L series Lens for EOS 60D-wedding photos

mhjohn83

hi,
I have got a cannon EOS 60D and 17-55, 55-250 kit lens, and a 28-135mm 3.5 usm and a 50mm 1.8 Prime .
now i feel that, i need a good L series lens, that can fit my budget .cant afford $2000 for 70-200 L... would you please recommend me a good L series lens for friends wedding photos?
i like taking portraits, and there will be lots family photos..
I'm not a pro, but learning...

appreciate your help..

Cheers
john

BP2U

Isn't the new 24-70 just as much almost as a new 70-200??

Buy a used version-1 copy of the 70-200. It has IS, and it's f2.8. The key to weddings is to be able to get the ceremony shots, cleanly, without traipsing all over the stage. You can use that lens for the rest of the day too!

The next, in my book, would be a wide lens. The 16-35 is money for me, but the mk2 is expensive. Try a mk1. You need at least 16mm on a crop sensor to get a true 'wide' feel? But the 17-40 f4L is a less pricey option. Don't worry about the f.28 when wide. I'm almost always using a light or outside with it, and get f5.6 or better.

Skip the 24-105. ESPecially if your current 28-135 is OK. Sell the 55-250 for sure.

Here's my kit after figuring it out for a few years of weddings: 16-35mm f2.8L II, 50mm f1.2L, 70-200mm f2.8L II, and the 100mm f2.8L macro. Those 4 lenses, with a 5D3 and 5D2 (and a speedlight kit), is all I need and fits into 1 roller bag (ThinkTank Airport Int'l)

Best of luck as you figure it out! Consider renting a lens for a wedding weekend first... and don't be afraid to buy used in good cond. Try Adorama for used lenses. But I've sold some of my gear on ebay in MINT condition, so I know there are deals to be found

mhjohn83

BP2U wrote: »

Isn't the new 24-70 just as much almost as a new 70-200??

Buy a used version-1 copy of the 70-200. It has IS, and it's f2.8. The key to weddings is to be able to get the ceremony shots, cleanly, without traipsing all over the stage. You can use that lens for the rest of the day too!

The next, in my book, would be a wide lens. The 16-35 is money for me, but the mk2 is expensive. Try a mk1. You need at least 16mm on a crop sensor to get a true 'wide' feel? But the 17-40 f4L is a less pricey option. Don't worry about the f.28 when wide. I'm almost always using a light or outside with it, and get f5.6 or better.

Skip the 24-105. ESPecially if your current 28-135 is OK. Sell the 55-250 for sure.

Here's my kit after figuring it out for a few years of weddings: 16-35mm f2.8L II, 50mm f1.2L, 70-200mm f2.8L II, and the 100mm f2.8L macro. Those 4 lenses, with a 5D3 and 5D2 (and a speedlight kit), is all I need and fits into 1 roller bag (ThinkTank Airport Int'l)

Best of luck as you figure it out! Consider renting a lens for a wedding weekend first... and don't be afraid to buy used in good cond. Try Adorama for used lenses. But I've sold some of my gear on ebay in MINT condition, so I know there are deals to be found

thank you so much for your advice and really really appreciate that...i have just finished reading lots of review of those 2 lenses, 16-35 mm L and 17-40 L,
Finally,would you be able to help me to lock 1 lens from those 2 that i can order.. !!! please.. you are more experience in that matter.
I'll rent the 70-200 for the time being, but i'll buy that next when i can save some money..

i have a Cannon speedlite 270ex flash and Kata bug-204 backpack, and a manfrotto tripod..

photodad1

I highly recommend the 70-200mm 2.8L NON-IS. It runs about $1,349.00 on B&H. I use this lens 95 percent of the time with my Canon 7D and it works great, especially for portraits.

Matthew Saville

24-70mm 2.8 L II

Honestly I'd rather have a full-frame camera body and ANY lens, going into a wedding. Especially the 5D mk3 with it's newfound autofocus performance and ISO capabilities.

Everybody always says, lenses first, then bodies. I see the logic in that, but the camera body is what makes or breaks your shooting ability in extreme shooting situations. F/2.8 cannot save the day on a crop sensor if there just isn't enough light, period.

Besides, bodies cost 5-10x more to rent than lenses. If I buy just a single full-frame body, I can rent even the best lenses for ~$30.

I don't say this as some armchair-sitting internet advice-giver. I say this as someone who has shot weddings full-time for the past 5+ years, on both crop-sensor and full-frame cameras.

As far as actually purchasing new gear is concerned, I did vote for the 24-70. HOWEVER since you already have the 17-55, once again we're at a loss. The 16-35 L will give you NOTHING on a 60D that the 17-55 can't already offer, if not surpass. In fact any added sharpness or robust construction will not be nearly as useful as the 55mm end on the 17-55 EFS versus the 35mm end on the 16-35 L. So, stick with the 17-55, it is one of the main advantages to shooting a crop sensor. (Canon doesn't offer a stabilized 24-70 yet!)

So, for now, just rent the 70-200 2.8 IS, and maybe a 50 1.4 or 85 1.8 or 28 1.8. That's really all you need to get the job done. Unless you're obsessed with ultra-wide angles, in which case I'd rent the Tokina 11-16 2.8 for use on a crop sensor.

Either way, good luck! The most important thing is not whether you have full-frame or crop, nor whether you have this lens or that. The most important thing is that you KNOW YOUR GEAR, like the back of your hand. Especially flash, for low-light reception shooting if necessary... :-)

=Matt=

Brett1000

mhjohn83 wrote: »

hi,
I have got a cannon EOS 60D and 17-55, 55-250 kit lens, and a 28-135mm 3.5 usm and a 50mm 1.8 Prime .
now i feel that, i need a good L series lens, that can fit my budget .cant afford $2000 for 70-200 L... would you please recommend me a good L series lens for friends wedding photos?
i like taking portraits, and there will be lots family photos..
I'm not a pro, but learning...

appreciate your help..

Cheers
john

my vote would be to rent the 70-200 2.8 IS II
A flash is required, also a low light prime like the Sigma 30mm 1.4 is always useful

jmphotocraft

mhjohn83 wrote: »

hi,
I have got a cannon EOS 60D and 17-55, 55-250 kit lens,

If you truly have the 17-55, you don't need anything else but a flash. If you have the 18-55, there is a big difference. The 17-55 is a constant f/2.8 lens that sells for over $1000. The 18-55 is a $100 slow kit lens.

Nobody should be voting before we have this info.

And if you do have the 18-55, you should get the 17-55. The glass is L quality, and the focal length range covers everything from group and scene shots to portraits. If that's out of your budget, get a 28/1.8 and a 430 speedlight and learn how to bounce it and shoot with it manually.