So, I Got the 85L; Now What?

[MDJAK]

First off, thanks to everyone here for all the help you've provided me thus far. I have my first wedding coming up in June. One thing that will make it less nerve racking is that there will be no ceremony, just the reception. (The happy couple are getting married in Hawaii as I write this.)

I was going to follow Tim's advice and KISS (Keep it simple stupid.) by basically keeping my 24-70 on the camera. Now that I splurged on the 85L, should I try that mostly with no flash and switch halfway? Or should I use it for the posed shots which will probably be outside in a park and then switch to the 24-70 once inside?

Thanks again,
mark

[mbze430]

good luck with the 85l at the wedding.. let us know what your turn out rate is if you decide to use it. lol

[MDJAK]

Hey, lookie here, MB, IMO, you are one of the acknowledged experts around these parts. Why you want to make me more nervous?:)

As Rickie Riccardo said to Lucy: Splain.

mark

[tim]

Put the 85L on one body, but the 24-70 on the other body, you have everything covered :)

[mbze430]

okay okay...

I will tell...

You must think what the 85mm L is really made for Portrait.. Not just ANY portrait... STILL portrait...

Use the lens for that. don't try to run around with this lens trying to take snapshot. your turn out rate will be small... unless you like to hold up all the guests.

If your client wants portraits taken of the guest, and wedding party. Set up a portrait area and use this lens.

Otherwise use the zoom, and if you prefer prime... 50mm

I recently did favor for a friend and helped out during his wedding.... one photographer to another I guess....

85mm was on my 1dmk2, and 24-70 on my 1dsmk2. Just like how tim had imagine.

[MDJAK]

Now I understand. And in my amateur hands, you're probably right. I think schmoelzel might disagree with you though. I've seen him nail shots of his daughter running in a park with that lens. I couldn't do that.

mark

[mbze430]

two thing you have to understand with the situation. Schmoelzel can run around the park all day shooting his daughter. not a big deal. But as a working photographer at someone else's wedding. you are there to turn out LOTS of pictures. you willing to risk alot of OOF shots?

I can go to a park with my daughter and shoot her with the 85mm, yes. and I get sharp pix.. however I tend to have less groups of pictures compared to say if I am using another prime.

Second, when you are doing a wedding. it is pretty low light when you are at the reception and ceremony. The 85L will cycle through the focus. This tends to make things tad slower, and if things are happening fast.. you going to miss other things that is going on.

Find out from your client if they wish to set up a "portrait" area. If not, just shoot portrait of the wedding party using the 85L at Pre-ceremony, and Pre-reception.

[condyk]

Great advice Johnny boy ... that 85L is made to do one thing beautifully AFAIC and pretty much for everything else I expect the keeper ratio is low, low, low!

[MDJAK]

AND AFAIC means what, please?

MB, I hope you know I was not challenging your answer in any way. I truly value your advice. Sometimes I just have to draw more out of you, that's all.:)

Thanks again,

mark

PS: Do you think the newer version with the (depending on what you read) 1.6 or 1.8 x faster focus would make it more valuable in the type situation I was contemplating? Or is it just the wrong tool for the job or nonstatic portraiture?

[mbze430]

AFAIC = A Far As I'm Concern

By no means, I am here to help. Most of the time when I make a reply, I tend to think everyone knows. But usually a 2nd time around I will explain it in details.

I haven't played with the mk2 version, since I haven't gone to the store lately. But from what I understand it is not that great of an improvement on speed. But this is being said by someone that havent' even touched it... only from the "word of mouth".

[MDJAK]

Thanks.

Take another word or mouth from mine. When I got my 85 two weeks ago or so, they didn't have the new one in stock but did have it on display to try. Try I did. I'm far from an expert and have little knowledge when it comes to scientific testing.

That said, I noticed very little difference in focusing speed. I focused far away in B&H, probably bringing the lens near infinity, and then focused on a girl about six feet from me. I did this with both lenses a couple of times. I was hardpressed to notice a difference. There was a small difference, but very hard to tell in an a-b comparison. Maybe real world would be better.

Believe me when I say: I never look to save money. If there was a big difference, I would have waited until they got the new one in.

BTW: My last visit to B&H's website and the new one is in stock and the old one is not even listed anymore.

For another 600 to 700 dollars, I would have gotten the 15m fisheye.

mark

[morehtml]

Must chime in here and say that while I have no aspirations of being a pro wedding photog, I did shoot about 70% of a outside wedding with the 85L II lens and out of 500 shots only deleted 10 for OOF. I shot all the before/after wedding formals and after wedding reception candids with it. Used a couple zooms during the ceremony on 2 bodies. The II seems to have a fast enough focus for me.