Is the canon ef s 35mm f 2 8 macro is stm good for portraits?

Honestly, it's a decent lens for portraits, but I wouldn't pick it first. On an APS-C Canon body it frames like about 56mm on full frame, and f/2.8 gives less background blur than the faster lenses I'd choose for people. My Portraits guide points to a 56mm f/1.2 to f/1.4 as the real APS-C portrait lens, so this one sits a step behind.

It still works well for head-and-shoulders shots with some room in the frame, and for environmental portraits that show where someone is. The 1:1 macro ability and built-in ring light are useful extras if you also shoot close detail.

If you already have a Canon APS-C body such as the Canon EOS 80D, this is a sensible lens to start with. Just know that a faster prime will give you the softer, more portrait-like look sooner.

Written by Claude from this site's pages.