Good lenses for taking pictures of people on Nikon d3100?

I'm a beginner at photography and a couple months ago got the Nikon D3100. I really love taking pictures of people, usually waist up. I would love a new lens that really helped me taking the best quality pictures of people possible. Preferably with auto and manual focus. Know any lenses I could look at?

The 50mm f/1.4 would be a dream lens with the 50mm f/1.8 coming in a very close second. Both ate available as AF-S lenses, which will auto-focus on your camera.

Your camera should have come with the 18-55mm kit lens. That's great for taking people and most everything in general. You can use it at around 55mm for closeup shots easily.

85mm 1.8 super cheap! I use it all the time and love it. Be careful when shooting with a 50mm with people, it can distort them a tiny bit.

Fast primes are what you need. Or fast zooms if your budget goes that far.

The 50mm f1.8 is the cheapest & best. It does not cause distortion. If you go wider (35mm f1.8) - that will cause distortion, but 50mm is fine.

The 85mm f1.8 is also good - more reach, so if space is limited it could be tricky.

If money is no object, then popular lenses with wedding/portrait photographers are the 24-70mm f2.8 and the 70-200mm f2.8.

The best bang for the money would be the 50mm f/1.8G, if you don't care about the AF and don't mind doing the focus manually, the 50mm 1.8D will cost you half the price.

The downside of the 50mm is when you do close up shot in portrait, you literally invade your subject personal space because you need to be very close.

Those with manual focus will auto focus with the D90, D7000, D300, D300s…

50mm f/1.8G
50mm f/1, 4G
50mm f/1, 4D manual focus.
50mm f/1, 8D manual focus.
60mm f/2, 8D macro. Manual focus and can serve you for macro as well.
60mm f/2, 8G macro.
85mm f/1, 4D manual focus.
85mm f/1, 8D manual focus.
85mm f/1, 4G
85mm f/1, 8G
105mm f/2, 8G vr macro.
105mm f/2, 8D manual focus.
135mm f/2D manual focus.

If you want a more versatile lens.

Nikon 24-70mm f/2, 8G.
Nikon 80-200mm f/2, 8D manual focus.
Nikon 70-200mm vr f/2, 8G

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