New to photography… I have just bought a Nikon d7200, with a sigma 18-35mm f1.8 lens; I had also purchased a Nikon 35mm prime, 1.8, but sent it back because I realised that I have already covered this focal length with the sigma. Shall I get a 50mm instead, which will be around 70mm on my crop sensor camera - looking for a portrait lens and something more naturally suited to shots that mimic the human eye. In advance, I thank you for all advice given.
Beginner Hello to all. Need help with my lens setup. First dslr purchase!
- Thread starter Worrel92
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I can't tell you what lens(es) to get. But ... you can't really replicate the human eye because you may get the lenses but not the processor (the brain) behind them. My experience is we see a lot wider than most lenses but then we tend to focus on what interests us ignoring everything else around it until we scan the wider picture again and focus on something else. With a lens that is as wide as you see, the interesting bit ends up being tiny and probably ignored. Having said that, all the lenses have their uses as when you get the right photograph the interesting bit from that wide view will be there (else the photograph will not be that good).On the length of a portrait lens, you need more than 50mm but I am not prepared to say what ('cause I don't really know). Too short a lens (wider than not) will produce a bigger nose on the subject of the portrait, too long a lens will produce a very flat face. So a portrait lens is a compromise to give you the most correct proportions for the kind of distance you would shoot a portrait.
Other than that, others are better than me in filling in numbers. Great camera by the way (only because I got one too
).Thanks for the info dude! I heard somewhere online that the eye is similar to a 70mm lens, hence why I thought the 50mm on my d7200 would be as close as I can get to a, natural-looking, portrait lens for my setup. I am really new to all this, I have had the camera for about a week and have only taken a few shots on it - while I get my bearings with this powerful device. Ive done lots of research, I suppose its just a matter of time before I confident enough with the device.
May I ask what lenses you own?
May I ask what lenses you own?
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I'd have kept the 35mm, it's a useful focal length and in practice wouldn't have duplicated as much as you think - it's very handy to have a smaller, more compact/discrete lens available when you want it.
For portraits it's hard to beat the 85mm focal length on any sensor.
For portraits it's hard to beat the 85mm focal length on any sensor.
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It's often said that 50mm gives the same appearance as the normal eye in terms of how things look, although the field of view of the human eye is much wider of course. Portraits can be shot at any focal length depending on the look you want and how close you want to get to your subject. 85-135mm is often regarded as the classic portrait focal lengths, but a 50mm (75mm FOV on your D7200) would look fine. The Sigma 50mm F1.4 art is a mighty fine lens, if it's in your budget.
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The field of human vision is closer to a 50mm lens (on 135/full-frame/FX), which on your camera would be around 30 or 35mm.
Thanks for all the responses guys.
Alastair you have a good point: the 35mm was so compact and light compared to my sigma - which is one reason I have not played around with it as much as have desired! The sigma will be good for landscape, and i have a tripod all ready for that aspect of my shoot.
I suppose I just want a lens to take anywhere and start shooting, so I may have to reorder the 35mm, or a 50mm, or another option from further research! I will be posting alot more, now I realise the community available here Kind regards.
Alastair you have a good point: the 35mm was so compact and light compared to my sigma - which is one reason I have not played around with it as much as have desired! The sigma will be good for landscape, and i have a tripod all ready for that aspect of my shoot.
I suppose I just want a lens to take anywhere and start shooting, so I may have to reorder the 35mm, or a 50mm, or another option from further research! I will be posting alot more, now I realise the community available here
Kind regards.
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I spy somebody who is in danger of confusing himself. A 50mm lens is a 50mm lens, full stop. It doesn't magically become a 70mm lens when you attach it to your camera. And I note that you didn't say that the 18-35mm is around 28-55mm on your camera....