michael mccarley Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 If you, as a primary shooter, had to choose one lens and only one lens to shoot a wedding (typical indoor church ceremony and let's say an outdoor reception under a tent in the early evening), what would it be and why? I know, there is no one right lens but let's play along for fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael mccarley Posted June 6, 2005 Author Share Posted June 6, 2005 Don't forget to specify camera body to which the lens would be attached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picturesque Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 Easy...50mm (on film camera, fast 1.8 or 1.4 or wider). Many weddings have been shot with only a 50mm or normal lens such as a Rollei TLR with an 80mm lens. While not ideal, you can make it do for the semi-wide and telephoto shots. You either walk to get the shot or make the focal length work with what you want to get. Second choice would be a 35mm, but that would not be so good distortion-wise for close-ups and half lengths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael mccarley Posted June 6, 2005 Author Share Posted June 6, 2005 Nadine - That certainly took the fun out of it. ;) I would agree. 50/1.4 on a full frame or 35/1.4 on a 1.6 crop DSLR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picturesque Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 Sorry--I didn't mean to take the fun out of it for you. Maybe we'll get a continuation of the zoom/prime discussion. Let's see. How about my saying you need a wide angle zoom more than you do a telephoto zoom? Usually, when you need a wide angle zoom, you really, really need one--such as in being hemmed into a tight space where the ceremony is going on, whereas with a telephoto zoom, you usually have the ability to move, and even if you didn't and couldn't get close enough with the longest end of your telephoto, you can crop. If not ideal, at least you can get the image, whereas you may not be able to get an image (or end up with a completely different image) at all if you can't move and don't have a wide enough field of view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lb- Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 I choose no lens. I'd go pinhole with that shoot. how's that for fun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacy Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 ohh- I wouldn't ever want to shoot a wedding with only one lens- that would be no fun! but to answer your question: on film I'd take the 50 1.4 but if I could add one more it would be the 20 2.8 (yes- I broke mine, but has been replaced- YAY!). One more? 85 1.8...and if I could have one more- 70-200 2.8 and if I could have a fifth lens I guess it would be the 14mm and there you have my camera bag as it is right now :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenPapai Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 Sort of an easy answer, with a Canon it HAS to be the 24-70 2.8L. If 24mm isn't wide enough then zoom out with your feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografz Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 One lens and one lens alone? 35/1.4 on a full frame film or digital body. Resolution is more than adequate to crop in for a 50mm field of view, or even a 70 or 80mm field of view. But the 35mm allows wider views and environmental portraits. As indicated by the poll taken here sometime ago, wedding prints rarely exceed 8X10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtrace Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 Ditto on the 35mm f/1.4 on a full frame film SLR or DSLR. Why? I prefer the 35mm look, better for group shots, etc. f/1.4 for speed. I use a 35mm and a 85mm on a film SLR now :) And a 24mm and 50mm on a 20D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjogo Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 Been addressed alot here in the threads >>> But 28-70 zoom...the only lens for many of years >> that is cemented to the camera body. I always move to the subject >> I know my flash will cover and I have control of the manual exposure < for the B&G in that range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael mccarley Posted June 6, 2005 Author Share Posted June 6, 2005 I be here for a while now and never have seen this question asked in this way. I've seen threads addressing which lenses are most used and which on is best. This was if you could only take one lens, which one would it be. I use a 28-105 2.8 about 75% of the time but if I only had one lens that would not be it. The 17-40 goes about 15%, 50 1.4 about 5% and the 70-200 2.8L IS about 5%. If I had only one, it would be something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek_c. Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 24-70L.<br> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_levine Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 I would have to agree with Nadine. A 50MM is the best compromise lens there is. If you only had a 35MM or an 85MM lens, you would know what I mean. Like "Goldilock's" porridge, a 50MM is "just right". Of course when you need a little more or less glass, a 50MM can be a PIA. Often at weddings we need to be either a bit closer or a tad farther away. In my ever so humble opinion, the 35-70 zoom (or thereabouts)is the one "right" lens. I can shoot almost an entire wedding with one. of course once Im at a reception I prefer to throw on a F1.4 or F2 lens, and this rules out zooms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picturesque Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 So Michael, what is the one lens...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtrace Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 I have and use a 35mm and an 85mm. I can do w/o the 85mm if I really needed to. I can't do it all with a 50mm - too long for detail shots, groups, etc. Or I COULD but I wouldn't like it. The 50mm won't give me anything the 35mm won't. The other way isn't true. Wide is important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picturesque Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 I would probably want to use a 35mm myself, but I chose the 50mm because some of the important photos, like portraits of the couple (close ups and half lengths), would be a little distorted, and shots during the ceremony would be too airy. I know you can crop, but if using 35mm film, you would be losing a bit of quality there. I'd feel better about it if it were medium format--say a 60mm lens on a Hasselblad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcin harla Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 <i>I know, there is no one right lens but let's play along for fun!</i> <p>It would be no fun at all to shoot with one lens only! If I had to do it though I'd choose 50/1.4 on film/full frame digital Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike dixon Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 I'd also go with a normal (50 on 35mm, 75 or 80 on med. format). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melisa Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 50mm 1.4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melisa Posted June 6, 2005 Share Posted June 6, 2005 That was film, BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_ethridge Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 A 14mm-470mm zoom mounted on my hybrid Holga-Horizant-Nikkormat. This lens is a bit slow (f16-f64 maximum aperature), but I find that if I use a Lensbabie attachment, it gives unworldly results. I know that some of you may be asking if this setup is digital or film. Actually, it is both.It is quite a dickens to feed the film over the memory card, but with practice and 72 hours, one can be ready to shoot any wedding situation. And when all else fails, I can remove the lens and use as a pinhole camera, just as another member mentioned. BTW, I always use the zone system. Whenever the B&G are within the right zone, I click away. Well actually, it sounds a bit more like click, kerchunk, whirr, schreech. Now that is what I call a fun setup: ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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