Additional Lenses

[snips86x]

I'm photographing a friends wedding and have the following kit:

• 
  *Canon 7D with battery grip
  *Canon 70-200 f/4 L non-is
  *Tokina 11-16
  *Canon 100mm Macro

I think I'm going to need 1-2 additional lenses but I'm not sure which lenses to get. I'm also looking to get a Canon flashgun.

What are your recommendations?

 

[snips86x]

Do you think the 24-70 and the 35mm would be a good combination?

 

[snips86x]

Thanks for all your help!

For group shots i was considering the Tokina, due to its super wide angle, the 35mm as a prime for bright clear shots and the 24-70 for activities and where i need more focal length.

As for the flash, it would be a 430/480EX, i have 2x 8gb and 1x4gb CF cards and 2 batteries with my grip.

 

[snips86x]

50 1.4
35 1.4

Zooms

16-35 on that or
Tamaron 17-50
Canon 17-55

Or canon 24-70/2.8

Primes, considering it's a 7D

24/1.4
50/1.4

Id leave the 70-200 at home, it's long enough on FF, way long on cropped. But that's just me.

L or non-L models?

 

[snips86x]

Everyones suggesting some lovely lenses, but I think the question that needs asking first of all is this.

How much are you willing to spend?

That dictates what lenses out of the above will be in your price range - some of them are well over £1k in price.

If its just a case of a 'favour' to your mate, then it might be far more cost effective to hire lenses for the day.

I made the assumption if he's only doing this wedding and no others, and as he doesn't already own them he hasn't found a use for them he's renting. Sooo... yeah... I'd go with he intends on renting.

Purchasing depends on the lens. Ideally, id like to buy 2 and these would be used for future events like weddings and parties. I'm loving the 17-55 and had the pleasure of using it before. A friend of mine had one and referred to it as the non-L L lens. It's my primary choice at the moment.

That brings me onto the prime. My budget, without working it out too accurately, would be £1400-1600. On the assumption that the 17-55 is 600-650, what prime would you recommend for wedding, portrait and low light photography that comes in around the £7-800 mark?

 

[snips86x]

Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 and Sigma 35mm f/1.4 should work within budget and be a great combo.

I think that is what I have settled on, along with a Canon Speedlite 430EX or 580EX as they are both around the £200 mark.

 

[snips86x]

I'd go with Ray on this one as the 24mm prime sounds the best bet on that crop sensor. 50mm on a crop is nearly 80mm on a canon camera, which is seriously tight for anything but head and shoulder work in cramped conditions.

The only one in my price range is the 24mm f2.8 IS USM model.

Would it hold its own against the 35mm Sigma? It looks nice, that is for sure and it would effectively be a 38mm with the crop, so yes....I see your point and a worthy choice.

 

[snips86x]

Are you the primary photographer? You really need to consider a back body if so.

Yes and unfortunately, funds only allow me to get the lenses. There is no way I can get another body.

 

[snips86x]

Borrow/hire a second body for the day?

Ahh yes, didn't think of that one. I nay have a friend who can help with that.

Going back to the lenses, what recommendations for a 17-55mm equivalent on an EF mount for the same price?

I don't want to invest in an ef-s lens to then upgrade to a FF body.

 

[snips86x]

I've got a 17-40mm f4L - lovely bit of kit, half the price of the 16-35mm f2.8L. Can be had for £400-£450 second hand. TP forums or MPB are good places to start.

I used to own one, stunning lens, got a Tokina 11-16 as replacement. My only concern is the f/4, I think I'm going to need at least a 2.8.

I'm also worried about over thinking this and may have to stick with the 17-55mm as the likely hood of me getting a FF camera is slim. The 7D will be with me until it dies I love it!!

 

[snips86x]

We ll if your sticking to crop then what about a Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 OS.

It every bit as sharp as the Canon by all accounts and half of the price.

This is a good choice and looks like a solid lens and would welcome a reduction in my budget to allow movement for other items.

