Calling all wedding shooters..

Hypothetically, assume you are only allowed 2 prime lenses and 2 bodies, say a set up like a 1dmkIII and a 5d mkII, which *2* prime lenses would you use on which body?

clearly this q is more appropriate to togs who only use prime lenses to shoot wedding and similar events with, but all input welcome!

Weddings only allowing so much equipment? Never heard of that. What about back-up equipment, which, is very necessary?

why would you limit yourself to primes for a wedding?

im asking as a hypothetical question...jeff ascough only uses primes when he shoots weddings FYI.

Well if limited to only 2. That's hard. 50 for sure. But then would I go for a 35 or 24 or go 85.

My choice would be a 50 and 85. But this leaves out wide and super-tele. At least give me a 17-40 with these.

Also jeff may only use primes. But I bet he's got more than two.

5D II AND 40D

85mm 1.2
30mm 1.4 sigma
200mm 2.8

24 and 85.

jeff uses a 24 mm and a 50 mm for 80% of his work on 2 5dmkII bodies, and the 85 mm/135 mm for when he needs reach. his back up is a 35 mm f1.4L!! he dosn't use any zooms or flash!!!

details here

http://cpn.canon-europe.com …lass/shooting_w​eddings.do

after seeong this it made me want to see what other folks would use.

I can see why those who dont shoot weddings or own primes can be distressed by a situation like this.

Trying to imitate Jeff is not what wedding are about. Delivering as promised, no matter what happens, is.

Wow. He's an animal. What great images!

He calls the 35L a backup lens LOL!

He's in a position where he can shoot a wedding his way and is commercially viable at it. I am not.

If I had to shoot with only primes, I'd be in trouble. I'd have to stop doing weddings. For me, it is 3 lenses. 17-40, 24-105, and 70-200. I use flash most of the time.

I did some more artistic shots at my last wedding. One had the a bridesmaid and groomsman coming down the isle with a fair amount of the congregation visible around them. The bride wanted me to crop out the congregation. So much for images that show the event in context

For me, it is zooms or stay home.

IF, however I had to shoot with primes, I'd shoot the 135 & 50 during the ceremony and with the 50 and 24 during the reception on either FF or 1D bodies.

Shooting primes only requires that you be physically active through the day...using them is not an impossible task. If you're not physically active, it's my opinion that you're not giving your clients their money's worth. Besides, it's good for you.

Does that mean zooms are a free pass to be lazy? Heck no. I use two zooms and one prime but I'm as active as 2 or 3 shooters anyway.

To answer the original question...If limited to one of each:

135 on 40D
35 on 5D

35L and an 85.

bluefox9er wrote in post #8661910
Hypothetically, assume you are only allowed 2 prime lenses and 2 bodies, say a set up like a 1dmkIII and a 5d mkII, which *2* prime lenses would you use on which body?

With those 2 cameras, if I had to choose only 2 prime lenses, they would be 24/1.4 on the 1d3 and 85/1.2 on the 5d2.

However, a 35/1.4 on the 5d2 and a 50/1.2 on the 1d3 would work very nicely too.

I would use the 24 or 35 on the 1DIII and an 85 1.2 on the 5D2. I never use primes if I am moving around. For portraits, of course. I know some pros love primes, I do, too, but I'm also very practical and the weddings I shoot are fast and furious. I think 2 5D2's with 24-70 on one and 70-200 2.8 IS on the other is as good as it gets for me.