7 Best Lens for Studio Photography: (2023 Guide & Reviews)

Last Updated on November 22, 2023 by Sharon Advik

Studio photography is conducted indoors with the perfect settings of lights and angles.

The studio photographer has complete control over what is to be created.

I did many assignments in studio photography.

I created the blank space, a perfect scene for the photograph, by placing the backdrops and lighting effects.

I also selected the props, such as flowers and umbrellas, for the photos to achieve my vision.

I chose the costumes of the models concerning the aim of the shoot.

I did it with not only people but also products.

I created a scene according to the product.

I also chose premium-quality lenses for this purpose.

Read in detail about my experiences with different lenses.

Which is the best Lens for Studio Photography?

Here are my recommended top 7 best Lens for Studio Photography:-

Canon EF 85mm f/1.4: (best lens for studio photography canon)

It was October. Everyone is busy with the preparations for Halloween.

I planned for Halloween photography in my studio.

We arranged giant pumpkins and cut them in the shape of a frightening face.

We placed fake skeletons standing by the backdrop in the studio.

Colorful light effects gave a terrific look to the studio.

The models wore black dresses, and they were in nasty looks.

They all were wearing witch hats on their hats.

I made them pose atrociously by opening their whole mouths.

I used the studio photography gem, the Canon EF 85mm f/1.4 lens.

I got shocking photos there.

Features
Short telephoto lens
Maximum focal length 85mm
Large bright f/1.4 aperture
Image stabilization
14 elements in 10 groups
Dust and water-resistant
9-blade circular aperture
85cm minimum focusing distance
High-speed AF
Full frame

Selective focus control:

It is a short telephoto portrait lens with a maximum focal length of 85mm and a large bright f/1.4 aperture to suit working in low light conditions or for selective focus control.

The lens has been designed to offer the highest possible image quality from the largest full-frame sensor DSLRs.

The lens is well-suited to portraits because it produces beautiful background blur.

Image stabilization:

This lens features image stabilization, allowing you to use slower shutter speeds when shooting handheld in dim light without the risk of the camera shaking.

Images are sharp and clear at all focal lengths.

It is a fast, standard telephoto lens with a large maximum aperture that delivers exceptionally shallow depth of field and exquisite control over focus for dramatic portraits with striking background blur.

Ideal for portraiture:

It is a short telephoto lens with a large, bright maximum aperture of f/1.4, ideal for portraiture and low-light shooting.

The lens incorporates two high refractive index elements into its optical construction to ensure excellent image quality throughout the aperture range.

In contrast, the floating optical system improves sharpness by compensating for aberrations when taking photographs at close focusing distances.

Versatile:

The lens is of premium quality, a short telephoto lens designed for photographers who need a versatile, high-performance lens with a fast maximum aperture for low light work and beautiful background blur.

It features outstanding image quality throughout its zoom range from infinity to life-size.

It’s an ideal portrait lens and an excellent choice for photographing indoor sports and other activities.

Beautiful background blur:

It is designed for professional photographers and discerning photography enthusiasts.

It combines the superb image quality of Canon’s L-series lenses with a fast maximum aperture and beautiful background blur that can only be achieved with a large-aperture lens.

Conclusion:

When we used this lens for Halloween photos, it captured every detail in the pictures and colors.

It is perfect for headshots and environmental portraits, too. We got great reviews on these photos.

Everyone appreciated it a lot!

You can also experience the same.

Canon EF 85mm f/1.4: (best lens for studio photography canon)

Pros
  • Lightweight & compact.
  • Extremely sharp.
  • Optical stabilization.
  • Dust and splash-resistant.
  • Fluorine lens coat.
Cons
  • Dim corners at wide apertures.

Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8: (best lens for studio photography Nikon)

We had to shoot for a music album.

The cover photo of the album must have been attractive.

So, I used a white background and sparkling lighting.

The singer was in a casual black dress.

I watched his video song and decided to pose as he danced to his music.

I asked him to curve his body as he did in dancing in the video.

He bent his knees, his hands were at the backside, and I took his side pose.

But he was looking at the camera while smiling.

The photos were fascinating. His fans loved his song, especially the cover photo.

I did it with Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8, the best Nikon lens for studio photography.

