For this coming season, I have 3 favorite lenses that I can’t leave home without. I’m a Nikon shooter, but these lenses all exist for Canon as well.
50mm f1.4
This lens is less than $400 and worth every penny. If you’re still keeping your eye on cost, you can’t go wrong with a 50mm f1.8 for around $120.
My 50mm stays on my camera unless I have reason to remove it. Showing up at the brides house, I use it. Family formals, I use it. Group shots, I use it. Creatives, I use it. Details, I use it. I’m shooting a full frame body, so if you’re shooting a 1.4x crop, I would consider the 35mm.
85mm f1.8
I love this lens. I’m going to say it is my favorite, only because I know that I can always rely on it. Most shots of just the couple, or individuals I’ll be using this. Also, when I shot 1.4x crop camera bodies, I would use this lens for all of the candid shots, as well as some speeches, and the first dances. This is always the lens I recommend to pick up if you don’t have it. The backgrounds turn to a delicious blur, and you can keep some distance from your subject.
135mm f2.0
This is my newest favorite lens, and I’ve been really enjoying it so far. Since going full frame, I’ve missed the reach and low light proformance of the 85mm – so this is how I replaced it. I’ll shoot a lot of close couple shots with this lens, just to get a closer. The backgrounds fade into random colours, and retain no detail depending on how close you are.
I shoot all of these lenses wide open (f1.4, f1.8, f2) with the exception of the 50mm if I’m doing group photos with it.
Here’s my typical wedding day gear that I bring along this year:
Cameras:
- Nikon D700 main camera body
- Nikon D700 backup camera body
- Nikon D90 as a backup backup.
Lenses:
- Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VR I
- Nikon 135mm f2
- Nikon 85mm f1.8
- Nikon 50mm f1.4
- Nikon 35mm f2
- Sigma 20mm f1.8
Flashes:
- 3 x SB800
Extra Gear:
- ShootSac bag
- 2 Lightstands for SB800s
- Large Shoot-through umbrella
I typically don’t shoot zooms, because I really like the shallow depth of fields, and low light performance that you get with primes.
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