Choosing the best lens for your photography needs can be difficult, but when it comes to newborn and maternity photography, you want a lens that is versatile enough to work in all different types of lighting situations. You need a lens that will allow you to get close-ups of the baby’s face while still being able to capture details from across the room. If you’re looking for recommendations on what lenses are best for this type of photography, read on!
35mm or 50mm
A good lens for photographing newborns is a 35mm or 50mm ƒ/2 which will make your photos have a nice bokeh effect around the edges. You’ll want to experiment with both lenses when taking newborn pictures.
So, if you’re just starting out into newborn photography and want to take better pictures of your babies than the ones on the diaper boxes, try a 35mm lens. It’s cheap and easy to use: just twist it on and go. You can also get adaptors for using filters or other lenses on it as
50mm lenses
But the lens that I recommend is a 50mm f/1.8 because it’s affordable, lightweight, and has an aperture of 1.8 to let in more light.
Just as you would expect, the main strength of the 50mm f/1.8 is its ability to capture photos with shallow depth of field, or a blurry background that really puts your subject in focus. Because it’s so close to the baby’s face – only about two feet away – you’ll be able to easily blur out all of the distracting details in the background. This lens also works well in low-light conditions, so it’s perfect for dimly lit nurseries or outdoor photos when taking your baby outside during golden hour.
Additionally, this lens is great at capturing close up shots of the baby’s face without being too far away from the subject. Because it has a 50mm focal length, it is able to get close up shots while still keeping the background in your photos sharp. The 50mm f/1.8 also has a 5 blades aperture that help to keep backgrounds looking really smooth and soft.
Lastly, this lens weighs less than one pound and it’s super compact because of its plastic exterior! That means that you won’t have to worry about it weighing down your camera or adding too much weight, and you can easily take it along with you on all of your shoots.
What are the benefits of using a 50mm lens for newborn and maternity photography?
50mm lenses are popular with photographers, but more so with those who photograph babies. A lot of your work will be done indoors in low-light situations, so you want a lens that can handle varying lighting conditions. If you use one of the kit lenses that come with your camera, you’ll likely find yourself struggling to get enough light in the room. Also, kit lens aren’t known for their crispness and clarity when photographing at low apertures.
If you’re photographing newborns, it’s best to use a 50mm ƒ/1.8 lens because of how little distance will be between you and your subject. Since it’s a prime lens, you’ll have to manually adjust your settings, but it will hopefully make up for the lack of light indoors.
What are some of the drawbacks?
While 50mm lenses are great for indoor photography, they do have some limitations. Since they have a focal length of 50mm, you are limited to the field of view that this lens provides. This can be limiting if you’re photographing in larger rooms or outdoors.
50mm lenses can be much more challenging to work with because you have a very narrow depth of field and much less magnification than other focal lengths. You’ll need to be extremely close to your subject and understand that you’re going to get a lot of blur around the edges of your photos.
For your upcoming baby photo session, you might be considering the focal length of the prime lenses that are widely available at 35mm or 50mm focal length. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM would probably become one of your consideration due to its low aperture rating – this gives you the flexibility to shoot in low-light condition.
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM
“The best lens for baby and maternity photography”
I often get requests to photograph babies in natural light. To me most of the times, this means shooting in low light condition . This is a difficult situation for most photographers, except when using the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens. The low aperture allows me to take crisp photos of all the details without cramping my hands around the camera or using a tripod. In the low quality natural light in Vancouver, this lens is a life saver.
If you’re looking for the best lens for baby and maternity photography, then this lens can be a great choice. This would offer you excellent sharpness and creamy bokeh effect so that your viewers won’t get distracted by other things in the background of your photo.
Low aperture, Decent price
I have been doing baby and maternity photography for the past 10 years, mostly indoors in low light. This is a difficult situation for most photographers, except when using the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens. The low aperture allows me to take crisp photos of all the details without cramping my hands around the camera or using a tripod.
You can buy this lens for under $2000. This is ideal for low light situations in which low aperture is required to keep ISO low and still take photos in low light conditions. The decent price makes this lens affordable for most photographers, who want clear photos of the newborns in low-quality low-light conditions.
The only lens you will need to start
Each low price lens has its pros and cons, but for low light situations the low aperture of Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is all that I need. This lens does not give me problems with chromatic aberration at any aperture, which is another important factor in low light photography.
