Best portrait lens for D40

[eflat]

Both are great lenses and money is not a huge factor, but both are long lenses and I need something short and less intimidating.

Money is NOT a factor, but compatibility is. It needs to be compatible with a D40, period. Another camera is completely out of the question..

 

[eflat]

Leaning towards the new 60mm or 100mm macro lenses..

 

[ElFenix]

sigma 50 f/1.4

the canon samples show that the bokeh is absolute butter. almost too much butter, in fact.


i wouldn't use a macro. the lenses are designed for close focus with sharpness across the frame. they also don't have the large apertures necessary to throw the background out of focus (though i guess f/2.8 at 105 on a zoom is the same as f/2.8 at 105 on a macro, though, as the zoom might be designed with portraits in mind, the design may try to accomplish more than with the macro, which isn't)

if you don't mind focusing yourself, the 85 f/1.8 or a 50 f/1.4 would be good choices.

if you want zoom the sigma 50-150 II HSM replicates the classic portrait lengths for crop bodies.

the nikon 70-200 is about 77 cubic inches. the sigma is about half of that at 39 cubic inches. the tokina 50-135 is only 25 cubic inches, but doesn't have a motor, unfortunately.

 

[troytime]

so manual focus isn't an option for you?

 

[virtuamike]

Originally posted by: troytime
so manual focus isn't an option for you?

D40 isn't the best body to manual focus with. Viewfinder isn't all that great and it doesn't couple/meter with AI lenses (unless they're chipped). As far as trying to manual focus an AF lens, I don't recommend it because the focus rings just don't have the same feel and precision as the old MF stuff. Bottom line, if you're shooting with a D40, you're better off sticking with AF lenses. If you want to MF, then I suggest picking up a used D2h or D200.

 

[troytime]

just wondering. i have a d80 and i've been using some old manual lenses.
kinda sucks trying to focus on action stuff..but for stills they're fine.

i guess the d80 viewfinder is bigger and brighter though.
nikon really needs to make a new AFS 50mm for all those d40s and d60s out there

 

[chucky2]

Maybe a Nikkor 50mm F1.8D or a Nikkor 60mm Micro F2.8G ED or a Nikkor 85mm F1.8D.

There's also the Tamron SP AF90mm F/2.8 Di 1:1 Macro.

EDIT: The Nikkor forum over at Nikonians.org is your friend here.

Chuck

 

[jpeyton]

Shot some wedding portraits with a 105mm AF-S VR last weekend; turned out good.

Focusing is fast as long as you have the focus limiter engaged.

 

[randomlinh]

I'd vote the tokina, I've found I'm loving that range on a crop... w/o the weight. It's made me reconsider ever going FF, heh... not that I could anyway. But since it has no motor, I'd say the sigma 50-150... even lighter by .4lbs (at least the canon version).

 

[Anubis]

will the 85 f/1.4 wrok on the D40?, i honestly just ignored the camera and dont remember wht lenses work or dont work
if so the 85 F/1.4 is/was the defacto portrait lens for years

the 105 F/2 DC & 135 F/2 DC would also be great if compatable

 

[chucky2]

It will work (it's an F mount), however you have the 1.5x factor of the DX to take into account...

Chuck