Which lens should I use for an outdoor wedding portrait shoot tomorrow?

[rajah sulayman]

Posting this here since I'm technically a Nikon shooter (be kind!) and can't really post in the Canon Gear forums, but I'm hoping the "generality" of my question will at least let it slide here :).

So I'm doing a wedding portrait shoot for my cousin tomorrow and I'm trying to decide which lens to bring along. I wanna keep it to one lens ideally so that I'm focused more on the shots and less on which lens I should be using, though I'd be willing to consent to a second lens if there was a solid enough reason.

Here are my lenses and their pros/cons as I see them.

Nikkor 18-200 VR

PROS: Versatile; Nikon glass; My widest lens; VR will help sharpness
CONS: Versatility means sacrificing some IQ; Might not perform as well as "dedicated" lenses

Sigma 70-300/4-5.6 APO

PROS: Short end (70-120mm or so) perfect for portraits; Built for length so IQ should be good at that range; APO glass
CONS: Not at all wide; A little slow (though perhaps not so much an issue as it'll be nice out tomorrow)

Sigma 24-70/2.8

PROS: Huge lens with great glass; Fast; Good IQ
CONS: Soft at the 70mm end; Not ideal for portraits

Sigma 30/1.4

PROS: Prime; Great IQ; Very fast
CONS: Prime; Stuck at one length

I also have a 50/2.8 Macro lens, but I'm not even gonna bother with that one. It'd be great for detail shots, but it's hardly even a contender for portraits.

So, with that in mind, what would you recommend? I'm kinda leaning toward either the 70-300 or the 18-200 VR, but I'm having trouble deciding.

Thoughts?

[Pete]

It really depends on the compositions you'll be doing I guess. Telephotos would be good for portrait work, especially above waist shots, you'll just have to stand pretty far away for the full length shots.

So, maybe the 70-300 for head and shoulders and the 24-70 for full length.

[JimAskew]

My favorite weddig lens is my Canon 17-55MM EF-S IS.

In your shoes I would go for the 18-200MM VR. If you are using just one lens then this gives you the most flexibility. Put the Sigma 30MM in your pocket...great for receptions and group shots.

Good Luck and post some results when you are done :)

[djeuch]

I'd take your 50 f/2.8 macro along as well. On a D300 (1.5x crop sensor) that's an effective FL of 75 and it is f/2.8 - not the fastest, but good DOF for certain shots, especially if you can back off a bit. But overall versatility is going to come from your Sigma 24-70.

Indoors, you'll need bounce flash or shoot the Sigma 30/1.4 at relatively high ISOs....

[Wilt]

Wedding portraiture (or any waist level, or head & shoulders portraiture) on your format size would be 55-75mm range of FL

[rajah sulayman]

Thanks for the input, everyone.

That said, I think I will go with the 24-70. It has better IQ for non-Macro shots than the 50mm at the same length, and it's at least wider. I'll keep the 70-300 in my bag just in case I decide to take a shot that could've used length.

Also, I should've clarified that this isn't a wedding shoot, just a wedding portrait session. So I don't really need to worry about shooting indoors (ceremony, reception, etc..) or using a second body or whatever. Again, thanks for all the input!

[rajah sulayman]

p.s. Pics are up at http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=454973

Well, okay. Pic. Singular. Though I promise to update the thread once I've sorted through the remaining photos.