Best lens for portraits on a budget?

On a budget, my pick is the Meike 85mm f/1.8 SE Mark II. It's an autofocus portrait lens for full-frame cameras, sold for mirrorless and DSLR mounts, and 85mm at f/1.8 gives you the flattering compression and soft background that portraits need.

If you can stretch a little, the Voigtländer Portrait Heliar 75mm f/1.8 and the Laowa 105mm f/2 STF are the more characterful options, with the Laowa giving especially smooth, soft bokeh.

Whichever you choose, remember that for portraits the lens matters far more than the body. Read Portraits for more, and see how to split the budget if you're building a first kit.

Written by Claude from this site's pages.