No matter how successful we feel with our images, one area continues to frustrate many photography enthusiasts. That’s taking a good portrait picture. Noses end up looking too big, ears are too small, and the face is out of proportion.
What gives? The answer is probably that you’re not using the right lens, and more specifically, the correct focal length for good portraits.
Understanding the 10 best portrait lenses for your Canon body will help you create frame-worthy masterpieces instead of something that looks like a wanted poster or the pic on a driver’s license.
What makes portrait work special? Most simply, it’s the subject. We want to be up close and personal with our family, friends, or any person we’re capturing, making them stand out as unique and sending a message about who they are through our images.
It’s time to think about what makes a portrait lens different, and the many ways you can take a good subject-focused photo with an array of equipment.
Top 10 Canon Portrait Lenses
Ranking | Lens | Sensor/ mount type | Focal length - full frame | Effective focal length - crop sensor | Aperture | Review | Price | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 | Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 II USM | Best for APS-C/EF, EF-S | 35mm | 56mm | f/1.4 | Read Review | See Price on Amazon | |
#2 | Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM | Best for APS-C/EF, EF-S | 50mm | 80mm | f/1.4 | Read Review | See Price on Amazon | |
#3 | Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM | Best for full frame/ EF, EF-S | 85mm | Not recommended (135mm) | f/1.8 | Read Review | See Price on Amazon | |
#4 | Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A | Best for full frame/ EF | 85mm | Not recommended (135mm) | f/1.4 | Read Review | See Price on Amazon | |
#5 | Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD | Full frame and APS-C/EF | 85mm | 135mm | f/1.8 | Read Review | See Price on Amazon | |
#6 | Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM | Full frame and APS-C/EF, EF-S | 135mm | 200mm | f/2 | Read Review | See Price on Amazon | |
#7 | Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 | Best for APS-C/EF | 17-50mm | 25-75mm | f/2.8 | Read Review | See Price on Amazon | |
#8 | Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS II | Full frame and APS-C/EF, EF-S | 24-70mm | 36-105mm | f/2.8 | Read Review | See Price on Amazon | |
#9 | Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM | A | Best for full frame/EF | 24-70mm | Not recommended (36-105mm) | f/2.8 | Read Review | See Price on Amazon | |
#10 | Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM | Full frame and APS-C/EF, EF-S | 70-200mm | 105-300mm | f/2.8 | Read Review | See Price on Amazon |
What You Should Know Before Buying a Canon Lens Specifically For Portraits
Many lenses can take decent portraits, as the combination of focal length and aperture vary effects we’ll see in our results. Other decision points include shooting outside versus inside, how many people are typically filling the frame, and full body shots as opposed to faces.
For example, if you’d like to shoot group photos, your portrait might include a dozen people, like a wedding scene or a school event. If you’re planning on using this Canon lens for photos where a person’s face fills the frame, you need to be able to get close. If artsy gag photos are your deal, you might want to play with a lens not as perfect for portraits because of the effects it provides.
Before we leave this general discussion, think about the other kinds of portraits you might be taking. Animal pictures, food shots, flowers, and other kinds of close-up work fall under the same label. They bring their own sets of challenges, like the need for rapid action on your part as the photographer, varying settings and backdrops, and capturing the perfect moment before your subject melts or fades.
Let’s go over what’s unique about the big world of portrait photography.
What makes portrait photography different?
When you’re shooting a portrait, whether it’s of a person or another subject, you want a realistic representation of the details without distortion (unless a weird distorted figure is the art you desire). A lower focal length number, indicated as #mm, means the lens is wider. The wider the lens, the greater opportunity you have for distortion.
Two examples illustrate this point well. Have you ever taken a picture of someone’s face with a 50mm lens, only to have it appear that their nose is much larger in the image than reality?
Likewise, a fork resting on a plate of food can appear more like a shovel if it’s the closest thing to your lens and you’re shooting with a Canon wide angle, even if it’s not the item you focused on when framing your shot.
This becomes a challenge when you need the capacity to shoot larger groups – of people, of floral arrangements, or of animals. You want to squeeze everyone in, but you don’t want the edges of your shot to look stretched out of proportion. Giving serious thought to what you’ll be shooting means you can narrow down your lens selections with better accuracy.