Features
Short telephoto lens
Maximum focal length 85mm
F/1.8 aperture
2 ED glass elements
Nanocrystal coating
Dust and drip-resistant
Customizable control ring
Flattering perspective
Dreamy bokeh
Edge-to-edge brightness
Unwavering autofocus
Multi-focus system built-in

Studio photography:

It is the best lens for Nikon studio photography. Its short telephoto focal length makes it perfect for portraits and detail shots.

Its f/1.8 aperture makes shooting in low-light situations easy, and its 2 ED glass elements reduce chromatic aberration.

Nanocrystal coating keeps your images clear and sharp.

At the same time, the customizable control ring allows you to change settings easily without taking your eye away from the viewfinder or changing the camera’s mode.

Ideal for low-light situations:

It is perfect for portraits, weddings, and events. Its f/1.8 maximum aperture is ideal for low-light situations.

Two Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass elements help reduce chromatic aberration throughout the zoom range and maintain sharpness and clarity.

A 9-blade rounded diaphragm produces beautiful, soft backgrounds at wider apertures.

Nanocrystal coating:

It is a short telephoto lens with an angle of view equivalent to 125 mm in 35 mm format.

It features two ED glass elements and a nanocrystal coating, which provide edge-to-edge brightness and clarity throughout the focus range.

The fast maximum aperture of f/1.8 enables shallow depth of field control for portraits and low-light photography, along with beautiful bokeh effects.

Chromatic Aberration:

Two ED glass elements help to minimize chromatic aberration for razor-sharp details in your photos.

A customizable control ring allows you to adjust settings like aperture, ISO sensitivity, and exposure compensation without taking your eyes off the viewfinder or moving your hands from their shooting position.

All types of photography:

This lens is designed for portrait photography, but the focal length makes it an excellent tool for all types of photography.

The fast aperture lets you shoot in low light, creating beautiful bokeh in your images.

This lens also comes with two ED glass elements that reduce chromatic aberration.

Versatile lens:

This lens is a fast, versatile lens that delivers exceptional image quality and bokeh.

This short telephoto prime lens is ideal for portraiture and broader shots to emphasize the main subject.

The camera’s fast f/1.8 maximum aperture also makes it ideal for shooting in low light or capturing images with a shallow depth of field.

Conclusion:

This lens is perfect for studio photography, either capturing people or products.

You can also create professional images by using them.

Just make sure to use a Nikon camera for that.

It will give you 100% results.

Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8: (best lens for studio photography Nikon)

Pros
  • Extremely sharp.
  • No distortion & vignetting.
  • Good wide aperture.
  • Best in low light.
  • Pleasing bokeh.
  • Great value for money.
  • Autofocus is pretty smooth and fast.
  • Excellent wide aperture.
  • Great for portraits.
Cons
  • No image stabilization.
  • Big & Heavyweight.

Sony FE 85mm f/1.4: (best lens for studio photography Sony)

Product photography is standard nowadays.

I had a project on shooting cosmetics.

I arranged a white backdrop and some fog on the table.

I kept the makeup kit half open and took the picture with a Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 lens.

Then, I did the same with all the products.

I took nail polish pictures by dipping its brush and then keeping it horizontally on a small stone.

It was dripping in the bottle and looked great in the photos.

This lens performed well in studio photography.

Please read more about it.

Features
Short telephoto lens
Maximum focal length 85mm
Full frame format
Minimum focusing distance 2.79 ft
Maximum magnification ratio 0.13x
F/1.4 – f/16 aperture range
Filter diameter 67mm
One XA element
Three ED elements
Nano AR coating
Linear SSM focus system
Dust and moisture resistant
11-blade circular aperture

Optical design:

It is a short telephoto prime lens, which facilitates working in low-light conditions and provides shallow depth of field control.

The optical design incorporates one XA (extreme aspherical) element to reduce spherical aberrations, three ED glass elements to effectively manage chromatic aberration, and Nano AR coating to suppress flare and ghosting for increased contrast working in maximum lighting conditions.

Chromatic aberrations:

The optical design created one XA element and three ED elements to control spherical and chromatic aberrations for improved sharpness and clarity.

Selective focus applications:

The fast f/1.4 maximum aperture benefits working in low light conditions and offers greater control over the depth of field for selective focus applications such as portraits and weddings.