Here's my experience of it on crop.

When I first started, the first 5 weddings were pro bono, so I didn't have to worry about contracts or consideration or even insurance. I only had 1 body and it was the 30D and the lens I used the majority of the time was the Tamron 17-50.

I also had in the bag:

50/1.8 (focus sucks in low light)
550EX Flash
70-200 2.8 IS (rented for 2 of the weddings), hardly used.

That's it. If you are quick on your feet and anticipate the scene you can get away with adding just the 17-50 in your bag. Go pick up a 30/40D secondhand for about £200 and use it as a back up and bob's your uncle. In fact, when I moved to the 5D, I used 24-70 for half a dozen weddings before I got a 35/1.4, then I got a 135/L, then a 85L. At the beginning my 24-70 (along with my 50/1.4) are perfectly capable combo. Use the zoom for the versatility and the 50 when you want that bokeh or extra 2 stops. I also had a 16-35 for the wide stuff. These days I don't take my 70-200 with me, the longest lens in the bag is a 135L and even that only get used if I am forced to be in a certain position away from the action The rest of the time I use my feet.

7D + 17-50/2.8 = done.

Although these days, I can do a whole wedding with just a 35/85 prime lens combo.

One time, my 24-70 had an Error 99 at 11am mid shoot, for the next 13 hours I used the 16-35/50/85.

And remember to have lots of cards, lots.

Thanks Ray! Although it makes me feel like I should give up You've got some sweet kit there, stuff I can only dream off.

I guess it's all about the initial investment. If I can get buy with a Canon 17-55mm or Sigma 17-50mm and a nice prime, any money I do make, if I make any, can be used to re-invest into better hardware.

This is a little alien to me as I was asked to do this wedding after attending her sisters just for the experience of photographing a wedding. I'm more of a landscape and macro photographer.

I guess I have some thinking to do and recommend further suggestions.

 

[snips86x]

If you don't feel comfortable doing it, don't? I'd never shoot someones wedding personally as its also not my style of photography.

That's just it though, I want too despite being aware it could go wrong!

 

[snips86x]

Even if you do go full frame you will loose peanuts selling on a 17-55mm f2.8 IS if you buy it now second hand they are easily the best lens in that range and hold their value excellently.

We ll if your sticking to crop then what about a Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 OS.

It every bit as sharp as the Canon by all accounts and half of the price.

The 17-55mm seem to be very well priced on the bay! Cheaper then going to Jessops.

 

[snips86x]

How about replacing my Tokina with the sigma? I'd defiantly use it and if I had a 24mm prime on a spare body, I've almost got the best of both worlds.

 

[snips86x]

I have been doing some research and I have narrowed it down to:

• Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM
• Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC OS HSM

Looking at the quality compared to the Canon 17-55, it seems sharper across the center & mid-frame, but slightly softer around the edge.

Sigma 17-50 vs Sigam 17-70 - Image Quality

I had considered the Tamron SP AF 17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical, but compared to the 2 Sigmas the quality was not as good.

What do you think? Would you go with the 1st or 2nd choice?

 

[snips86x]

Come to think of it, I'd also entertain the 18-35 sigma also for its low light performance

Really nice, but a little out of my price range on this occasion, definitely a worthy upgrade from the 17-50.

My thoughts exactly. The 17-50 covers a nice range of focal length and I think the advantage of the aperture is worth more than the 20mm of focal length when moving is available. On a crop you've got 35 and 50mm focal lengths covered.

I think the 17-50 is my choice now, really like the look of it and its performance.

Looking at a backup body, what would you recommend?

I've been looking at:

• Canon 20D
• Canon 30D (favourite at the moment)
• Canon 40D

I have also been looking at the 1100D/200D/300D but I think the top LCD panel would be a real benefit. The 200D is really hard to find compared to the rest and as above, the 30D seems to be well priced and easy to source with body only at under £130.