There are many ingredients in the recipe that make a good photographic portrait—foreground, background, setting, pose, expression, color, lighting, and so on—but one element that can be as important to the result as the portrait sitter is the lens used to capture the portrait and help create the art.
Technically, any lens can be used to take a portrait with your camera, and there are traditional focal lengths for “portrait lenses” like 85mm and 105mm, but I asked my fellow B&H photographers, as well as our B&H Creative partners and affiliates, to share with us their favorite portrait lens.
Dennis Livesey, B&H — @liveseyimages
“Growing up, Joseph Karsh, Irving Penn and George Hurrell were my favorite portrait photographers. From them I learned that the real goal of a portrait is not just a becoming photo but one that tells something of the person's personality. This is the difference between a good portrait and a great one.
When “portrait lens” is said today, the thought turns to moderate telephoto lenses with f/2 or faster apertures that make the background soft. Our eyes, always attracted to the highest contrast, go immediately to the most contrasty, sharpest part of any photograph. This phenomenon is what makes these lenses so effective. Examples are: the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM Lens, the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.4G Lens, or the ZEISS Batis 135mm f/2.8 Lens for Sony E.
Having said that, I will now say my favorite portrait lens is the one that is the most appropriate in accomplishing my goals for that portrait. For the photo I am submitting, the “portrait” lens is a 127mm f/4.5 Graflex Optar on my 1952 Graflex Speed Graphic 4x5 film press camera.
In the early days of railroading, back in the halcyon days of the late 1800s, the engine crew shot was a staple. I wanted to do the same. So, a polite ask to the Master Mechanic of the East Broad Top Railroad of Rockhill, PA resulted in the near timeless shot you see submitted here. Placing the men in close contact with the machine that is their livelihood gives the viewer tremendous information. The viewer sees them as men of purpose, ability and drive. Since I needed a wider lens to get all four men and the large locomotive in frame, the moderate 127mm on a 4x5 camera was the right choice for this portrait.
If you understand these men and their magnificent locomotive a bit better, or become more curious about them, then I, my camera, and its lens have succeeded in our goal.”
Steve Levy, B&H
"The Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 lens continues to surprise me years after owning it, so much so that I haven’t even considered replacing it or snagging another lens near its focal length. It’s been my go-to portrait lens when I need subject isolation and high image quality in low-light scenes. With the right conditions, it can produce this beautiful motion-blurred bokeh that really stands out from other glass I’ve used. I’d go as far as saying this lens is responsible for me falling out of love with my FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM and opting for a trio of Sony primes in its place.
So, if you’re looking for a fast lens to pair with your Sony Alpha camera body that doesn’t take up much bag space, this will give you great bang for your buck and it might just stay in your rotation for years to come, as it has for me. And if it doesn’t, please don’t show up on my doorstep!"
Annelie Rios, B&H
"When it comes to getting that right look, my Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 medium-telephoto fixed prime lens works wonders. For me, this lens checks off everything I look for with my portrait shoots. Clarity, sharpness, and just the right amount of bokeh allows for all my subjects to always come out simply amazing. The f/1.8 aperture is just as great as I want to pursue more shoots in low light situations to give it more of a pop. With this lens, it is not so heavy and that definitely works since at times a ton of photography equipment can pack on the weight."
Mathew Malwitz, B&H
"While portraiture is usually not my forte, I find the portrait range a versatile one that is suited for more than just the typical headshot. As a wildlife photographer, portrait lenses can be used to capture images that showcase not only the animal, but the environment it lives in as well. The bright apertures and resulting narrow depth of field mean you can still isolate the subject while featuring them in a broader scene. Because wildlife is often quite skittish, a longer prime like the NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena is my first choice. Its fast focusing, able to keep up with the super snappy subject tracking modes in cameras like the Z8 and Z9, and razor sharp. While it is a bit beefy, I’ve never felt that it was unwieldly or cumbersome. Maybe that’s because I’m used to lugging a 500mm f/4 prime around."
Matthew Cottom, B&H
"My favorite portrait lens is the FUJIFILM XF 33mm f/1.4. On my XT-5 mirrorless camera, the 33mm focal length provides that classic 50mm perspective—neither too wide nor too tight, but just right for capturing someone in their natural space. I love how it lets me get close without overwhelming the frame, creating portraits that feel honest and connected. It renders subjects with incredible sharpness and detail, yet maintains a beautiful, creamy bokeh that separates them from the background without ever looking harsh or distracting. The autofocus is quick, quiet, and precise, and the lens has a certain FUJIFILM character—it captures color and light in a way that feels vibrant yet natural, adding a sense of life to portraits that goes beyond technical perfection."
Katherine Hoskins, B&H — @kathbhoskins
“My favorite portrait lens is the Minolta 50mm f/1.4 Rokkor-X MD. I use it with my Minolta SRT-201, which was my first film camera—a family heirloom previously owned by my uncle Jim and used throughout the ’70s and ’80s on photojournalism assignments for my grandfather’s local Kentucky newspaper. My connection to this camera and lens gives me a lot of inspiration and I love using it as my carry-everywhere camera setup, especially for impromptu portrait sessions. The smooth, slightly swirly bokeh and sharp focus give this lens an ethereal quality I adore. I like to carry as minimal a kit as possible for long photo walks, so this lightweight lens combined with its dreamy characteristics make it a perfect choice every time.”
Liza Roberts, B&H Creative — @lizabetroberts
“I love the simplicity of the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM! It's my go-to for fantasy and dreamy portraiture. It's the first lens I got for my Canon R6 and it's never failed me. I get dreamy, but crisp and clear images every time.”
Josh Brown, B&H — @xxjoshbrownxx
“I love the Voigtländer Nokton Classic 40m f/1.4 MC for Leica M mount and use it on APS-C cameras. It’s not your typical portrait lens. It doesn’t flatten, but it also doesn’t distort faces either. I like it for casual portraits of friends and family in tight places while hanging out. It’s small, unintrusive, and fast.”
Elena Min, B&H — @nycitypixels
"I'm thrilled with the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2 L USM DS Lens. It's an incredible tool for portrait photography, offering unmatched image quality and beautiful bokeh. Despite its cost and weight, it has significantly enhanced my ability to capture stunning, professional-quality portraits."
Todd Vorenkamp, B&H — @trvphoto
“Traditionally, my favorite portrait lens was the hidden gem, and recently discontinued, Nikon AF DC-NIKKOR 105mm f/2D that I got second-hand from someone departing the Nikon system. I still use the lens, adapted to my FUJIFILM cameras, for manual-focus portraits and astrophotography."
“As I had migrated to FUJIFILM, I picked up the FUJIFILM XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR lens and it has become my portrait lens of choice. Ironically, it doesn’t get exercised as much as it should as my favorite portrait subject is a 2.5-year-old who is always on the move—he’s not much of a ‘portrait sitter.’ Capturing him, I usually am armed with the FUJIFILM XF 35mm f/1.4 R lens that gives me a bit more flexibility with composition and an additional stop of light when indoors. Depending on what we are doing and his mood, I sometimes reach for the 90mm f/2 and inevitably get a keeper or two that I love."
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