Weddings and primes.

EspressoJunkie

EspressoJunkie

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Greg
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I currently have the classic combination of a 24-70 and 70-200 (both Tamron VC) and they're great lenses and obviously are tried and tested in the wedding field.

Also as someone who is fairly new to weddings zooms obviously provide a safety net of sorts while I develop my skills and style.

However I am a huge fan of primes (always have been) and I recently found some pics I took when I owned a Sigma 35 1.4 which have reminded me just how much I love that lens and the whole look that good primes give.

So I'm seriously contemplating getting rid of the two zooms and replacing them with a sigma 35/85/combo (with a Nikon 24 2.8 and possibly 50 1.8D as well). I know that 35/85 is a classic combination for weddings but I'd like to hear from more experienced wedding photographers as to whether it's a move they would recommend.

I'm currently shooting with 2 D750s and 2 SB800s, and I'd love to have peoples input.
 
Ive recently done the same and use 35/85 but I would never dream of selling the zooms, they are now backup, the thing I have found especially in small churches is if 35mm isnt wide enough your screwed so at least youd have the zoom for the wide end, also on the other hand if a minister etc wont allow you at the front of the church and its a big place then 85mm wont be enough from the back so unless you want to heavily crop, which at ISO 6400 you may not want to then you have to whip the 200mm out. So for 90% of my weddings im on the primes but the other 10% is vital for zooms.
 
Depending on the size and the venue I used to use a combination of zooms and primes I always used to check out the Venus before the day.
I always packed a ultra wide or a full frame fisheye for group shot.
A fast wide prime WA between 20 & 28mm 50mm 85mm 135mm and sometimes a 200mm or 300mm prime.
I do agree with you that there is something just a little bit special and better about primes :)
But I tend to use a 28-300mm zoom these days on the rare occasions that I take pictures.
 
I have primes in my bag but in the heat of the moment don't seem to get the chance to use them. I usually end up using the 24/105 I have on the camera most of the time.
 
Just come across this. I've been using the 35/85 combo (the 35 being the Sigma) and whilst I love the prime look too I found that they just weren't versatile enough for me. Currently in the process of switching to the two Tamrons that the OP mentioned. Bit trepidatious but looking forward to seeing how I get on with the 24-70 & 70-200 combo.
 
danny_bhoy said:
... looking forward to seeing how I get on with the 24-70 & 70-200 combo.
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If you're using a "normal" strap on the body which has the 70-200 on, ffs get into the habit of hanging it off your shoulder so the lens hangs against your leg at a wedding, not away from it ...

:cool:
 
Serendipitous Sid said:
If you're using a "normal" strap on the body which has the 70-200 on, ffs get into the habit of hanging it off your shoulder so the lens hangs against your leg at a wedding, not away from it ...

:cool:
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Haha invested in a Holdfast Moneymaker, the camera fastens to the strap by the tripod screw at the bottom so no way of pointing it downwards unfortunately - I'll just have to run the risk of concussing a few toddlers or wiping out the odd table of drinks :)
 
danny_bhoy said:
Haha invested in a Holdfast Moneymaker ...
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:eek:

Surely if you dangle yer body with the long zoom on it from yer bondage gear truss apparatus by the tripod socket, the default position will be lens against yer body anyhow? Whatever, all I know is that when I used to use a 70-200/2.8L on one body, I hung it by the tripod plate from one of the original Black Rapid straps and it hugged my hip on its own.

I did once see a wedding snapper wipe a couple of place settings and a candlestick off a top table with a sticky-outy long lens ...
 
ideally and I do me ideally a 35 85 should be on separate bodies if not the 24-70 70-200 is a much more versatile solution imho..... I prefer primes myself so try and use a 35mm art for a lot and then do the candids with a 2.8 is canon 70-200
 
In my wedding arsenal I have...(prime wise)

35L
Sigma 85 1.4
135L

All get used regularly. At my last wedding a friend of mine leant me the Canon 50mm 1.4 - Forgot how nice that focal length is.
 
