Honestly, skip the kit glass if you want those theater headshots to actually pop. Over the years, I have shot with almost everything, and for a T7 on a tight budget, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens is the absolute gold standard. It is cheap, sharp, and gives you that creamy background blur you are looking for. Since your camera has a crop sensor, this focal length acts like an 80mm, which is basically perfect for portraits since it prevents facial distortion. One quick tip: stop it down to f/2.8 or f/3.2 if you want the whole face in focus, as shooting wide open at 1.8 can get a bit soft and might cut off the ears or nose. It is a total game changer for the price.

To add to the point above: having used the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM for years, its definitely the go-to, but if you want slightly more compression for portraits, you might look at the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM. I remember back in 2016 when I was doing headshots in a cramped studio, the extra focal length really helped isolate the subject against busy backgrounds. The bokeh is smoother compared to the 50mm, though you lose some light. Just watch your shutter speed if youre shooting handheld on a crop sensor like the T7, since camera shake becomes way more obvious at 85mm. My quick tip is keep your shutter at least 1/160th to stay sharp. Its a solid alternative if you can find a good used copy within your budget.

@Reply #2 - good point! Honestly, the 85mm focal length creates such a flattering look for faces. When I first started out, I used a similar prime lens setup for my headshot work and was absolutely blown away by how much better the depth of field looked compared to my old zoom.

• watch your shutter speed
• keep eyes sharp
• lighting is everything Dont stress about the budget too much, just get out there and shoot some tests. Youre gonna love the results!

Did this last week, worked perfectly