Top 10 Best Portrait Lenses of 2026
January 17, 2026
Portrait photography is one of the most popular genres, where the lens plays a key role. The ideal portrait lens provides natural perspective, beautiful background blur (bokeh), and high sharpness at wide apertures.
In 2026, the market offers many excellent options: from classic 85 mm to versatile 50 mm and telephoto lenses at 135 mm. We’ve compiled a top list of portrait lenses for full-frame and crop-sensor cameras, taking into account photographers’ reviews, tests, and current models from Canon, Sony, Nikon, Sigma, and others.
1. Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM
Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM belongs to the macro lenses with Canon RF mount and a fixed focal length of 85 mm. It combines portrait shooting capabilities with macro photography, features a 5-stop image stabilizer, and a stepping motor autofocus drive.
The lens is housed in a 91×78 mm body with an optical design of 12 elements in 11 groups. The aperture consists of 9 blades, minimum focusing distance is 0.35 m, and filter thread is 67 mm.
Key Highlights & Specifications
Fixed focal length 85 mm
Maximum aperture f/2
5-stop image stabilization
Macro shooting from 0.35 m
STM stepping motor autofocus
9-blade aperture
67 mm filter thread
2. Sony FE 85mm f/1.8
Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 is a prime lens with Sony FE mount and 85 mm focal length, used for portrait and product photography. It features a compact design and quiet autofocus.
The lens is built with 9 elements in 8 groups, body dimensions are 82×78 mm. It has a 9-blade aperture, minimum focusing distance of 0.8 m, and a linear motor autofocus drive.
Key Highlights & Specifications
Fixed focal length 85 mm
Maximum aperture f/1.8
Linear motor autofocus
9-blade aperture
Minimum focusing distance 0.8 m
67 mm filter thread
Compact body
3. Sigma AF 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art
Sigma AF 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art is a standard Art-series lens with 85 mm focal length and mounts for various systems, primarily used for portraits. It stands out for fast autofocus and manual focus override.
The lens has large dimensions — 126×95 mm — and a 9-blade aperture. Autofocus is driven by a ring-type ultrasonic motor.
Key Highlights & Specifications
Fixed focal length 85 mm
Maximum aperture f/1.4
Ultrasonic HSM autofocus drive
Manual focus override
86 mm filter thread
Art-series construction
4. Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR
Photographers often choose Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR when they want portraits with a special mood. On Fujifilm crop-sensor cameras, it behaves like a classic 85 mm portrait lens but with an extremely wide aperture that strongly separates the subject from the background.
It makes shooting indoors or outdoors easy even in low light, as the image remains clean. Many note the soft, natural background blur without harsh transitions, and colors rendered in that signature Fujifilm style.
Key Highlights & Specifications
Fixed focal length 56 mm (equivalent to 85 mm)
Maximum aperture f/1.2
Stepping motor autofocus
62 mm filter thread
Weather-sealed body
5. Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S
Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S is popular among Nikon mirrorless owners because it delivers pleasant portrait perspective without distortion. It works great for full-body or half-length portraits as well as street portraits.
The image is sharp across the frame, and background blur looks calm and unobtrusive. The body is fully weather-sealed, so you can shoot in rain or dust without worry.
Key Highlights & Specifications
Fixed focal length 85 mm
Maximum aperture f/1.8
Stepping motor autofocus
9-blade aperture
Minimum focusing distance 0.8 m
67 mm filter thread
Weather-sealed body
6. Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM
Photographers choose Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM when they need a portrait with strong perspective compression. Thanks to the longer focal length, the background is compressed, faces look perfectly proportioned, and everything behind the subject turns into smooth blur.
It excels in studio headshots or open spaces where you can step back from the model. The image is highly detailed with smooth transitions from sharp to blurred areas.
Key Highlights & Specifications
Fixed focal length 135 mm
Maximum aperture f/1.8
Ultrasonic autofocus drive
11-blade aperture
G Master series
7. Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM
Photographers often reach for Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM when they want a special look with extremely soft background blur. On full-frame Canon cameras it provides natural perspective close to human vision, making portraits and reportage look alive and undistorted.
It’s convenient for indoor or evening shooting, delivering clean images even in low light. Many appreciate the smooth transition from sharp to blurred areas and excellent skin texture and eye detail rendering.
Key Highlights & Specifications
Fixed focal length 50 mm
Maximum aperture f/1.2
Ultrasonic USM autofocus drive
Weather and dust resistance
72 mm filter thread
L-series
8. Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Nano USM
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Nano USM is often chosen as an all-day lens because it lets you shoot wide scenes and zoom in on distant subjects without swapping lenses. On Canon crop cameras it covers most everyday situations—from landscapes to portraits and kids.
Autofocus is fast and nearly silent—great for video. The stabilizer helps avoid blur when shooting handheld.
Key Highlights & Specifications
Variable focal length 18-135 mm (equivalent to 28-216 mm)
Maximum aperture f/3.5-5.6
Nano USM autofocus drive
Built-in image stabilization
67 mm filter thread
9. Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2
Photographers love the Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 for its constant f/2.8 aperture throughout the zoom range. It’s excellent for sports, weddings, or outdoor portraits where you need to quickly zoom in and isolate the subject from the background.
The stabilizer allows handheld shooting even at the long end, and the body is dust- and splash-resistant. Many praise its sharp, pleasingly colored images.
Key Highlights & Specifications
Variable focal length 70-200 mm
Constant maximum aperture f/2.8
Ultrasonic USD autofocus drive
VC optical stabilization
Dust- and splash-resistant body
77 mm filter thread
10. Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM
Photographers often pick the Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM for everyday shooting on Canon RF-mount cameras because it lets you go from wide angle to moderate telephoto without changing lenses. Great for landscapes, travel, group portraits, and zooming in on details.
It’s ideal when you need to quickly reframe—on the street or while traveling. The stabilizer helps with handheld shots, and the close minimum focus distance allows simple macro-style images.
Key Highlights & Specifications
Variable focal length 24-105 mm
Variable maximum aperture f/4-7.1
STM stepping motor autofocus
Built-in image stabilization
7-blade aperture
Minimum focusing distance 0.13 m
67 mm filter thread
Compact body
Conclusion
Portrait photography heavily depends on the lens, as it determines how the background blur, perspective, and facial detail rendering will look. In this review we covered a range of models—from classic wide-aperture 85 mm primes to versatile zooms and longer focal lengths like 135 mm.
Each lens has its strengths: some deliver creamy soft bokeh and perform well in low light, others provide edge-to-edge sharpness or strong perspective compression. The right choice depends on your camera system, preferred portrait style, and the conditions you shoot in most often.
The main thing is that a good portrait lens helps isolate the subject and convey mood. We hope this overview helped you better understand the options available and choose the one that suits you best. Happy shooting!