Magnification ratio:

The lens is an excellent choice for portraits, indoor sports photography, concerts, live shows, and street photography.

This lens is designed for Sony mirrorless and DSLR cameras with an APS-C sensor or smaller.

The minimum focusing distance is 2.79 ft, and the maximum magnification ratio is 0.13x.

Out-of-focus quality:

The nine-blade circular diaphragm creates an attractive out-of-focus quality in the image while minimizing diffraction effects, which can often occur when shooting at small apertures.

Conclusion:

Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 is a bright, fast telephoto lens ideal for portraits and sports photography.

I used this lens for product photography in my studio.

My clicks were crystal clear and sharp.

Even anyone can see some description of the cosmetic in small font in the photo.

Sony FE 85mm f/1.4: (best lens for studio photography sony)

Pros
  • Extremely sharp at F1.4.
  • Buttery smooth out of focus background.
  • No distortion.
  • Dust & splash resistance.
  • Crisp and sharp focus
  • Good value for money.
Cons
  • Dimmed corners

Sigma 85mm f/1.4: (best lens for studio fashion photography)

People spend their money on fashion.

It is because it seems stylish and unique.

I also got a project to do studio fashion photography.

I picked a Sigma 85mm f/1.4 lens.

I selected the model’s costume in shocking pink and Yellow because it gave a funky look.

I set a backdrop of the same colors.

It was divided into two sections diagonally.

The chromatic combination enhanced the picture quality when the model stood before it.

The lens is the best for studio fashion photography.

Features
Short telephoto lens
Maximum focal length 85mm
Newly designed hypersonic motor
Nimble AF control
1.3 times better torque than its predecessor
Outstanding resolving power
Minimize chromatic aberration
9-blade circular aperture
Sigma USB dock compatibility
Modulation Transfer Function
Internal focusing

Impressive sharpness:

The new Art lens delivers beautiful bokeh, high-contrast images with impressive sharpness and low chromatic aberration.

A new optical design incorporates three FLD and four SLD glass elements to reduce color bleeding and chromatic aberration throughout the frame.

Large F1.4 aperture:

The lens is a new standard for fashion photography with its large F1.4 aperture and short telephoto focal length of 85mm.

It uses a newly designed, high-speed, and accurate Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) to ensure quiet, smooth AF performance while providing consistent focusing accuracy when shooting stills or video.

Outstanding resolution:

This lens features a large F1.4 aperture that can produce beautiful bokeh effects and shallow depth-of-field images with outstanding resolution from its center to its corners.

Hypersonic motor:

This lens features unprecedented resolving power and minimized chromatic aberration, ensuring high image quality even at the edges of the frame.

The newly designed hypersonic motor ensures fast AF control while providing nimble operation when shooting movies or stills in continuous burst mode.

Beautiful detail:

The newly designed hypersonic motor provides nimble autofocus to capture fast-moving subjects in beautiful detail.

This lens features nine circular aperture blades, producing beautiful background blur when shooting wide open at 1.4 aperture.

The high-resolution image quality produced by this lens also minimizes chromatic aberration and color bleeding.

Conclusion:

When you shoot fashion photos, none of the lenses is better than the Sigma 84 mm f/1.4 lens.

It will give you creativity and the perfect enhancement of your subject in the images.

Sigma 85mm f/1.4: (best lens for studio fashion photography)

Pros
  • Extremely sharp.
  • Good Bright f/1.4 aperture.
  • Focusing is very quick.
  • Less distortion.
  • It is best in the low-light situations.
  • Amazing results.
  • Blurry & creamy bokeh.
Cons
  • Big & heavyweight

Tamron 85mm 1.8: (best lens for studio portrait photography)

I bought Tamron 85mm f/1.8 lens.

I was thinking of testing it.

When I saw one of my uncles after a long time, he had the most dashing personality.

Not only because of his face and style but also his muscular body, even in old age.

He had grey hair but a handsome face.

I asked him for a studio portrait.

He smiled and agreed.

I chose skin-tight t-shirts for him to show his muscles.

The stylist gave much glow to his face and hair.

The portraits I took with the lens had no match in quality with any other lenses.

He uploaded his images on Instagram and got thousands of likes.

