Wedding lens... advice needed - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

04/27/2006 04:50:54 PM · #1

I have my first wedding coming up at the end of the year (friend of a friend thing)... They know it's my first wedding and they know that I'm nervous about doing it. They have reasonable expectations and don't want "anything fancy". My question is, what lens should I get? I don't have a fortune to spend (unfortunately) so I gotta get a lot of bang for the buck. I've been glancing over the selection at B&H and have come up with three potential contenders and I need some advice from someone who has done a wedding on which one (if any) I should get.

Canon EF 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 USM
Sigma 24-135mm f/2.8-4.5 Aspherical IF
Tamron SP AF 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical IF

Discuss!!!

Message edited by author 2006-04-27 16:54:16.

goinskiing

Canon EOS-6D

04/27/2006 04:55:02 PM · #2

I would definitely go for theTamron SP 28-75mm F2.8 XR Di LD-IF . I have only heard good things about this lens and it is fast enough with the f2.8 constant. Plus, it won't totally break your bank for about $350.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

04/27/2006 04:56:04 PM · #3

Weddings normally imply poor light. Poor light demands a fast lens. You're probably much better off renting a fast zoom than buying a slower lens. Shooting the slower zooms wide open is a prescription for soft images, and even wide open they are not fast enough, really.
You've got a very useful lens in the 50/1.8. Rent an f/2.8 zoom. The question is, which one?? Both the 24-70 and 70-200 zooms are very useful for wedding work, for different purposes, of course.

JRalston

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

04/27/2006 04:57:22 PM · #4

If it helps any, I did not have any issues using my 28-135IS for one wedding and my 24-70L for another. The focal range on both was just fine.

04/27/2006 05:01:31 PM · #5

Originally posted by kirbic:

I would love to, but I don't think renting is an option in my area... I haven't officially checked, but there aren't really any camera shops around here (at least that are still in business).

Edit... the sigma was the fastest I saw with the focal range I thought I might need, but I'm nervous about it being fast enough.

Message edited by author 2006-04-27 17:03:17.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

04/27/2006 05:04:30 PM · #6

Originally posted by goinskiing:

That looks like a good choice to add to the short list, but I'm concerned about it having enough "reach".

goinskiing

Canon EOS-6D

04/27/2006 05:21:11 PM · #7

Originally posted by kirbic:

I would have to second kirbic with the 50 f1.8II because it's definitely fast enough and it's cheap. I got mine new for $80. That should give you enough light.

04/27/2006 05:23:10 PM · #8

Originally posted by goinskiing:

I would have to second kirbic with the 50 f1.8II because it's definitely fast enough and it's cheap. I got mine new for $80. That should give you enough light.

Yeah, already got that one in my arsenal (which is why he mentioned it) ;-)

I need more range though, I can't be tied down to a 50mm lens for the entire wedding.

pitsaman

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

04/27/2006 05:27:08 PM · #9

When I did my last wedding I used 85mm F1.8 30% of the time 50mm f1.8 20% of the time and 24-60 F2.8 50 % of the time with great results.

fotomann_forever

04/27/2006 05:29:30 PM · #10

I used this lens for my brother's wedding.

Sigma 28-70 f2.8/4.0 AS DG

IT performed well, especially for the price. I found myself near the 50mm range a lot though. I has the luxury of using flash when I saw fit. The lighting in that building was really uneven and low.

pitsaman