Help me decide on my next lens...

Alright. long story short it is time for another lens. Currently I have a 70-200 2.8 and 50L. I have been renting 24-70 2.8's when I need them for shooting weddings. So I was prepared to buy one next. However, I find myself second guessing here... Perhaps a prime? IDK my mind is going a mile a minute!

So my question is, if you were in my shoes, what lens would you be going for? For bodies I currently have a 6d and 5d. I thought about snagging a second 6d. But I NEED to round out my focal range a bit more I do believe.

Any insight would be welcomed.

I would start looking at the EXIF and see on those sessions where you rented a 24-70 what focal length you used. If you were all over then perhaps you need a 24-70 zoom. If you noticed you were mostly at 24mm for wide angle stuff then maybe the 24L is something better suited for you.

For me.... I would buy the 24-70 before a prime. My wedding bag is a 24-70, 70-200 and 35mm.

I would second the 24-70 suggestion - expensive yes and if you shoot in dark places like weddings then you need the speed.

I've been thinking about trying the 20mm EF 2.8 lens as I do not have 24-70. Yet, cant justify the price of the 24-70 especially while have a 24-105.

New here, but just wanted to chime in and personally vote for the 24-70 2.8. Nothing really beats the versatility of a zoom for the unpredictable moments that happen in wedding photography. Personally, the 24-70 2.8 is my most used lens, then the 70-200 2.8. I use my primes mostly during prep so that I can get shallow dof that smooths the skin and eliminates unwanted detail that I'd otherwise get when taking close-ups with a f2.8 zoom lens.

Since you've already been renting the 24-70, perhaps you could start renting the prime you're interested in?

IMO the 24-70 f/2.8L II is an essential piece of gear. Granted you can get faster primes, but I'm a zoom guy. The problem is they are not cheap.

Yea - I agree with everything said which is why I have been leaning so heavily towards just buying the 24-70 since it is such a must have lens for wedding photography. I actually have a Ver.2 24-70 on the way right now from borrowlenses. I am sure it will be the deciding factor after the wedding I am shooting this weekend. Following that, I will prolly scoop a 100 macro for those nice detail shots.

irishguy0224 wrote in post #17080513
Alright. long story short it is time for another lens. Currently I have a 70-200 2.8 and 50L. I have been renting 24-70 2.8's when I need them for shooting weddings. So I was prepared to buy one next. However, I find myself second guessing here... Perhaps a prime? IDK my mind is going a mile a minute!

So my question is, if you were in my shoes, what lens would you be going for? For bodies I currently have a 6d and 5d. I thought about snagging a second 6d. But I NEED to round out my focal range a bit more I do believe.

Any insight would be welcomed.

Heya,

What focal length do you find yourself using a lot? I know some really go for the 24-70 and 70-200 combination. Others really go the prime route, like 35 and 85, or 35 and 135 even. Just depends on what you want to do. Two bodies, two primes. That'd be my route.

Very best,

I ended up going with the 24-70 2.8II. I shot with it over the weekend and the difference from the V1 and the V2 is unreal.

Irish.
I too am looking to add a 24-70 to my arsenal.
I will take your advice as soon as I stop lifting up all the couch cushions looking for spare change.

Nick - you won't be disappointed, the price tag definitely hurts... There is no doubt there, but it is one of those lenses that once you have it, you no longer have to worry about it. Now I can relax for a bit. The next one I want is a macro of some sort for more in depth ring shots. But that will be over the winter when things slow down.

I use a 35 IS, 100 f/2, and a 28-75 if I need zoom. The 24-70 II is way too expensive for me. I don't get paid, either. That is a rather large hole in my argument.

Interesting to me is the suggestion that the 24-70/2.8 is essential to wedding photography based on the virtue of that lens' wide max aperture. I owned that lens for about 2 months and I found it to not be fast enough. Now I don't shoot weddings or anything like that, but I know weddings are very poorly lit events, and I couldn't imagine shooting at 2.8, I'd feel much more comfortable around 1.8.

So is the advice to buy this lens assuming it will be used in conjunction with a flash? In that case, does it really matter if you're shooting at f/2.8 or f/4? I understand DOF wise the difference between the two, but for just getting the shot, is a heavy, f/2.8 lens the way to go?

I'm not trying to start a war here, I just really don't understand how this lens is supposed to be the bread and butter wedding lens...

During the day I don't use a flash, during the reception I do however. depending on my situation I will either run it wide open (2.8) or even at a high F stop like F10 to get much more within my focus. I find that shooting the dance floor at F2.8 only one person will be in focus and the rest would be outside of the focus point. Which depending on the shot is what you want, but for me, when shooting a group of people, I want as many of them in focus as possible.

That's just me, I've only been shooting weddings for a few years at this point and am not nearly as versed as some others on here. I love the versatility of the 24-70 as well.