the head and shoulders type? and for event photography, indoors and out. plays, baseball, soccer and tennis?

nikkor 135/2
or
nikkor 85/1.4

for use on d700.

Nikkor 85/1.4

I like right in between. 105DC.

85/1.8 or 70-200/2.8

70-200VR, 85 1.8, sometimes 105VR

Guy

2/135mm DC and AF-S 2,8/24-70mm @ DX.

I sold my 1,8/85mm after I had bought the 24-70mm. 85mm is not far away from 70mm. (furthermore the closest focusing distance of the 85mm is no better than 85cm , but the closest focusing distance of the 24-70 is 38cm! )

like_this wrote:
2/135mm DC and AF-S 2,8/24-70mm @ DX.

I sold my 1,8/85mm after I had bought the 24-70mm. 85mm is not far away from 70mm. (furthermore the closest focusing distance of the 85mm is no better than 85cm , but the closest focusing distance of the 24-70 is 38cm! )
I agree, the focusing distance can sometimes be an issue, but using the 85mm is more discreet and much less obtrusive than using a wider lens like the 24-70 (you need to be closer, sometimes too close to the subject, that's the reason why I like the 70-200VR so much for portrait)

Guy

105mm f/2.5. (on a D700). I find MF is fine for portraits.

I fell more in love with my 85 f/1.4 after going full frame. It's not quite as tight as a longer lens might be, but it still out-performs most anything, for me.

I also use an old AI-Converted 105 f/2.5 for portraits and it does a wonderful job with beautiful backgrounds.

All in all, if I go to someone's home for a baby shoot or portrait, which isn't that often, I bring the 35 f/2, the 85 f/1.4 and a 300 f/2.8 as well as that 105 sometimes.

But, any lens can be a good portrait lens in a given situation. I've even used a fisheye a few times and a 500mm at other times. It depends. I don't believe that the magic 85 to 135 range is as important as some make it.

Some earlier thread may provide more information:

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/804371/0#7425608

http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/793567/0#7315134

I like the 150 on my Arca Swiss but you can see a portrait (below) shot with a 80-200 on an F4.

Bill
photo-synthesis

105 F2DC. I used to use the 85mm F1.8 but the 105DC is stellular.

Oasisbill wrote:
105mm f/2.5. (on a D700). I find MF is fine for portraits.
+1 and the 58 f1.4 when choosing MF glass. Favorite AF lens is the 70-200 f2.8 VR

Nikon 105 f2.5 ais lens and 85 1.8 lens

Between those two lenses, the 135 f2. I love the 90mm tamron on the crop bodies which gives the same angle of view. But of course there are differences.

I used a 135 f1.8 on a full frame Sony and it was pretty bloody excellent.

Cute kids or good looking females!

Andre Labonte wrote:
Cute kids or good looking females!

AMEN!

For lenses, there's a lot of good ones... for me, I like:

300mm f2.8 VR Nikkor - most amazing bokkeh
150mm f2.8 EX Sigma Macro - incredible sharpness, nice OOF
85mm f1.4 - nice OOF, shorter length

... but if I had the 105VR I might throw it on this list too.

85mm is doing extremely great when shooting the person from head to waist. I found it a little hard to control when I use it to shoot full body due to the softness at f1.4. If i want to have a clear picture at full body shot, I must step down my f stop to 2.8 or more maybe even f4.

HapZungLam wrote:
85mm is doing extremely great when shooting the person from head to waist. I found it a little hard to control when I use it to shoot full body due to the softness at f1.4. If i want to have a clear picture at full body shot, I must step down my f stop to 2.8 or more maybe even f4.

this was exactly what i found when i tried the lens out.

i'll go w/ the 135/2 and call it day. thanks for the opinions all.

or the 100/2. back to the store to try em out.

On the FX sensor for head and shoulders I would have to say the 85 1.4 is tough to beat. Nice focal length, easy to handle, and balances great on the D700.
Jack