The 85mm lens, often hailed for its exceptional portrait capabilities, is a photographic tool with a far broader spectrum of use than commonly perceived. While its primary association remains with capturing stunning portraits, this guide illuminates its adaptability for candid street scenes, dynamic sports photography, and various event settings. It encourages photographers to explore the lens's full potential, advocating for a shift from conventional usage to a more experimental approach, particularly by engaging with manual mode to unlock new creative dimensions.
Understanding the 85mm lens begins with appreciating its unique focal length, which provides a distinct 'cinematic' aesthetic. Unlike 35mm or 50mm lenses, which can introduce distortion when subjects are too close or at the frame's edges, the 85mm lens excels at flattening perspectives. This characteristic makes it ideal for rendering subjects with a natural and pleasing dimensionality, a key reason for its popularity in portrait photography. However, its longer focal length necessitates more physical distance between the photographer and the subject, which can be a consideration in confined spaces such as small studios.
In practical terms, utilizing an 85mm lens effectively means maintaining an optimal distance from your subject, typically between three and four feet. This distance ensures a manageable depth of field, allowing for a good balance between subject sharpness and background blur. Given that most 85mm lenses feature fast apertures, they perform exceptionally well in diverse lighting conditions, making them suitable for both bright outdoor settings and dimly lit indoor environments. When shooting street photography, it's advisable to maintain some distance, while in a studio setting, you can generally move closer to your subject.
A critical aspect of mastering the 85mm lens involves judicious aperture control. While shooting wide open at apertures like f/1.4 or f/1.8 is tempting for its pronounced bokeh, stopping down slightly, perhaps to f/2.8 or f/5.6, can significantly enhance image sharpness and bring more of the scene into focus. This adjustment not only improves overall image quality but also subtly alters the bokeh, contributing to a more refined aesthetic. When considering lighting, an average aperture of f/2.8 is often ideal for bright daylight, while wider apertures are beneficial in shaded or indoor scenarios. Harmonizing these settings with a fixed white balance, such as 5600K or 3200K, can further amplify the desired cinematic feel in your photographs.
Another creative technique involves experimenting with the lens hood. Traditionally, lens hoods are used to prevent flare and enhance contrast, contributing to sharper images. However, removing the lens hood can intentionally reduce contrast and introduce lens flare, yielding a softer, dreamier aesthetic that is currently in vogue. This approach can be particularly effective with lenses known for high contrast, such as those from Zeiss or Sigma. Photographers should be aware that older lenses, like the Canon 85mm f/1.8, might exhibit chromatic aberration (fringing) when the hood is removed, though some lenses, like the 85mm f/1.2 L, are designed to produce flattering results regardless of such modifications.
Ultimately, employing an 85mm lens demands a refined understanding of photographic perspective. It challenges photographers to rethink what constitutes a portrait, moving beyond mere headshots to encompass a wider range of compositions. While some might opt for longer focal lengths like 105mm or 135mm for specific portrait styles, the 85mm lens offers unparalleled versatility. By making subtle adjustments—stepping back for tighter headshots, moving closer for waist-up shots, or altering your shooting angle—photographers can explore a multitude of perspectives, enriching their visual narrative. This adaptable nature makes the 85mm lens an indispensable tool for photographers seeking both traditional excellence and creative exploration in their work.