Portrait photographers have a few perfect focal ranges that they often rely on: a 35mm for environmental portraits, a 50mm for the bokeh, and an 85mm that gives a creamy background. The reason to switch between the lenses varies, but an 85mm, in today’s world, is a much-needed focal range for many serious enthusiasts and professional photographers. If you are someone who is looking for such a range, then you have come to the right place. We do hope this list helps you choose the best that there is.
Canon RF 85mm f1.2 L USM
The Canon 85mm is a perfect lens for anyone who does not wish to lose quality. It features a minimum focusing distance of 2.79 ft, a control ring, and one aspheric and one UD lens element. The lens is weather resistant, has a snappy autofocus, and provides really sharp and excellent image quality. As we said in our review, “The Canon RF 85mm f1.2 L USM produces truly beautiful bokeh, excellent sharpness, plenty of micro-contrast, and overall exceptional image quality.” As long as you are willing to pay, you won’t be disappointed.
Nikon Z 85mm F1.8
One of the most beautiful Nikon lenses for portraits, the Z 85mm f1.8 does not dissatisfy. Created with 12 elements in 8 groups the lens has a 0.12x magnification ratio, nine aperture blades, and a 67mm filter thread. The lens is weather sealed, and it really is rugged as well, making it easy to shoot outdoors. It is lightweight, offers great image quality and bokeh, and you get a lens to rely on. With a fast autofocus camera, the lens can truly do wonders.
Sony 85mm f1.8 FE
Sony has some great lenses for the mirrorless system, and the 85mm f1.8 is an example of that. It has 9 elements in 8 groups, nine aperture blades, and a minimum focusing distance of 2.63 ft. Some of its qualities include fast focusing, a nice feel, a weather-resistant build, and compact size. “If you don’t need or can afford the 85mm f1.4 G Master lens, then the Sony 85mm f1.8 FE lens is a fantastic option,” we said in our review. “It’s sharp, has less saturated colors (only the Loxia is less saturated than this), focuses pretty well with most cameras (the Batis is fastest), and it has weather resistance.”
Sigma 85mm f1.4 DG DN Art
Designed for a mirrorless system, the Sigma 85mm features 11 aperture blades, a 1:8.4 magnification ratio, and an 85cm minimum focusing distance. It weighs 625g, has a 77mm filter thread, and is priced well against Sony’s 85mm G Master. The lens is also weather resistant, has great image quality overall, beautiful bokeh, and all this at a very decent price. However, you will see vignetting at the wider ends and some pincushion distortion.
Zeiss 85mm f1.8 Batis
One of the few lenses made by Zeiss before they went on a hiatus, the 85mm features 11 lens elements in 8 groups, a close focusing distance of 0.8m, and a magnification ratio of 1:7.9. It weighs 475g, has a 9-bladed aperture, and a 67mm filter thread. The lens offers great colors, is weather resistant, really fast to focus, and has extreme sharpness. The only thing it lacks is a micro contrast, which could have made your portraits pop out right from the start. But other than that, you get a solid performer.