What is bokeh?
Bokeh is blur, the nice kind you want framing your subject. Your target is in focus, and the areas in the foreground or background are not. We control bokeh through the aperture setting.
A smaller f-stop number indicates a larger aperture. Think of f-stop as a fraction, with one as the numerator and the f-stop as the denominator. An f/2 (1 over 2, or a half) is larger than an f/4 (1 over 4, or a quarter). The ideal range for bokeh in portraiture is in the range of f/1.8 to f/2.8 – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t exceptions to this too.
Consider other conditions under which you might be shooting, like low light conditions. Taking candid portrait shots at a concert means you’ll want a larger aperture to let in more light. If you are setting up formal wedding photos in an outdoor venue, this matters less.
Why does camera body sensor size matter?
You’ll be shooting one of two sensor sizes, full frame or APS-C (also known as a crop sensor). The sensor in the body changes the effective focal length of the lens. While this is a minor issue for most other lens you use for a specific purpose, it makes a big difference for portraits.
If you use a Canon Rebel, for example, the APS-C sensor changes the effective focal length, represented by #mm, by as much as 50%. A 50mm lens acts like a 75mm. Does this mean you can get away with using your standard lens like a portrait lens? Maybe.
Along these same lines, a full frame camera like a 1D or a 5D means what you mount as a lens is what you get. That 85mm means 85mm. A longer focal length matters more when you have space limitations and can’t back up to accommodate the depth of field you want to capture in your photo.
What focal length is best for portraits?
Pros will tell you the ‘best’ focal length is 85mm to 135mm. But – and this is important – it depends on several factors. You can use as low as 35mm and as high as 200mm depending on subject, portrait style, and your own shooting preferences.
Think first about the most common distance you are from your subject. If you have a lot of space between you and your subject, a higher focal length can work fine. Close quarters call for a shorter focal length.
Consider the width you want to capture as well. Trying to fit many people in the frame or showing a lot of the subject’s surroundings means using a wider lens, but not so wide as to cause distortion. Remember to ‘adjust’ the effective focal length (often listed in detailed lens descriptions) based on your camera sensor.
What kind of lens is better, zoom or prime?
Back to “it depends.” Because of its range of focal lengths, a zoom is a good choice if you have only one body and want to capture images across different conditions without switching your gear. That versatility is attractive because of the choices you can then make in framing.
Primes, on the other hand, have a single focal length. For many years, pros would argue that their quality was superior, resulting in sharper images. Since zoom manufacturing has improved and great glass is now found in both prime and zoom options, this is no longer such a differentiator.
One thing both zoom and prime aficionados agree on is erring on the side of a fixed aperture. This offers you better control in framing your subject and making choices resulting in less distortion, better bokeh, and overall greater quality. But again, this might not fit your shooting style or your budget.
What is chromatic aberration?
Also known as color fringing or purple fringing, chromatic aberration (CA) appears in an image as a halo or fringing of color on a subject that did not occur in nature. An example would be the hair on someone’s head appearing to be purple at the silhouette edges when in fact it’s brown. It happens when the lens cannot process all wavelengths of color at the same speed.
This is particularly important in portrait work because we often seek out contrasting backgrounds or foregrounds. A high contrast between the subject and the surroundings is more susceptible to CA. Some lenses are better at correcting for this than others.
In our reviews, we note lenses that have been rated best at controlling CA. While this is not a deal-killer, consider the common shooting conditions you’ll face to determine if this is important to you.
Why is learning about good portrait framing important?
Lenses are not rated for the photographer’s skill. A professional lens doesn’t mean you have to take a course before you use it – but perhaps it should. Buying an expensive lens is not necessarily the best choice if you don’t know how to use it – and here are some examples about why this matters.
Shooting down at someone, or looking down on them from a height, means the top of their head will appear closer, and therefore larger, than proportioned in real life. Sitting at their feet emphasizes a waistline if that’s in the framing field. Shooting straight on accentuates imbalances or facial anomalies.
