Freddie MacDonald

For that pro blur and extra sharpness and you can get surprisingly far with your current gear by leaning on distance, light, and focus technique before buying anything. Use the longest end of your zoom and step back a bit. Put your subject close to you and far from the background. The bigger that distance gap, the creamier the background gets. Open the aperture to the lowest f number you have. If it looks soft wide open, stop down one click and try again. Keep shutter speed fast. Aim for 1 over your focal length adjusted for crop. For people 1/200 or faster is a safe start. Raise ISO to hold that speed and avoid motion blur. Nail focus on the near eye using single point AF. Use continuous AF if your subject moves and shoot a short burst to increase your odds of a tack sharp frame. Turn on stabilization if your lens has it and brace your elbows. Work the light. Open shade, golden hour, or a window gives flattering soft light. Angle the subject to the light and use a white wall, sheet, or poster board as a reflector to fill shadows. Avoid busy backgrounds and harsh midday sun. Try a quick backyard test. Place your subject three to six feet from you with the background ten or more feet behind. Zoom to the long end, use the lowest f number, and set 1/200 shutter. If the background still feels busy, increase the subject to background distance. Polish in post. Shoot RAW if possible, enable lens corrections, add gentle sharpening, and add clarity or texture to the eyes only. A subtle vignette can help pull attention to the face. Think lens type rather than brand, if you do shop later. A small fast prime is the classic portrait choice because it is light and sharp. On full frame 50 or 85 with f1.8 or f2 feels natural. On crop sensor 35 or 50 with f1.8 or f2 gives similar framing. Check that the mount fits your camera, the weight is comfortable, the minimum focus distance is short enough for tight shots, and the autofocus is compatible. Do a few sessions with these tweaks and review your results. You will see better separation, cleaner light, and crisper eyes even before upgrading anything.