Best Lens for Headshots from Canon, Nikon, Sony & More
Headshot photography is one of the most important parts of professional photography works. Models, actors, actresses, and business owners demand different types of portraiture and headshots. It goes beyond clicking a mesmerizing candid shot or taking a snapshot of one’s face.
In this category, you need to capture their identity and personality throughout the frame. You will get the result that your clients want to achieve only when; you will choose the best lens for headshots.
In this category, you need to capture their identity and personality throughout the frame. You will get the result that your clients want to achieve only when; you will choose the best lens for headshots. If you have never had a headshot photography session, you may have various questions regarding the right lenses and equipment that you’ll need for the job.
In this article, we are going to spill the beans on which lenses we think are the best ones yet, depending on the type of headshots and professional portraits.
WHAT MAKES A LENS GREAT FOR HEADSHOTS?
Here, we’ve mentioned some key-pointers on choosing the best lens for headshots.
- Longer focal length - Lenses with at least 50mm focal lengths are more flattering for headshots. Longer focal lengths eliminate distortion and help to limit the depth of field.
- Wide aperture – Lenses with a wide maximum aperture can add better sharpness, color, and contrast to your photographs.
- Sharpness – A high-quality lens with a sharp focus can help you to bring out the details in your subject’s face and upper body.
LIST OF BEST HEADSHOT LENSES
REVIEW OF THE BEST HEADSHOT LENSES
SELECT YOUR FAVORITE BRAND
Finding the best lens for headshots with portrait focal length, wide aperture, and a sharp focus is not an easy task! In this part, we will give you some top camera lens brands that are known for headshot photography. So, without any further ado, read on till the last of this article!
BEST HEADSHOT LENSES FOR CANON CAMERAS
1. CANON EF 85MM F/1.8 USM MEDIUM for SLR Cameras
Features:
The fast and wide f/1.8 maximum aperture of this lens allows you to achieve a soft background with a perfect shallow depth of field. The ultra-wide aperture also makes it possible to take clear images when the lighting conditions are not ideal. The lens has a natural angle of view and perspective that also makes it perfect for shooting professional headshot photographs.
Additionally, the lens comes with an ultrasonic autofocus motor (USM) to provide smooth and fast AF action. Its AF action does not create noise as the front lens group never rotates during polarizing and focusing.
The lens uses image stabilization technology to capture clear images continuously, even in insufficient lights or handholding modes. Sometimes the IS motor may produce a slight rattle, but it does not affect the image quality or its performance.
Design:
This medium telephoto Canon lens is designed specifically for capturing the fine details and shooting in tight spaces. Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM is the best lens for headshots and also great for shooting in low-light. It embraces everything that a headshot photographer could want. Moreover, you can use it in live events or documentary shooting.
The lens has an impressive plastic build design featuring with 8-bladed aperture, excellent shutter speed, and an ultrasonic autofocus motor. The plastic design reduces the weight of the lens also the cost. The aspherical lens is built with molded glass and coated with exclusive Canon’s anti-flare coating (ASC). The high-quality glass and super spectra-coating cut off all kinds of distortions, lens flares, and vignette problems.
Performance:
You can consider Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM as the best lens for headshots; in terms of its performance. The 85 mm longer focal length allows you to take a portrait shot from a few more feet away than a 50 mm lens that makes your subject more comfortable to give their best look. The medium telephoto lens also can take flattering human at a short distance; without distorting the facial features.
The wide aperture of this lens provides excellent clarity and keeps away all types of distortions. The fastest AF system and autofocus are motors that take a while to focus on the subject. So, you never miss a single candid moment. The lens can capture close-up shots using a 33.5” minimum focusing distance. So, this lens can be a good choice for capturing the perfect headshot at weddings, parties, concerts, and other live events.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS LENS:
2. CANON EF 50MM F/1.8 STM LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Features:
If you find the previous Canon lens is out of your price range, you can go for Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM without having any doubt in your mind. This much more affordable lens option will also give you most of the same benefits as a wide aperture.
It is one of the lightest, brightest, and best-selling lenses of Canon. Though it has a wider angle than other 85 mm lenses, it still allows you to capture brilliant headshots and portraits. With a crop sensor camera, the 50mm focal length can work like an 80mm lens and can be useful for capturing detail shots. The minimum 13.8” focal distance of this lens allows you to shoot close-up shots and even in tight spaces
Designs:
The circular 7 aperture blade design of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens makes it the best lens for headshots; also, capturing sharp images and video with blurred backgrounds. The updated lens arrangement with the latest lens coating minimizes flare and ghosting; also, it allows you to render images with excellent color contrast.