Did you move to the zooms? I am in the same position, love the look from primes but thinking about switching my 35 to a 24-70, running that on one body with my 85 1.8 on the second.

It is either that or I may just add a wider zoom to my bag, something like a 16-35 F4 for tight spaces and have a 700-200 (probably the Tamron) in my bad for reach if required.

Although I can shoot at 1.8 on the primes, especially with the 35 it is often stopped down to F2.8 anyway.
 
I've thought about primes for weddings but i'd be concerned about missing shots while changing lenses - even with two bodies , so i prefer the versatility of the zoom. That said I have used 5m f1.8 and 85mm f1.8 primes but only inside dark churches where the f2.8 zoom just doesnt cut it
 
big soft moose said:
I've thought about primes for weddings but i'd be concerned about missing shots while changing lenses - even with two bodies , so i prefer the versatility of the zoom. That said I have used 5m f1.8 and 85mm f1.8 primes but only inside dark churches where the f2.8 zoom just doesnt cut it
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Man I'd love to see the filter size on a 5m f1.8 ... You'd probably need an observatory to mount it in ... :)
 
I wish i could get a 5m f1.8 - that'd be epic even if i did need a low loader to carry it about.

that should of course have read 50mm f1.8
 
I shoot with primes at weddings, I have a 70-200 in my bag as well but only because there's no fast focussing prime to fill that gap on Nikon.

24 / 35 / 58 / 85 are in my bag.
 
Worst thing I ever did was sell my 70-200 2.8 for primes. Especially in weddings where you are sometimes restricted in how close you can get to the must have shots such as rings during the vows you just can't do without the extra length of the Zoom.
I sold my 135mm kept the 35mm as I just love it especially for during the bridal preps. Just bought another 70-200 last week.
 
lartamax said:
Especially in weddings where you are sometimes restricted in how close you can get to the must have shots such as rings during the vows you just can't do without the extra length of the Zoom.
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A cheaper way of dealing with that, is to redefine what is a "must have shot". (Or better yet, don't have any must have shots).
 
Tell that to the bride lol
There are shots they all expect as standard and generally the rings are one of them
 
Except that it's her wedding and any bride could within the realms of what is considered reasonable from a professional photographer expect a shot of her future husband placing a ring on her finger during the vows.
As sometimes you can be restricted in how close you can get during the service I just find the extra reach is well worth having. If you can get away without a must have list great but I personally wouldn't want to be depending on it.
 
My point relevant to this thread was, don't base your gear buying decisions on what you think you should have because other people do things that way.

Most wedding photographers are one-man-bands, as such, they get to decide what they offer as their product to their clients. Decide what that is, and then get the gear you need to deliver it - whether that's primes, zooms, 5 cameras, studio lights, drones...
 
I much prefer the primes 35/85 combo but as soon as I can afford it I will have a 70-209 in my bag. If I don't need it then fine, but I do thinks it's worth having if restricted by the venue and not able to get close.
 
if you're consistent and already good at what you do then absolutely, however if you're a bit sketchy then primes will either make or break you imho, you'll either get sharper, compose better and anticipate more or you'll feel lost quickly and come unstuck :)

that's just my 2p though and obviously isn't gospel :D
 
For a prime only set up - 35, 85, 135 will cover virtually any situation. You may want to add in a UWA to ensure you're not stuck when in tight spaces though.
 
I have a 35, 50, 85 24-70 and a 70-200, the 24-70 seems to never leave my bag though, the 70-200 and the 85 are my go to's
 
s8intly said:
I have a 35, 50, 85 24-70 and a 70-200, the 24-70 seems to never leave my bag though, the 70-200 and the 85 are my go to's
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That's my set of lenses too. Love the 70-200 and 85, but still use the 24-70 for groups, in the car shots, and first dance.
 
I don't own a zoom. Shoot 80% on a 35mm 1.4 and have a 85mm 1.4 and 45mm T/S for everything else. Advantages for me are weight, sharpness and low light ability. Still think you should use whatever you find to be the most comfortable.
 
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