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM allows me to take high-quality low light photos of newborns in indoors maternity or baby sessions. The low aperture setting gives a professional look to my shots, even though the conditions were less than ideal. I am able to take high-quality low light photos at a low cost, leaving more money in the bank for studio props and other photography accessories.
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is one of my favorite lenses and it will be yours too! If you want low light photos without any fuss, then Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is the lens you need. The photos I get from Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM give my clients and me a professional look at an affordable price!
Maternity Photos taken with Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM at aperture of F 2 , ISO 1600, Shutter Speed 1/50sec
Maternity Photos taken with Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM at aperture of F 1.8 , ISO 1600, Shutter Speed 1/25sec
Comments from people who are using this lens:
“Due to its low aperture rating, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens is best used in low-light condition and can produce a notable bokeh (background blur). Because of that, we might say that this lens would be most effective when you need to use it in low-quality natural light.”
“This is the first lens I use to take baby and maternity photos. The reason why I choose this lens first because of its low light capabilities. It does not have Image Stabilization so it’s important to keep the camera steady, either by bracing yourself or using a tripod. Also there are chances that you will get soft images if you were to too close to your subject.”
“I have observed that this lens is sharper when you shoot wide open at low-light condition without flash hence its name, “dreamy”. The low light capability makes it great for those who loves natural light photography. But there are a lot of people that does not like the “dreamy” lens effect because this blur background look is popular in portrait photography with a very shallow depth-of-field, but baby and maternity photos have completely different function which is to keep the objects in focus and not blur. I am starting to get used to this dreamy effect on my photos, after all every lens has it’s own characteristic.”
“The Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is a high-quality, affordable lens designed for all EF mount cameras and EOS system film cameras. It’s focus ring allows you to quickly and accurately change the focal point of your camera to capture stunning low light images in diverse lighting conditions. Ideal for capturing fast moving objects, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 USM has a bright aperture design that produces soft backgrounds and a shallow depth of field, making it one of the best lenses for newborn photography.”
“The lens construction uses 1 Super UD lens element to correct chromatic aberration plus 2 UD lenses which compensate for distortion at the outer edges of the image. It also uses an aspherical lens element to correct spherical aberration and astigmatism, ensuring accurate focusing from infinity to 1.2m for a minimum of 0.28x magnification.”
“The Super Spectra coating is specially designed to reduce flare and ghosting, meaning that you’ll beautifully capture all those special moments without worrying about unwanted reflections and smudges. With a minimum focusing distance of 0.95m, the lens allows you to take gorgeous close-ups and detailed shots without compromising image quality.”
“Dreamy” is also a great effect to use when you want to draw attention of your viewer on your subject. If you have a busy background or distracting object you can focus your viewer on the subject by using this effect.
Maternity Photos taken with Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM at aperture of F 1.8 , ISO 1600, Shutter Speed 1/30sec
2021 updates
So far I have never regretted buying this lens because it is always sharp and gives me beautifully blurred background. I love to shoot at F1.2-F2 all the time but sometimes I have to put it back to my 5D III and use the other lens, if the shutter speed is really low.
Overall Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is a very good choice for maternity photography especially those who wants shallow depth-of-field and low light capability.
(Price: Under $2000 – Web Reputation Rating: 8 out of 10)
What are the benefits of using a 35mm lens over a 50mm?
35mm lenses have slightly less magnification than their 50mm counterparts, but they pack more of a punch. In terms of bokeh, they are excellent at blurring the background and creating a creamy out-of-focus area in your photos. This is largely due to their larger ƒ/1.8 aperture, but also because they have a wider angle of view.
35mm lenses also benefit from having a large aperture which will help you take crisp and sharp photos indoors.
What are some of the drawbacks?
35mm lenses can be tough to work with on a full-frame camera because they have such a wide angle of view, so you may find yourself backing up against walls and other people in order to get your shot. They also don’t allow for the same type of background blur as a 50mm lens, although this can be compensated for by moving further away from the subject.
Using a 24-70mm lens
When photographing pregnant moms, you can use either a 24-70mm ƒ/2 or 24-105mm ƒ/4 to capture both close up shots as well as wide angle shots
What are the benefits of using a 24-70mm or 24-105mm lens?
