Zooms for outside/Primes for Inside?

[DanFrank]

Just curious how people feel about either or. Ive had a fascination with wedding photography ever since my wife and I & our friends got married a few years back. Been working out of town for the last 4 years and recently got transferred home, so Id like to just go out and shoot. Sold my 15-85 because I wanted a more specific lens such as the 17-55 2.8 or 70-200 f4 IS. My question is, for a 3 lens starter set, I was thinking :

-canon 17-55 2.8 IS (general wedding lens) just ordered
-canon 85mm 1.8 (indoor reception/low light/portrait lens)
-70-200 f4 IS (long church shots with low lighting, nice outdoor far off shots)

Just curious if this is going to get me on the right path.

[scorpio_e]

Nice lens selection. Now you need..some lens back up.. a flash back up and a back up camera

[Numenorean]

I use zooms inside and primes outside....as well as primes inside and zooms outside.

If you plan on using the 70-200 f/4 for indoor church low light situations, you'll be wishing you had the 2.8.

[nicksan]

I'd get the f2.8 version of the 70-200. Find a used 70-200 f2.8 IS MKI. You'll appreciate the extra stop for indoor ceremonies.

[Thomas Campbell]

Primes inside and primes outside.

[PeaceFire]

Zooms inside and out. I have two primes. The 100 Marco takes amazing Macro shots. The 50 1.4 is just slow. I wouldn't use it for weddings unless I absolutely could not use flash and couldn't get the shots I need from my 70-200 2.8 and need the faster prime. But since it's so slow in focusing it's hardly a step up and I'd much rather crank up my ISO with the 70-200.

Now if I had an L prime this would be a whole different reply!

[RangersForever]

That's a good start but if I were you I'd get the 2.8 70-200 - if budget is an issue get the Sigma 70-200 2.8 OS because it's a great lens and a tad bit better than the Canon MK1

[tim]

A prime gives you 1-2 more stops, that won't really help all that much in a dark reception. You need to learn to light instead, and have appropriate equipment. I've detailed how I do it here.

[2ndshooter]

My wife started with those two zoom lenses... But we eventually wished that we had the 2.8 version of the 70-200. (Though after she upgraded to the 5D mark iii, f4 was fine since she could go to higher ISO. She kept the lens, since the 2.8 is bulky/heavier)

Honestly, I'd hold off on the 85mm and get the 70-200 2.8. (The 70-200 does a good job as a portrait lens)

Once you have the cash, my next purchase would be a 100mm IS macro. Great for macro shots as well as portraits.

Obviously you'll need flash at receptions... And the 17-55 is the perfect reception lens. I really with they made an EF/L series version!

[amirg]

I second what tim said regarding lighting being more important for wedding work. That said, 70-200 2.8 is great for church ceremonies where flash is not allowed.

[brokensocial]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

Primes inside and primes outside.

That's what we do.

[MichaelAnthonyPhotography]

I use primes for the image quality over zooms, the difference in light is negligible, because with a razor thin DOF, you arent going to get moving shots.

[scorpio_e]

I prefer primes inside and primes outside.