BEST CAMERAS AND LENSES FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
The best portraits are relaxed and effortless - capturing the personality of the subject and essence of the day without force or rigidity. From natural group shots to professional portraits, every shoot is different: style, environment and lighting are paramount for beautiful results, and the right equipment lets you explore and nurture your abilities. Take a look through our guide and find the best portrait lens and camera kit to suit you.
Best for Mirrorless
Body
Canon EOS R5
The Canon EOS R5 lets you master the right portrait photography techniques . A plethora of features include a 45-megapixel sensor and head, face and eye-tracking autofocus mean that your subject is revealed in breathtaking focus. Meanwhile, elegant bokeh adds a sense of character to your portrait, with a sharp foreground and smooth background, making this camera ideal for professionals. A 5-axis Image Stabilizer (IS) prevents any blur, while the DIGIC X Processor means images are processed in crisp, clear detail.
Lenses
Prime
Canon RF 85mm F/1.2L USM Lens
Our range of lenses makes it easy to find the best lens for portrait photography. This prime telephoto RF lens is a great Canon lens for portraits and can help you shoot flattering portraits thanks to the superior optical performance offered by the advanced L-series lens design and groundbreaking EOS R optics.
Canon RF 50mm F/1.2L USM Lens
A professional needs speed on their side. This L-series prime is one of our best lenses for portraits, and offers excellent sharpness and uses super-fast USM technology, while the versatile 10-bladed aperture offers beautiful bokeh that only enhances your subject.
Macro
Canon RF 100mm F/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens
Using a macro lens for portrait photography can offer a certain crispness that other lenses cannot. 100mm is a perfect focal length for a headshot, while a 5-stop Image Stabilizer (IS), 1.4x magnification and Dual Nano USM add a professional touch to your image.
A professional needs speed on their side. This L-series prime is one of our best lenses for portraits, and offers excellent sharpness and uses super-fast USM technology, while the versatile 10-bladed aperture offers beautiful bokeh that only enhances your subject.
Macro
Canon RF 100mm F/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens
Using a macro lens for portrait photography can offer a certain crispness that other lenses cannot. 100mm is a perfect focal length for a headshot, while a 5-stop Image Stabilizer (IS), 1.4x magnification and Dual Nano USM add a professional touch to your image.
Zoom
Canon RF 24-105mm F/4L IS USM Lens
Find the features to make your portraits excel with this professional L-series lens. Fast and silent focusing, versatile zoom and a powerful Image Stabilizer (IS) all help to bring your images out on top.
Canon RF 24-240mm F/4-6.3 IS USM Lens
This 10x zoom lens captures everything you need from your subject in impressive detail. Built for versatility, this lens uses built-in Image Stabilizer (IS) technology to allow for hand-held shooting at shutter speeds 5 times longer than normal. Great for shooting portraits on the move.
Best for DSLR
Body
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Demand the highest in professional performance with this thoroughly accomplished DSLR camera. Engineered to capture every texture, the 30.4 MP sensor is capable of extraordinary clarity and works excellently with low light portraiture. The Dual Pixel RAW technology means you no longer risk losing perfect shots with an out-of-focus eye or facial movement, as it allows you to alter the perceived point of maximum sharpness ni the image.
Lenses
Prime
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens
This versatile prime lens’ fixed focal length creates an extremely shallow depth of field for environmental portraits, with the fast f/1.2 aperture giving sharpness and depth to half-length framing.
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens
Considered one of the best Canon lenses for portraits by professional photographers, this fast prime delivers isolation with flattering compression for head and shoulder shots.
Macro
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM Lens
This versatile macro lens has excellent results in portrait work, delivering a shallow depth of field for beautiful bokeh around the subject, the built-in Hybrid Image Stabilization helps produce 1:1 life-size close-ups of fashion make up in intricate detail.
Zoom
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
A versatile standard zoom lens, it can be used in most scenarios from street photography to studio fashion shoots, capturing more candid expressions.
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens
An essential telephoto lens for professional portrait photography. The flexible focal range is perfect for zooming in and out of crowds at events, capturing intimate moments and facial expressions in sharp clarity.
What to Bring to a Portrait Session
Canon Speedlite 470EX-AI
A powerful, innovative Speedlite flash with a unique motorised bounce and swivel head, delivering professional-quality lighting with simplicity and speed. This modern flash connects to your compatible camera and automatically adjusts to find the correct angle for natural, flattering portraits. Suitable for illuminating large groups and correcting bouncing light from walls and ceilings for softer, more natural results.
Top Ten Tips for Portrait Photography
1. Learn to pose
How your subject poses will change the composition of your portrait. Make time to try different poses and facial expressions, find the style that fits the shoot.
2. Explore every angle
Try and see your subject from different angles, stand above them or shoot from the ground – get up close or take some steps back for more creative framing.
3. The magic of daylight
Natural light adds the most beautiful effect to your portraits. The best natural light is early morning and early evening, just before dusk. Be wary of shooting in bright sunlight or you'll need to consider exposure adjustments.
4. Eye contact
The direction of your subject’s eyes can change the style and impact of your image. For a different outcome ask them to focus their attention outside the field of view, or at someone else within the frame.
5. Understand DP RAW vs JPG files
Whilst the standard JPG file format works well for immediate results, for in depth work, shooting in DP RAW allows you to enlarge or edit your portrait much easier before printing, without compromising the original.
6. Edit for impact
The best thing about digital photography is the power to edit and enhance your images. Use photography software like Canon Digital Photo Professional – provided with all EOS cameras – for editing and re-touching your portraits.
7. Talk to your subject
For the most natural behavior and comfortable expressions, spend some time with your subject, getting to know them before the session and make them feel secure in front of the camera.
8. Never stop learning
Start to grow your skills with the Canon Companion app. It delivers personalised content, challenges and inspiration to guide and grow with you on your photography journey.
9. Find the right location
Spend time researching a location for your shoot. What scene are you trying to set? Ensure your background and environment work with your subject and reflect the desired mood.
10. Don’t be afraid to get close
It might feel unnatural to get up-close and personal with your subject, but a tightly cropped image can often be the most powerful. Experiment with cropping out the background as you edit a headshot, see if you prefer it.
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