Features
Short telephoto lens
Maximum focal length 85mm
Superior Resolving Power
Attractive Bokeh
Fluorine Coating
Moisture-resistant construction
Electromagnetic Diaphragm system
Fast and Accurate focusing
Dust removal blower system

Ideal for portraits:

This fast, bright, short telephoto lens has an angle of view similar to the human eye’s.

It is ideal for portraits and other telephoto applications such as sports or nature photography.

Its fast f/1.8 maximum aperture enables shooting in low-light situations and provides shallow depth-of-field focus effects desired by professional photographers.

The rounded diaphragm produces a smooth yet defined out.

Excellent resolving power:

A short telephoto lens features an attractive bokeh and produces sharp images with excellent resolving power.

The maximum aperture of f/1.8 allows you to create a shallow depth of field in your photos.

Adjust aperture:

It has a fast and accurate focusing system, and the electromagnetism diaphragm system makes it possible to adjust the aperture quickly and accurately.

It is a perfect lens for wedding photography and other types of portrait photography, such as headshots, family photos, etc.

Great performance:

It offers an attractive price and outstanding performance at the same time.

The maximum focal length is 85mm, making it ideal for portraits and indoor shooting with natural light.

It comes with Fluorine Coating, which helps to reduce ghosting and flare for stunning images every time you shoot outdoors or indoors.

Beautiful bokeh:

Tamron’s SP 85mm F/1.8 Di VC USD lens is a high-performance short telephoto prime lens that provides an angle of view similar to the human eye and features an aspherical element for outstanding image quality throughout the entire focusing range.

The SP 85mm F/1.8 delivers beautiful bokeh with its rounded 9-blade diaphragm opening.

It also has moisture-resistant construction, is ideal for portrait shots, and offers fast and accurate autofocusing.

Compact design:

It updates the original Tamron lens, one of history’s most famous portrait lenses.

The new version improves upon its predecessor with better image quality and faster autofocusing while retaining the same compact design and reasonable price tag.

It also features a built-in VC (Vibration Compensation) mechanism to minimize camera shake in low-light situations.

Reduce ghosting and flare:

The Tamron lens is the first to feature an aspherical lens element with a fluorine coating for superior image quality, reduced ghosting, and flare.

It also has moisture-resistant construction to provide reliable operation in harsh conditions.

Conclusion:

It is a short telephoto lens with a fast maximum aperture of f/1.8, making it ideal for low-light photography and portraits with beautiful background blur.

Nothing is worth buying than this lens. Tamron 85mm 1.8: (best lens for studio portrait photography)

Pros
  • Excellent sharpness.
  • Less distortion.
  • Wide aperture.
  • Great built quality.
  • Image stabilization.
  • Affordable in price.
Cons
  • Dim corners.

Sigma 50mm F/1.4: (best lens for small studio photography)

Due to the Covid-19 situation, I was at home just relaxing and giving time to my family.

I got an idea from the internet to make a small studio at my house.

I did it on my own by cutting cardboard.

And make a square of it.

I applied white paper on its sides and also on its roof.

Then I fixed the lights over it.

I took beautiful shots of small objects like jewelry and toys under them.

Using a Sigma 50mm f/1.4 lens, I had an adventure at my home.

Features
Standard lens
Maximum focal length 50mm
77mm filters
Large f/1.4 aperture
Ring-type Ultrasonic AF
Full-time manual focus

High image quality:

It is a standard lens that provides high image quality from the center to the corners of the image area and boasts a large aperture of F1.4.

It features advanced optical construction and optimized power distribution for consistent performance at all focal lengths: excellent sharpness, uniformity, and color balance even at maximum aperture.

Fast and accurate autofocusing:

It is a standard lens featuring a large f/1.4 aperture and Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) for fast and accurate autofocusing.

It’s designed to produce outstanding image quality with full-frame cameras and APS-C models, providing an equivalent focal length of 75mm.

Shallow depth of field control:

This lens is the perfect choice for portraiture or low-light photography when you need shallow depth of field control and beautiful bokeh effects.

It’s also ideal for shooting indoors in available light without flash.

Low light situations:

The large gap allows you to take photos in low-light situations, maximizing your camera’s picture quality.

