The everyday portrait lens: Fujion GF45 mm F2.8

A question we hear so often is which lens is the ‘one‘ for portraits. Like most of us, I started this slippery slope with firstly obeying the generally ‘recommended’ focal lengths of 90mm, then sliding down further towards lenses with ever larger apertures before I finally settled on what works for me other than the GF110mm F2.

Its never an easy answer, depending on your budget, personal style of photography and the make of camera. It is further complicated by the relationship between sensor size and focal length and to the die-hards, even the type and behaviour of bokeh of a particular lens.

Of course, the GF110mm F2 is still the absolute winner for me and I will reach out for it if I only want the absolute best in image quality but at SGD$4.6k and its accompanying weight – I’ve been looking for an alternative for a while – one that still wows me, but with a healthier package in terms of size and price 

and I decided to try the GF45mm F2.8

Why?

When its neither that telephoto enough to provide a good compression. 
When its neither and as fast as other counterparts or even, 
When its not as top notch as its other siblings, the GF110mm or the GF120mm. 

The answer is, why not?  – it’s the traditional 35mm – giving most of us enough ‘width’ to manoeuvre & most of all, in portraits bokeh is not everything. 

and so I went ahead and packed only and just only the GF45mm for a photoshoot and let’s let the photos do the talking.

Photoshoot with Mandy, one of the most bubbly and charming models I’ve worked with.

Shooting with the GF45mm, I didn’t feel the constraints that a longer focal length would have caused me to have. And it felt, surprisingly casually enjoyable… 

And I realize that as we start our photography journeys, it is good to ‘follow‘ the norm, the standard rules until we find our own style and preferences.  Yes, rules may then hold us back and when that happens, follow your heart as after all, we are all unique individuals end of the day. 

What I have touched on here is just the tip, after all this is only one GFX system, and there exists an almost uncountable amount of portrait options out there, just take note that the gem hiding there for you may not necessary be a conventional one too. 

Thank you for reading.