My photography is not limited to just a certain style, I do landscape, macro, architectural, urban, nature and very little portraiture. On occasions I have had to take portraits with the lens I am carrying at that particular moment, sometimes I have had to take them with the 100-500mm; For portraits my very favorite is the 135mm f1.8, and having had to use almost all my lenses occasionally for portraits I have discovered that it works very satisfactorily moving further or closer from the required distance until I has filled the frame to where I want, using the least compression possible.
I really enjoy shooting B&W portraits. Right now I shoot on an APS-C sensor and my two favorite lens are 30mm 1.4 (35 equivalent 45mm 2) and a 18-50mm 2.8 ( 35 equivalent 28-75 4). I use the 30mm most of the time.
"...the 50mm lens when you get close to your subject it doesn't distort but enhances their look" is simply an incorrect statement. The 50mm will absolutely distort facial features, depending on subject distance. In reality, the 50mm was never a portrait lens, but gained popularity when cheap and affordable manual focus cameras were easily found in thrift stores as many journalists and professionals transitioned to AF bodies and lenses. Look at all the historical lenses targeting portrait photographers and they're generally all 105mm to 200mm, and for good reason. This isn't to say that you can't get great portraits, especially environmental portraits, with a wider angle lens, but you need to understand what is happening and how you can use that to enhance your image.
I’m a video guy more than photographer. I prefer zoom lenses only because of the versatility when I’m shootings run and gun. But when I have time to get the set the way I want, I choose prime.
I prefer prime lenses over zoom lenses for portrait shots. Depending on my environment, I'll switch between the 35mm, the 50mm, the 85mm, the 105mm, and the 135mm prime lens. My favorite has to be the 135mm for the nice bokeh, followed by the 85mm.
