Is a 35mm good for portraits?

A 35mm can work for portraits, but it's not the first lens I'd reach for. On APS-C, a 33-35mm f/1.4 to f/1.8 is a fast standard prime, good for people, food and low light, as I say in Lenses. It takes in more of the scene, though, so faces get less separation from the background than with a longer lens.

If portraits are the main job, I'd look longer:

• Voigtländer Portrait Heliar 75mm f/1.8 for full frame
• Laowa 105mm f/2 STF for soft bokeh
• Zeiss Batis 135mm f/2.8 for a light, stabilised option

Whatever focal length you pick, light matters more than the lens, so read Portraits before you buy anything.

Written by Claude from this site's pages.