Externally, the lens is nearly featureless; while, the engineering plastic design with metal lens mount makes its appearance solid and durable. It includes an extending inner lens barrel, a single switch, and a small flush-set MF ring. However, its compact and lightweight design makes it easy to use and perfect for beginners and encourages them to expand their creative possibilities.
Performance:
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens can give you stunning picture quality at an affordable price. Generally, the general photography studios use Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lenses for shooting portraiture and you get the perfect studio headshots. This is possible because its wide aperture and sharp focus can capture full or partial body portraits without distorting the details.
Moreover, the fastest F1.8 aperture allows you to take 2-3 outstanding photos in a single breath of time. Plus, this lens can do a brilliant job in low light at focusing and capturing the light while you are aiming at your target. So it will work brilliantly in live event photography.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS LENS:
3. SIGMA 105MM F/1.4 LENS DGH HSM ART
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Nikonians feel good to use Sigma 105mm F1.4 DGH HSM Art lens for portraiture. Most photographers consider it one of the fastest lenses for its excellent optical performance and sharp focus on the fast aperture.
The lens has optimized the autofocus algorithm to surprise all with its speed. The integrated Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) can deliver quick and quiet autofocus with minimal errors. The 3.28 ft closest focusing distance works effectively for most shooting situations.
This lenses is on the pricey side and is most preferred by professionals to shoot corporate headshots, models and actors headshots, etc.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS LENS:
BEST HEADSHOT LENSES FOR NIKON CAMERAS
4. NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 50MM F/1.8G LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Features:
This prime lens comes with some innovative optical elements. Its wide f/1.8 aperture captures natural images with an excellent sense of depth and smooth background defocusing effects even; in low-light conditions. Moreover, it features Silent Wave Motor (SWM) to achieve quiet, quick, and continuous autofocus.
Design:
The lens comes with a compact, lightweight, sturdy, and easy-to-use design. Its handy M/A mode offers an easy focus control option. The super integrated coating (SIC) reduces flares and increases light transmission efficiency. Furthermore, the lens has improved its optical design and comes with a larger lens barrel.
The front lens element does not rotate or extend during autofocus operations. Thus, the lens becomes more durable also; the operational procedure of circular filters and filter holders becomes easier. In addition, the lens includes a silent wave motor (AF-S) to provide fast, accurate, and near-silent autofocus operation.
Performance:
The AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G has equivalent capabilities to a 75 mm lens, which makes it the best lens for headshots, portraiture, event photography, travel photography, and more; in a variety of situations. The features and applications of this prime lens are particularly effective for photographing one’s facial or half-body portraitures.
The lens elements offer quality bokeh, stunning sharpness, and correct overall distortions caused by lens aberrations. In low-light situations or when you need to shoot without a tripod; still, the lens provides superior performance.
Because, the lens allows you to shoot at the widest available aperture even with lower ISO settings and faster shutter speed. Besides, if you are looking forward to capture modern headshots, then this lens can be your ideal choice.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS LENS:
5. NIKON AF-S NIKKOR 70-200MM F/2.8E FL ED VR LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Features:
Nikon has created a benchmark with this fast telephoto zoom lens. It covers all those bases like wide aperture, excellent sharpness, a variety range of focal length, and sturdy built quality that a studio photographer would want. The fixed f/2.8 maximum aperture can produce superb natural images with soft and smooth blurred backgrounds.
It features Six ED glass elements, high refractive lens elements, fluorite, and nanocrystal coating to eliminate the flare and distortion. In addition to the features, the vibration reduction (VR) technology maximizes the sharpness and contrast and can capture crystal clear images, even in low light or under difficult windy situations.
Design:
The well-built construction and the masterful design make this lens extraordinary but easy to use. It has four focus function operation buttons at the right on the lens barrel. So, easily you can adjust the sharpness of the images using these buttons and AF lock.
It also has integrated the focus and zoom rings in reversed positions for stable and comfortable zooming and focusing. It has positioned the magnesium alloy barrel, lightweight Fl element, and HRI lens element near the front optical group to keep the lens evenly balanced.
Performance
The new version of this lens provides legendary performance that can reach your photographic experience to the next level. The improved closest focusing distance allows you to capture stunning close-up shots, which makes it the best lens for headshots and portraits.
Moreover, the updated features open an engaging way to capture live indoor sports or concerts, weddings, wildlife at dusk and dawn, and so much more, even in a difficult situation. In most cases, you do not need to use a tripod due to the image stabilization technology.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS LENS:
6. NIKON AF -S NIKKOR 85MM F/1.8G FIXED LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Shooting headshots has now become easy with this medium telephoto lens is suitable for capturing impressive head to shoulder photographs; in various shooting situations.
