big day so you get the hang of it. But honestly, the 50mm is the only logical choice for a crop sensor in a tight space. You get the blurry background without the stress of needing a football field of space just to stand in.

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Looking for the best portrait lens for a Canon Rebel T7.