Jason The Creativeooking I was once a beginner photographer and I knew I wanted every lens I could buy, but my modest budget would not allow it. So I got stuck on one questions. Prime lens or zoom lens for portraits?
Prime or Zoom Lenses for Portraits
I love prime lenses and the quality and unique results they can provide for your portrait shoots, but zoom lenses offer a next level flexibility that is hard to beat for beginners looking to stay within a budget and get maximum results with many focal lengths in one. Your choice for choosing only one lens can be because of many factors. This could be because of budget constraints or simply because you want the variety that a zoom lens can offer.
Either way, let’s check out this portrait session with Jasmine and how I came to the final results with my Sony 24-70mm f2.8 G Master zoom lens.
Introduction to the model
Jasmine is a local runway and fashion model who I have followed for many years. I first connected with her many years ago and we finally scheduled a TFP shoot when our schedules allowed.
She has a strong walk and some great posing techniques that she used during this portrait shoot. Her main style is creative fashion and we worked to showcase it in this shoot.
Camera Equipment For the Shoot
For this shoot, I used my Sony 24-70mm f2.8 G Master lens paired with the Sony a7riii mirrorless camera. This camera is one of two cameras that I use for the majority of my portrait shoots.
 | Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GMaster Lens |
 | Sony a7riii Mirrorless Camera |
My main camera is the Sony a7iii. It produces smaller RAW file image sizes and works perfect for the majority of my shoots. I paired the camera with my Sony 24-70mm F2.8 G Master lens.
The 24-70mm Lens for Portraits
The Sony 24-70mm lens is a great addition to my camera bag. It is a very versatile lens that offers complete flexibility in tight spaces. I can stand still and get wide, medium and close up shots all within seconds without having to move around.
Zoom lens portraits give you a unique look to your portfolio because you will get a wide variety of shots from a single lens.
Booking a Photography Studio
The studio was located in Dallas and was called the Painted Lens Photography studio. There were different parts of the studio setup for fashion, glamour, lifestyle and more.
The main draw to this studio for me was the amazing natural light coming from a large wall of windows that tower from mid wall to ceiling.
Zoom Lens Portraits – A Gallery of Fashion & Style
Let’s take a moment and check out the final images from our shoot. These are all natural light portraits with no other flash or lighting involved.
What Did I Learn From This Shoot
Working with a zoom lens is similar to many other lenses. You need to practice with the lens to learn the boundaries of the equipment. I found myself going back and forth between the 35mm wide setting and the 70mm focal length.
Looking back, I wish I had tried more of the middle range for the shoot, but I can always try that for another session.
I also kept the lens at f2.8 without really thinking about it. There was plenty of light in the studio so I could have tried different focal lengths to experience more.
Jason The CreativeConclusion
If you’re on the fence about choosing a prime or zoom lens for your first lens or even your next purchase, consider your style and the future of your work.
Prime lenses can give you great results, but you will need to move around so you can get more diversity in your shots. Zoom lenses can give you more diversity in your style but this comes at a cost to your budget versus prime lenses.
Think about all your options and consider renting first. This was you can try both lenses and get the best version that works for you.
Gear Mentioned In This Article
| | Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GMaster Lens |
| | Sony a7riii Mirrorless Camera |
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