When you’re this close to your subject, whether in actual distance or in focal length and depth of field, you want to put them in the most flattering poses. Something in the foreground appears closer, and something in the background, further. Think about the conditions you will be using for your portraits and the bokeh effect you want to achieve before jumping into a major lens purchase.
Criteria to Consider When Buying Your Portrait Lens
After you’ve given the kinds of portraiture you want to capture an in-depth examination, you’re ready to consider lens choices. There are plenty of selections, more so than any other specialty kind of shooting, because so many different lens combinations can work. Let’s look at the criteria we’ve used for our list and why.
Sensor/mount type
Canon currently offers three major mounting types – EF (for full frame sensor bodies), EF-S (APS-C) and EF-M (mirrorless). Most of you will want something from the long list of EF lenses, which you can also use on EF-S mounts with a Canon adaptor ring. For third party lenses, some are best for a particular sensor type; we noted that in our criteria.
Focal length – under full frame or crop sensors
Focal length, or #mm, comes in two forms. A prime lens is a single number, and a zoom is a range. Recall that APS-C sensors in your camera alter the effective focal length. We’re showing you numbers for both types of sensors (effective lengths are estimates).
Aperture
The f-stops mentioned most often as best for portrait-type shots is f/1.8 to f/2.8. Some argue a single aperture is better than a range, unless you’ve developed good skills in using aperture priority shooting. For this reason, variable aperture lenses are not included on our list.
Chromatic aberration control
Since this is such a big problem in high contrast kinds of shots for portraits, we’re relying on the experts who have used a broad array of these lenses to tell us if they’ve had a CA issue. Accurate color rendition and fringing fall under this criterion as well.
Bokeh control
Lenses offer different controls over bokeh. You want resulting images to be soft in the way it’s rendered, without harsh intrusive transitions to that nice blur. Poor bokeh control can cause an otherwise good lens to be rated lower.
Image stabilization
More and more these days, Canon bodies rely on their interchangeable lenses to provide image stabilization (IS). If you shoot under low light situations, you’ll want all the IS you can get to avoid blurring of your subject from camera shake. If your common conditions mean a travel tripod is out of the question, IS becomes even more valuable.
Weight
If you’re carrying more than one body/lens combination, weight becomes more important. It’s also a consideration when you’re shooting by hand most of the time, or in those low light conditions. Better quality glass does not necessarily equate to higher weight.
In general, keep in mind that many focal length/aperture combos have been in production for a while and a newer version may be on the market now. These are typically designated with a Roman numeral in the lens name. An L designation on Canon lenses is a professional-rated lens and carries a bigger price tag.
On to our aggregation of what the experts rate as the best lenses for portrait-style photography to be used with a Canon camera body.
#1. Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM
- Sensor/mount type: Best for APS-C/EF, EF-S
- Focal length – full frame: 35mm
- Focal length (effective) – crop sensors: 56mm
- Aperture: f/1.4
- Chromatic aberration control: Great
- Image stabilization: No
- Weight 1.7 lbs.
What reviewers Like:
We begin with a professional-grade lens at the wide angle end of our spectrum. This 35mm is best for human portraits for APS-C sensor bodies where it acts like a full frame’s 50mm. For some kinds of close-in work, like food or pets or plants, it produces great images on either sensor type.
The greatest advantage in this short focal length is how close you can come to your subject – and that’s a foot away. Even when you’re close, resulting bokeh is soft and pleasing. In addition to being a good portrait option, this lens dips well into wide angle territory, making it a versatile addition to your collection.
The lens is fast and reliable for low light conditions too. Autofocus partners with full-time manual focusing to offer you the finest detailing possible in a short focal length lens. It is weather sealed, so if the muse moves you to take moody outdoor portraits, you won’t be worrying about harmful conditions.
Considerations:
Price is a big consideration for the serious enthusiast, hobbyist, or those of us not using this lens for professional reasons. Some complain it is a bit heavy for handheld shooting, though this is not a general issue. If you like shooting as close in as close can be for portraits and other purposes, reviewers highly recommend this Canon 35mm choice.
