Wedding Photography Lens

[AMD Photography]

Simple enough, I am shooting my first wedding come next month. I am narrowing down my lenses. I would like to know opinions please and thank you!

I have a Nikon D3200 DSLR

Lens will be: 18-55mm, 55-200mm, 50mm prime. All are AF-S Nikkor.

I want a tele-photo lens and was considering a sony fe 70-200mm f/2.8 gm oss ii? Would this work with my Nikon? What kind of adapter would I need?

Thank you!

 

 

 

[Ken Katz]

The simple answer is the Sony lens cannot be mounted or adapted to fit on a Nikon DSLR.  No lens made for mirrorless cameras will work on a DSLR.  The lens also cost about $2,800 and weighs over 1000 grams (which is light for a this type of lens).

If you are shooting an outdoor wedding, or one in very good light, the lenses you have should be adequate.  If it's indoor, you may want to consider renting a faster Nikon standard zoom, like a 17-55mm F2.8, since with your slower zoom, you may be struggling to get an acceptably high shutter speed for shooting people.  Your 50mm would be fine. 

If you have further questions on Nikon equipment, asking in the Nikon forum may generate more responses.

[AMD Photography]

Hi Ken. Thanks for your reply.

 

     Yes, that Sony lens is pricey. I would be utilizing borrowed lens where the price is cheaper to rent. Would you have any opinions on another tele-photo lens? I have used a Nikon brand 70-200mm for my Nikon in the past; they can be heavy in size!

     This will be an indoor wedding; and especially want to make sure I get those close up moments; IE the wedding kiss, etc.

     I'll see about the Nikon forum, thanks!

     

[Jochen_S]

Just my 2 ct: Starting with your listed kit, I'd 

1. Scout the venue(s) to get an idea* of the light over there. 
2. Get a 2nd camera body, somewhat compatible with your lenses. Adapting them on a Nikon MILC seems OK, I would not try adapting non-Sony on Sony for weddings. 
3. Get 3 Nikon TTL supporting Yuongnos, maybe 3 packs of Eneeloops and 2 packs of low internal resistance NiMhs for those. + Gels to match 2 of them to the scouted available light.
4. Maybe ponder a fast 24mm 

Yes, I skipped the rented 70-200/2.8 VR. They are heavy, not really "plug & play", if we are pondering shooting them wide open, at the long end and the D3200 might not offer AF micro adjustments? 

While tearing the aperture wide open gathers more light, maybe for kind of handholdable shutter speeds, it does eat DOF. Do families appreciate event photos "4 people framed, one of them kind of almost in focus"? 

Dunno what you ll' be doing, as what and where. I might end discussing "Which part of "No!" did you not understand?" with my "client", after step #1 above. There can be a "too dark for

• my weathered gear
• our expected results
• anything money could buy

And to me it makes a difference, if I am just a guest, dabbling with my toys or "the one expected to deliver results". As the latter I 'd more likely insist on using flash. 

Good luck anyhow.

[AJG]

I don't want to be negative but the fact that you're asking these questions makes me wonder if you have the skills to be doing this.  Weddings usually aren't super hard technically to shoot, but since they are one off events you need to have the equipment and experience to be sure of good results for your clients. I would never show up to photograph a wedding without at least 2 matching camera bodies (and extra batteries) that I was very familiar with and a set of fast lenses to cover semi-wide to telephoto and a couple of flash units that I was confident about both in terms of light output and how to set them up and control them.  If you're wondering why experienced professionals charge as much as they do for a seemingly simple job it is due to the investment in equipment and in the time it takes to really know how to use their equipment in a high pressure situation. Everybody has to start somewhere, and maybe assisting a more experienced photographer makes more sense for you right now.  But if you're committed to shooting it then make sure you're really prepared to do it.  Jochen's suggestion about visiting the venue and checking out what you will be dealing with is an excellent one, preferably with your equipment so that you will know before the event what will work and what won't.

[AMD Photography]

     Jochen_S, thank you for the helpful tips! I invested in a 2nd camera, which I already knew I would need anyways, purchased the Nikon D7200. My lens include the kit lens for my D3200 and the 50mm prime f/1.8. Looking into lens for my D7200.

     I purchased an L mount for my cameras hot shoe. As well as an external flash: Yongnuo YN568EX TTL. I'll be grabbing eneloop pro battteries and a battery charger as well.

     What are your thoughts on a good macro and/or telephoto lens for the D7200? I was recommended the sigma 18-35 mm F/1.8 Nikon F mount. Thoughts?

