Portrait lens for Nikon FF

[Lightsmith]

For portraiture you cannot do better than the Nikon 105mm f2 DC lens. I have found over the years that 105mm provides the best combination of perspective and camera to subject distance for use both indoors and outside. The 85mm falls short and the 135mm focal length is very awkward in terms of camera to subject distance when shooting indoors. The DC feature is unique in allowing for use of small apertures for a sharp subject while throwing either the background or the foreground out of focus. You can also put the DC into a neutral setting so the lens functions like a normal 105mm lens.

[pluton]

Nikon 85/1.8 K/Ai....cheap, nice. 
Nikon 135/2 Ai/Ais....very friendly to faces in the close up range.  Good for location/low light conditions, agree not as attractive in studio setup.
Nikon 105mm:  Why shoot with the same FL that everyone else has shot head shots with for 40 years?

[jwstl]

For portraiture you cannot do better than the Nikon 105mm f2 DC lens. I have found over the years that 105mm provides the best combination of perspective and camera to subject distance for use both indoors and outside. The 85mm falls short and the 135mm focal length is very awkward in terms of camera to subject distance when shooting indoors. The DC feature is unique in allowing for use of small apertures for a sharp subject while throwing either the background or the foreground out of focus. You can also put the DC into a neutral setting so the lens functions like a normal 105mm lens.

I just picked up a used 105 DC from KEH and shot with it for the first time last night. It wasn't a paid job, merely a quick test to confirm the lens was working and provided good results. And boy does it. I can't wait to get it outdoors when the weather is nice.