50mm and nikon d300 for wedding coverage

<p>How many of you cover weddings with a prime mounted on a D300? I would like to try the combo of 50mm 1.4 for pre-wedding and reception and the 70-200 2.8 for the ceremony. Any thoughts?</p>

<p>You really have to know what your doing to use a prime or have two camera strapped to you. As much as I love primes I find that in most action event based situations I'd rather have the flexiblity of a zoom. The problem with a 50mm at the reception is its a 75mm on a non-full frame camera which then is only good for head shots. I'm shooting every focal length imaginable, head shots, table shots, full length dance floor shots, group shots. You think you can get all those with a 50mm and not miss any of those special moments while your furiously trying to swap primes? Even if you had the room to back up far enough your flash won't be able to reach your subjects.</p>

<p>You will also need a wider lens. With 50mm you will need to step back, and guest snapshoters will certainly step in front of you.</p>

<p>Yes, your going to be very dissappointed with your results. Don't limit yourself by only choosing the telephoto range, you'll be backing up forever trying to get the shots you want. I too use the D300 and love primes as zooming with my feet not only keeps me involved with my subjects but also provides for some exercise :) A a better choice would be the 20mm 2.8 and the 70-200 2.8 while keeping the 50mm 1.4 ready for the really low light stuff. But the reality of life is the best lens to have is the lens that's on your camera, if you have to make this combo work, you will.</p>

<p>For prep images I use a 17-55mm or 24-70mm (depending upon the camera) and a 85mm f1.4. For receptions I use a 50mm f1.4 if there is room but usually find that the Sigma 30mm f1.4 works much better. On a crop camera 30mm (really 34mm on the Sigma) translates into a normal perspective lens with a much wider field of view than a 50mm lens.<br>

Where a prime helps is easier to get shallow DOF as with the 85mm or f1.4 speed and quick autofocus as with the 50mm and 30-35mm lenses. The 50mm is a bit too long for photographing most dance floor action with a crop camera though fine for use on a FF camera.<br>

If I zoomed with my feet for all my shots I would miss most of them as moments come and go in seconds. The same goes for changing lenses during time opportunities are missed. With higher ISO settings I take a much larger percentage of shots with f2.8 zooms and the only prime I will use at every wedding is the 85mm f1.4.</p>

<p>If I was trapped on a desert island with only one lens it would definately be the 50 1.4 .. without a doubt !!!<br>

For a wedding though i would definately go with something a little wider with a "crop" body.. a 24 2.8 is great ..<br>

that being said, i'd still use the 50 1.4 when the going gets poorly lit..<br>

When i work with a second shooter, i am the 80-200 king !! i love my 80-200.. but if i was alone, the 24 would spend most of the time on the camera ..</p>

<p>Never underestimate the importance of backup bodies and flashes... if the 24 locked up you could switch to the 50 and survive, but if it was your body, you would be in terrible shape...<br>

<br /> I lugged an extra body, batteries, and charger around for 3 years and grumbled every time i tossed it in the car before a wedding.. "we'll never need it, these d200's are bulletproof " i said on more than one occasion... in mid wedding when changing lenses and I felt the shutter crumple on my index finger, i quickly realized that all that lugging around a backup was important... it's really a ticking timebomb without</p>

<p>~J</p>

 

<p>Todd,</p>

<p>I use the Sigma 50 on a D300 a fair amount and it is great.</p>

<p>However, I shoot with two bodies and would not likely shoot with one set up. Two bodies allows the use of varied perspectives and I use flash on one body but not the other.</p>

<p>Hope the D400 had good ISO6400...</p>

<p> </p>

<p>It can be versatile and a handicap. I just sold the 70-200 Canon version and I felt it was always to long indoors. Outdoors... I have shot almost entirely with just that lens.</p>

<p>A 50mm or 85mm coupled with a wide zoom can handle almost everything. Faster glass, less weight, equal quality of image.</p>

<p>I should have mentioned my wife shoots with me and will have a zoom (17-50 or 70-200) most of the time. My style is a little more direct than hers. I like being in the action so zooming with my feet suits me better.</p>