bridal lens?

what is your favorite lens for taking bridal portraits or full length portraits? I have been prone to using my 50 1.4 and 85 1.8.

D3 & 24-70mm AF-S 2.8 "workhorse"



D2X & 105mm Micro AF-S 2.8 VR



--
Mel
http://www.mellockhartphotography.zenfolio.com
http://www.mellockhartphotography.net

Early in the morning, at dawn when the summer air hasn't started to bake, and the humidity isn't yet choking everyone- the 85 1.4 stopped down to f/2, with a bump in the iso, helps shooting w/out a tripod during the early mornning hours.

However, most of the time I fancy shooting with the longer lenses.. 70-200 2.8 is an all time favorite for full length outdoors as I can open the lens up, get close, and isolate the bride-to-be from a less than elegant background.

The 300 f/2.8 works wonders... but the 300 f/4 makes the grade as well (although it takes more work), but you might have to wrestle with it early in the morning w/out a tripod. manual focus + tripod gets you into the "wow" zone without any fanfare. Using IS on the Canon model is a definite benefit... but still won't keep you from cussing once or twice as the lens fights the early morning hours.

The all around winner out of the three for me? The 70-200 f/2.8 is the best all around. The 300 f/2.8 wins hands down.. and the 300 f/4 grabs great results w/tripod pretty easily, and nothing can touch the 85 f/1.4 early in the morning when the sun is just peeking over the morning horizon, but you're feeling compelled to shoot handheld...


--
Teila K. Day

nice portraits, did you use flash in the 1st ?
Cheers Neil
--
A Birth Certificate shows that we were born.
A Death Certificate shows that we died.
Pictures show that we lived!

http://www.nmphotoworks.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/knumbnutz/

That's probably the most common wedding set up.
Primes if you have time or three bodies.
Some just use primes, but I am a zoomer.

Yes I did and thanks Neil!
--
Mel
http://www.mellockhartphotography.zenfolio.com
http://www.mellockhartphotography.net

Lucky groom!Nice shots.Not sure why F8 was used in the 1st shot.Great equipment.

Cheers
Bruce
SA

Only one lens allowed? Then is would be AF-S 24-70.

Another vote for 70-200mm VR2 on FX, sometimes coupled with TC-17EII for longer reach. If you need to have an answer for prime, 85mm 1.4 for DX and 200mm f/2 VR for FX.