What is the absolute best budget portrait lens I can get for my Canon EOS R50 that wont break the bank?
Im honestly so fed up with the 18-45mm kit lens that came with this camera, it is driving me crazy how dark it gets when I zoom in and the background just looks so busy and messy. I bought this setup specifically to take portraits of my kids and do some headshots for my local theater group here in Chicago, but every single photo just looks flat and cheap. I feel like I wasted my money on the R50 if I cant even get that nice, creamy blurry background.
I need to find something else fast because our next play is in three weeks, but my budget is super tight and I cant spend more than $300. Ive been looking at the RF 50mm f1.8 since its cheap, but people online keep saying it might be too tight indoors on a crop sensor camera. But then the wider lenses like the 24mm or 35mm are either way too expensive or they dont have a wide enough aperture to actually blur the background.
What should I actually get that fits this budget...
To add to the point above, I ran into this exact math issue shooting a play in a tiny school gym. You have to be careful with the 1.6x crop factor on your R50. A 50mm lens behaves like an 80mm, meaning you need about 8 feet of working distance for a simple headshot. Here are a few technical details and options to consider:
- The Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM is light and cheap, but you might struggle indoors if space is tight.
- Consider buying a basic EF-to-RF adapter and finding a used Canon EF 35mm f2 Wide Angle Lens. The f2 aperture still gives good background blur on a 35mm (56mm equivalent).
- Watch your depth of field. At f1.8, your focus plane is razor thin, so make sure to use eye tracking or you will miss focus when kids move.
@Reply #2 - good point! I'm satisfied with a used Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM:
- Better indoor range
- Sharp f/1.8 aperture Works well for portraits.
I shot a local community play in a cramped basement theater last year, and I faced this exact same dilemma on a crop sensor. Space was incredibly tight, but I still went with the Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM. Honestly, you might want to consider just getting it because the 80mm equivalent focal length actually gives you beautiful facial proportions for headshots without distorting their noses. If you do go this route, just be careful about a few things:
- Make sure to stand at least 6 to 8 feet back from the actors to get a decent bust shot.
- Keep your shutter speed at 1/160s minimum because kids move fast and f1.8 has a razor-thin depth of field.
- Watch your focus points, as the R50 might struggle slightly in dim theater lighting when wide open. Its only about 150 bucks, so it easily fits your budget.
