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Archive 2013 · Wedding lens setup - Need to go wide

  
 
IrishDino
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Wedding lens setup - Need to go wide


Currently using a 5D3 and 5D2 with a 35L, 50 1.4 and 70-200 2.8 VR2

I would like something wider than my 35L. I borrowed a Canon 14mm VR2 for a recent wedding and LOVED it, but to buy it outright, it's a pretty expensive purchase. And from a business point of view, I'm not sure if it's a good ROI.

I've used a 17-40L in the past (for landscape photography only) and really didn't like it. I'm worried that the 16-35 will produce similar results (muddy corners, not that sharp, poor colors and contrast), and it's also easily double the price.

I've considered the 24-70 (both VR1 and 2), but I don't think 24mm is wide enough for tight spots. Not to mention it would be overlapping every lens I currently own....and the price is higher than the Canon 14mm on the used market.

Is my only affordable option a Rokinon 14mm? At that point, am I better off taking my chances with a 17-40L? Being limited to f4 isn't a big deal, especially on a 5D3.



Nov 18, 2013 at 08:26 AM
Mitch W
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Wedding lens setup - Need to go wide


When I originally bought my 24-70L I thought I'd be able to sell my 17-40L. Obviously 24mm is plenty wide for many people, but it didn't take long to realize that 24mm wasn't wide enough for how I like to shoot certain parts of the wedding day. So I ended up keeping the 17-40. I actually love that lens and doubt I'll ever get rid of it. That's a long way of saying my vote goes for the 17-40. Pick up a used one for $500ish.


Nov 18, 2013 at 09:20 AM
Chris Fawkes
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Wedding lens setup - Need to go wide


You must have used a dud 17-40 if it wasn't sharp.

I think that is a great option and you can always sell it if you want 2.8 later.



Nov 18, 2013 at 09:49 AM
IrishDino
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Wedding lens setup - Need to go wide


The thing with the 24-70, for me, is that I'd basically only use it at 24mm, since I have a better lenses at 35mm, 50mm and 70mm.

The other option is to basically trade the 35L for a 16-35II, as I wouldn't need both.



Nov 18, 2013 at 09:50 AM
dayinmay
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Wedding lens setup - Need to go wide


Do you have any back-up lenses? Or are those 3 lenses the only lenses you have?


Nov 18, 2013 at 10:45 AM
IrishDino
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Wedding lens setup - Need to go wide


dayinmay wrote:
Do you have any back-up lenses? Or are those 3 lenses the only lenses you have?


Only those.



Nov 18, 2013 at 12:51 PM
SloPhoto
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Wedding lens setup - Need to go wide


Tokina 16-28. Much sharper than the canon 16-35.

I am back to using the 24 is my widest though.



Nov 18, 2013 at 12:55 PM
Ghost
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Wedding lens setup - Need to go wide


Chris Fawkes wrote:
You must have used a dud 17-40 if it wasn't sharp.

I think that is a great option and you can always sell it if you want 2.8 later.


I concur with Mr. Fawkes. My 17-40L stays F4 and it has been satisfyingly sharp form my images. But then again, I don't pixel peep as much. Maybe the corners aren't great. I usually bring it along for for indoors.

That new Sigma 18-35 f1.8 looks interesting. Too bad it's for cropped cam.



Nov 18, 2013 at 01:46 PM
dayinmay
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Wedding lens setup - Need to go wide


ZachOly wrote:
Only those.


In that case, I wouldn't worry about having overlapping focal lengths. If you're doing wedding photography, it's a good idea to have back-up gear in case something stops working. So in addition to getting something wide (whether it's a 17-40, 16-35, 24, 24-70, etc), I would suggest you consider getting something long(er) too. Any variant of an 85, 100 macro, or even a 135 would be fine in case your 70-200 goes down.



Nov 18, 2013 at 02:31 PM
scottam10
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Wedding lens setup - Need to go wide


For my use, a zoom is a lot more flexible than the 14mm.
17-40 is a good budget option, or the 16-35 2.8 if you can swing the extra cash

You may have had a dud 17-40. The corners aren't perfect, but it's a decent lens. Obviously an ultrawide is never going to compete with a prime, or the legendary 70-200, but that's not the point, it's more of a storytelling lens, and the centre is plenty sharp.

Anything you put in the corners will likely be OOF anyway especially if you've bought the 16-35 and you're using it wide open - often you won't have enough light to stop down to f/16 for max possible DOF like you would for landscapes. And landscapes are a lot more demanding on corner quality anyway.



Nov 18, 2013 at 07:03 PM
Brian Virts
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Wedding lens setup - Need to go wide


The 24ii was the widest lens in my bag all year. I rarely missed my 17-40. If you shoot wide pretty often, the 16-35 is probably the best of the bunch for Canon, 17-40 just to get something pushed back in the center is a nice to have. If they made a 14-24, I would be all over that lens. It seems like they have a 17TS, and the 14mm, but nothing in the ultra-wide zoom range...


Nov 18, 2013 at 08:10 PM
D. Diggler
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Wedding lens setup - Need to go wide


SloPhoto wrote:
Tokina 16-28. Much sharper than the canon 16-35.


That's what I hear. And half the price! I have the crop version of that and it is sharp, even to the corners wide open at 2.8.

My only concern with the Tokina 16-28 is the bulbous front end that doesn't have threading to take a protective filter. If you're going to be walking around with that lens hanging off a camera that is swinging around, I'd be a little nervous the front of that the lens could easily knock into something like a chair and get scratched.



Maybe if you only took it out for certain occasions and were careful with it. Or buy one of those "drop and spill" warranties that covers accidental damage.



Nov 18, 2013 at 09:41 PM





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