Wedding lens...what do you use

[bkamps14]

Just curious to what lenses people use for weddings. I have only seriously started weddings this year and so far have achieved ok results with a 50mm 1.8 prime with d90, with the kit lens (18-55) on my d40 for wider shots!

[GDTog]

I've only ever done a single wedding for a friend but I do shoot fashion and event photography from time to time. As I see it wedding photography can be broken into two parts, posed and reportage.
The formal posed photography stage gives you more freedom with lenses as you have time to set up your group, choose your shooting location and generally control the image. This means you can use primes without much issue.

The reportage photography where you mingle with guests or photograph the ceremony or the speeches is less controlled. Here your a passive observer and generally cannot start directing people about. For this work I'd use a short telephoto. It likely you'll not be able to move about a great deal and certainly won't be able to reposition people during the key stage of the wedding. So having the ability to zoom in and out would be useful. Also you can often get better shots of people if you can shoot from distance and not alert them to the fact your photographing them. I find I get much more natural images if my subjects are enjoying the event rather than worrying about some photographer poking a camera in their face.
Your lenses sound fine although you might want something that gives a bit more reach. I was surprised at the wedding I shot how many images came from a 70-300mm lens. Certainly most of the speeches and a lot of the candid shots were shot with that lens. Again I am no wedding photographer so these are not suggestions from a 'pro' by any means.

Good luck with your future commissions.

[BigFuzzy]

I think you'll find most people will say something along the lines of having a 24-70mm and a 70-200mm plus a good portrait lens (either 50mm or 85, or use the 70-200).

I, personally, use a 15-30mm, 50mm, 24-70mm and a 70-200mm. The conditions will determine which I use most, typically it's the 24-70 that gets used the most as I'm usually able to be up close.

[scootermcq]

I am the odd ball. I use prime lenses on 2 bodies. It will depend on the situation and size of venue what is on the bodies at the time. I will usually have a 35mm on one and a 85mm on the other. It allows me to shoot close or telephoto depending on where I am or need. The other thoughts I had behind it is if a card fails, I don't loose all images because of using one body and a zoom. Also, if a lens fails and all I have is a 24-70 and a kit lens as back up, I am pooched for low light. If my 35 get banged up, I can use a 50 and stand further back, if I loose my 85 or 50, I can use a 50 or 35 and stand closer. I still need to add a 24mm into the mix for wider angle and I have a 6.5 fisheye for effect shots. The other benefit, is you "learn" your primes. If you want a 3/4 length shot, you know what camera to grab based on where you are standing. You can't really learn a zoom, so you are always having to adjust the zoom before taking the image.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to have the "holy trinity" of wedding lenses:

14-24
24-70
70-200 all f2.8 but you are a little over 6 grand just for glass. I can replicate the whole range with even faster glass, for half the price. All I need to know is how to zoom with my feet and to judge what glass needs to be on the bodies at what time. I also carry a couple other lenses on my belt for change ups.

[Brian Mullins]

The ones I use most are (Nikon):

24-70 2.8
70-200 2.8 vrII
85mm 1.4G
35mm 1.8 (DX lens)
60mm 2.8 Macro

Occasionally I'll use my 14-24 but its a bit wide for my style.

[lonni]

I have only done friend weddings but use primes on one body and zoom on another, and switch them out depending on the situation. I find it suits both the formal and a bit of a photojournalistic style. As above 24 -70 F2.8, 70 -200 f2.8, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.4, 105mm 2.8 macro. All Nikon.

I find that the fixed low Fstop is best for low light in churches and dim lit reception venues, it really saves the day.

[TheEagleSpirit]

Originally Posted by scootermcq

I am the odd ball. I use prime lenses on 2 bodies. It will depend on the situation and size of venue what is on the bodies at the time. I will usually have a 35mm on one and a 85mm on the other. It allows me to shoot close or telephoto depending on where I am or need. The other thoughts I had behind it is if a card fails, I don't loose all images because of using one body and a zoom. Also, if a lens fails and all I have is a 24-70 and a kit lens as back up, I am pooched for low light. If my 35 get banged up, I can use a 50 and stand further back, if I loose my 85 or 50, I can use a 50 or 35 and stand closer. I still need to add a 24mm into the mix for wider angle and I have a 6.5 fisheye for effect shots. The other benefit, is you "learn" your primes. If you want a 3/4 length shot, you know what camera to grab based on where you are standing. You can't really learn a zoom, so you are always having to adjust the zoom before taking the image.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to have the "holy trinity" of wedding lenses:

14-24
24-70
70-200 all f2.8 but you are a little over 6 grand just for glass. I can replicate the whole range with even faster glass, for half the price. All I need to know is how to zoom with my feet and to judge what glass needs to be on the bodies at what time. I also carry a couple other lenses on my belt for change ups.

I am the proud owner of Nikon D90 and D7000. I have some of the lenses you have but my tamron F2.8 17-50mm VR lens for wide angle, Nikkor f2.8 70-200 VR, and Nikor f-3.5 85mm which gives me great quality shots for all situations I shoot in. I recently went to a concert where there is tricky lighting and took great portraits at ISO 2000 with the 85mm and the f3.5 105mm kit lens shooting at aperature 3.5 and let the camera pick the shutter speed.

[bhursey]

At weddings this is the setup I shoot with. Note my bodies are 5+ years old but they still get great results as long as you don't have to get above 800iso :/


Canon 20D - Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 lens
Canon 350D - Canon 85mm f1.8 - I use this lens during the ceremony from the back or side..

Backup lenses..
Canon 50mm f1.8
Canon Kit 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 - also used if I want to get a wide angle shot.

Flashes: Canon 580EXII on 20D With a collapsible gary fong for run and gun..
Off camera for groups and if I feel and have time to be creative:
LP160 and Nikon SB24 Triggerd via cactus v4
New to my arsenal AB400 with a 50 foot extension cable.. :P Cant efford a bat pack yet.

Im actually shooting a small country wedding on Saturday.... They don't want much so I hope I have some time to be creative.

[Jim Bryant]

When I shoot a wedding, it's with a 16-35, 28-70 and 70-200mm lenses.

[kirbinster]

I'm in the Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 AF-S and Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 AF-S VR-I camp.