Macro lens for portrait photography

Why Macro Lenses Work Surprisingly Well for Portrait Photography

In the 21st century, most DSLR cameras used by photographers are equipped with zoom lenses. While these optics provide a significant advantage in terms of speed and versatility, certain characteristics can limit creative possibilities in specific situations. For high-quality portraits, macro photography, or shooting in poor lighting conditions, a fast prime lens can often deliver better results. In this review we tested two fast macro lenses from Tamron — a 60 mm and a 90 mm model — both of which are also well suited for portrait photography.

One could summarize the trend encouraged by camera manufacturers in the 21st century as: “Put a DSLR into every photographer’s hands.” Most beginners purchase entry-level camera kits that include a basic zoom lens, typically covering a focal length range of 18–55 mm. These lenses are designed for image sensors smaller than full frame. On such sensors, the resulting angle of view roughly corresponds to the traditional 24–70 mm or 35–70 mm standard zoom lenses used with 35 mm film cameras. At the same time, they are considerably smaller and lighter, which makes them easier to handle.

With these standard zoom lenses, most photographic tasks can be accomplished without difficulty. Their main drawback, however, is limited maximum aperture. It usually starts at f/3.5 and decreases further as the focal length increases. As a result, in low-light situations — especially without image stabilization or a tripod — it becomes difficult to capture sufficiently sharp images. This is particularly true if the subject is moving. Neither stabilization nor a tripod can prevent subject motion, and the photographer cannot freely extend shutter speed or open the aperture indefinitely.

Another limitation of zoom lenses appears when photographing small subjects. In many cases the photographer cannot move close enough to the subject because doing so would place the camera inside the lens’s minimum focusing distance. Consequently, capturing macro photographs with a typical zoom lens often proves difficult.

Two possible solutions exist. One option is to purchase a professional zoom lens with a large maximum aperture (f/2.8–4). However, such optics can cost several hundred thousand forints and still do not fully solve close-up photography challenges. The alternative is to explore the market of prime lenses and choose a macro lens that offers a favorable price-to-performance ratio. Admittedly, fixed focal length lenses are not always inexpensive either. Original lenses from manufacturers such as Canon and Nikon are typically designed for professional use and priced accordingly — though they deliver excellent image quality.

A practical solution is to select lenses from manufacturers that produce optics compatible with the camera bodies of major brands. One such manufacturer is Tamron, a company with decades of experience in lens design and manufacturing. Recently, two of its prime lenses were tested in the editorial office of FotóMozaik.

Prime lenses offer several advantages compared with zoom optics, two of which are particularly important for image formation. They contain fewer moving optical elements, which reduces the likelihood of lens aberrations that could distort the image. At the same time, because of this simpler design, they can offer significantly larger maximum apertures than zoom lenses without dramatically increasing their price. In addition — as mentioned earlier — most prime lenses in this category are also suitable for macro photography.

What Is a Macro Lens?

Macro lenses are specialized optics, usually with fixed focal lengths, designed with exceptional optical properties. Without additional accessories such as extension tubes or close-up filters, they can focus extremely close to the subject. Due to their design, the images they produce offer outstanding sharpness and resolution, making them suitable for many photographic tasks beyond macro work — provided the chosen focal length is appropriate.

Unlike accessories used with standard lenses, macro lenses do not degrade image quality. They also allow photographers to retain the ability to focus both at close range and at infinity without changing the setup.

In contrast, extension tubes and close-up filters are typically used with lenses not originally optimized for macro photography. Because such lenses were not optically corrected for extremely short focusing distances, their use in macro conditions can lead to reduced resolution (optical resolution, which differs from sensor resolution) as well as optical distortions and aberrations. Another disadvantage is that when these accessories are attached, the lens can only focus at close distances. To focus on distant subjects again, the photographer must remove the accessory — a process that takes time and requires extra attention.

