Answer
85mm vs 50mm for portraits: which should you buy first?
85mm for headshots — it lets you stand back, which keeps facial proportions natural and separates the subject cleanly. 50mm is the better single-lens choice if you also shoot three-quarter length, groups or indoors where you cannot back up.
The distance difference
For the same head-and-shoulders crop on full frame, a 50mm puts you roughly 1.2m from your subject; an 85mm puts you closer to 2m. That extra distance is the whole argument. It reduces the exaggeration of near features and gives your subject breathing room, which visibly relaxes people.
Where each one wins
85mm
- Headshots and beauty work
- Cleaner background separation at the same aperture
- More flattering proportions with no effort
50mm
- Three-quarter and full-length portraits
- Small rooms and indoor events
- Couples and small groups
- Cheaper, lighter, more general-purpose
On APS-C
A 50mm on APS-C frames like a 75-80mm and behaves much like a short portrait lens, which is why many crop shooters skip the 85mm entirely and pair a 35mm with a 50mm.
If you buy one
Buy the 85mm if portraits are the point. Buy the 50mm if portraits are one of several things you shoot.
Related: Portrait lens guide - What is lens compression
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