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Question from Kristi: “I have a canon 50D and don’t normally shoot weddings but I’m gonna do it for a friend I need to know the best lens for the job?”
Sophia: i use a 18-200 for all of my weddings…you can zoom in and out also..
Emma: i agree with sophia, that’s the perfect lens for the versatility you’ll need. make sure to grab a macro and wide angle for some of those more artistic and detail shots.
Justin: There isn’t a “best” lens. You’ll need a variety for coverage. Wide aperture for those intimate bokeh shots, and the ceremony since most churches are anti flash and dimly lit. Long lenses for those far away moments. I don’t shoot weddings a ton, but I always use my 50 mm 1.8 and my 70-200mm. Also depends on the look and feel you are going for. Regardless, you should be comfortable with the equipment. Know what scenarios each lens works best in. You’ll be shooting a lot on the fly and missing a moment cause your out of focus or have a lens flare is never good! Most importantly, equipment won’t make the shoot! The lighting and poses and details and moments make the photos!
Tim: I would advise against the 18-200 as it is not a fast lens (unless it’s going to be all outdoors in daylight). While expensive, the 24-70 2.8 and 70-200 2.8 are great lenses for weddings as well as some prime lenses like a 50mm and 85mm.
Stephanie Ryan Photography: I use Canon 24-105, great for pull backs as well as zoom in. I love that lens. Otherwise the 70-200 would be great as well. You can rent them for a decent price as well.
JC Photography: I agree with both comments but make sure the lens has a f/2.8 or lower if possible. Weddings tend to not have lots of perfect lighting 🙂
Lexilu: 24-70 for shooting wide angle and group, and 70-200 work nice for ceremony and portrait with this body, if you need a smaller investment for the lens, the 17-55 also works.
Aaron: Don’t skimp on getting the right equipment for the job! Rent a couple lenses if you need to (70-200 f/2.8, 50mm 1.2 or 1.4, 24-70 or just a 24mm prime. You need to be able to control your aperture and not have the camera determine that based on the focal length you zoom to. It’s also not just about the equipment….scope out the location(s), plan your “posed” shots to the extent it’s possible so that you don’t freeze up in the most important moments.
Jada: Make sure you have backup equipment. No redos. Both camera bodies, lenses and flashes.
Alisa: Following this as I am getting ready to invest in a lens for weddings
Katie: First wedding I shot, I used a 35mm f/1.4 L for probably 90% of it. I rented a 70-200mm f/2.8 L for my assistant. I used the 70-200 for a senior session that week and while I LOVED the images it produced, I did NOT love the bulk or weight. My assistant complained of aching wrists for a week. 🙂
Now, I rent a wide angle and use my two favorites, a 50mm and 100mm. I’m very much a prime girl!
Isabel: if you dont have a 70-200mm 2.8 your best choice will be the 24-70mm 2.8 you can do all wedding with this one and yes you can always rent
Jessica: I have a 50D and 7D and I can shoot 95% of weddings with my 50mm. I would much rather walk and move my body than have the weight on the camera. Plus I just love the images I get with the 50mm.
Kathrin: I use nikon – but friends who use canon love the versatile 24-105mm for weddings.. 18-200mm is slow- I wouldn’t recommend, as a nikon user I love fast lenses I use 90% of the weddings these two lenses: 24-70mm f 2.8 and 50mm 1.4 ( both great canonn versions !), never really used macro at a wedding as usually its too much rushing you don’t always have time to play – also ideal would be having another body with a different lens so you can quickly switch cameras, ( you can rent everything today)
Adrienne: I’m with Tim: 24-70 2.8 and 70-200 2.8, 50mm and 85mm.
Catrina: I’m on board with Katie Lacer. I’m a prime girl, too! I have 2 50D’s currently. I shoot weddings mainly with my 50mm 1.8 and 100mm 2.8. The 100mm is great for those super detail shots, but I have also come to adore it as a fast portrait and substitute “zoom” lens. It gives really good color and sharpness even for distance shots. I plan to rent a 70-200 next time I do a wedding. I also have a 24-70 tamron lens that i’ll switch out if I need to be able to zoom fast, but found myself giving that one to my husband (who has second shot for me my last two weddings) and sticking with the primes [:
Andrew: 17-40mm L f4 / 24-70mm L f2.8 / 70-200mm L f2.8 / 50mm f1.4
Katie: @Catrina Boucher – I’m a Katrina, too. 😉 Just had to throw it out there. And I agree, I’m quickly learning to love my 100mm as a portrait lens, as long as I have the space!
Kristi: I have a 50mm 1.4 I was just thinking I would like something else to shoot a wedding!! Thanks everyone!
Jaye: DO NOT go cheap for a wedding! The 18-200 is nowhere near the speed you will need for a wedding. I capture most of mine with a 24-105 on my camera (I prefer it over the 24-70 but for completely personal reasons that won’t affect most photographers) and the 70-200 f/2.8L IS on my other camera. In my bag I then have another camera with a 50mm f/1.4 just in case.
Big thing… ALWAYS have back-up! If you are going to capture this wedding you will want to rent or buy a second body, have at least two decent lenses, and two sets of speedlights just in case something happens. And things do happen. I had my primary camera fail on me in the middle of a ceremony once. Rather than mess with it and miss the majority of the ceremony I just grabbed my back-up and kept going.
Annandi: 35mm 1.4, fish eye, 24-70mm 70-200mm 2.8
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