What Lens Is Best for Wedding Photography?
Have you ever thought about which lenses professional wedding photographers find to be the most useful? Lens makers have an abundance of options to choose from and are continually releasing cutting-edge new designs. Attracted by their glimmer, many photographers amass a vast array of lenses, many of which see only infrequent use. If you need advice on your wedding photography, check out our photography packages and services at Wild Romantic Photography.
As a photographer, you'll want to be prepared for any wedding setting with the greatest lenses available. There is a large variation in the size and shape of lenses available. In addition, there is a large price disparity. Here, we present a compilation of the lenses that are universally regarded as the best for wedding photography.
Does It Matter Which Lens You Use?
Camera lenses come in a wide variety of focal lengths. There are a variety of different openings and characteristics that set them apart. Photographers have different preferences when it comes to the greatest lens. The choice is also affected by the shooting technique used and the camera's manufacturer. In order to have their gear on hand fast, several wedding photographers favour using bright prime lenses with two bodies. Zoom lenses are prefered by certain photographers because to their versatility and the ease with which they may be used.
If you have a wide variety of wedding lenses, you may take stunning photos whether the ceremony or reception is being held in an intimate hall or a spacious park. A professional wedding photographer, however, should always have the following tools and focal lengths at their disposal.
Which Lenses Perform Best at Weddings and Other Events?
- Use a telephoto lens with a focal length of 70-200 millimetres and an aperture of 2.8 if you want to take great portraits while also blurring the background creatively.
- The ideal lens for any photographer is a conventional zoom with a focal length of 24-70mm and a maximum aperture of f/2.8.
- The following are examples of what you can do with a wide-angle lens that has a focal length of 16–35 millimetres and an aperture of 2.8 or higher: Perfect for group shots in the altar and at the reception.
- For close-ups of the ring and the table settings, as well as head-and-shoulders portraits, a macro lens with a focal length of 90 to 100 millimetres is your best bet.
- For candid shots, the go-to focal length is 35 millimetres with an aperture of 1.4 or 1.8, as these settings allow the camera to function well in low light and produce beautiful background blur.
Now, let's take a look at each lens on its own to determine why it is utilised in the field of wedding photography. We have an exclusive range of wedding photography Mornington Peninsula services. Check them out here.
70-200mm F/2.8
This lens, albeit large, awkward, and heavy, is crucial for capturing weddings. The 70-200 f/2.8 is a fantastic workhorse of a lens when it comes to weddings. This versatile lens retains its exceptional sharpness across the whole range of its focal length. Even with the aperture closed, the bokeh is beautiful, especially at 200 millimetres (thanks to the compression created by the long focal length).
A 70-200mm f/2.8 lens is the ideal focal length for a wedding photographer to have. You don't have to get right up in people's faces to capture their genuine reactions and reactions in the moment; you can do it from quite a distance. This lens is useful if, during the wedding ceremony, you'd like to remain out of sight, out of earshot, or behind a solid barrier. Without drawing too much attention to yourself, you can discreetly record special events like the first kiss, the exchanging of vows, and the presentation of wedding bands.
We decided against portrait lenses in favour of those with a focal range of 70–200 millimetres for a few key reasons. First of all, the zoom function makes it easy to quickly adapt your shooting to a wide range of environments, subject distances, and backdrops. Second, the background blur can be just as good with a longer focal length, and you'll have more leeway in choosing the scene and framing it.
With its versatile zoom range and long enough focal length, the 70-200mm lens makes it easy to isolate your subject from its background. When it comes to catching minute details, it shines. As a result of its high magnification ratio, this lens is also a good choice for the portraiture section of the day. Due of its length, blurred backgrounds will be less of a challenge to accomplish. During this process, you should widen the aperture so that the happy couple may be captured in sharp focus.
On the other hand, this does have some drawbacks. With such a long focal length and wide aperture, the lens must be made from a sizable chunk of glass. Not to mention, it's a hefty investment for your wedding photography equipment.
As a general rule, your shutter speed should be higher than your focal length. Taking a photo with a 50mm lens at 1/50 of a second in low light is easy, but with a 200mm lens, you'll have to work a little more. Now is a good time to benefit from the lens's stabilisation features.
With a longer focal length, image stabilisation becomes more and more crucial. Investing in image stabilisation is a great idea, but if you can only afford to do it for one lens, it's best to put that money towards your longest one. A wide variety of focal lengths, from 24-70mm to 70-200mm, are commonly used by professional photographers when documenting weddings. These come in handy when the day's events are moving at a rapid pace and you don't have time to swap lenses.