For most indoor settings, the focal length you use is largely up to you and what feels comfortable. However, if you’re photographing outdoors or in larger rooms where there is more space, then I recommend using one of these lenses. Since they have a lower ƒ-stop than the 50mm or 35mm lenses, you’ll be able to shoot much faster when there isn’t as much light.
24-70mm and 24-105mm lenses are versatile in that they can shoot both close up shots of babies/kids without having to be too physically close to them (which can be awkward or scary for some kids!) as well as give you a wider field of view for wide shots.
The drawbacks?
These lenses aren’t great in extremely low light because they don’t have very large ƒ-stops, so your images might come out blurry if there isn’t enough light. Because these lenses are heavier, you’ll need a tripod or very steady hands to keep from blurring your photos.
What about zoom lenses?
Zoom lenses can be great if you want the freedom of not having to switch lenses, but they don’t compare to prime (non-zoom) lenses in terms of picture quality. Zoom lenses are also much more challenging to work with indoors because they have a smaller ƒ-stop than prime lenses, meaning you need to either crank up your ISO or stay near a light source.
24-105mm ƒ/4 lenses are good for photographing newborns if you’re looking to capture more of the scene, like the crib or other objects in the background.
What about dynamic range?
If you want to capture a lot of detail both indoors and outdoors, look for a lens with an aperture around ƒ/4 or larger. If you want to cut down on noise, then an ƒ/2.8 lens is your best bet.
What are the benefits of using a 24-70mm lens over a 35mm?
24-70mm lenses can be used during low light situations because they have much larger ƒ-stops than their 35mm counterparts. They are also easier to work with indoors because they have a much wider angle of view, allowing you to fit more in the frame.
But the drawback is 24-70mm lenses are bulkier and heavier than 35mm lenses, so if you have shaky hands or want to avoid adding extra weight to your camera, then 35mm lenses may be better for you. They also don’t blur the background as much as a prime lens, so if that’s something that is important to you then I suggest using one instead.
How about low price lenses
If you’re looking for something inexpensive but still high quality then try out the 18-55 mm kit lens that comes with most DSLR cameras (Like: Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6)- this will be perfect if you want to take some portraits of your family members during Thanksgiving or Christmas!
Other Lenses
Some other lenses I would recommend include the:
- Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85 mm f/1.8G Lens (85 mm)
- Nikon AF Nikkor 300 mm F4D IF ED (300 mm)
- Tokina ATX 124 PRO DX 12 -24MM F4 (12-24mm)
Tips to get the most out of your lenses for newborn and maternity sessions
#1. Get the right lighting for your subject by using natural light or an artificial light that matches the color of your subject’s skin tone (i.e., use yellow lights if you’re shooting outside)
#2. When photographing pregnant women, take close-ups and wide shots to capture all aspects of her pregnancy journey
#3. If you want to shoot indoors, try using large windows with natural sunlight shining through them – this will provide plenty of illumination in otherwise dark rooms
#4. Keep in mind that when photographing children, they are often more cooperative when their parents are nearby so be sure to ask permission before taking photos without parental supervision
#5. For maternity sessions, it’s important to have a variety of poses planned out beforehand so as not to run out of ideas
#6. The ‘nifty fifty’ lenses are very popular with street photographers who really want to get the best results, especially if they’re planning to use natural lighting during their session. Just like its name suggests, this lens features a maximum aperture of f/1.2 that is basically equivalent to 50mm lens at f/1.2.
#7. Keep in mind that the price of a lens is usually reflected in its quality, meaning expensive lenses will provide you with much better results than their cheaper counterparts
#8. Check your focus before taking your photo. Make sure it is set at the point of sharpest focus so that you don’t have any issues later on when trying to edit your images.
#9. Make sure you can focus on a single point or area before taking a photo to prevent any blurring in the image. Use a tripod if necessary to keep your camera steady and avoid blurry photos from being taken during this time.
Final words
Choosing the right lens for your photography needs can be tough, but when it comes to newborn and maternity photography you need a lens that is versatile enough in all different types of lighting situations. You want a lens that will allow you to get close-ups of the baby’s face while still being able to capture details from across the room. If you’re looking for recommendations on what lenses are best for this type of photography, join our Facebook Group and be in the thick of constant ideas and inspiration with other photographers who specialize in these genres too.