Portretfotografie

The must-haves for portrait photography

Do you want to get started with portrait photography, but have no idea where to start in terms of gear? We have listed the most important must-haves for you, from portrait lenses to flashes, from background paper to light shapers.

Portrait lens | Flash unit | Lamp stands | Background | Light shapers

Portrait lens

What should definitely not be missing is a brilliant portrait lens. Not only the focal length but also the maximum aperture is very important here. This is because it allows you to create that brilliant blur in the background, called the bokeh effect. We have listed three excellent portrait lenses from eight different brands for you.

Merken: Canon | Nikon | Sony | Sigma | Panasonic | Fujifilm | Olympus | Tamron

Canon

Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 STM

  • Maximum aperture: f/1.8
  • Very friendly priced
  • Compact and lightweight
Browse here

Canon RF 85mm F/1.2L USM
  • Maximum aperture: f/1.2
  • 13 elements in 9 groups
  • USM focus system
Browse here

Canon EF-M 32mm F/1.4 STM
  • Maximum aperture: f/1.4
  • Silent autofocus
  • Super Spectra Coatings
Browse here

Nikon

Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G

  • Maximum aperture: f/1.4
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Silent and accurate autofocus
Browse here

Nikon AF-S 85mm F/1.4G

  • Maximum aperture: f/1.4
  • Nano Crystal Coat
  • Minimal distortion
Browse here

Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F/2.8E FL ED VR
  • Maximum aperture: f/2.8
  • Zoom range gives flexibility
  • Very robust construction
Browse here

Sony

Sony FE 85mm F/1.8

  • Maximum aperture: f/1.8
  • 9 elements in 8 groups
  • Silent and fast autofocus
Browse here

Sony Distagon T* FE 35mm F1.4 ZA
  • Maximum aperture: f/1.4
  • Zeiss T* coating against reflections
  • Silent and fast SSM autofocus
Browse here

Sony SEL FE 70-200mm F/2.8 GM OSS
  • Maximum aperture: f/2.8
  • High-luminosity across the entire zoom range
  • Robust and durable constructionen duurzame constructie
Browse here

Sigma

Sigma 85mm F/1.4 ART DG HSM
  • Maximum aperture: f/1.4
  • Hyper Sonic autofocus motor
  • Super Multi-Layer Coating
Browse here

Sigma 105mm F/1.4 DG HSM ART
  • Maximum aperture: f/1.4
  • Rounded aperture blades
  • Weatherproof housing
Browse here

Sigma 70-200mm F/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports
  • Maximum aperture: f/2.8
  • Luminous over entire range
  • Versatile lens
Browse here

Panasonic

PANASONIC MFT 25MM F/1.7
  • Maximum aperture: f/1.7
  • Great value for money
  • Silent and fast focusing motor
Browse here

Panasonic Leica DG Nocticron 45mm F1.2

  • Maximum aperture: f/1.2
  • Very high image quality
  • Optical image stabilisation
Browse here

Panasonic MFT 35-100mm F/2.8 II Lumix G Vario
  • Maximum aperture: f/2.8
  • Versatile thanks to zoom range
  • Optical image stabilisation
Browse here

Fujifilm

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 35mm F/1.4 R
  • Maximum aperture: f/1.4
  • Very compact and light
  • Sturdy metal construction
Browse here

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 56mm F/1.2 R
  • Maximum aperture: f/1.2
  • High light intensity
  • HT-EBC multi-layer coating
Bekijk hier

Fujifilm XF90mm F/2.0 R LM WR
  • Maximum aperture: f/2.0
  • Silent and fast autofocus
  • Three ED glass elements
Browse here

Olympus

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 45mm F/1.2 ED PRO
  • Maximum aperture: f/1.2
  • Tremendous light intensity
  • Superb bokeh
Browse here

OLYMPUS M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75MM F1.8
  • Maximum aperture: f/1.8
  • Wonderful image quality
  • Premium metal housing
Browse here

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm F/1.2 PRO
  • Maximum aperture: f/1.2
  • Very fast autofocus
  • Super light intensity
Browse here

Tamron

Tamron 35mm F/1.4 SP

  • Maximum aperture: f/1.4
  • Durable Fluorine Coating
  • Gorgeous bokeh
Browse here

Tamron SP 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD
  • Maximum aperture: f/1.8
  • High-quality coatings
  • Image stabilisation
Browse here

Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD G2
  • Maximum aperture: f/2.8
  • Luminous over entire range
  • Versatile use
Browse here

Flash

Sometimes, portrait photography requires you to bend the light to your will. This is best done with a flash or a continuous light. You can start with the flash attached to the camera. But you can also use an off-camera flash and flash indirectly, so that the light source comes from a different direction. With a real studio flash, however, you have more flexibility and a more powerful light.

On-camera flashes

Yongnuo YN-560IV
  • Versatile powerful flash
  • Guide number 58
  • Tiltable and rotatable flash head
Browse here

Nissin Di700A
  • Tiltable and rotatable flash head
  • Guide number 54
  • Zoom range: 24 to 200 mm
Browse here

Profoto A1X AirTTL
  • Unique round head
  • Soft natural fall off of light
  • Large hi-res display
Browse here

Studio flashes

Interfit S1A 500
  • HSS & TTL
  • IGBT technology for fresh colours
  • 9-stop power range
Browse here

Jinbei HD-610
  • Guide number 80
  • Large LCD screen
  • For professional and semi-professional use
Browse here

Profoto B10
  • User-friendly
  • Colour temperature: 3000-6500K
  • Can also be used as a continuous light
Browse here

Also handy

With these two important items ticked off, a nice portrait lens and the right light, it is time to look at the other accessories that come in handy for portrait photography.

Lamp stands

Unless you have someone to hold all your lamps, lamp stands are a real must. This allows you to position your lamps exactly as you want. When positioning them, it is important to pay attention to weight distribution. A big heavy lamp can stagger even the best tripod. Therefore, always place one of the three legs in the direction the lamp is pointing. In this way, you can be sure your expensive lamp won't suddenly fall to pieces on the floor.

All lamp stands

Background

Maybe you have a white wall at your disposal, or another cool background, but you can also create your own plain background with a background paper or cloth. Background paper gives a perfectly even background and you can easily cut it off if there are stains. In contrast, a background cloth will show creases a little faster. Should you not have space for tripods to place the background, special clamps are available to attach a cloth. Of course, if you have a small budget, you can also get creative with paper and tape.

All background systems

thuisstudio

Light shapers

The name actually says it all, with a light shaper you can shape the light your way. There are various types, for instance soft boxes and octa boxes, reflectors, umbrellas, beauty dishes, grids and snoots. Each type has its own characteristics. Check out the Light shapers and lighting page for more information on which light shaper is right for you.

Alle lichtvormers

More tips?

Looking for tips on setting up your camera for a portrait? Then read our article on portrait photography where we cover the main points of interest.