A6000 - best lens for getting into wedding photography?

[Cassiopi]

I have the sony a6000 along with a sigma 30mm f2.8 ex dn and in the post tomorrow the 24mm f1.8 zeiss.

I am joining a photographer on a wedding shoot in a few weeks as I'm hoping to get into wedding photography professionally and will be learning with him.

Should I get the 50mm f1.8 or is there another lens you would recommend for weddings on this camera?

I don't want to spend loads at the moment in case I don't like wedding photography but I do want to make sure I can add value to his shoot.

Any help would be great.

 

[fotokeen]

A lot depends on where the shots are being taken . I have shot a friends wedding and every one was taken with a tamron 10-24 . Any lens is fine for the outdoor shots as you just step backwards or forewards for frameing , but inside a church and inside a reception hall a wide wide angle lens transforms a lot of pictures . English churches are generally narrow but tall , and it is tricky getting the bride and groom shot with the congregation , especially from behind the vicar . The congregation of course are family and friends and missing any of them out of the pictures dosn`t go down very well . Just my own experiance of course , but my photos went down very well , and though some people say the tamron is not very good one of the pictures was printed 4 feet wide and is on the couples living room wall . I got the lens 3 years ago and wouldn`t dream of getting rid of it . I now have an a6000 with adaptor to carry on using it but got rid of the a57 because I love the lack of size and weight .

 

[tomtom50]

I have the sony a6000 along with a sigma 30mm f2.8 ex dn and in the post tomorrow the 24mm f1.8 zeiss.

I am joining a photographer on a wedding shoot in a few weeks as I'm hoping to get into wedding photography professionally and will be learning with him.

Should I get the 50mm f1.8 or is there another lens you would recommend for weddings on this camera?

I don't want to spend loads at the moment in case I don't like wedding photography but I do want to make sure I can add value to his shoot.

Any help would be great.

Photos of the event are different from posed atmospheric shots taken separately. For the latter the 50mm is very good to isolate the subject.

If it is mostly at the event you want a zoom. The 18-105 would be good, as it is sharp and has reach. If that costs to much to buy you can rent.

If you need to take a big group shot at close quarters you may need an ultrawide, but avoid it! People near the edge of the frame will look terrible due to the exaggerated perspective.

Shoot raw. If the bride is in white watch for blown highlights, especially in outdoor shots.

 

[scottacus]

I think you'll find many professional wedding photographers bring two cameras (to avoid changing out lenses), often with one good zoom and one excellent prime. So I'd say to try two lenses (even if you have to swap them out for now).

I would say the Zeiss 16-70 or the 35/1.8 (or both). Neither lens is absolutely perfect. But the Zeiss zoom is versatile enough both to get usable wide shots and be a nice portrait lens (at the tele end). And if you're looking for a prime lens, the 35/1.8 has a good combination of focal length and aperture to be pretty versatile. You could also try to Zeiss Touit 32mm, which is an excellent lens as well. Since these aren't particularly cheap, you could try renting for the event to see if they make sense to add to your collection.

 

[kuro_neko]

I shot my cousin's wedding earlier in the year (there was a proper photographer there as well, I was just doing it for fun) and used almost exclusively the 50F18 and 35F18 and only switched to the 18-55 briefly for some general shots of the empty wedding venue.

Luckily I still had my old nex5 as well as my nex5r which meant I could just switch between lenses without blinking as and when needed.

 

[Cassiopi]

So would my 24mm be too wide for the most part?

I have been considering the 55-210, does anyone have any experience with this lens?

Up until now I have mostly been shooting travel/ street photography so wanted the 24mm for that and heard that the 50 f18 can also be good for it but telefoto could be fun too if it's any good?

 

[TriniArt2]

LAEA-4 plus Tamron 28-75 2.8

 

[BayAreaWZ]

The 55-210mm is a good idea. Fairly affordable and let's you keep your distance to capture good candid moments.

The 50/1.8 should be another great one as it is very affordable, has OSS, and will help with subject isolation.

Aside from that, I would hope you have:

- At least two spare batteries, maybe 3-4

- A few memory cards

- A flash unit like the F43M or a manual one like the Yougnuo units. When things are very dark, getting a shot with flash is better than not getting a shot at all

- Good photo processing software that speeds up your workflow. Ideally one with good noise reduction

- Comfortable shoes

- Energy bars/bottled water (many times you will not have time to eat when the food is put out there and need to eat on the run).

Hope that helps.

 

[Cassiopi]

It does thank you

The wedding I am going too is pretty small so may be able to get away with my primes, especially as I will mainly be the equipment caddy for the main photographer.

Will get the 55-210 as well though as that covers range I don't have lenses for at the moment.

Who knows I may dislike wedding photography, so don't want to go too mad just yet.

 

[BayAreaWZ]

Good luck to you!

 

[innotect]

Thank you for your post.but i am not clear what you mean.I was just looking for general stuff on photography tricks like Flairsen Photography Tricks. I'm really looking forward to trying these ideas out as well. Great explanations.

 

[Nordstjernen]

I have the sony a6000 along with a sigma 30mm f2.8 ex dn and in the post tomorrow the 24mm f1.8 zeiss.

