As a marriage photographer, it may be simple to justify numerous lenses for various functions all through the day (35mm/50mm primes for preparing, 70-200mm for the ceremony, 105mm macro for photographs of the rings, 85mm for portraits, and so forth). In actuality, most weddings will be documented effectively with considerably much less gear. However how a lot much less? I not too long ago had somebody ask me: “For somebody seeking to get into wedding ceremony images, is there a single lens that you’d suggest that may be adequate to begin with and be capable to shoot a full wedding ceremony with?”
I believed the reply would make a superb article. Nonetheless, earlier than persevering with, an essential notice. I might by no means advocate photographing a marriage and bringing just one digital camera physique and one lens. When somebody is paying you to seize once-in-a-lifetime moments, gear failure will not be an excuse for lacking the shot – so at a minimal I might have a backup digital camera and a backup basic lens (one thing like a 24-70mm f/4 or a 50mm prime). That stated, there’s nothing incorrect with attempting to slim down your gear. By preserving your gear on the minimalist facet, you will be extra nimble and never have to fret about lacking moments whilst you’re swapping lenses, leading to higher photographs.
Off my soapbox and again to the query. Is there a superb, single lens for wedding ceremony images that principally does all the pieces you want? This query isn’t one thing I had thought-about a lot earlier than, so I needed to give it some thought.
First – each wedding ceremony is exclusive. The gear necessities for a big church wedding ceremony are fairly totally different than a micro outside wedding ceremony. If I have been to decide on a single lens that would do all of it, I would want a flexible focal size vary, so a primary lens wouldn’t be an possibility.
Second – weddings usually proceed into the night time when the sunshine may be very low, so the zoom lens would want to have as quick of an aperture as attainable.
With these two components thought-about, an apparent selection could be one thing like a 24-70mm f/2.8. Nonetheless, for my private model, I hardly ever shoot weddings as huge as 24mm, and fairly often use focal lengths longer than 70mm (notably for ceremonies the place it’s possible you’ll not be capable to get close to the couple with out being in the way in which of company). This, for me, really argues for one thing extra like a 70-200mm f/2.8 as an alternative – however then you definitely miss the power to shoot wider photographs when wanted.
A lot to my shock, the reply got here to me not by weddings, however as an alternative on a current journey to Africa. One of many lenses I introduced on the journey was the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 (accessible in Nikon Z and Sony E mounts). I actually loved utilizing this lens in Africa, and once I obtained residence, I appeared by just a few of my current wedding ceremony albums. Sorting in Lightroom, I found that about 90% of my delivered photographs have been taken at a focal vary between 35mm and 150mm, and solely about 40% have been between 24mm and 70mm. (This didn’t shock me because the 70-200 is one among my most-used wedding ceremony lenses).
As well as, the brilliant most aperture of f/2-2.8 would do a superb job of overlaying the overwhelming majority of conditions. It isn’t fairly huge sufficient for some photographs that I like – though you will get artistic by discovering totally different vantage factors, like for the picture under. I’d additionally desire barely longer than 150mm once I’m not in a position to get near the couple throughout the ceremony, nevertheless it splits the distinction very well.
Right here’s a comparability of a ceremony taken at 35mm and (almost) 150mm from the identical spot, to provide a perspective of the kind of vary this lens may present.
The Tamron 35-150mm will not be a macro lens, so it could actually’t do ring closeups like the next photograph. Nonetheless, it does have a most magnification of 0.17x at 150mm, which remains to be fairly good when cropping.
I personally desire my ring photographs with a bit extra context anyway, and it could actually focus greater than shut sufficient for a shot like this:
Spencer wrote up a full evaluate of the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 lens right here, so I gained’t cowl all the specs and professionals/cons, however will record those I feel could be most related for wedding ceremony photographers.
Execs:
- Glorious focal vary for many wedding ceremony topics
- Excellent construct high quality
- Very sharp, particularly underneath 105mm (I’ve no challenge with the sharpness at any focal distance or aperture in apply)
Cons:
- Pretty costly ($1900 for E mount and $2000 for Z mount) – nevertheless, provided that this might feasibly change a 35mm f/1.8, a 24-70mm f/2.8, an 85mm f/1.8, and even most of a 70-200mm f/2.8, it represents a big worth
- Flare management will not be the most effective, so should you do plenty of portraits with the solar in body, this can be a difficulty
- Not the quickest focusing lens. That is most likely an even bigger con for different forms of occasions, since weddings don’t (normally) contain plenty of quick motion
Conclusion
This text is theoretical, at the least for now. I haven’t switched out my wedding ceremony images package for the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8, however in response to the query I acquired, I now know the reply. If I needed to {photograph} a marriage with only one lens, that is the clear winner. My expertise utilizing it in Africa additionally confirmed me how a lot I loved the lens.
Under are just a few photographs I took with the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 in Africa, in addition to some wedding ceremony photographs the place I feel the Tamron would have made a convincing alternative. As all the time, let me know within the feedback part under if in case you have any questions or concepts for wedding ceremony images lenses!