Macro prime lenses are available across a wide range of focal lengths, from wide-angle 28 mm models to telephoto lenses around 200 mm. The most commonly used focal lengths fall somewhere in the middle, typically between 50 mm and 150 mm. As focal length increases, both the minimum focusing distance and working distance usually increase as well. (Minimum focusing distance refers to the closest point from the film or sensor plane at which the lens can achieve focus. Working distance describes the minimum distance between the lens and the subject.) Lens prices generally rise with increasing focal length.

Tamron SP AF 90 mm F/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (Model 272E)

Priced at around 120,000 HUF, this lens offers one of the best price-to-performance ratios among macro optics on the market. It is small, lightweight (only 405 grams), fast, and solidly assembled. The construction feels stable, without looseness, and the exterior has a pleasant tactile finish with anti-slip surfaces in appropriate places.

Although the lens body is made primarily of plastic aside from the metal mount, it feels robust and durable. The wide focusing ring turns smoothly, allowing precise manual focusing. The autofocus system can be disabled via a switch on the lens, but the focus ring can also be pushed forward to disengage it from the focusing mechanism. This means that when autofocus is used, the focusing ring does not create additional mechanical resistance for the motor.

During focusing, the physical length of the lens changes, particularly near the minimum focusing distance where the extension becomes noticeable. The front element is deeply recessed, which reduces flare and protects the lens from mechanical damage even when the supplied lens hood is not used — an advantage in close-up photography. The front element also does not rotate, making it easier to use accessories such as macro flashes or polarizing filters.

The micromotor autofocus system is both accurate and reasonably fast. With some practice, even moving insects can be tracked successfully while the autofocus maintains focus on the subject. Autofocus performance can be further improved using the AF limiter switch. Judging from the resulting images, the lens consistently delivers sharp photographs provided the photographer does not make focusing errors.

Image quality is outstanding. Colors appear natural, contrast is excellent, and optical aberrations are virtually absent. This becomes especially apparent when shooting in RAW format, where fine details remain intact without compression losses. Stopping down the aperture can further improve image quality, which reaches its peak roughly in the middle third of the aperture range.

Beyond macro photography, the 90 mm focal length is also highly suitable for portrait work. On DX and APS-C sensors, it provides an angle of view roughly equivalent to about 150 mm on a classic 35 mm frame — an ideal perspective for portraits. Image quality remains excellent in this application as well.

Tamron SP AF 60 mm F/2 Di II LD [IF] Macro 1:1 (Model G005)

The 60 mm Tamron macro lens represents the second generation of this design. Its most striking feature is the fast f/2 maximum aperture, which offers significant advantages when shooting in low light or when photographing small subjects that require fast shutter speeds.

Available from around 110,000 HUF, the lens shares a similar construction philosophy with the previously discussed 90 mm model. The plastic body with a metal mount is well finished, compact, and lightweight, taking up little space in a camera bag.

On APS-C and DX cameras, the lens produces an angle of view comparable to approximately a 100 mm lens on a full-frame camera. This makes it well suited for portrait photography, as the photographer does not need to stand uncomfortably close to the subject. Its macro capabilities are similar to those of the 90 mm lens, both in terms of functionality and image quality.

However, the construction is slightly simpler. The lens does not feature an AF limiter, and the focusing ring cannot be mechanically disengaged from the focusing mechanism. On the other hand, as indicated by the IF (Internal Focusing) designation, the lens uses an internal focusing system, meaning its physical length does not change during focusing.

Autofocus may be marginally slower than that of the longer focal length model, but this has little practical impact on its performance. Image quality remains just as impressive.

Summary

Both the 90 mm and the 60 mm lenses were optimized for digital cameras (Di), although this does not mean they perform poorly on film cameras. The optics can be used on both full-frame and smaller sensor cameras and are available with mounts for all major camera brands.

The 90 mm version offers slightly more features for only a minimal price difference. Photographers who require faster autofocus may appreciate its AF limiter and disengageable focusing ring. Meanwhile, the 60 mm lens stands out with its f/2 maximum aperture — exceptional within this category — and its fixed-length design, which can provide certain advantages.

In terms of image quality, however, neither lens disappoints. Whether used for macro photography or portraiture, both deliver excellent sharpness, minimal distortion, and reliable performance even under challenging lighting conditions.

Gábor Steiner