What is the best camera lens for portraits?

The best all-around portrait lens is an 85mm prime with a wide aperture, ideally f/1.8 or f/1.4. It gives flattering perspective, strong background blur, and enough working distance for headshots and half-body portraits without making faces look distorted.

If you want the simple pick: get the 85mm f/1.8 that matches your camera mount. It is usually the best balance of image quality, background blur, size, and cost. If you shoot professionally or want maximum subject separation, consider an 85mm f/1.4 instead.

Other good choices:

1. 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 — best budget portrait lens and great for indoor or full-body portraits.
2. 70-200mm f/2.8 — best for events, weddings, and portraits where you need zoom flexibility.
3. 35mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 — best for environmental portraits that show the subject’s surroundings.
4. 135mm f/1.8 or f/2 — best for tight headshots and very compressed, creamy backgrounds.

Before buying, check your camera mount and sensor size. On APS-C cameras, a 50mm lens behaves more like a classic short-telephoto portrait lens, while 85mm can feel tight indoors.