Monday, June 16, 2014

What is a good/great inexpensive Canon lens for photographing a wedding?




Ned


I have a Canon 600D.
I own a EFS 18-55mm lens and the 'nifty fifty' EF 50mm lens.

I have a wedding I am to photograph next month and I was wondering if there is a specific inexpensive lens that would be worth investing in.
Please Answers Only!



Answer
If, after reading the sensible advice already provided, you are determined to go ahead then the lens missing from your armoury is one with a little extra reach. Your best bet at the level you are operating is a superzoom. Get a Canon 18-200 or 18-135 so you won't keep everyone waiting while you fiddle around changing lenses.

Do you have a flash for the indoor stuff? Please don't use the pop-up! Get a Canon Speedlite 430EX as a minimum or maybe get a used 550EX.

BTW white wedding dress and black suits are a devil to expose. Try to get some practice beforehand

Good luck...

What is the best Canon lens for wedding photography?




Joe


Pictures will be taken at both the church and the reception. Also, there will be both directed poses and photojournalism. Thanks.


Answer
There is really no way to encapsulate everything you would need for a wedding with only one lens. No two weddings are really the same, so your needs will differ, but one thing is for certain is that you will need a backup of everything, especially if you're the main photographer for the event. Anything that could go wrong may actually go wrong at your event.

For fixed pose portraits, I generally use a prime lens. I use the 50mm f/1.8 lens ($80) and the 85mm f/1.8 lens ($340). These lenses give you the capability to really blur out the background with beautiful bokeh and generally sharp image quality. If you want another step up from the 50 1.8, you can consider the 50 1.4 ($310) or even the 1.2 ($1400). Another step up from the 85 would be the 85mm f1.2 ($1600). You really need a fast prime lens for those low-light situations at the church and the reception.

For zoom lenses, basically, the faster you can go, the better. For a mid range lens, the favored lenses seem to be the 24-70 f/2.8 as fhotace said, or the 24-105 f/4 IS lens. You need something that can capture well in low light, sometimes without flash. If you can't get that close to the altar during the ceremony, you might need a lens like the 70-200 f/2.8 as well. None of these are cheap- they all run at >=$1100.

Besides lenses, you also need flashes and other lighting equipment for things like posed photography. I have two Canon 580EX II flashes with battery packs. You may also need to invest in some studio strobes from a company like Alien Bees.

Basically, if you are going to be the main photographer, you need to make sure you have backups of EVERYTHING. Things from equipment being dropped to inadvertant splashes of champagne can mean the difference between ruined memories and a well-paying job. Make sure you know what's going on before you dive in. I've included a link to a reputable site with good recommendations for wedding photography.




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