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I think and I learned that the best performs is 3 - 4 stops below.
Carsten
Some lenses are supposed to be best wide open, especially for portraiture 
Can't see that digital would make it any different.
And doesn't it depend what focal length you're using and on what format ?
I suppose f/11 would usually get plenty in focus in most circumstances, if thats what you want.
Not that I do much people photos, but I wouldn't hang myself up on one focal length.
f1.2 can give some interesting effects if you get it right
For me a lot depends on the focal length of the lens I`m using.
Anything up too 50/60mm, f8 or f11 would be about the smallest I`ll need to go and sometimes use f2 or wider.
I wouldn't get too hung-up on the idea of always using medium apertures to improve lens performance. DOF is an important tool for the photographer and it's silly to abandon it by shackling yourself to one or two apertures. Most lenses will deliver acceptable results throughout their aperture range - good enough for portraits anyway (you are, after all, photographing people, not lens test charts).
The other thing to consider is that at smaller apertures your images start to look soft through diffraction fringing . . . . I would rarely go much smaller than f8 in the studio . . . . often going larger. Again the focal length of the lens has a big impact on Depth of Focus . . . . . using no aperture disk on the Lensbaby is f2 at 50mm and it is incredibly difficult to focus accurately . . . f2.8 on the 135mm has an even narrower DoF but is more predictable . . . Use of out of focus areas is an important tool in portraiture . . . you don't always have to have everything pin sharp, . . . depending on your style of course
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