This is the single most crucial piece of equipment when it comes to wedding lenses.
If you need a larger zoom while keeping your distance the same, you can use the crop mode when capturing images (if you shoot full-frame and your camera offers this option). A crop factor of 1.5 can be expected under most conditions. (it takes a small section of the image and scales it up by roughly 1.5 times). If you intend to do this, you should ensure that your original image file contains enough pixels to crop in case you later decide to adjust the image's composition or straighten it.
If you're using a 12 megapixel camera in full-frame mode, switching to the crop mode will reduce the effective resolution to 5 megapixels. This is significantly lower than the bare minimum of pixels needed (usually approximately 6 MP) to print at an acceptable size when enlarged. More importantly, 5 megapixels won't provide you enough room to crop the image in post-processing without limiting the print output size.
Using the crop setting reduces the resolution of a camera with 36 megapixels to 15.3 megapixels. There will be a noticeable drop in resolution, but you'll still have enough room to do reasonable cropping if that day ever comes.
If you are using a full-frame camera or a lens made for an APS-C camera, remember that the Crop mode will only use the centre of the sensor. As a result, dismembered heads and limbs and improperly cropped compositions are just two examples of what you can end up with if you don't take the time to get the shot right in camera.
When used with a full-frame camera body, APS-C lenses result in a cropped image due to the removal of the sensor's surplus space. However, this is not the default when using full-frame lenses in Crop mode. You will continue to see the complete full-frame sensor if you do not change your settings.
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24-70mm F/2.8
Most of the time during a wedding shoot, the photographer will be on the move, making the 24-70mm f/2.8 lens an ideal choice due to its wide focal range. With this lens, you can get wider-angle views of your venue, more natural portraits of your guests as they arrive, and lively group shots of attendees mingling before, during, and after the ceremony, the reception, the first dance, the exit.
The 24-70mm f/2.8 is an excellent lens for photographers to have on hand as a backup, especially for those who specialise in weddings and other special events. Its length makes it ideal for spontaneous group photographs or family portraits, while its breadth is enough for most indoor settings. Because of their continuous aperture and high-quality optics, many of them can focus near enough for relatively minute details, and you may shoot wide open to mix in-focus subjects with blurred backgrounds.
This lens's aperture remains consistently big across its useful focal-length range, making it ideal for use as a general-purpose wide-to-medium zoom. The lens's field of view is broad enough to capture the entire event in a single shot. The telephoto end may be adjusted to allow for closer shots, including portraits, which is useful when photographing the whole family.
It is a staple in wedding photography, thus many companies have released their own variations of this lens. Most of the time, the difference is optical picture stabilisation (IS). It's helpful to have that stabilisation when photographing in dim conditions. Because of them, you can shoot with a lower ISO, which is very helpful when utilising slower shutter speeds. Conversely, a telephoto or macro lens will benefit more from picture stabilisation than a wide-angle lens.
Numerous competitors have entered the market to meet the growing demand. This could help you save money when it comes time to choose your wedding photography gear. The 24-70mm lens is our other workhorse on the wedding day, and it's used for everything from portraits to wide-angle photos to capturing candid moments in the background.
Numerous photographers favour using extremely wide-angle lenses, like a 14-24mm f/2.8, when shooting in the field. You would be happy to add this lens to your optics collection, but it is by no means necessary. A 24-70mm lens is suitable for taking wide-angle shots of scenes on location. Moreover, if you need to capture a larger scene, you may snap a series of photos and stitch them together in Photoshop to create a panoramic view. The easiest way to achieve this is to stand in the same spot and take a series of images while gently altering the composition of each shot while maintaining the same exposure setting for the series.
85mm Prime
Being a prime lens with a fixed focal length of 85 millimetres means you'll have to use your feet to physically zoom in and out. There will be some more work involved, but it will be worth it. There is a noticeable improvement in the clarity of portraiture and the smoothness of backgrounds, and the lens works wonderfully in low-light situations.
If you compare a prime lens to a standard zoom lens (70–200mm), you'll see that the prime lens's aperture is much wider. Some models even have more precise focusing and produce better quality photographs. Prime lenses are often cheaper and more portable than zoom lenses because they don't have the moving parts necessary to change focal length. When shooting with a full-frame camera, the 85mm lens is ideal for portraits. The results will be more visually pleasing when using a longer focal length rather than a wider angle. Nonetheless, you'll be able to shoot pictures even in cramped quarters.
