Best lens for a wedding

BigDogPix · Jan 26, 2013

Hi Folks:
I am new to the forum and I have an interesting question;
I am to shoot a friends wedding this year and I am trying to select the best lens to shoot all day; I have my eye on a 85mm f1.4 lens that I think will be good enough and wide enough to generally shoot;
What does anyone else think I am open to ideas?

Cheers

Big Dog

Derrel · Jan 26, 2013

You do not mention the camera it will be used on...on FX, an 85/1.4 is a nice lens for walking-around, candids, and portraits. It is however, a telephoto lens, so all images it makes will be "telephoto" shots...

I honestly think that a zoom lens would be the best lens to, as you wrote, "shoot all day." Specifically, on an FX Nikon body, I would say the 24-70 f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor is the go-to single lens. On a crop-frame Nikon, the 17-55 f/2.8 DX-Nikkor zoom would get my vote as the "all day lens" for a wedding.

I own an 85/1.4 and an 85/1.8. Both are good Nikkors!!! Buuuut....they are limiting...no wide-angle coverage!!!! However, for shooting certain types of photos, an 85mm prime lens is indeed, a most excellent,wonderful lens choice. But for a wedding-day-morning-thru ceremony-until-last-dance-at-the-reception lens choice, I'd go with an f/2.8, high-quality Nikon-made zoom lens.

cgipson1 · Jan 26, 2013

Gotta agree with Derrel.... a 24-70 will give you a lot more options than a prime that will probably be too tight in some situations... especially on a crop body (which is what I am assuming you have based on your question.)

Don't forget a second body, and lens (maybe that 85mm 1.4? Although s70-200 2.8 might be better in case you need the length)... in case the first body goes Kaput!

Check to make sure you can use flash... (you do have a flash, don't you?) or have a body that can handle low light....

Robin_Usagani · Jan 26, 2013

If you are asking this question, you are not ready to shoot a wedding.

BigDogPix said:
Hi Folks:
I am new to the forum and I have an interesting question;
I am to shoot a friends wedding this year and I am trying to select the best lens to shoot all day; I have my eye on a 85mm f1.4 lens that I think will be good enough and wide enough to generally shoot;
What does anyone else think I am open to ideas?

Cheers

Big Dog

cgipson1 · Jan 26, 2013

Robin_Usagani said:
If you are asking this question, you are not ready to shoot a wedding.

BigDogPix said:

Hi Folks:
I am new to the forum and I have an interesting question;
I am to shoot a friends wedding this year and I am trying to select the best lens to shoot all day; I have my eye on a 85mm f1.4 lens that I think will be good enough and wide enough to generally shoot;
What does anyone else think I am open to ideas?

Cheers

Big Dog

Click to expand...

Gotta agree with Robin too! lol!

pixmedic · Jan 26, 2013

it usually takes multiple lenses to shoot most weddings.
we will typically use a 17-50 f/2.8, 28-75 f/2.8, 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm all for different parts of the wedding.
it will depend on the wedding venue, lighting, how many people, and what lenses you have available to use.
there really isn't "one" lens that will cover every situation that might come up at a wedding.
It also depends on your shooting style..some people prefer zooms, some people are strictly primes. we use a mix of both.
for smaller venues, our 17-50 gets used the most.

also...having the ability to change the lighting setup with flashes can be just as important as the body and lenses you use.
we use several sb700's on stands with either soft-boxes or umbrellas. if you are going to invest in good glass for doing weddings, invest in some good flashes as well. and learn how to use them.

djacobox372 · Jan 26, 2013

U need two cameras. One with a 70-200mm f2.8, the other with a wider option (24-70mm f2.8 or similar).

The 70-200mm is a must, the long focal length is very flattering and helps isolate the subject. But you'll need a wider lens option for group shots.

bsinmich · Jan 26, 2013

Back when I used to do a lot of weddings I always carried a duplicate camera and flash for that "Just in case". I only needed it one time but that made all the other times worthwhile. That was before digital had even been invented so with 12 to a roll you made each shot count. When 220 came out and 24 to a roll that was great. 12 8X10s in an album for $300. Extras were $10 per page. They got 72 proofs to choose from.

o hey tyler · Jan 26, 2013

djacobox372 said:
U need two cameras. One with a 70-200mm f2.8, the other with a wider option (24-70mm f2.8 or similar).

The 70-200mm is a must, the long focal length is very flattering and helps isolate the subject. But you'll need a wider lens option for group shots.

I wouldn't say a 70-200 is a MUST, but it certainly helps. I don't use one and haven't been in a situation where I absolutely needed one.

TCampbell · Jan 27, 2013

You didn't say what body you own or what other lenses you have. An 85mm prime would probably not be my first choice. I've done a lot of weddings with a Hasselblad and a single "prime" lens but that lens was a "normal" focal length (For a medium format camera that's an 80mm but that's only because the camera is medium format (much larger negative size than a 35mm). For a full-frame digital camera, the equivalent would be a 50mm and for a crop-frame APS-C digital camera it'd be closer to a 30mm.)

For the majority of the day, I use the 24-70mm f/2.8. During the ceremony, when you're off to the sides, it's very nice to have a 70-200mm f/2.8.

Since these are fairly expensive lenses, you should look into renting. I'd set up the rental so the lenses arrive many days before the lenses are needed which gives you (a) the ability to test the lenses and get used to them and (b) enough time to deal with the problem if a lens arrives damaged or fails to show up on time.

I always want TWO very good flashes as well.