Which prime lens should I buy for portraits on my Canon 90D because I am honestly so fed up with my kit lens? The photos are always soft and the background isnt blurry at all and I am freaking out because I have my sisters engagement shoot next Saturday.
I have about 450 dollars saved up and need to order something today so it gets here but I keep getting confused by the crop factor. Some say the 50mm 1.8 is perfect but others say it is too tight for a crop sensor like the 90D. Is the 35mm a better bet or should I just get the 85mm and deal with standing further back? I just need that professional look fast...
TL;DR: Get the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM. Honestly, I had issues with the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM which was not as good as expected for portraits because it made noses look huge. Unfortunately, my 50mm hunts sometimes, but its much safer than the kit lens for an engagement. The Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM is sharp but way too tight for smaller rooms i shoot in...
> I just need that professional look fast... If you have $450 to spend, you can definitely do better than the basic plastic lenses. For that high-end look, the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM is a beast. On your 90D, it acts like a 135mm lens which gives you insane background blur and compression. Youll have to stand way back tho, so its tough for indoor shots. If you want something more versatile, check out the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art. Its great for full-body shots and works way better in tight spaces. The f/1.4 aperture is gonna be a lifesaver for low light compared to your kit lens. tbh the 85mm is the pro choice for portraits if you have the room to move, but the Sigma is a better all-rounder. Just pick based on where the shoot is gonna be.
^ This. Also, I honestly had issues with the autofocus reliability on the Canon EOS 90D when using those older fast primes. Unfortunately, the hit rate was not as good as expected for me and I kept getting soft shots even when the light was decent. You should definitely check out:
- The Digital Picture for their lens comparison tool
- DPReview forums for focus micro-adjustment tips It actually reminds me of this one time I went out to shoot some local wildlife with a tripod I bought at a garage sale. The thing was basically held together by hopes and dreams. I was trying to track this red-tailed hawk and the head of the tripod just snapped off while I was panning. I almost dropped everything into a creek. A group of hikers walked by and definitely thought I was some amateur who had no idea what I was doing. Honestly it was so embarrassing. Sorry kinda went off topic there... anyway lol
Late to the party but honestly seen so many people make the same mistake with focal lengths on these bodies. Over the years ive learned that the 1.6x crop factor on the 90D is really tricky. I remember bringing a long 85mm prime to an indoor family session once thinking id get amazing blurry backgrounds. Ended up literally pressed against the far wall just trying to fit everyone in the frame. It was super awkward and unprofessional. Honestly, a 50mm is the sweet spot for a crop sensor. It gives you that blur without making you stand a mile away. Just a huge warning tho... stay away from those generic manual focus lenses. They look like a bargain but you will 100% miss focus when the pressure is on. Reliability is way more important than a fancy f-stop number when you only have one shot at the photos.
