Best portrait lens for the sony a7s?

For portraits on the a7S, I'd start with the lens, not the body. My portrait guide makes the same point: a good portrait lens beats an expensive body with a kit zoom.

Three from the Sony E list suit portraits well:

• Sony FE 50-150mm f/2 GM: the best pick if you want bright, creamy backgrounds at portrait distances.
• Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II: a longer, sharper option, and the OSS stabilisation helps, since the a7S has none in the body.
• Samyang AF 60-180mm f/2.8: a bright telephoto zoom if you want to pay less.

If you want one lens for portraits and everything else, the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II is more versatile, though it's a standard zoom rather than a true portrait lens. For lighting tips, see light beats gear.

Written by Claude from this site's pages.