canon 60mm vs 85mm, opinions for portraits

If you are doing indoor shots primarily, I'd not choose either personally. The canon 35mm F2 would make more sense in that regard due to the crop factor.
 
Most people on here seem to love the 85mm, but I'd take the 60mm (the EF-S macro, right?). I've only used it very briefly but it does take a nice portrait, and you'll be able to go as close as you want. I had the 85mm and didn't like it that much for baby photos, I found the MFD too big. To be honest I'd use the 50mm you've already got, nearly all the best photos I've taken of my son were taken with my 50mm f/1.4.
 
Congratulations for one, I'm in the same boat except mines only 4 weeks now! it's exciting and a good excuse to get some new stuff ;)

I've got the 35 and 85, I think the 85 is very nice and I'm enjoying the stuff I can get with it (I can post a couple of photos in the morning if you want) but then I got the 35 and I can honestly say it is the one I'm gonna keep on the camera for when she's here
 
How much space do you have?
What kind of backgrounds are you up against?
What else will you shoot?
Full length or head and shoulders?

Both the above lenses will do the job nicely, as will several others, only you can decide, depending upon the effect you're after.
 
A normal 50 works out as 80 on the crop, that's quite a nice length IMO for portraits

Sigma 30mm is always my first choice personally though, just gives you that extra bit of space to work with - especially indoors
 
I haven't shot on a crop body with these lenses but I found the minimum focus distance on an 85mm was too long. For baby shots I'd want to get in close for details (feet, hands, eyes etc) and I thionk you might struggle with a longer lens. The 60mm macro would be helpful in this respect. I use a 100macro on a full-frame for portraits now for just this reason.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I do have a 50mm f1.8 which will probably get used at some point, though I don't feel inspired by that lens any more. Sigma 30mm sounds good, but I am not to sure if I would use it a lot. If anyone can post some sample pictures from the 60 or others that would be great.
 
Before buying a macro lens for this sort of use I think I'd want to try it first as macro lenses sometimes aren't the fastest to focus. Focus speed may or may not be an issue but it might be worth thinking about and trying one before parting with money.
 
Are you interested in a set up like professional newborn photos? I have set one up in my living room for about £70 but that's because the furry blanket was £50... I can show you photos of mine to give you an idea
 
I don't have any flashes, I got a reflector from wex for a tenner, and I'm gonna put it near the window. With lenses, I've spent a bit too much and am probably going to sell the after, it's cheaper than renting but ill be using the 24-70 2.8, 35 1.4 and the 85 1.2, so apart from lenses, it's a pretty cheap set up

I'll post them this afternoon when I get home but it's a bean bag, furry cover, clothes rail and a couple of clamps, I already had a beanbag and a clothes rail so the clamp, blanket and reflector was all I had to get
 
I have the tamron 60mm f2 macro and use it indoors for my little one. My house is small and 85mm would be too long but I would love an 85mm for outdoor candids.
 
I also got a used 430 exII - the best investment I have made!
 
jonoooo125 said:
I don't have any flashes, I got a reflector from wex for a tenner, and I'm gonna put it near the window. With lenses, I've spent a bit too much and am probably going to sell the after, it's cheaper than renting but ill be using the 24-70 2.8, 35 1.4 and the 85 1.2, so apart from lenses, it's a pretty cheap set up

I'll post them this afternoon when I get home but it's a bean bag, furry cover, clothes rail and a couple of clamps, I already had a beanbag and a clothes rail so the clamp, blanket and reflector was all I had to get
Click to expand...

Thanks for that.
 
So heres the set up:



and heres a couple i took with the 85 to give you an ideas of what you can take with it:





Any questions just let me know but the idea of the set up is to get pictures like this:

newborn-photography.jpg

(NOT MY PHOTO, just showing the effect im trying to achieve with my setup, i have no idea who the photgrapher is in person, i have copied it off google, obviously my daughter will be on a brown fluffy blanket rather than a white cotton one shown here)

Also, this is a good video to watch too... got a few tips in there
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfb5XUwV_8M
 
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I a really pleased with the IQ of the Tamron and the F2 is great to have. In very low light low contrast situation it will hunt, the AF assist on the 430exII pretty much stops that. I use it 50:50 for portraits/candids : macro. It is not as silent as the usm of the canon but makes no difference to me.

