Using an 85mm Prime Camera Lens

Gear  •  Photography Tips

Portrait photographers love the 85mm lens. The compression that it produces is flattering, and it’s easy to isolate the subject thanks to the creamy background that the lens is able to produce. This does not necessarily mean that the lens is only good for taking portraits. Practically, the lens is very versatile and you can take fantastic landscape, architecture and even street photos with it. So if you’re looking to level up your photography and videography game, using an 85mm lens can be a great way to do so. Photographer Jason Vong shares more on this topic in today’s video:

You’ll rarely see somebody with an 85mm lens walking around in the streets. They’ll probably be using something in the range of a 35mm to 50mm. What this means is that, if you take photos using an 85mm lens, they will come out with a look that’s pretty unique. Even smartphones with a multi-lens array cannot replicate the look of an 85mm lens. Therefore, you instantly have an upper hand and your images with stand out from others’.

You also have an advantage with an 85mm lens when shooting in a cluttered environment. The compression of the 85mm pulls the background closer to the subject and turns it into an interesting backdrop. If that’s not enough, step up to f/1.8 or f/1.2 and you can easily get rid of distractions by melting them away into the bokeh. However, if you’re trying to work in layers, stepping down to about f/2.8 or smaller can be a good idea. This provides more context and adds meaning to the image. Otherwise, everything will appear too blurry.

Be sure to watch the complete video for more tips when using an 85mm lens. Will you be getting one for yourself?