Buying advice

Portraits: what to shoot with and what else you need

How to put together a portrait kit – a full-frame body and a fast prime. Where to save and where to invest.

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Shooting portraits with fast glass is a great goal, as long as you know what you want from it. Many people think the key is the highest-resolution body. In reality, portraits are mostly about the optics – a fast prime separates your subject from the background in a way an ordinary zoom can't.

You can go for top-tier glass and a cheaper body, or the other way around. But the look of a portrait is determined first and foremost by the lens.

Choosing the lens and focal length

I have several great candidates at hafoto.cz:

Sony FE 85 mm f/1.4 GM is the classic portrait lens, giving your images a three-dimensional look and beautiful bokeh.
Sony FE 50 mm f/1.4 GM is the versatile choice for those who want to show more of the surroundings.
Sony FE 35 mm f/1.4 GM offers outstanding sharpness and rendering for both portraits and documentary work.

Bodies and practical tips

The lenses above are for Sony E – they mount directly on the Sony A7 IV. If you shoot Canon or Nikon, pick a similar focal length and aperture in their system. Bodies that are still very capable for portraits:

Canon EOS R6 – a legendary body with excellent autofocus that handles any conditions.
Sony A7 IV – newer, but still a great compromise.
Nikon Z6 II – quiet and reliable.
Canon EOS R7 – a cheaper alternative with an APS-C sensor, though you lose the advantages of full frame.

With used copies, keep an eye on the shutter count. These models have a long shutter life, but always have the condition checked anyway.

What to watch out for

There's no point buying the most expensive body if you don't have a quality lens for it. Megapixels aren't a priority for portraits; the lens's aperture and rendering matter more. With a fast prime, you don't need the latest body – reliable, fast autofocus is enough.

On the lens, check that it's clean, free of fungus and has a working aperture ring. On used bodies, look for scratches and check the battery condition. Functionally, though, these models are still top-tier.

In short

85 mm is king for tight headshots, 50 mm also handles waist-up shots.
Choose a body by its condition and shutter count, not by its generation.

Tell me what and where you shoot – we'll match the body and lens exactly to your needs.