Primes - Weddings with Primes only - Anyone?

[roman_thorn1]

Hi all! Just want to know how many wedding photographers still just use primes? Am I the only one?

[rick_shanahan]

nope...I use the Canon 50mm 1.8. It's one of my favorite lenses...

[er1]

For fast paced journalistic action in confined areas I need my 24/70 and 70/200 zooms and would not be without them. In controlled settings out come the primes.

[conraderb]

roman - I use primes and love them. started all zoom, thought that 2.8 was fast, and after 90 weddings, I have moved to mostly the 2.0 and faster primes.

 

the 35mm L, 85mm L and 135mm L are my babies. I have a big bokeh fetish and I like my images to be really sharp, so a 2.8 zoom doesn't always get me the sharpness and isolation that a 1.4 prime at 2.0 will give. the 135mm is frightening sharp, as is the 85 stopped down a bit. the 35mm is pretty darn sharp wide open - much better than any of the L zooms I have seen wide open as is expected.

 

of course, when the action starts to move fast, I might switch to my zooms, especially in bright light. in dim light, I just shoot more aggressively with both my primes and my zooms and use some off camera lighting.

[gpjoell3]

Roman,

 

I use my 50mm 1.8 and 85mm 1.8 all the time. I love my 50mm 1.8 and use it often during my portrait sessions with single kids and babies.

[wedding-photography-denver]

Usually two bodies, one has a prime for most days.

[cabbiinc]

I've read of alot of people use primes. Nothing wrong with that. In low light, its pretty much a must isnt it?

[chetn]

Canon 35L is my wedding lens, sometimes I use a fisheye for effect. Keeping to one lens lets me think in 35mm, for framing etc and at f1.4 I can shoot in a cave. I do zoom but with my legs.

[davidandkara]

I use the 50 1.8 all the time for portraiture

[savagesax]

I dig primes but find myself using mostly zooms for weddings. For nature I'll take a prime anyday over a zoom.

[neilambrose]

<p>Are you the only one? Nope. I always use primes. Don't own any zoom lenses.</p>

[l_e]

Mostly Primes. I have a 70-200 I use more than I would like. And, a 17-40 that I would like to replace.

 

My goal is to be zoom free and the cut down on the number or primes I carry.

[christopher hartt dallas]

It was a happy day for me when I could keep my primes in the bag and use instead a high quality zoom or two to cover the same ranges in a wedding. For landscape & nature, like Bob B, use primes.

[er1]

Christopher, we think alike and must say you have some beautiful work on your site.

[Ian Taylor]

35/1.4 and 85/1.8 for 90%.

[savagesax]

I have to agree Ed, Christopher is very talented. It's nice of you to give talented photographers some well deserved praise.

[laverephoto]

I started with primes and now I use a 17-35 2.8, a 70-200 2.8 and a 1.4 50...all Nikon. I've done it both ways and I love

what I have right now. My zooms have great image quality and cropping and composing is much faster. I don't see the

allure of shooting at 1.4 when the effective depth of field for a portrait is mere millimeters. I love the selective focus look

but 1.4 is so selective that you are focused on almost nothing. I shoot at 2.8 as necessary, but my preferred f stop for

portraits is 4.0.

[jmichaelc]

I use both. I have found the place and purpose to use both. Image quality wise, my zooms are just as good as my primes for my usage and purpose. When i need the range and have the light, i've got a zoom on. When i need the speed or if i have a need for extra subject seperation, i've got a prime on.

[kenny_c]

What about weddings with zooms only? Anyone?

 

I dont see how it has to be one or the other. I use zooms and prime on double bodies.