The lens’ fast f/1.4 maximum aperture is well-suited to low-light photography and offers shallow depth of field control.

Conclusion:

The Sigma 50mm F1.4 Art lens is a standard lens designed for DSLR cameras with APS-C size sensors. Its short telephoto focal length of 50 mm makes it ideal for portrait photography.

I love how it takes photos and is live and sharp.

Sigma 50mm F/1.4: (best lens for small studio photography)

Pros
  • It’s very lightweight.
  • Extremely sharp.
  • Minimal distortion.
  • Pleasing bokeh.
Cons
  • Big.
  • No optical stabilization.
  • Dim corners.

Sigma 85mm f/1.4: (best lens for indoor studio photography)

Sigma 85mm f/1.4 lens is the best for indoor studio photography.

I went to shoot a wedding ceremony and took the lens with me.

I captured the beautiful clicks of the bride.

The backstage was full of white flowers with green leaves.

It was a swing in between the garden of flowers.

I asked the bride to sit on the swing.

I captured mind-blowing shots there.

The lens did a great job of taking stunning photos.

Features
Short telephoto lens
Maximum focal length 85mm
Newly designed hypersonic motor
Nimble AF control
1.3 times better torque than its predecessor
Outstanding resolving power
Minimize chromatic aberration
9-blade circular aperture
Sigma USB dock compatibility
Modulation Transfer Function
Internal focusing

Excellent subject-background isolation:

This short telephoto prime lens delivers the highest image quality in the Art lineup.

The large maximum aperture allows for maintaining excellent subject-background isolation while using selective focus techniques. It also offers photographers more control over the depth of field for more graphic images.

Its high-speed design enables fast, accurate autofocusing for stills and video shooting.

It features an improved optical system with exceptional imaging performance at all settings, including its widest aperture.

Advanced optical system:

It is the world’s first lens to achieve a large aperture of 1.4 with a short telephoto focal length in a compact form.

This new Sigma Global Vision portrait lens features an advanced optical system incorporating two FLD elements (performance equal to fluorite) and one SLD element.

Which have been used for the first time in a Sigma lens to effectively compensate for various aberrations, including sagittal coma flare, transverse chromatic aberration of magnification, and distortion.

Beautiful background blur:

The Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensures fast, accurate, and quiet autofocusing, while the nine-blade circular aperture creates stunning background blur effects.

With a minimum focusing distance of 1.5 meters, it is ideal for headshots, portraits, and close-ups.

Large aperture:

The first short telephoto prime lens features a large aperture of f/1.4, making it an excellent choice for portrait photography with a shallow depth of field and beautiful bokeh effects.

The Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensures quiet, high-speed autofocusing for video and still shooting.

Nimble autofocus control:

The newly developed HSM (hypersonic motor) provides nimble autofocus control and delivers 1.3 times more torque than the previous model. Photographers can thus powerfully utilize the lens’s outstanding resolution.

Minimize chromatic aberration:

The optical system features elements that minimize chromatic aberration, adversely affecting image quality in digital cameras with APS-C-sized sensors or smaller when shooting at large-aperture settings.

Customizability:

It features an improved AF algorithm for faster focusing and a customizable USB Dock.

The Sigma 85mm f/1.4 enables photographers to create unique images that were previously impossible or difficult to achieve by utilizing its exceptional resolving power and beautiful bokeh effects in portraiture, still life, landscape photography, and videography.

Conclusion:

This short telephoto lens provides a field of view similar to the human eye.

It has been designed for high-resolution, high-contrast imaging performance at an affordable price.

It makes indoor photography easy for beginners, and experts can enjoy working with it.

Sigma 85mm f/1.4: (best lens for indoor studio photography)

Pros
  • Extremely sharp.
  • Good Bright f/1.4 aperture.
  • Focusing is very quick
  • less distortion.
  • It is best in the low-light situations.
  • Amazing results.
  • Blurry & creamy bokeh.
Cons
  • Big & heavyweight

CONCLUSION:

Alright, guys, that concludes all the lenses we will discuss today in this article.

Do you guys have any experience with these lenses? What are your thoughts on them?

Which is your best Lens for Studio Photography?

Is there a lens I didn’t mention in this article that you love using for studio photography?

Would you please leave your thoughts and comments below?

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