Standard lens? Need all aournd lens for wedding - advice needed

[tyler_pearce]

Hi guys and gals, I currently shoot with a Canon 20D, I only have the crappy lens that came with it and a 50 MM

Prime. I have done about 12 weddings so far...I also enjoy shooting pictures everywhere, i.e. around the city,

nature etc. I need to get a really good lens. I want to get something maybe of L quality... Is there an

industry standard as far as a lens that would be good to get? I obviously know about my lens magnification but I

want to get a 5D mark 2 eventually. I just want a lens that would be good all around that would help with

weddings yet I could leave it on for other uses.

 

Thanks

[tommyinca]

How about a 35/1.4 or the 35/2 if price is too steep. Both yield close to a "normal" 55mm view.

[picturesque]

There is no industry standard lens. You either stick to the equipment manufacturer's line up or you get third party lenses. For the Canon, you can get the 17-55mm or the 24-70mm, if you are talking about an all around, single lens. If it were me, I'd get a Tamron 17-50mm f2.8. Image quality is close to L. I wouldn't worry about the fact that the lens is for crop sensor cameras. Just sell it when you go full frame.

[wedding-photography-denver]

24-105/is if you don't mind having the IS unit replaced after the one year warranty is up. I had to do that at 13months old, but to Canon's credit, they did if FOC.

 

The 35/1.4 is a killer lens for the 5D IMO. (f2 version is good, but not near the 1.4)

[cabbiinc]

I would recommend the 24-70 f/2.8. It's personal prefrence and the only regret that I have is that I didn't get the Canon version.

[bob_osullivan]

The 24-70 gives you no wide angle at all on the 20D. I would imagine at weddings you'd need to do some group shots and need some wide angle.

 

A popular focal length for your camera for both weddings and general use is the 17-55 range. The canon 17-55 2.8 IS is the best option for quality and utility in your case. The 24-70 and 24-105IS are the full frame (5D) versions of this lens. So far all these lenses are over $1000. But better to spend that money on a lens than on a 5D.

 

The Tamron version is very good at half the price. There is also a sigma 17-70 that is very good and even cheaper. I have this one as a backup to my canons. Any of these will be sharper and better overall compared to your kit lens.

[mike_earussi1]

You don't mention your price limitation so any good L zoom should work depending on what focal length you want. But if

you are short on cash the cheapest way to get L zoom quality without the price is to buy one of Canon's fixed non-L

lenses as they are about equal in qiality to an L zoom (the best quality is an L fixed lens). For instance the 28 f2.8, 50 f1.8

and 85 f1.8 are all of excellent quality and don't cost much.

[William Michael]

> shoot with a Canon 20D I have the crappy lens that came with it and a 50 MM Prime . . . I need to get a really good lens. I want to get something maybe of L quality . . . I want to get a 5D mark 2 . . . good all around lens . . . would help with weddings . . . yet I could leave it on for other uses. <

 

If you want a ``Standard Lens`` as seen by the 20D: EF35F1.4L

 

If you want a ``Standard Zoom Lens`` to replace the kit lens: EF 16 - 35F2.8L MkII

 

WW

[joe_rych]

To me a "standard lens" is whatever job is needed to get the job done right. There is no do all well, lens. If there was people would not walk around with entire bags of lenses.

[ned1]

The Tamron 17-50 is the best bang for the buck out there. You can shoot an entire wedding with it as long as you are permitted near the b&g during the ceremony. And it's very lightweight, which get mighty important as the evening drags on. Eventually add a 105 or 135 prime for portraits and distance shots and you can do anything.

[William Michael]

Note the Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di-II LD Aspherical (IF) will cast a vignette, with a 5DMkII.

 

WW