Last updated on June 16th, 2023
Looking for the best lens for family portraits in 2023?
Choosing the Best Lens for Family photography is quite a heavy task because of the availability of thousands of options.
In this article, we explore the best lens for family portraits that are suitable for both mirrorless cameras and DSLRs.
The focal range and aperture recommendations are the same no matter what type of camera are you using. Thars why We have listed the top 7 lenses for family photography.
Let’s dive into the recommendation…
What are the Best Lenses for Family Portraits in 2023
Once you’ve figured out what you’re looking for in a portrait lens, you have a lot of good options to choose from. These are some of our favorite portrait lenses for portrait photographers.
Picking a lens for portrait photography is a hard decision, but we are here to help make it easier. We’ll talk about some of the things to look for when picking a lens for portrait photography and tell you about some of our favorites.
With thousands of lenses Canon, Nikon, and other camera brands have their own best lens for family portraits to help you remember all your fantastic family moments. 35mm lenses are among the most popular family portrait lenses.
They are compact and perfect for kids’ sports and other outdoor adventures. View more to see what results you may get with these lenses.
We’ll talk about some of the things to look for when picking a lens for portrait photography and tell you about some of our favorites.
If you haven’t bought a camera body or are looking for a new one, check out this list of the best cameras for photography you may buy this year at an affordable price.
1. Canon EF 85mm
If you are looking for the best lens for family portraits at an affordable price, you should pay attention to this variant. It is relatively inexpensive and can produce high-quality images.
The main advantage of Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM is incredibly fast and accurate autofocus. This feature is very important when choosing a family portrait lens.
It is an ideal option for portrait photos in which the focus is on the faces and shoulders of your models. The wide aperture allows you to take very clear and detailed pictures. The device has a fairly high performance.
It is lightweight and compact making this device a versatile photography tool. And the best lens for family portraits is Canon.
2. Nikon AF-S VR Micro
If you need a lens for taking close-ups with the possibility to work in low light, then pay attention to this model.
This macro lens is the best Nikon lens for family portraits that offers excellent performance and good focusing at close distances.
It can take a full-size picture onto a full-frame image sensor. This lens has a cool f/2.8 aperture and decent optical stabilization. You can easily adjust the autofocus settings with the manual focus ring.
It is quite wide and conveniently located. Perhaps, VR technology is useful in many situations but for macro shooting, it is not particularly important.
To get the necessary sharpness, you may need a tripod or Gimbal because while using the high magnification ratios you get a shallow depth of field. When shooting with a tripod, VR technology is of less importance.
3. Fujinon XF56mm
Fujifilm 56mm f1.2 is the sharpest lens for family photography. It’s very difficult to find lenses for mirrorless cameras of such high quality.
Fujifilm 56mm f1.2 has a modern design, good performance, and a durable body. It can make an incredibly beautiful bokeh and focus very quickly.
The color rendition and details are accurate. Fujifilm 56mm f1.2 has a fairly high price, so this tool is available only for real professionals looking for the best lens for group photos.
Fujifilm 56mm f1.2 is a great variant for studio work as well. Its built-in flash will help you get the highest-quality image.
4. Sigma 50mm F1.4
The staple Sigma 50mm 1.4 DG HSM has been redesigned and re-engineered to set a new standard for the Art line.
If you are looking for the best lens for family portraits, pay attention to Sigma 50/1.4 Art. The lens has a modern, stylish design and a reliable case.
You can get incredibly bright and clear photos using this model. It is a large size and heavy weight are slight disadvantages of this device.
However, the build quality of the lens is amazing. It has multi-layer illumination that will help photographers eliminate glare as well as increase the contrast and brightness of the image.
5. Sony SEL90M28G
The full-frame 90mm medium telephoto macro lens features built-in image stabilization for sharp, clear images at up to 1:1 magnification. It is convenient to hold thanks to a well-thought design.
In addition, you’ll love the focus ring and switches. It has a small weight. However, I would like to mention that it may take you more time to focus if you use longer focal lengths.
If you’re interested in what lenses are good for what purposes, look through my review of the best lenses for photography you may use to make perfect interior and exterior images.
The lens is capable of taking awesome pictures up to F8. Of course, to achieve perfect results, you will need to edit the images.
You should pay special attention to color channels. This lens is the best lens for family photography. Sony has excellent sharpness values and that is an important feature for this photography genre.
6. Canon EF 50mm
Canon EF 50mm is the best Canon lens for family portraits. If you often have to take pictures in low light, then pay attention to this model which is the best Canon lens for family photography and close-up portraits.
Thanks to the widest aperture among all the lenses of this brand, you will get incredible pictures even in the poorest light.
The lens has a high-speed processor, a newly developed ring-type ultrasonic motor (USM), and improved AF algorithms.
All this alone offers you the chance to require advantage of the sensitive and quick optical device.
You will get the correct focus thanks to a new USM. This 50 mm lens for family portraits provides an excellent depth of field.
Your objects stand out against a slightly blurred background. You can use the f/1.2 aperture to make your photos clearer and sharper to highlight the model’s eyes.
7. Nikon AF-S 35mm
If you like Nikon cameras and are looking for the best nikon lens for family portraits, then you should try this model.
You can use it in various situations since this lens is quite universal. This lens offers decent performance for a relatively small cost. If you use the maximum aperture, you can take pictures with good overall sharpness.
The autofocus system is accurate and fast. Thanks to the AF-S focusing motor, you can combine the lens with all Nikon cameras.
You can easily control autofocus with the help of the focus ring. You will also appreciate the silent operation of the AF system.
This is the best Nikon lens for family portraits that are not inferior to professional Nikkor Prime models.
Summing up
Family photography is a rather complicated area of art that requires special professional knowledge and proper photo equipment.
1. Type of Lenses
There are two main types of lenses, primes, and zooms. The ideal lens for family photography is a model with a fixed focal length (for example, 24 mm, 35 mm, 50 mm, etc.).
Many photographers prefer prime lenses because of their maximum aperture. However, do not underestimate zooms that have wide focal ranges (for example, 24–70 mm, 70–200 mm, and others).
2. Focal Length
The very first question that you have to answer is the choice of the optimal focal length. If you are just starting your career, pay attention to 50mm lenses. Such devices cope well with many tasks.
This is a very good option for beginners. As your professionalism grows, you will need to have more lenses with different focal lengths. The 85 mm lens is an ideal variant for group photos.
3. Additional Lens Equipment
I recommend you use your lenses with additional equipment, such as light filters and adapters. Choose the perfect variant for you from this list the best lens for family photography.
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I’m a videographer and travel photographer. I created this website to help you buy a Tripod or Gimbal for your DSLR, GoPro, or Mirrorless camera. I tried and reviewed most of the Tripod, Monopod, or Gimbal currently available on the market.