#2. Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
- Sensor/mount type: Best for APS-C/EF, EF-S
- Focal length – full frame: 50mm
- Focal length (effective) – crop sensors: 80mm
- Aperture: f/1.4
- Chromatic aberration control: Good
- Image stabilization: No
- Weight .6 lbs.
What reviewers like:
Reviewers like the good price point on this lens without losing out on quality and sharpness in the images. Manual override for the autofocusing system is called out as a great feature, as well as the smoothness and silence of the ultrasonic focusing motor (USM). At 50mm, it can fill the needs of both full frame and APS-C users for a variety of portrait work.
The minimum focusing distance is a foot and a half, meaning you can get truly close to your subjects and shoot them at more than life size (depending on what’s in your portrait). Its versatility for other purposes, such as a general purpose travel camera lens, adds to its appeal. Users report it’s great for action shots and wildlife too.
One feature worth mentioning is a possible good side effect of its focusing mechanism. Wrinkles disappear on your subject, which might be just the effect you’re looking for. Used at the widest possible aperture, it offers interesting possibilities for special circumstances in non-human kinds of close-up work too.
Considerations:
While many love this veteran lens, others say it’s a big step backward if you’re used to the latest and greatest technology. They claim autofocusing is noisy and slow, and images aren’t the sharpest. Frequent complaints note that the AF system appears to stop working within the first few months of use.
#3. Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
- Sensor/mount type: Best for full frame/EF, EF-S
- Focal length – full frame: 85mm
- Focal length (effective) – crop sensors: Not recommended (135mm)
- Aperture: f/1.8
- Chromatic aberration control: Good
- Bokeh control: Great
- Image stabilization: No
- Weight .9 lbs.
What reviewers like:
Considered the ideal for classic portrait length (head and shoulders or upper body), this 85mm provides great character in images due to its pleasing contrasts, adequate sharpness and range of achievable techniques. It is light, small, and priced right. Price is probably a primary reason it is owned by so many Canon portrait shooters.
While the minimum focus distance from your subject is less than a yard on full frame cameras, its sweet spot is probably three yards or more away on APS-C. The sharpness is good enough to capture fine detailing in the center of your subject framing. Edgings might suffer a bit, but that’s generally not a problem in most portrait work.
Autofocusing is quick and quiet, two features that make it a good selection for candid events. Users call its aperture value perfect for low light situations. It shines best, though, in outdoor settings.
Considerations:
Not the best choice for APS-C body shooters, this lens nonetheless can produce good images in the hands of a photog who is paying attention. CA has been reported from pros trained to look for it. Many say they’d love image stabilization to be added to this lens.
#4. Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A
- Sensor/mount type: Best for full frame/EF
- Focal length – full frame: 85mm
- Focal length (effective) – crop sensors: Not recommended (135mm)
- Aperture: f/1.4
- Chromatic aberration control: Great
- Bokeh control: Great
- Image stabilization: No
- Weight 2.5 lbs.
What reviewers like:
Reviewers give this lens high marks for being super-sharp and offering an attractive soft bokeh in images. In the hands of a photographer with less advanced skills, it still produces stunning portraits. Quality of its optics in the Sigma Art (A) line is the key differentiator.
The new style of autofocus control, the hyper sonic motor (HSM), is reported to be nimble and quick. It requires calibration, and once that’s dialed in, owners said the results were “fantastic”. The oversized focusing ring makes it easy to use. When wide open, image results are called “stellar” with superb color and distortion control.
Considerations:
Focusing this lens, like all in the Sigma Art line, should be calibrated through a docking system (separate purchase), and some users report this is time-consuming, difficult and frustrating to do. Longer term owners report focusing drifts over time; the lens needs to be recalibrated periodically. While it is possible to use this lens on an APS-C sensor body, it will then produce intensely telephoto-type images that lack the sharpness and bokeh.
Some users complained about the weight and bulkiness of this lens. Price has been noted as a reason for beginners & non-professionals to be serious about photography before making this investment. Couple that with the calibration issue when considering this or any other Sigma Art series lens, according to the pros.