Its fast and maximum aperture brings out the best from any subject and can deliver natural but stunning portrait images with blurred backgrounds in no time. When you mount the lens on any DX-format DSLR camera, it can achieve a similar focal length of 127.5 mm lens.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS LENS:
7. NIKON AF-S FX NIKKOR 24-70MM F/2.8E LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
This lens comes in an ED glass construction with Vibration Reduction and autofocus technology and is suitable for Nikon DSLR Cameras. You can use this lens to achieve different types of photography needs. Though, the lens works effectively to take a panorama or wide-angle landscape views, portraits, headshots, and much more.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS LENS:
BEST HEADSHOT LENSES FOR SONY CAMERAS
8. SONY SEL85F18 85MM F/1.8-22 MEDIUM-TELEPHOTO LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Features:
Only Sony can offer the best lens for headshots with excellent built quality, unbelievable sharpness, and brightness at a fair price. So, Sony SEL85F18 85mm F/1.8-22 lens is here. The optical design of this lens features an extra-low dispersion element to reduce chromatic aberrations and color fringing for better color accuracy and image clarity.
The double linear autofocus near-silent motor delivers smooth and precise focusing performance. Plus, the circular nine-blade diaphragm provides a pleasing bokeh quality with selective focus techniques.
Design:
This sleek and short telephoto lens comes with a special design to support full-framed E-mount mirror-less Sony cameras. However, you can use this Lens with APS-C models, where; it can provide equivalent focal length of other 127.5mm lenses. The dust- and moisture-resistant design increase protection and durability. The handy physical layout includes an AF/MF switch, a customizable focus hold button, and a smooth focus ring; that gives you easy control over focus mode.
Performance:
Most professional photographers favor this medium telephoto lens for portrait photography. It includes various ideal and practical applications and features for taking the best headshots. Its wide f1.8 aperture and 85 mm focal length make it possible; to capture exceptionally sharp human pictures with smooth background defocus. The ED glass optical design of this Sony E-mount lens contributes to superior contrast and corner-to-corner sharpness across the images.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS LENS:
9. SONY E 50MM F1.8 OSS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Feature:
It is one of the best Sony lenses for capturing headshots in various lighting conditions. It offers manual and automatic focus options but, autofocus mode is quick and precise. The built-in optical stabilization system helps to take handheld shots at longer shutter speeds. When you mount the lens to a full-frame camera, it provides the equal field of view of a 75 mm lens; which, makes it ideal for capturing portraits.
Design:
The E 50mm has a small and compact construction; that comes within at just 2.4 by 2.4 inches length and 201 g weight only. The compact design incorporates several control buttons also, a focus ring to adjust the focus manually, and the other internal elements. The lens barrel has aluminum-based construction and included a reversible lens hood.
Performance:
This Sony lens can be an ideal choice for framing up impressive headshot portraits. If you use the Alpha 6000 line cameras, nothing can be a better option than this lens. Plus, the lens supports full-frame Alpha 7 II series camera.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS LENS:
10. SIGMA 24-70MM F2.8 DG DN LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
Last but not least we have got another lens that can capture a good headshot. The lens features a versatile wide-angle with portrait-length zoom and constant f/2.8 maximum aperture.
Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras support this lens. Portrait photographers prefer to frame headshots or close-up shots at the wide end of the zoom range, and a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2.9 of this Sigma lens.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS LENS:
HOW TO SHOOT HEADSHOTS?
At first, listen to your client’s needs! Do they want something candid or classic formal? Do they prefer a clean or solid-colored background? Ask your client about their purpose and what they want to look like? Know what part of their personality would they like to reflect in the photos?
According to their answer, you should suggest to them about the dressing and poses. Additionally, keep in mind that you should choose the perfect lens and camera settings to bring out the best from the subject.
HOW TO TAKE HEADSHOTS - TIPS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
These are some of the headshot photography tips, try to follow it to get the best results.
What is the difference between headshot and portrait?
Many get this doubt - portrait vs headshot, which is what and which is better. Let me tell you the difference between them. A headshot identifies the subject/person, whereas a portrait gives more clarity about the subject. So depending on your need, you can use either. You can also get creative headshot ideas on the internet.
CONCLUSION
If you want to photograph headshots, then choosing the best lens for headshots are ideal. Usually, the photographers argue about their favorite brands. But we feel when the performance of a specific lens will combine with your photography experience, it will create a remarkable difference from other’s works.
We hope that this buying guide for best lens for headshots was of some help. This article also has some details on how to take a good headshot along with some amazing headshot tips for photographers. Thanks for reading through!
