Just as a painter instinctively reaches for the right brush, a portrait artist reaches for an 85mm lens. The focal length is ideal for producing a pleasing image with true-to-life facial features in accurate proportion. While a wide-angle lens makes close objects appear larger than they are, and longer telephotos compress and flatten features, the 85mm medium telephoto is just right. Plus the working distance between you and your subject is perfect for making the personal connection that’s often missing when using a zoom.

The Tamron SP 85mm F/1.8 is the world’s first* 85mm fast-aperture lens with image stabilization. Its unique design allows us to include our VC (Vibration Compensation) system—without the lens becoming too large or heavy. What’s more, our SP 85mm F/1.8 delivers edge-to-edge viewfinder brightness for ease of composition and superior low-light performance. The fast aperture of the F/1.8 also offers the perfect balance of subject sharpness and bokeh, that dreamy blur which separates your portrait subject from the background.

* Among 85mm F/1.8 interchangeable lenses for full-frame DSLR cameras as of January 2016. Data source: Tamron