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A great camera body will help capture the wedding day’s most fleeting moments — and the lens for wedding photography will help you capture those moments no matter where they occur.
Having an arsenal of lenses — or a handful of lenses that cover a wide range using zoom — allows photographers to capture the moment in a cramped, dim reception venue or a wide open, brightly lit park.
Camera lenses come in dozens of different focal lengths, at different apertures and with different features. So what’s the best lens for wedding photography?
The best lens for wedding photography differs from photographer to photographer based on shooting style and the brand of the camera body. Some photographers favour bright primes with two bodies for fast access, while others prefer the ease and range of zoom.
But no matter your style, there are a few features and focal lengths that are fairly standard for wedding photography. Here are some of the most recommended lenses from wedding photographers around the web at price ranges from less than $200 to more than $2,000.
This best lens for wedding photography list includes lenses for multiple camera bodies, including Nikon, Canon, Sony, and Fujifilm, as well as some third-party lenses that are available in multiple mounts.
(Note: As a Nikon shooter, I haven’t had experience with every lens on this list — this best lens for wedding photography list comes from each lens specification and user reviews around the web.)
One of two workhouse lenses for wedding photography, this wide to medium telephoto lens covers a solid range of focal lengths while still packing in a bright aperture for those dimly lit ceremonies.
The lens is wide enough to capture the entire ceremony in a wide shot. And the telephoto end can be finagled for closer shots and even portraits if the budget doesn’t also allow for a bright portrait prime.
The lens also comes in handy for those family formals.
As a popular lens, some manufacturers have multiple versions of this lens — often, the difference is optical image stabilisation. That stabilisation is helpful for shooting those dimly lit spaces at lower shutter speeds in order to drop the ISO down.
Remember, however, that you’re shooting motion, so while IS may prevent camera shake, it won’t prevent motion blur. If stabilisation is in the budget, great. But stabilisation isn’t as essential in a wide angle lens as it is for telephoto and macro.
As such a popular workhorse, third-party manufacturers get in on the action too, which could help you save some cash when choosing gear for wedding photography.
[Note: ExpertPhotography is supported by readers. Product links on ExpertPhotography are referral links. If you use one of these and buy something, we make a little bit of money. Need more info? See how it all works here. — Ed.]
The second workhorse lens for wedding photography, the 70-200mm offers a versatile zoom range and enough focal length to really help the subject pop from the background.
The 70-200mm is great for capturing details without running around to get up close during the ceremony. The long zoom range also makes the lens an option for the portrait section of the day. Its length will help create softer backgrounds even while keeping the aperture a bit wider to keep both the bride and groom in focus.
The downside is that long focal length and bright aperture mix makes this lens a heavy piece of glass. It’s also an expensive addition to your wedding photography kit.
The longer the lens, the more important image stabilisation is. If you can only afford to get stabilisation on one lens, get it on the longest lens in your bag. That will probably be this lens.
The general rule is to keep your shutter speed above the focal length. While it’s easy to shoot a 50mm at 1/50 in limited light, the 1/200 suggested for a 200mm is harder to do. This is where that lens stabilisation comes in.
Many photographers use both a 24-70mm and a 70-200mm to capture the wedding day. These work particularly well during portions of the day where the pace of events isn’t ideal for lens swaps.
The f/2.8 zoom lenses may be wedding workhorses, but prime lenses offer an even brighter aperture. In some brands, they even offer a more efficient autofocus.
Without all those zoom components, most prime lenses are also lighter.
The 85mm is an excellent focal length for portraits, particularly on full frame cameras. The focal length is more flattering than wide angle while still allowing you to take portraits in venues with limited space.
The 50mm is also a popular choice for portraits. The background separation isn’t quite as nice as that 85mm, but 50mm lenses are often very affordable.
For photographers that need to make the budget stretch as far as possible, a 50mm lens is an excellent option. It offers that bright aperture without the big price tag.
While not as versatile as a zoom lens, many photographers can find a decent 50mm prime lens for only around $200.
The brighter aperture of a f/1.8 prime will allow for even smoother backgrounds in portraits. Some brands go even wider, down to f/1.4 or f/1.2.
The wider aperture is also excellent for limited light when that f/2.8 just isn’t enough to get a nicely lit shot. This lens is helpful during ceremonies and other low light portions of the day.
Those ring shots and detail photos may only make up some of the wedding album, but they are important.
Along with ring shots, macro lenses capture other details like flowers or architecture. You can even use them for portraits, like a shot of the bride’s eyelashes and makeup.
Macro lenses come in all different focal lengths and apertures. A longer focal length will offer more separation for the background, though getting close up on a macro level already provides significant softness in that background.
The 100mm focal length is popular among many wedding photographers, but photographers with a limited gear budget could pick up a macro with a shorter focal length, typically for less cash.
Because getting up close creates a soft background, many macro shots are photographed at narrower apertures in order to get more of the ring in focus. That means an f/1.2 isn’t necessary.
If you do pick up a brighter macro, however, you don’t have to use it for just macro. Many lenses allow you to switch off the close-up mode, then the lens shoots as a normal lens.
Buying a bright macro that doubles as a portrait prime can help stretch the lens budget.
Like with a telephoto, stabilization is more important on a macro than a wide-angle. That close magnification will exaggerate any camera shake.
Macro also tends to be easier to manually focus. This makes a fast autofocus not quite as essential as when shooting the moving precessional and recessional.
Wedding photography involves storytelling — and sometimes a wide angle lens is necessary to capture that story. A prime 35mm is brighter and lighter than a 24-70mm.
Other photographers may choose to shoot with two primes on two bodies instead of using the pricey, less bright zoom options.
35mm prime lenses are often bright and affordable. These are excellent for everything from capturing the entire ceremony set-up in one shot to photographing the entire dance floor.
Wedding photographers need enough focal lengths to cover the wedding from start to finish. Just how many lenses that means is different for every photographer.
Photographers with enough clients to support a big budget may have one lens in each category and even a few duplicates as backups. Others may shoot with just two or three.
The choice of a focal length also varies based on style. Some photographers favour the separating power of a big lens. Others enjoy the storytelling feel of a wider lens that captures the full scene.
Prioritise what focal lengths you need most for both your style and to capture every event of the day.
Lenses are difficult to judge based on tech specs alone. If you’re still not sure if you should get that pricey brand name lens or a third-party lens, try renting one.
Renting is an affordable way to rest easy in your choice, especially for those lenses with a four-figure price point. Some rental companies will allow you to buy the lens that you rent if you like it.
If you don’t, it was a much cheaper loss than finding you don’t really use that focal length that often or you don’t really like the way the lens focuses. Renting is also a good choice for wedding photographers just launching their business that don’t yet have the budget for so many (or so expensive) lenses.
Choosing the best lens for wedding photography is important in order to capture the entirety of the day.
The most popular lenses for wedding photography are the 24-70mm and 70-200mm bright zooms along with primes at 85mm, 50mm 35mm, and a macro lens. The best lenses for wedding photography are also bright, sharp and versatile.
By finding lenses that fit your camera body, shooting style and budget, you can cover the wedding day in cramped rooms to wide-open fields with your best lens for wedding photography.
Images via Unsplash