This lens's biggest suit is certainly the fact that it provides razor-sharp results from the sweet spot onward. Because of its light sensitivity, precision, and ability to deliver exceptional outcomes, this lens is always in my bag and ready for use. When it comes to performance, speed, and portability, the 85mm prime lens is second to none.
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35mm
While a fast 35mm prime lens may not be on the wish list of every wedding or event photographer, it can be invaluable for those who are charged with shooting both formal and informal scenes. In the photography industry, it is common for photographers to work in teams, with one person taking on the position of "second shooter." Choose a lens made for that purpose if you want to use it in that way.
Photographing a wedding is a great opportunity to convey a story. And sometimes, to capture the photos that will really convey the narrative, you need a wider lens. Compared to a standard prime 35mm lens, a wide telephoto lens is much bulkier and less light. There is a wide range of prime 35mm lenses available, both in terms of price and colour. These are great for capturing large groups of people or wide-ranging scenes, such as the complete ceremony setup or the full dance floor.
This lens is so adaptable that it can even be used to capture images of the bride getting ready, which is when wedding photographers are under the most pressure to obtain the perfect shot. Everything from the bride's various accoutrements to informal photographs of her with her family and friends to formal portraits of the entire bridal party is fair game. A wide array of add-ons is also included. In addition, you'll probably be working in a cramped space, like a hotel room, and under a tight deadline.
In order to avoid the severe distortions caused by employing a wider aperture, a lens with a focal length of 35 millimetres is recommended when capturing vast scenes. The focus and clarity of this lens are exceptional. This lens's close focusing distance makes it ideal for use in congested environments. To snap pictures even when there isn't a lot of light, try out our 35mm lens, which has an aperture of f/1.4. To take pictures in dim conditions, this is especially helpful if you don't have access to or the time to set up off-camera flashes.
Despite the fact that the 24-70mm f/2.8 (which was just addressed) already covers the 35mm focal length, the difference between f/1.4 and f/2.8 (two additional stops for four times the light) cannot be understated.
A 35mm lens provides an image that is sufficiently analogous to what the naked eye sees. Because of this, you can take pictures that make it look as though the spectator was right there. This is crucial for any kind of wedding photography, but it's especially crucial for documentary wedding photography.
If your budget is tight and you already own a lens with a focal length of 50 millimetres, you might choose to skip the 35mm prime lens on this list and go with the cheaper alternative. It also has a great lens.
The bokeh on a 50mm lens is stunning, and it is also extremely sharp; this is one of the main benefits of utilising prime lenses, despite the fact that it does not provide you as much room to move around in tighter quarters as a 35mm lens does. The 50mm lens, like the 35mm lens before it, offers three maximum apertures: f/1.8, f/1.4, and (on Canon cameras) f/1.2. Although there isn't a huge price jump between the f/1.2 and the f/1.4, there is a noticeable one between the f/1.8 and the f/1.4.
The 50mm lens is another popular option for portraits. Any wedding photographer on a tight budget would do well to invest in a 50mm lens. It doesn't cost a fortune, however it has a large aperture with plenty of light.
105mm (100mm) Or 60mm Macro Lens
There is one more lens every wedding photographer needs, and that is a macro lens. Doing this is important if you want close-up shots of rings. If you have a macro lens, this is a great time to use it while the bride is getting ready and capture some beautiful shots of her jewellery and other accessories.
A macro lens is ideal for capturing the intricate beading on the bride's gown. This holds truer if jewels are used to adorn the garment. Macro lenses are great for portrait photography if an aperture of f/2.8 or less is sufficient. Thus, macro lenses serve multiple functions and are portable. This is especially true of 60mm macro lenses, which are incredibly compact compared to their 105mm counterparts (100mm for Canon). These macro lenses typically have a minimum aperture of f/32, making them useful for shooting landscapes outdoors in bright light.
It's crucial to have photos of the engagement ring and any other special details, even if they just end up in a few of the wedding albums. A macro lens can do more than just take pictures of rings; it may also be used to take pictures of flowers or architectural elements. They are so versatile that you may even use them for pictures, like the one above with the bride's final makeup and eyelashes.