Start with these lenses, and then find out what you think you need. Social event photography is much about personal style and preferences, and most important, your creativity and attack to what is going on. Actually, it is not that much about gear. Knowing your camera and lenses is much more helpful than having the latest camera body or brightest and most expensive glass.

Personally I like moderate wide or normal lenses (24-35 mm for aps-c) for such events, and also a 70-200 mm zoom for tight crops and outdoor shots with blurred background, but you might find other lenses very useable. My choise is primes, but many of my collegues prefer using a normal zoom. A friend of me, professional wedding photographer, uses a 50 mm and 85 mm for full frame, and occationally a wide. Nothing else. And she hates using flash ... Still, from my experience, a fill-in flash is very helpful for brightening up shadows on sunny days or freshing up colors on dull days, and also for many kind of indoor shooting.

I am joining a photographer on a wedding shoot in a few weeks as I'm hoping to get into wedding photography professionally and will be learning with him.

Excellent! Superb!!!

Should I get the 50mm f1.8 or is there another lens you would recommend for weddings on this camera?

I don't want to spend loads at the moment in case I don't like wedding photography but I do want to make sure I can add value to his shoot.

A 50 mm lens might be nice for aps-c, especially for these shallow dof shots. If you are going for this lens, personally I would have used the 24 mm and 50 mm for wedding photography, and let the 30 mm stay back home. I really like to keep it simple! But don't forget the flash! ;-)

 

[PVCdroid]

I have the sony a6000 along with a sigma 30mm f2.8 ex dn and in the post tomorrow the 24mm f1.8 zeiss.

I am joining a photographer on a wedding shoot in a few weeks as I'm hoping to get into wedding photography professionally and will be learning with him.

Should I get the 50mm f1.8 or is there another lens you would recommend for weddings on this camera?

I don't want to spend loads at the moment in case I don't like wedding photography but I do want to make sure I can add value to his shoot.

Any help would be great.

I shot a wedding primarily with the 50/1.8 and NEX-7. The couple were so pleased and so was I at the job it did. The OSS comes in very handy for non-flash work. It is sharp enough and produces good detail. With the A6000 you will be able to crop up to about 50% and retain good detail compared to 16mp cameras. Shoot raw for that purpose alone or RAW+JPEG if JPEG is your preference.

 

[Cassiopi]

So I got the 24mm Zeiss which I got today and is gorgeous!

Opted in the end for the 55-210mm, which I know isnt as fast but I figured I needed a zoom and the lowest end is portrait length..

 

[blue_skies]

So I got the 24mm Zeiss which I got today and is gorgeous!

Opted in the end for the 55-210mm, which I know isnt as fast but I figured I needed a zoom and the lowest end is portrait length..

I would get the E50 instead, especially if for weddings. The E24Z + E50 combo can cover most of your needs for a wedding shoot. Don't be afraid to crop!

Do consider the E35 as well, and perhaps the E1018 (if sufficient light).

 

[RonFrank]

I have the sony a6000 along with a sigma 30mm f2.8 ex dn and in the post tomorrow the 24mm f1.8 zeiss.

I am joining a photographer on a wedding shoot in a few weeks as I'm hoping to get into wedding photography professionally and will be learning with him.

Should I get the 50mm f1.8 or is there another lens you would recommend for weddings on this camera?

I don't want to spend loads at the moment in case I don't like wedding photography but I do want to make sure I can add value to his shoot.

Any help would be great.

I used a 28-70mm, and 80-200mm both f2.8 as my standard 35mm lenses. If you want to be a pro get ready to spend some bucks. I carried two of everything or at least backups of everything. Monolights, backdrops, camera brackets, battery packs, tripods (mainly for inside the church), umbrellas, light stands, and a bunch of camera gear was part of a kit I always carried. I rarely used everything, but its cool to setup a studio on the fly if that is what a couple wants.

Booking the job and prep work prior to the wedding is a big part of the job as well. If you do your homework the shoot will go much smoother.

Your setup also requires personality, the ability to take charge and lead, the ability to think on your feet, the ability to organize groups quickly, and a sense of humor combined with a professional attitude. No one wants a pro who is constantly screwing around with gear. So a solid understanding of the flow and when you are needed vs. when you can take a few minutes to relax is also important as you spend all day with the wedding party and guests. The busiest time is usually after the ceremony taking formals in the church.

The equipment is a small part of what you need to be a good wedding photographer. As for photography you better know what you are dong. If studio lighting is something you know nothing about you best learn that as a start. Being a pro means you can get a great shot in any environment. It means paying attention to details all the time.

I am curious why you are here asking? This is hardly a pro wedding forum and you really want advice from pros rather than opinions from a Equipment forum.

 

[clearzoom]

18-105 - works great and is sharp for portraits at f4, but wont help much in dim light

in dim light, 35mm f1.8 would help

 

[JonathanFV]

So, how did it go? Did you have a good time?

 

[MrCPH]

So, how did it go? Did you have a good time?

Lol the OP hasn't been active for 10 months

 

[Findmevenues]

You can get the Nikon 50mm f/1.8D. Its sharp, colorful, lightweight and the bokeh it produces is outstanding. You can capture both beautiful portraits and full-size body shots. Its an excellent lens. I'm sure you'll love it. Its not too expensive either so its a pretty good deal. And its low light performance is commendable.