Im getting super stressed because my sisters wedding is in exactly three weeks and she asked me to do the portraits. I have a Nikon D7500 and my kit lens just isnt cutting it for that nice blurry background look. Im stuck deciding between the Nikon AF-S DX 35mm f/1.8G and the 85mm f/1.8G. My budget is tight, like 400 bucks max, which is why Im looking at these specifically. So I was thinking, the 35mm is super versatile for walking around, but is it gonna be weird for tight headshots? The 85mm seems like the classic portrait choice, but since I have a crop sensor body, Im worried itll be way too zoomed in for the smaller venue she picked out. My logic was that the 85mm would make the skin tones look better, but I really dont want to have to stand in the parking lot to fit people in the frame. Does anyone have experience with these on a DX body? Should I just suck it up and get the 85mm or will the 35mm be enough for a few decent shots...
> 85mm seems like the classic portrait choice, but since I have a crop sensor body, Im worried itll be way too zoomed in Totally agree. I used the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G for years, but definitely rent an Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G to save cash instead.
Honestly, doing wedding portraits on a crop sensor with a 35mm lens is a bit of a nightmare. I had issues with that setup before because the perspective distortion makes faces look wider than they actually are. It really isnt flattering for professional wedding shots.
- The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G is the only real choice here if you want those blurred backgrounds, but you will definitely need space to back up.
- If the venue is cramped, the 35mm just wont isolate the subjects enough, and you will end up with messy backgrounds that look like a snapshot rather than a portrait. Basically, the 85mm is far superior for portraits. Just manage your distance, and you should be fine, even if it feels a bit tight indoors.
^ This. Also, totally agree on the distortion issue with wide glass for portraits. Using a 35mm on a crop sensor for tight shots basically guarantees some weird facial proportions that you really dont want in wedding photos. Look, I spent years shooting on a DX body before moving to full frame, and the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G is the winner here, hands down. Yes, it can be tight indoors, but the compression it gives faces is flattering and makes the background melt away so much better than the 35mm. You have to back up a bit, sure, but you can always just move furniture or find a wider angle in the venue. If you really feel like the 85mm is too much, look at the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G. It sits right in the middle. It gives you a bit more breathing room than the 85mm but avoids the unflattering nose-stretching effect you get with the 35mm. TL;DR: Grab the 85mm if you can handle the focal length, or go for the 50mm if you are worried about small spaces. Avoid the 35mm for serious portraits unless you want to spend hours in post trying to fix the perspective. Just dont try to force the 35mm for close-ups, you will regret it when you start editing. Good luck with the wedding, you got this.