Macro lenses come in a wide array of focal lengths and apertures. In order to create more contrast between the foreground and background, a longer focal length is required. However, taking close-range macro photographs already introduces a substantial amount of softness into the image. Accordingly, a wedding photographer need not bother with a lens that stops light at f/1.2.
You are not limited to taking macro photographs using a macro lens that has a larger maximum aperture. Many lenses have a switch that disables the close-up mode, allowing them to operate more like conventional lenses. One money-saving strategy is to get a macro lens with sufficient light that doubles as a portrait prime. Image stabilisation is more crucial when shooting with a macro lens, just as it is when shooting with a telephoto lens, compared to when shooting with a wide-angle lens. Any slight movement of the camera will be more pronounced at this magnification.
Depending on how near you can focus with your regular zoom, you may not require a macro lens; nonetheless, ultra-close-up photos of minute details can offer a lot of diversity to a snapshot collection. It's possible to achieve more background blur than you expect with an f/2.8 macro lens, despite the fact that this is less than what you'd get with an f/1.4 portrait lens. Macro lenses often have a focal length in the 90–100 mm range, which is also near to the sweet spot for a "portrait" lens. In every case, you will be presented with a "picture" that is crafted specifically to make you look good.
Some photographers like the 105mm macro lens because it allows them to focus on tiny details when the 70-200mm lens is too far away. Insects and other little subjects often present this problem while trying to capture them on camera. In Crop mode, the 105mm becomes equivalent to 157.5mm, which is long enough to capture all of the ceremony while remaining unobtrusive. To switch into crop mode, use the "C" button on your camera. A 105mm lens has a maximum aperture of f/2.8, weighs only 280 grammes, and is significantly smaller and lighter than its larger counterparts. It's a macro lens as well as a regular lens! We have the best wedding photographer in Yarra Valley to capture your beautiful moments on your wedding day.
Can You Have Too Many Wedding Camera Lenses?
The best wedding photos will come from a photographer that has a wide range of lenses at their disposal. Thus, every photographer needs a unique combination of lenses. Photographers with a lot of clients and a sizable budget could be able to afford to have a lens from each category. They may even have a few spares laying around in case of need. When taking pictures, some photographers only use two or three lenses. The focal length chosen might also vary from one photography style to the next. Some people like the way a big lens can isolate details in their surroundings. Some people find that a wide-angle shot that captures the entire scene has a more narrative quality.
Examining lenses based on their technical specs alone is difficult. If you can't decide between an expensive name-brand lens and a cheaper third-party lens, renting one may help you make up your mind. Renting is a low-cost option that might give you peace of mind about your choice. Some lens rental services also provide the option to buy the lens you rent if you end up really liking it. If you don't, the cost isn't as high as if you bought the lens only to find out later that you never use that focal length.
Determine which focal lengths are most important for your style, and make sure you capture each and every moment of the day.
Conclusion
Photographers that specialise on weddings typically carry several different lenses. In this article, we discuss the best lenses for wedding photography. Any photographer would benefit greatly from investing in a standard zoom lens with a 24-70mm focal length and an aperture of f/2.8 or higher. The 35 millimetre focal length with an aperture of 1.4 or 1.8 is the standard for capturing genuine moments. When it comes to wedding photography, the Canon 70-200 f/2.8 is an excellent choice.
The remarkable sharpness of this zoom lens is maintained throughout its entire focal length. Work harder in low light when using a 200mm lens. The time has come to make use of the lens's stabilisation capabilities. Cropping an image after it has been taken allows for a greater magnification without changing the shooting distance. When photographers need a spare lens, the 24-70mm f/2.8 is a great choice.
If you need a wide-to-medium zoom, this is the one to get. The scope of the shot is large enough to include the whole action. The 24-70mm is our second workhorse lens for the big day. It's versatile enough to be used for both foreground and background shots, such as portraits. If your camera has a fixed primary lens, like an 85mm one, you'll have to use your feet to achieve the effect of zooming in and out.
One of the best things about this lens is how sharp it is until you move past the focal point. This lens is always at the ready in my backpack because of its light sensitivity, sharpness, and capacity to produce outstanding results. In order to capture both formal and casual events, a quick 35mm prime lens can be crucial. With a 35mm lens, you can get a pretty accurate representation of what the human eye sees. This is important for all wedding photography, but especially for documentary wedding photography.
