What lens do you use the most? Weddings

<p>I have 10 weddings this year (8 as an assistant and 2 of my own gulp.) and I was wondering where my first pay packet will be spent. I am trying to put anything I earn back into my kit until I have what I need. I asked a while ago whether I should go for primes vs zooms and found that this is as hot a topic at nikon vs canon so got very side tracked and thought I would attempt this question in another way.<br>

What lens do you rely on the most for your weddings. I know you vary them, but what (maybe in terms of percentage) do you use most.<br>

Thanks!</p>

<p>nikon 35mm f2 af-d<br>

nikon 180mm f2.8 af<br>

nikon 50mm f1.8<br>

nikon d3, d700 combo<br>

a bag full of other gear but the above almost exclusively.<br>

i think the only real zoom vs prime argument is PERSONAL CHOICE. the high end zooms coming out now are such stellar performers that you can't really argue much against them. personally, i just have a way of going about things that blends well with primes. that being said i would never look at someone shooting a couple of zooms as being any less capable.<br>

not to repeat at nauseum the fast fifty mantra but, make sure you have one. i could, if forced, shoot a whole day with the 50mm f1.4</p>

<p>Whatever answers you get here take into consideration full frame vs crop.<br>

I shoot 50% with my Canon 27-70 2.8 with a FF. My shooting style just works better with zooms as much as I do love primes. I just end up switching primes way too much.</p>

<p>D300 and 16-85 sometimes 50 1.8</p>

<p>Works for me - weddings, news events etc.</p>

<p>70-80 percent Nikon 28-70 2.8<br>

20-30 percent Nikon 70-200 2.8VR<br>

D700 bodies</p>

<p>What do you currently own?</p>

<p>I use my Nikon 17-55 most.</p>

<p><strong></strong><br>

It is so very interesting to see who uses what... I have<br>

D700 & D80<br>

24-70, 50 1.8,<br>

and two older lenses 17-55 kit lens, 28-200 3.5<br>

I am trying to decide to get the 85 1.4 or 70-200! I think I am heading towards the prime but one day I'll have both i hope!</p>

<p>I'd say my 70-200 2.8 IS. All my portraits, detail shots, much of the ceremony, almost all couple shots and most of my candids. </p>

<p>I'm another for the 70-200 2.8 and running a close second is the 85 1.2</p>

<p>Freya, the lens you use the most will be the one which best fits your style of shooting. For me, it's always been (the long end of) the Canon 70-200L f2.8 IS. I can cover about 75 - 80% of my work with that lens alone (on a full frame body). The rest of the time it will be my new Tamron 28-75 f2.8. And on a few occasions a fast prime or two is essential in some ceremony locations. But fast zooms are, and will always be, my personal preference. Ultimately you need to do what works best for you.</p>

<p>As David said, evaluate your existing kit. What lens(es) are you using most often? How do you like to work? In which area(s) are you feeling limited by your current setup?</p>

<p>1. 85L II<br>

2. 35L<br>

3. 70-200 2.8IS/300 2.8IS (both only used during the ceremony)<br>

4. 24L, 135L, 14L, 24-70L, 50L</p>

<p>(1) 24-70L, (2) 70-200LIS on a 1D MKIII</p>

<p>Another vote for the 17-55 f/2.8. It's my go-to lens. Sharp, fast, versatile, well-built - what's not to love?</p>

<p>I got a D700 for this year and can already tell that the 24-70 is going to stay on it most of the time. With my D300, it was the 17-55 while my assistant shot with the 70-200 during ceremonies and b/g portraits. With the FX sensor, I may shoot more of the reception with the 70-200 though. I've tried it out at some events and like the feel of it better w/o the crop factor.</p>

 

<p>Inside: Sigma 30mm F1.4 on a 1.3X = 39mm. Turns out, this was my most used lens for documentation in 08 by far.<br>

Outside: 70-200L F4</p>

<p>No weddings but numerous corporate events here. <br>

D300 bodies with 17-55/2.8 and 70-200/2.8 lenses. Despite the fact that I own a ton of lenses from 10.5mm to 300mm, I could (and usually do) shoot 95% of all of my work with these two.<br>

If I were shooting FX bodies I'd be substituting my 28-70/2.8 for the 17-55/2.8.</p>

<p>28-70, 70-200 - D3/D300</p>

<p>I use a Canon 20d, 30d and 40d. The lenses I use the most are the 24-70L 2.8, followed by the 17-40L 4.0 and the 70-200L f2.8. In my Canon FD days I never owned a zoom, once I got into the EOS it is mainly all I use. I do have a 300 F.4 and a nifty fifty (50 1.8) but don't use them very often. My next lens purchases will probably be some faster primes just for the speed, I have no qualms at all with the quality of images produced with my zooms but faster apertures would be helpful. I've always wanted the 85 1.2 but just can't make my self pay that much money for it yet.</p>

<p>Picking up the 70-200 2.8 would would be a good match for your system.</p>

<p>Canon 17-40L</p>

<p>Hi Freya,<br>

While shooting weddings I tend to use my 24-70 f2.8 and my 70-200 f2.8 VR most of the day.<br>

Although, once the reception starts I use my 17-35 f2.8 quite often. But my favorite lens to use<br>

is my 85 f1.8 it isn't practical for everything but it sure is fun, and incredibly sharp.<br>

Thanks, John Mirra</p>

<p>For weddings, my two workhorses are my Nikon 70-200 2.8 and my Tamron 17-50 2.8. </p>

<p>I own the Nikon 28-70 2.8 but I decided it was just too heavy and not wide enough, so I made my backup lens my primary wide zoom. I got a chance to play with a 24-70 and it is a lot lighter (and more expensive).</p>

<p>I can't imagine using a prime as my principal wedding lens. Which is odd since I use nothing but primes for everything else.</p>

<p>Freya,</p>

<p>As a side note, with the D700 in the mix you'll probably want to go with full frame lenses as much as possible, DX is a waste of sensor space, and with fewer pixels you have less image available to crop for large prints. I have a few DX lenses now, so I'm in that boat for a while - and not unhappy about it. I really need to squeeze every bit of life out of my existing D80 bodies before I get something new, the longer I can hold-out, the more I can get. Just pick an equivalent FF lens for the DX versions I mention here.</p>

<p>So, I have two D80s (D-200 Lite!) and I have three lenses that I use the most: 17-55mmm f/2.8 DX, 70-200mm f/2.8 VR, and 12-24mm f/4 DX. Having constant aperture is a must so you can get the most light at any focal point and use manual settings without adjusting for an ever changing f-stop. If I have time and want something special I can go to the 50mm f/1.4 or even the 60mm Micro f/2.8, which is very sharp. And if I'm in a situation where I constantly have to go long and short very quickly I will resort to my walk-around 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 VR DX and get the most from it I can. An 85 f/1.4 is a great lens, and on my wish list. So is the upcoming 35mm f/1.8 DX, why not?</p>

<p>If your choice is the 85mm f/1.4 or the 70-200mm f/2.8 - the 70-200 wins. You'll have a great lens that can do a lot of the job. The 85mm will not serve you as well in as many situations, even though it is a great lens. Have fun !</p>

 

<p>50mm f1.4 (be it canon or nikon)</p>