Check the London camera exchange I saw a used one on there the other day. I bought mine new from jessops as u get a 5 year warranty. You will be pleased with either.
 
Have a look at flickr there is a tamron 60mm group to give you an idea.
 
vickylou said:
I a really pleased with the IQ of the Tamron and the F2 is great to have. In very low light low contrast situation it will hunt, the AF assist on the 430exII pretty much stops that. I use it 50:50 for portraits/candids : macro. It is not as silent as the usm of the canon but makes no difference to me.

Check the London camera exchange I saw a used one on there the other day. I bought mine new from jessops as u get a 5 year warranty. You will be pleased with either.
Click to expand...

Thanks Vicky, I don't suppose you have some pics you could post at all?
 
It's alright, I hope your pictures turn out nice and your model doesn't fidget too much haha!
 
It will be interesting to compare them, ideally I would have both, but can't go that far.

The 85 would certainly give some very nice bokeh, I wonder how it would appear on a crop sensor though?

The 60 seems like a good compromise, not as short as the nifty fifty, better build quality and what seems to be decent af.
 
Michael, ive got the 35mm f2 (only just bought 2nd hand so not used loads yet), 50mm 1.8, 60mm 2.8.

Since getting the 60mm i havent used the 50mm. I guess it depends on whether your also interested in Macro? I like having the option to experiment and try macro stuff too, though i would recommend a flash for this as the DOF can be paper thin.

I have an 18 month old and i prefer the 60mm for portraits of her. It can sometimes hunt a little in low light - i dont know whether being a macro lens makes any difference there ?

On the whole though its very sharp and i would definetly recommend (i read loads of reviews and it was always rated as on of the sharpest, especially for EF-S).

I like tightly cropped pics so i use this more than the 35mm, the 35mm is there more for when i need wider.

Hope that helps in some way

Also, i did try the 50mm Sigma but my camera cant microadjust, and both copies i had severaly back focused. Looking at sample reviews, if you can persevere with sending lens back and forth and can find a good sharp copy of a sigma they are impressive. I have a couple of shots from teh Sigma that i kept from manual focussing (very hard with a toddler!!) and the bokeh is more pleaseing than the 35/50/60mm in my opinion.

Heres a sample, close up, from the 60mm, though i will add thats using a flashgun too which on first impressions i would def recommend for indoor/low light/freezing little monkeys!


Chocolate Mousse Warpaint by Bluem00ner, on Flickr
 
David, thanks very much for those, the 60mm looks to be a very capable lens. A lovely shot with the sigma as well, that could be on the list for the future. The 85mm looks really good to, what body was this on?

Jonny, another great shot from the 60mm, looks quite sharp. The macro side I would like, but I don't think it would be a deal breaker as the mfd is very short, so not the best for wildlife macros. But it would be a great bonus to have anyway. A flashgun is going to have to be on my list as well. Looking at the cost, the 85mm is currently cheaper than the 60.
 
@michael23

My 60 and 85 shots are on a 550d, the 30 is on a 40D. The Sigma 30 f 1.4gets lots of bad press about focus. Think you will agree this is sharp enough! This is the lens that now stays on the 40D most of the time,
The 550d is really my wife's...she keeps the 60 macro on it nearly all the time having previously been hooked on the nifty fifty. So you see we have all the lenses mentiond here, and it's hard to decide which to recommend!
 
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I have a three week old son. Have been using my 35 f2 which is great for a close MFD. I would prefer a tighter crop but my 50 1.8 has nasty bokeh and I can't get close enough. I am definitely in the market for a 60 or 100 macro or perhaps the 85 1.8
 
Tamron 60mm F2 Macro (Novice Photos), I really love this lens :)

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For my needs the autofocus is fast enough, it is not a usm so will not be as fast as the Canon. It is a macro lens and both the Canon and Tamron 60mm do not have a focus limiter so when it hunts it has a long way to go. I find that the AF assist on my speedlite pretty much eliminates any hunting in lower light.

I chose this lens as I love macro and wanted a fast lens (F2) for portraits/candids and could not afford 2 lenses. The Tamron also comes with a 5 year warranty.

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I have even managed to capture some action shot of my son with a macro lens :)

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I will have a look through my photos and try and find some at F2. I dont shoot wide opened that often as I tend to shoot closer candids/portraits and F2 that gives a very thin DOF.
 
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