#5. Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD
- Sensor/mount type: Full frame and APS-C/EF
- Focal length – full frame: 85mm
- Focal length (effective) – crop sensors: 135mm
- Aperture: f/1.8
- Chromatic aberration control: Great
- Bokeh control: Great
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight 1.5 lbs.
What reviewers like:
Often ranked best overall, this Tamron lens is known for its “exquisite” bokeh, its pleasing color contrast, and its overall precise sharpness. The minimum focus distance of less than three feet offers you many possibilities for those studio shots, while the overall focal length and aperture flexibility translates into a sweet spot for outdoors work at greater distances. Its vibration compensation system (VC) helps avoid problems with camera shake for handheld work too.
Its optical image stabilization makes this a great lens for low light situations. Autofocus can be finely calibrated using your computer and a USB link. Even without calibration, it remains sharp with no mentionable distortion throughout its frames.
Other aspects reviewers like are its slightly lighter weight, and its fixed length throughout its focusing range. A pleasing price tag doesn’t hurt either. Quality optics and manufacturing make this a lens that’s competitive with the best professional offerings from Canon and otthers.
Considerations:
The only question raised about this lens is its usefulness for those of us shooting APS-C bodies. Since the effective focal range then grows to 135mm, distortion in close-up work might be an issue. However, there is no specific guidance against using it for those Canon bodies.
#6. Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
- Sensor/mount type: Full frame and APS-C/EF, EF-S
- Focal length – full frame: 135mm
- Focal length (effective) – crop sensors: 200mm
- Aperture: f/2
- Chromatic aberration control: Great
- Bokeh control: Great
- Image stabilization: No
- Weight 1.7 lbs.
What reviewers like:
This professional-grade lens occupies a unique place in the spectrum of portrait possibilities. As reviewers put it, it produces the qualities of the 85mm prime without the hassles resulting from a shorter focal length and wider aperture. It produces soft “buttery” backgrounds while maintaining crisp sharpness in the subject.
The accurate autofocus and lack of a need to search for the correct setting makes this lens a favorite among indoor sports photographers, meaning it will also work well for other candid portraits you want to capture during events. It’s easy to work with in handheld mode, though the lack of image stabilization means you might be shooting faster than you would otherwise plan. Color and distortion are well-controlled and contrast pops.
This lens will work as close as three feet from a subject, but its ideal distance is more in the 10-20 foot range. That makes it a good choice for outdoor work, but something to think about if you primarily like to shoot in a studio. Its reasonable price, given the great optics, means it’s an affordable way to add to your prime lens portrait arsenal.
Considerations:
Canon has not updated this lens in 20 years, and while most say it’s still a great lens, others comment that they wish image stabilization would be added. Weather sealing would be nice for outdoor use in less than ideal conditions. Reviewers had nothing bad to say about the 135mm’s performance.
#7. Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8
- Sensor/mount type: Best for APS-C sensor/EF
- Focal length – full frame: 17-50mm
- Focal length (effective) – crop sensors: 25-75mm
- Aperture: f/2.8
- Chromatic aberration control: Great
- Bokeh control: Great
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight 1.9 lbs.
What reviewers like:
Users deem this lens a winner because it produces sharp images, and it’s highly versatile. The fixed aperture, coupled with the lower focal range, helps you take portraits without the widening distortion common with higher focal lengths. Its internal systems correct with accuracy for chromatic aberrations and other fringing effects.
The minimum focusing distance between you and your subject is only 11 inches when using this lens, and that’s consistent through the full focal range. Its light weight and compact size are also pluses when the need arises to moved around with your gear. It offers four stops of anti-shake image stabilization, making it great for handheld work and low light conditions.
The autofocus on this lens works fast and it’s quiet, a benefit when shooting candids. Its price point offers you value for both portraits and fast (4K) video work. Users report this becomes their go-to lens when they want more flexibility than a prime could offer.
Considerations:
Some users comment that the autofocus can still be heard when recording videos using the in-camera sound. Others still feel the autofocus is a little slow in responding. While this lens can be mounted on full frame cameras, vignetting has been reported under those conditions.