For example, a 50mm lens, which often has a wide aperture and sufficient light, is frequently used for portraiture. There is a great deal of variety in the aperture sizes and focal lengths of macro lenses. A macro lens's use extend far beyond photographing rings; it may also be used to capture stunning close-ups of flowers and even building details. More so than with a telephoto lens, a macro lens really benefits from having its image stabilised. The 105mm macro lens is favoured by certain photographers because it allows them to zoom in on minute details while using a longer focal length lens, such as a 70-200mm.
When compared to its larger rivals, a 105mm lens's f/2.8 maximum aperture, 280-gram weight, and compact size make it an attractive option. Can There Be Too Many Camera Lenses for a Wedding? The right lenses for your camera are going to be different for each photographer. You can save money by renting, and it may give you more confidence in your decision. If you rent a lens and find that you truly like it, you may be able to buy it through the business.
Content Summary
- Your job as a wedding photographer requires you to have the best lenses money can buy ready for any situation.
- Lenses can be found in a wide variety of sizes and shapes.
- Here is a collection of lenses that have been agreed upon as the best in the industry for wedding photography.
- The best lens for a camera is a matter of opinion among photographers.
- However, a professional wedding photographer should always have the following equipment and lenses on hand.
- The standard for candid photographs is a 35mm lens set to an aperture of 1.4 or 1.8, which allows for adequate performance in low light and creates pleasing background blur.
- For several important reasons, we ruled out portrait lenses in favour of those with a focal length of 70–200 millimetres.
- The 70-200mm lens is great for portraiture because of its wide focal range and ability to blur the backdrop.
- Because of its large aperture and long focal length, the lens must be constructed from a substantial piece of glass.
- When taking photos, the shutter speed should always be faster than the focus length.
- The time has come to make use of the lens's stabilisation capabilities.
- When using a longer lens length, image stabilisation becomes increasingly important.
- When using the crop mode, a camera's resolution drops from 36 megapixels to 15.3 megapixels.
- Keep in mind that the Crop mode will only utilise the centre of the sensor regardless of whether you are using a full-frame camera or an APS-C camera lens.
- However, while shooting in Crop mode with full-frame lenses, this is not the case by default.
- If you do not alter your preferences, the full-frame sensor will continue to be displayed.
- Especially for photographers who specialise in weddings and other special events, the 24-70mm f/2.8 is an indispensable backup lens.
- On the other hand, picture stabilisation is more useful with a telephoto or macro lens than with a wide-angle lens.
- On-location wide-angle photography can be accomplished using a 24-70mm lens.
- The 85mm prime lens is unparalleled in terms of speed, mobility, and overall performance.
- If you intend to use the lens in that fashion, you should choose one designed for it.
- A wide telephoto lens is substantially heavier and thicker than a regular prime 35mm lens.
- Our 35mm lens features an aperture of f/1.4, so you can take images even in low light.
- If you already have a lens with a focal length of 50 millimetres and you're on a limited budget, you may choose to bypass the 35mm prime lens on this list in favour of the cheaper alternative.
- And the lens is excellent as well.
- A 50mm lens is a must-have for every wedding photographer on a budget.
- The delicate beading on the bride's gown is best captured using a macro lens.
- If an aperture of f/2.8 or smaller is adequate, macro lenses are fantastic for portrait photography.
- In this way, macro lenses are versatile and easy to transport.
- However, there is already a great deal of blurring in close-up macro pictures.
- Investing in a macro lens that can also be used as a portrait prime is a great way to save money.
- Using a macro lens, or a telephoto lens, requires image stabilisation more than using a wide-angle lens because of the greater depth of field they create.
- Ultra-close-up shots of minute details can add a lot of variety to a snapshot collection, but you may not need a macro lens depending on how close you can focus with your usual zoom.
- The 105mm macro lens is favoured by certain photographers because it allows them to zoom in on minute details while using a longer focal length lens, such as a 70-200mm.
- Use the "C" button on your camera to enter crop mode.
- When compared to its larger rivals, a 105mm lens's f/2.8 maximum aperture, 280-gram weight, and compact size make it an attractive option.
- A photographer that can switch between various lenses quickly and easily can capture the greatest images of the big day.
- Therefore, different photographers will require various sets of lenses.
- Another consideration when choosing a focal length is the photographic genre you're using it for.
- You can save money by renting, and it may give you more confidence in your decision.
- Figure out which focal lengths are essential for your approach, and don't miss a single thing.