18-200mm f3.5-6.2 DC OS Suitable Wedding Lens??

Hi Everyone!

I'm on a tight budget.. I have about $1000 and I need an external flash and a new lens. I'm doing 2 low budget ($700 and under) weddings this year.. I have a 40d, and an xti rebel for backup.. a 18-55 lens and a slingshot bag with lots of 4gb compact flash cards and a tripod...

I can probably only afford one decent lens and one external flash unit... I was looking at the 18-200mm f3.5-6.2 DC OS.. anyone have any thoughts or experience if this would be a suitable wedding lens? Or any other suggestions of len(ses) in my budget??

Thanks in advance!

This is a to slow lens for weddings, unless you want to flash all the time, which doesn't work.
First at all it depends on your style, wider or more tele shots. Then conditions of the light at the wedding. Inside / outside, flash allowed or not.
There is no universal lens available covering that range for weddings, as most weddings require fast lenses.
The Canon 17-55 IS has aperture 2.8 and is highly recommended by members here for the 1.6 crop bodies you are using.
It's probably over your budget, I don't know the US prices, as I'm based in Europe.

Cheaper versions of the same range with aperture 2.8, but without IS, are available from Sigma / Tamron. There were several posts recommending this, do a search, but the IS in the Canon model will give you some extra stops in low light conditions without using a tripod / monopod.

If you like "a bit more tele", have a look at the Sigma / Tamron 28-75 2.8 lenses.

Problem is that you should have a backup of each, but this is probably over your budget.

Good luck

Thanks for the suggestions... I plan on renting what I can't afford (backups)

Thanks for the suggestions! I plan on renting what I can't afford (backups)

That is not a reasonable budget to put together a suitable pro wedding kit. Once you are getting paid, it's your responsibility to have a reasonable gear set which includes backups.

Honestly, with $1000, I would stretch that to $1300 and have the Tamron 17-50 F/2.8, 70-200 F/4L, and a 580EX II.

the 70-200 F/4 is not optimal, but it can still do the job. I've shot with F/4 lenses and it's decent with flash usage. Just don't expect to do ANY indoor natural light shots with it. But if you are getting serious into it, then the 70-200 2.8 IS is definitely the way to go.

Pick up a 580EX II and the Tamron 17-50 F/2.8. Keep saving your pennies or once you complete your two weddings take the proceeds and invest in the 70-200 F/2.8 IS

Thanks Dorman.. that was very helpful. I do plan on investing the proceeds in better lenses as I go. I may be able to stretch the budget to 1300.

Thank you also PictureCrazy.. I know 1000 isn't a lot but I'll get more as I grow and get more experience.. these are budget brides who want to pay no more than $6-700 for a photographer & prints...

whoopsjenny wrote in post #4290831
Thanks Dorman.. that was very helpful. I do plan on investing the proceeds in better lenses as I go. I may be able to stretch the budget to 1300.

Thank you also PictureCrazy.. I know 1000 isn't a lot but I'll get more as I grow and get more experience.. these are budget brides who want to pay no more than $6-700 for a photographer & prints...

Hello Whoopsjenny,
I was about to shoot my first wedding about 7 months ago. The only difference was that it was the wedding of my friend so I could have gone wrong and nothing would have happened as I wasn't paid for it. That time I was also planning to buy my first flash and was asking the same questions as you've just asked - which lens would be good for that purpose.
My question is when you're just about to buy a flash if you have any experience with flash photography. The reason why I'm asking this question is because 7 months ago (just right before my first wedding) I didn't own any external flash so I didn't have any real experience with REAL flash. If you're on the same side, then I would be really nervous as getting familiar with flash and flash photography is pretty much long journey (harsh shadow on the pictures is really something that is not acceptable). BTW. 7 months ago I got a recommendation to buy Canon EF 50 f/1.8 lens. It's probably the cheapest lens from Canon (around 80-90 USD) but you would definitely enjoyed that lens in your equipment. It's not really fast when it comes to focusing, but image quality is excellent so I would definitely recommend this lens and f/1.8 can maybe safe you in situations where flash usage is not permitted.
Of course I wish you good luck (really don't want to scare you, only to make you aware of the fact that shooting a wedding is really very very responsible thing).

cheers
lukas

I am another to suggest the 17-55 2.8 IS..........you can get away with doing an entire wedding with this lens........it is great and you can NOW pick one up for 835 at b and h.

Have you had a read of the FAQ?

I own this lens and use it for travel as it's light and has a huge zoom range. But the IQ is not, IMHO, good enough for wedding photography. Your clients deserve better