#8. Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS II
- Sensor/mount type: Full frame and APS-C/EF, EF-S
- Focal length – full frame: 24-70mm
- Focal length (effective) – crop sensors: 36-105mm
- Aperture: f/2.8
- Chromatic aberration control: Great
- Bokeh control: Great
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight 1.8 lbs.
What reviewers like:
Rated as a great selection for shooting under a variety of lighting conditions and settings, this professional-grade lens offers you versatility in your shooting. At the wide end, it captures surroundings without CA or distortion. Zoom it in and enjoy great shooting control resulting in sharp images with just the right touches of bokeh.
Important to mention is the fast ring-type ultrasonic autofocus on this lens, which means you can grab those fleeting candid shots with greater ease. Users recommend starting at 35mm for portraiture on full frame bodies. For APS-C sensors, the full focal range works well for those close-ups.
Professionals note that this lens is flexible enough to often replace a prime at either end of its focal length. In addition, the sharpness challenges and outperforms those same primes in terms of quality. As a bonus, it continues to work well when shooting videos too.
Considerations:
Price will be something to think about if you’re not serious about your photos. Some people find it a bit heavy for handheld work, though its image stabilization system compensates for a significant amount of camera shake. If you’re shooting large events more than staged close-ups, you may find the 70mm limit frustrating to capture the images you want.
#9. Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM | A
- Sensor/mount type: Best for full frame/EF
- Focal length – full frame: 24-70mm
- Focal length (effective) – crop sensors: Not recommended (36-105mm)
- Aperture: f/2.8
- Chromatic aberration control: Good
- Bokeh control: Good
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight 2.0 lbs.
What reviewers like:
This is another Art quality lens in Sigma’s line, with optical stabilization (OS) and the advertised ability to serve as go-to gear for a variety of shooting situations. Super-sharp images combine with “creamy” bokeh to produce quality photos. Many deem this lens to be a workhorse offering fine detailing across styles of shots.
Flexibility coupled with a pleasing comparative price point make the case for this lens. Fast autofocus (HSM) and good quality optics and manufacturing are two other reasons to consider this lens. It has been compared favorably to the Canon professional L series, which is considerably more expensive.
As with other Sigma Art lenses, calibration of the autofocusing system is required. Since it is a versatile shooter, choosing it once you find it means you can use it in more than only portraiture. Couple that with zoom flexibility, and it earns its workhorse status for full frame bodies.
Considerations:
Autofocusing has been reported to be noisy in this lens. Also, the zoom can be sticky and jumpy. On a crop sensor camera, its focal range for portraits at the wide angle end creates marked distortion. Reviewers report that on a full frame sensor body, this lens will need to be zoomed into at least 35mm to avoid distortions.
#10. Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- Sensor/mount type: Full frame and APS-C/EF, EF-S
- Focal length – full frame: 70-200mm
- Focal length (effective) – crop sensors: 105-300mm
- Aperture: f/2.8
- Chromatic aberration control: Great
- Bokeh control: Great
- Image stabilization: Yes
- Weight 2.9 lbs.
What reviewers like:
This professional grade lens is rated highly by photogs who like to shoot their portrait subjects from a distance, and for shooting events like weddings in large venues.
It is also versatile for other non-portrait styles of shooting, making it a solid addition for enthusiasts expanding their horizons. For many, it is considered the epitome of what a zoom lens should be, and maybe the best Canon lens ever.
Solid manufacturing construction and great optics match perfectly with good mechanics in the size of the focusing and zoom rings. Image stabilization compensates for the weight under most conditions. It offers multiple image stabilization modes for a variety of shooting conditions.
Autofocusing is fast, meaning you won’t waste time while the action’s occurring, waiting for the lens to adjust. Low light performance rates well, with no loss of sharpness. The quiet focusing motor allows you to blend into the background as you capture those perfect candid portrait shots.
Considerations:
Yes, it’s heavy, and yes, it’s pricey, but you (should) expect that from this quality of lens. Reviewers note that for APS-C users, settings must be dialed in and accurate to get the best image results. It is not a perfect lens for shooting video while zooming.
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