Top 3 Lenses You Need for Weddings

It took awhile to come up for the title for this post because this couldn’t have easily been a “top 5″ or even a “:top 2”. I started my wedding with 3 prime lenses, and now I currently have 5 lenses + 1 backup. I’m constantly evolving my lens collection based on my shooting style, but at the same time, really justifying the need for them without breaking the bank. Every photographer’s shooting style is going to be different so this is just my opinion on the top 3 you need. I’m also going to mention several runner ups so make sure to read until the end! I also shoot Canon on full frame format (not APS-C crop sensor), so something to keep in mind if you shoot with a crop sensor camera.

1. 70-200mm f/2.8 – I never thought the day would come when I’d list this first because this is actually one of my most recent lenses. I’ve always been a prime lens shooter. My first 3 lenses were prime lenses and I never planned on getting any zoom lens. I got this lens when my 85mm just didnt’ give me the reach I wanted to get the types of shots I wanted to get. As soon as I added this lens to my collection, My galleries instantly had so much variety to them. This lens is versatile is what I use for ceremonies and receptions. Almost required for ceremonies, it lets me be the least disruptive I can, and allows me to get in those tighter shots to capture the bride’s tears, grooms laughter, audience reaction, and so on without having to keep moving around to zoom. Similar idea for the reception. This lens is all about reach and also giving that dreamy bokeh that the f/2.8 aperture and long focal length the lens grants you.

2. 35mm f/1.4 – This doesn’t have to be an f/1.4 but just some type of 35mm prime lens. I absolutely love this lens. It’s so versatile. The 35mm is perfect for documentary type shots and captures the enviornment perfectly without giving that distortion feel. I really hate shooting wider than 35mm because of the distortion; and 35mm is perfect. You can get beautiful portraits with this as well with wide aperture. This lens is on my camera throughout the majority of the day; bridal party preps are generally done in small rooms and the shorter focal length helps in tight spaces. This is also great group shots of the bridesmaids and groomsmen, and wedding party too if you have enough space. Great for family photos, also for the ceremony as well to capture the entire ceremony stage, and same idea for the reception. It’s rare for this lens to leave my camera body.

3. 85mm f/1.4 – Also doesn’t have to be f/1.4 but some form of 85mm f/1.4 prime. Is this lens redundant with the 70-200 f/2.8? Yes and no. the focal length is covered, but the type of portraits you can get with a wide aperture and a 85mm focal length is out of this world. This is my favorite portrait lens and if I could only have one prime lens, it would probably be this one. This lens isn’t as versatile as the 35mm prime but is my go-to lens for bride and groom creative portraits and solos. This lens also can be used for smaller wedding party group photos, depending on the amount of space you have to move around. I’ve also used this for ceremonies and receptions but they have been replaced with the 70-200 for versatility.

   Although those are my top 3, the following lenses are very respectable honorable mentions.

   24-70mm f/2.8 – If I had to shoot a wedding with only 1 lens, this would be it. This is the absolute most versatile lens you could possibly use for your wedding day and it works for everything. It’s just missing that wide aperture I need for that dreamy look. Even though the 70-200 is also a f/2.8 aperture, it will naturally produce that bokeh because of the local focal length. The 24-70 lens is a lens I would take with me if I had absolutely no idea what the enviornment is so it is definitely a good lens to have in your collection as “safety”. However, If I already know what I’m working with, other lenses like the 35mm prime will be a better choice.

   Any macro lens – The only reason why this isn’t on the list is because I feel like it’s not necessarily absolutely needed for wedding in the sense that you can take macro shots of the rings at any time other than the wedding. There’s also other lenses that have macro capability, like the RF 85mm f/2, RF 35mm f/1.8. so they could double up as your primes and macro. A dedicated macro lens however, will give you the most beautiful ring shots, and should be added to the collection once you have lenses that cover the 35-200mm focal length.

   50mm f/1.4 – I did leave this out, which is ironic because this is my very first lens. If I could only use one prime lens, it would be this one. However, I’ve been finding that This lens is either too far or too close, and gets outperformed in many situations by my 35mm and 85mm primes.

There’s so many great lenses to choose from but this is definitely my top lenses for wedding photography. Although everyone’s style is unique, this should give an idea of what lenses are good for what situations. For those starting out and getting into weddings, I would suggest with several prime lenses and see which focal length you enjoy shooting at. Slowly move into a 70-200 f/2.8, and eventually a macro. One particular lens I am eyeing is the RF 28-70 f/2. This is an absolute beast of a lens and I am expecting this to replace my 35mm and 50mm prime lenses, along with my 24-70 f/2.8. This lens is only an option for Canon Full Frame Mirrorless shooters, which is also why it’s not on the list, I also am not seeing that lens as a must have, but a nice to have. I see the 24-70 f/2 as a tool to get what you already know you want, more efficiently without having to switch lenses, but a strong photographer will already know what focal lengths they want to shoot at for a specific shooting situations.