If I HAD To Choose ONE Lens To Take To A Wedding, What Lens Would It Be?

I started digital photography 16 years ago and prior to my digital years I used film to photograph my fishing trips family functions and vacations. I had Kodak process and print my photos. When I started shooting digital, I decided that I worked print my photos and do the basic editing of the photo files. Now after using both film and digital cameras I would not return back to film. I never thought about photographing events, after several years of sharing my work, I was asked to photograph the Memorial day event at the Correctional facility that I worked in. I went on to photograph that event and others for eighth years until I retired from the department after 41 years at the age of 62. Before I retired I photographed several weddings for people at work and two years before I retired and three years after, I photographed a wide variety of events for people that could not afford a professional photographer. I used Pentax DSLR's for my work and added my first full frame camera when the K1 MKII was released, I used a variety of prime and zoom lens for the events that I photographed ,because I only did eighth to ten events a year this was not to supplement my retirement, it helped fund my collection 0f cameras and lens that I purchased over the last several years. Depending upon the event I was photographing I used everything from my PENTAX fisheye zoom the was just a very wide to wide angle that curved at the extreme end. Many events were photographed out doors under a tent and with that lens I could photograph the entire tent, I also have a 24-70 F2.8 and a 50-135 F2.8 Pentax lens on my K3 MKIII. I also had prime limited series from Pentax and a few Sigma lens. It was a large bag but being that I was the only one photographing the event, I wanted to make sure that I could photograph everything that I felt was nessacerry. Even though alot of event photographers use a 5o mm for many photos, I found it not wide enough and many times not long enough, but I used one at times on a full frame camera and other times the APSC. I used one of each and had a back up body in my car. Many of the bridal suits were not very large and I used a 35mm or wider unless I was taking a tight shot. I have been in many weddings over the years and looking at the photos that were taken, if you're photographing a wedding with one photographer a two lens setup will not cover everything and if one lens gets damaged or something else you are going to be in trouble.

Have you ever shot a wedding in a compact room and only 10 guests with your 50?

Love this!!

Nifty Fifty 💯

for wedding definitely 24-70/2.8 because solves almost all situation… in many cases you can deal with 24-70/4 from canon, which has macro capability and to be honest, you have time to play with photos, the only limitation could be light… not quantity, but quality… everybody is frozen to help you catch nice pictures, no possibility to open aperture too much in group of people…

50mm 1.4d, on a nikon d4s, or an f100 film.

I will use Nikkor 24-120mm/f.4 because both for big group photos and zoom.

50mm is definitely the sweet-spot lens. Works for portraits, candids, and groups. The f/1.8 is incredibly good related to price, weight, and light gathering. I use my 50mm and 85mm f/1.8 lenses for everything. Their light weight makes shooting comfortable for me, which improves connection with my subjects.

50 . Would be mine. I've used it only for 6 years. You can still do group photos

Am I seeing things? in the closing time lapse sequence, you lens hood is on the lens in storage mode.
It also appeared to me that the camera was NOT turned on as well.

Completely reasonable choice. But if weight is an issue – why not remove your big flash and diffuser for shots outside? The diffuser is pointless outside. Also putting the lens hood on your lens, but in reverse, hurts my brain.

When I first started shooting weddings for a photographic studio, I was supplied with a medium format camera with a normal lens. Shot many weddings with just one lens, a flash unit, and an assistant.

When I started shooting weddings for myself, I used two medium format cameras with a normal lens, a wide lens, and a telephoto lens.

Today, if forced to take a digital wedding with only one lens on a "full-frame" digital body, I would choose 35mm f/1.4 or 50mm f/1.4 or 28-70mm f/2.8 zoom.

On an APS-C digital body, I would choose 23mm f/1.4 or 23mm f/2 or 16-55mm f/2.8 zoom.

Thankfully, I am not forced to make such a selection.

Q: Very informative. I haven’t shot wedding yet. building my lens line up. I have Nikon D780. I just ordered the Sigma 50 1.4. Per reviews, weight is issue, we’ll see. What other lenses would u recommend ?

What light source do you have on your camera please?

so I booked my first wedding this summer and I have a nikon z7ii. Do I have to get an adapter if I want to get the 70-200mm lens you have linked? I'm pretty sold on getting it but I don't know which adapter to get if I need one, and I want to make sure it doesn't interfere with the quality of my photos! SOS!