Lens suggestions

[zg2150]

I'm looking to add 1 or more new lenses to my setup and would like to hear some suggestions. My primary interest is shooting as an assistant in weddings, however I also need to be able to act as a main shooter in a wedding this fall (I will have another second shooter with me). My spending budget is around $1500

Currently my setup is as follows:
Canon 5D Mk II
Canon 450D
24-70 2.8 L
50 1.8
430 EX II

I'm trying to decide between the following:
(1) 70-200mm 2.8 non IS - but will I miss having IS and the sharpness of primes? I won't be using a tripod / monopod.

(2) Sigma 70-200 2.8 OS - but does it perform well enough? I'm most concerned about this one.

(3) Canon 85mm 1.8 and 135mm f/2 - I love the idea of primes, but would I miss having a long zoom for flexibility? My assistant would be there to cover.

(4) Canon 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 530EX II (for additional lighting options) - but then I have nothing above 85mm reach.


Any suggestions between those options (or others) would be appreciated.
Thanks!

[RichardTaylor]

(1) Do you miss the 50 F1.8 prime sharpness, when using the 24-70 2.8 L?

(2) I feel you would miss the IS (I shoot with both IS and non IS lenses)

(3) Havn't used any sigma lenses.

(4) I use fast primes including the 85 F1.8 and the 135 F2 when covering low light events, however I am always using more than one body - sometime 3..
For the events I cover, a flash can't be used, I think a 70-200 F2.8 IS would be great (I don't own one).

[ishootRAW]

Here is a canon vs sigma comparison. These guys are great.
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 OS HSM vs Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS II USM - YouTube
I think that the IS will be more important then sharpness.

[inkista]

For wedding shooting, particularly if you can't use a flash, I'd say you're going to want the IS on a 70-200/2.8. At science fiction conventions, I feel like I'm pushing the available light limits with my 135L, given the 1/focal_length rule, and that's at 135mm and f/2.

I'd say go for the EF 70-200 f/2.8 IS USM Mark I. The newer Mark II is as sharp as the 135L, which is why everybody is upgrading, so you should be able to find a used one. Consider how hard it's going to be to get up to 1/200s or faster @200mm with f/2.8 in the typical venue lighting.

The 135L is another alternative, (135mm is the center of the 70-200 zoom range), but you'd better be really quick on your feet. OTOH, I'm enamored by the way mine looks on a 5Dii.

Agree, you need a few more fast primes and to upgrade your flash, but a 70-200/2.8L is probably the most important right now. And chances are, it's going to perform as well or better than your 24-70.

[gfinlayson]

I'd choose a Canon 70-200 with IS.You'll struggle without IS in available light shooting. With additional primes you will likely miss opportunities whilst changing lenses. I'm also wary of the Sigma lenses, they're just not up to the build and quality standards of the likes of Canon and Nikon in my experience.

[zg2150]

Originally Posted by inkista

I'd say go for the EF 70-200 f/2.8 IS USM Mark I. The newer Mark II is as sharp as the 135L, which is why everybody is upgrading, so you should be able to find a used one. Consider how hard it's going to be to get up to 1/200s or faster @200mm with f/2.8 in the typical venue lighting.

I'm not familiar with keh.com. Are they reputable? From what they carry, I'd be inclined to go with a better-condition version of the 2.8 IS which they quote around $1700ish. Do they offer warranty coverage?

In regards to the 70-200 2.8 non-is, is the 5D II not capable in low light with an ISO bump to compensate for the shutter speed?

I really do notice a difference between the 24-70 and primes and that's why I'm struggling with the decision. Those two primes just really appeal to me.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by zg2150

I'm not familiar with keh.com. Are they reputable?

I think so, but you might want to do some research. I've had both good luck and bad (i.e., grading seemed a little nicer than the actual gear) with them. Their grading, overall, is pretty fair to me, and they have a return policy, which is what sets them apart from eBay. I've never had any trouble returning gear to them that I didn't like, but I'm also shopping there mostly for vintage manual focus glass. I've never purchased a Canon EOS lens from them, but have bought Olympus OM and Contax/Yashica Zeiss lenses, as well as an old Nikon SB-26 flash. I'd rate them pretty much on a par with B&H and Adorama's used departments.

You definitely want to research the return policy, though. The window's relatively small, something like 10 days or two weeks for the most part.

Do they offer warranty coverage?

No. This is used gear.

In regards to the 70-200 2.8 non-is, is the 5D II not capable in low light with an ISO bump to compensate for the shutter speed?

Sure. But do you WANT to be forced to shoot at isos above 1600 all the time? Also, this is a wedding, not a basketball game. How fast a shutter speed do you really need?

Personally, if you're this conflicted, you might want to set aside a little budget to rent the lenses you're considering and try them out. lensrentals.com has an great reputation (both as a renter and as a seller of used gear). Online messageboard opinions aren't nearly as useful as hands-on experience. You might also want to consider simply renting gear for jobs until you've made enough to buy the gear you really want.

[ChrisAdval]

I'm not experienced with shooting weddings, but if I were to shoot a wedding it would be semi-candid and candid style with longer lenses like the 70-200 L f/2.8. I personally don't like seeing wedding photos being posed, just doesn't feel right to me.