     AHJ, I understand but this is very NEW to me. Also, this wedding will take place indoors for the most part. Not to mention the bride mainly wants candid photos taken. Not AS much posed. I am doing getting ready photos as well and will want to do some posed photos; especially the bride and groom parties.

[Jochen_S]

No Nikon guy. YouTuber Joe Edelman loved his rather inexpensive Tokina 100mm macro on FX bodies. - I think you can't go ENTIRELY wrong with any macro, but

• intending to shoot people in low light, you 'll appreciate a focusing range limiter switch. - My Pentax screwdriver AF 50/2.8 takes ages to hunt focus down to 1:2 and back to portrait range, without one. That sucks a bit.
• Get VR or whatever Tamron etc. might be calling their clone; you 'll ABSOLUTELY need it indoors! The Nikon DX's highest usable ISO is limited so you should buy that chance to handhold 1/125 sec. 
• Check the Internet for AF speed related rants, before you buy a macro lens. I didn't get the EF 100/2.8 IS L for that reason.

Only hear say about the f1.8 zooms: Excellent glass combined with erratic AF. No VR. = Surely no "beginner recommendation" from me. They might be OK or at least the best s*** on the market for bokeh shots outdoors, with a patient model and lots(!) of spray & pray. Or maybe they 'd shine on MILCs with eye detection AF. I am glad to not depend on them (besides that they don't come in k-mount). 

If I had to cover indoor events with my aging crop DSLRs: 12-24/4 for the few essential wide shots. - Early in the day? Flash? Tripod?... Sigma 24/1.8 (nothing to write home about, even on my low res bodies & way too bulky for my taste), 50/1.4, 135/2.8, Maybe Sigma 18-70 to get lazy with, later. 2 bodies still OK, another slightly predamaged, a 4th a little bit older than the others. All have IBIS but way slower AF than Nikon.

For more serious work I 'd say "Sloppy FF keeps, what APS only promised". D750 & 24-120 should work. I have a 24-70/4 IS L and expect it to work well enough on my 5D IV. If needed, I 'll let the ISO skyrocket. I'd love to have a MILC for my 70-200/2.8 but know it will focus at f4.5 or smaller. 35/2 & 85/1.4, both IS, would be somewhat tempting, for really low light but might require MILCs behind them, to shine wide open. 

My casual(!) low light experience confirmed: Max ISO 10k, f2 glass and no OIS aren't enough, although you can occoasionally shoot something with that. 

As a bottom line: I wouldn't opt for a serious or final APS C kit, if I intended to get into the wedding business. IDK who, besides maybe Fuji is even offering an entire lens line for APS bodies, with stuff like a stabilized 24/2 and 14/2.8. I am also concerned about pixel density demanding quality glass that doesn't exist. Maybe dive into DxOmark and ood dpreview samples to figure out what could work for you.

[AMD Photography]

UPDATES!

I am good to go for the wedding this Sunday. It's a small venue with about 50-55 ppl. Looks like it might rain? So the ceremony might just have to be indoors.

The bride prefers that I be a fly on the wall. She does not want any getting ready photos, no first dance photos and/or cake cutting. Which to me sounds very surprising! That is what she wants. She prefers not to have a lot of posed photos either. Mainly candids. This will be a good learning experience either way; but over-all; different in regards to what I thought I was getting myself into for this wedding!

MY GEAR:

Nikon D3200 dslr
        *(X) 55-200mm lens*
        *(X) 18-55mm lens*
        *(X) 50mm AF-S 1.8 prime lens*
          (X) 3 batteries
          (X) 2 battery chargers
          (X) 4 SD cards
          (X) L mount for external flash
          (X)  L mount flash cable
          (X) External flash
          (X ) Batteries for flash: Eneloop Pro
          (X) Tripod
          (X) Body strap for cameras
          (X) Camera bag

(X)  Nikon D300 dslr
          (X ) 2 CF cards and 2 SD back-ups
          (X ) 2 batteries
          (X ) 2 battery chargers
         *(X) 70 - 210mm AF Nikkor push/pull zoom lens*
          (X) Sunpak Auto Flash
          (X)  Flash batteries
          (X) Nikon Battery Grip
          (X) Camera bag

I am excited and prepared for if it does rain! Heading to the venue one last time tomorrow to make sure my lighting is good for indoors!

Thank you for all the advice! Wish me good luck and will post my updates as soon as I can! 

[mpressionz]

Two lenses, no flash, 1~1000 watt softbox for the group photo and 1~6000 lumen garage ceiling light w/translucent white umbrella - Nikon Z7 ~ 70-180mm f/2.8 and Nikon Z5 28-75mm f/2.8 for these images shot on 20240331

https://mpressionz.myportfolio.com/escalier