Best Lenses For Fashion Work?

SteveBurtless · #1 10-20-2005, 11:39 PM

I wanted to find out what the best lenses are used for fashion work, similar to what is seen in the better catalogs like Bloomingdales? There is a definite style and 'look' that most of these layouts share. The 1.6 factor on the Canon 10D is an issue for the 135mm, which I understand is a standard prime in fashion photography. Most of the models photographed are usually one half or full body shots. It seems the various zooms available might work, but I am not sure what way to go here. Any advice is helpful. regards steveb

Bern_Caughey · #2 10-22-2005, 02:51 PM

A short telephoto is probably the most versatile lens for this genre. An 85mm prime on a full frame 35mm or a 50mm on your 1.6 FOV. Consider the 50mm macro.

The next most useful is a normal; 50mm on FF or 35mm on 1.6 FOV. You might also want something longer for beauty work, although the 85 (on FF) can handle much of this.

Best regards,
Bern Caughey

Yanick_Dery · #3 10-24-2005, 10:12 PM

my 28-70 on 1dsII is my best "prime" zoom lens. 90% of my usage.

KenRexach · #4 10-27-2005, 09:51 AM

I would use the 35mm f1,4 and 85mm f1.2 to get that look you are talking about. Use them at f1.2~f2 and the images will have a more medium format look to them due to the shallow dof.

The 70-200mm is another choice, not quite as "magical" but very versatile. So is the 24-70 2.8 although it doesnt defocus the background as much at the shorter settings, at 70mm is nice.

Fernando_Marrero · #5 10-27-2005, 08:57 PM

It depends on your style and the desired "look" for your images.

I have shot a lot with a 1.5 crop sensor (Fuji S2 and S3) with a 17-55mm 2.8 with great (but sometimes boring, at least for me) results. But I have jutst switched to a FF Canon 5d to use fast primes again, 50mm and 85mm, in the way that I used to use them back in film days. I have nothing against good zooms but I think that, for my photography, the change to fixed classic focal lenses, will help it to grow in terms of use of perspective, frame and creative use of DOP. (You can use primes with 1.5 cameras, but they do not look like they should). And usualy primes are better lenses than zooms in terms of flare, sharpness, and faster f numbers.

If you want just to shoot and get good and even wow results just buy a 17-55 with a 1.5 or a 28-70 with FF and run. If you want to think more about frame and perspective, and find the "limitations" of fast primes atractive in terms of creativity, do like me. Anyway, you will must to look for your own "look".

Best,

Former Member · #6 10-27-2005, 11:21 PM

I'll jump in here since I work for Bloomingdales.....
RZ with 110mm, 65mm, 90mm
Contax 645 and Hassy H1 80mm, 50mm
Other than the Bloomies website which are shot dig, a good portion of the catalogs are shot on Chrome or neg. If I do shoot Digital, it's with the Aptus or Valeo(i'm sure some others use the Phase). In the Last 5 years I've shot for Saks, Bergdorf, Neimans, Macy's, Land's End, etc and I've never shot 35mm(not saying no one has but I bet 90% is med format). Also, most photogs are different, but I never use telephotos, In fact on the H1, my longest lens I own is the 80mm.(with the Aptus is a very slight telephoto)

Eugene_Hertoghe · #7 10-28-2005, 08:06 AM

The big problem is that you shoot with a 1.6 factor camera. The only solution is to get fast primes so you can deal better with dept of field issues. Few years ago when I had a d60 I was kind of happy to work with a 50 mm 1.4 and the 85 mm 1.8 mm. These are not expensive lenses. Forget about zoom lenses. Once you work with a good prime lens you will not go back.
And for the future: think about saving pennies to get a full frame camera... your picts will have a 3 dimensional feeling that you can't get with a camera with a crop factor and your photos will have a much more professionnal look.

Eugene