Engagement Photos - Two Lens Options

[Shudderbug]

My 70-200mm f/2.8 lens just got sent in to be serviced due to some problem internally (really upset about that), and then I got a message from some people that asked me to do their engagement pictures in June/July that they wanted to move it up to the end of May.... There's no way I'll get that lens back in time, and I don't feel like doing the shoot with either my 50mm prime or 28-135mm. At least, not relying solely on them.

So I decided to look into renting a lens for a couple days from borrowlenses.com, and I couldn't decide whether to pick up the 85mm f/1.8, which I've never used but would be a good time to see how I like it personally (I know it's certainly capable). Or to get the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM which I am more use to. I haven't used the L version, so again, either way I'll get to play with something I haven't been able to do so before which in a way will be nice, but I wanted to know which one seems like a better bet to go with based on your experience. Thanks!

[tim]

The difference is depth of field, and how much of the background you want to show. It's personal choice.

85mm @ F1.8 subject at 2m gives 6cm DOF.
200mm @ F2.8 subject at 5m gives 10cm DOF. You see a much smaller slice of the background so the DOF may appear smaller.

Your call. Both lenses do well.

[brokensocial]

Either lens will do fine. My wife and I shoot primes, so naturally, I'd suggest the 85/1.8. Also, we like using shorter lengths for engagement work (typically 35mm to 75mm on full frame).

Personally, I (Mike) would suggest using your 50. It was my focal length for pretty much the entire wedding we shot this past weekend (including portraits) and for the engagement session two weeks ago.

That said, I'll probably be using 35mm exclusively for the e-session this weekend while my better half will probably use a 50 for the whole thing.

[Red Tie Photography]

It really depends. What 50mm do you have? Do you have anything wider? Are those the only 2 lenses you have? What camera body do you have? What is your style/how do you normally shoot?

If I go to an engagement session, I can do the entire thing on ff and a 35L + 70-200mm f2.8 IS II. Or i can do it on a 50mmL. It depends on the couple, the style, and surroundings.

I know this really wasnt much help, but there is too much missing for me to give an informed piece of advice.

[Shudderbug]

Sorry, I'll try to give what information I can. (I should put my gear into my signature at sometime, I just haven't gotten around to it)

My gear:
Canon 7D Gripped, 70-200mm f/2.8 (non-IS, in for repair), 50mm f/1.8, Canon 28-135mm IS, Canon 18-55mm (several years old, aperture blades stuck open so don't use it anymore except for when I just really want to go wider then the 28mm for my own personal shoots), and a 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6.

So not much professional gear, I've been working slowly replacing lenses building it up (such as replacing the 70-300 with the 70-200), but haven't laid hands on a 24-70mm, or any better lenses in general. Oh, and I have 430ex II, and a Yongnuo YN560, with some transmitters/receivers as well as a 43" umbrella. Just as far as that goes.

My style, I haven't done an e-session before, but I've done senior portraits twice this year. I've talked about first e-session elsewhere here btw. So it's a little harder to describe my style I suppose, but I'd say probably tend to be (relatively) closer and don't go wide too much, usually because I like the 70-200mm and don't care for the 28-135 overly much so I don't pick up my wider lens as much. I like to try to mix things up, getting "safe" pictures, and then trying something new or different. Like wide, I would play with wide-angle if I had a good lens in that area. Don't know if that helps too much. I do enjoy doing being creative, but when I take pictures in something I haven't done before, I really like to get pictures that are safe. Sounds like the 50mm could do it, and if I'm a little unsure then the 85mm might be a good choice - I like to stand back a little usually to take pictures and not always getting really close. Habits from shooting candid mostly I guess.

Or, perhaps I should pick up something wide, like a 10-22mm or 24-70mm? That way I can get some safe shots (even if out of my comfort zone which will be a good practice) with the 50mm 1.8, and then play with a focal range I haven't had the chance to do, and try some more creative, fun pictures with that? The couple I'm shooting are easy-going, and can be a little goofy sometimes, they're fun so I could easily try something a little out of the norm with then. Just a new thought...

Surroundings I'm unable to say, the couple was going to send me an email today or tomorrow with an information dump, but haven't received it yet. The session was suppose to be somewhere in June/July, and the wedding October but they just told me today that they decided to move it to July 28th, therefore the e-session they wanted to do this month... So my lens repair happened to coincide with that. I want to say it'll be outside, but that hasn't been confirmed yet.

I really appreciate the feedback y'all.


Chris

[highergr0und]

You probably won't get comfortable with the 10-22 fast enough to use it if you rent it. It takes time to figure out shooting really wide.

[tim]

I used to take a lot of really close shots. If you do that you really need to be great at capturing emotion, which includes helping make people comfortable showing that emotion. That's tough.

If you shoot wide you still have to do that, but you can create more impressive, interesting, more striking images. It's basically landscape or urban landscape photography with the addition of people for emotion.

I suggest learning to shoot wide.

[nicksan]

If it was a choice between the 85 1.8 and the 70-200 f2.8 L IS, I'd pick the 70-200. It's more versatile, you have 85mm, granted at f2.8, and you also get much more compression at 200mm not to mention the ability to diffuse the background if you desire to do so.

Also, I should mention, you can shoot "wide" with the 70-200 at 200mm. You just have to step back...a lot...but it'll be worth it. Apples and oranges really. If you want the background to appear distant relative to your subject, then wide is a good choice. If on the other hand, you want to the background to be an integral part of the photo, then shooting at 200mm will do the trick.

[Christina]

For an engagement session, I'd pick the 85mm. It's smaller and lighter and easier to use. I never use 70-200 unless I have no other choice (like, restricted to a balcony).

If you want to stand back more, try the 135L. I love it so very much more than 70-200.

[kuraz]

Yeah I would use the 70-200. Its what you are use to so there will be no hickups.

If you wanted you could rent both and include the charge to the clients for moving the date so soon

[SMP_Homer]

I like to change it up from time to time...
35 and 85 are the most common, but sometimes I'll do almost all 85 or all 70-200

Keeps from making every e-session look the same...

[Peacefield]

I like the 70-200 for portraits, but when I do e-shoots, I work alone and we move around a lot so I want to maintain some portability. While I'm tempted to take two bodies, one with the 24-70 and the other with the 70-200, it's just tooooo heavy.

So I use primes for e-shoots. And pairing a crop with a FF really helps. I put the 35 on the FF and the 85 on the 1.6 which essentially changes it into a 135. Much smaller and lighter and by swapping lenses and bodies, I can also get a 50 and 85.

So, yeah, I'd like the 70-200 for an e-shoot, but it's too much weight and bulk for me to want to drag along with the way I do them.

[scorpio_e]

The 70 to 200 F4 L is a great lens for eshoots. Rack it out to 200 and F4 and the bokeh is really nice. Using a nice wide prime works as well.