Lens Time and i need help

[ResoundingImagery]

I own a Canon 5dmk2 and i need 4 lenes to go with it.

What would be your top four lenese you would reccomend. They would be used for Weddings primarily, Potraits, and some Product Still life.

What are your reccomendations and why did you choose that lens.

 

[Patrice]

I don't know Canon products but for your full frame camera and the situations you describe you would do well with:

24-70 f/2.8 (normal zoom)

70-200 f/2.8 (short tele zoom)

50 or 85 mm f/1.4 prime

105 or 135 mm macro.

 

[MLeeK]

Canon 24-70 f/2.8L would be the most used lens for weddings. Second would be the 70-200 f/2.8L IS. The last two would be some kind of backup for those. Otherwise? I like the 85mm f/1.8 and the 28mm f/1.8 for the portrait stuff.
Why? The wide zoom and the long zoom cover everything you need from wide to telephoto. You'll need both. The f/2.8 is necessary in churches who don't let you use flash. That's most churches. If you have nothing else but those two you'd be ok.
The 85 and 28 are both great in low light too, and really great for portraits and effects. they cover the wide stuff for family poses and the 85 is pretty awesome because you are well out of the lens distortion problems with portraits. It's just a perfect portrait lens.
You didn't say what you wanted to spend on these lenses? I just listed $4700 for you! It's fun to spend somebody else's money!

 

[2WheelPhoto]

28 for portrait? ?

 

[Big Mike]

The 'Holy Trinity', as it's sometimes called, would be;
EF 16-35mm F2.8 L II
EF 24-70mm F2.8 L
EF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS II

Then you could add either a long telephoto; 300mm F2.8 L IS, 400mm F2.8 L IS or a fast (shorter) lens; 24mm F1.4 L, 35mm F1.4 L, 50mm F1.2 L, 85mm F1.2 L, 135mm F2 L.
Or Maybe a Macro lens like the 100mm F2.8 L Macro.

 

[MLeeK]

28 for portrait? ?

That front of the church, everybody and their brother shot stuff.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Prime lenses FTW!

24L, 50L, 85L, 135L and a cheap macro.

 

[gsgary]

I don't know Canon products but for your full frame camera and the situations you describe you would do well with:

24-70 f/2.8 (normal zoom)

70-200 f/2.8 (short tele zoom)

50 or 85 mm f/1.4 prime

105 or 135 mm macro.

^ this

 

[Big Mike]

The 'Holy Trinity', as it's sometimes called, would be;
EF 16-35mm F2.8 L II
EF 24-70mm F2.8 L
EF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS II

I should mention that many photographers would swap out the 16-35mm F2.8 L for the 17-40mm F4 L....saving at least $700.

 

[analog.universe]

I would certainly look into the wide world of primes. Zoom lenses give you versatility, but primes offer artistic options, low light ability, and overall image quality that the best zooms only scratch the surface of. There's more than just Canon as well. Zeiss 35mm 1.4, Sigma 50m 1.4, Canon 85 1.2L, Canon 100m 2.8 IS Macro, Canon 135 2L, Sigma 150mm 2.8 OS Macro would all be great choices. 4 seems sort of arbitrary... what's your budget exactly?

 

[ResoundingImagery]

Thanks so much for all the help guys, i jsut need that extra push to get what i had already heard and what was confirmed here.

EF 16-35mm F2.8 L II
EF 24-70mm F2.8 L
EF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS II
EF 85mm 1.2 II

once again thanks for all the help.

 

[Big Mike]

Or...for the same amount of money, you could put a down payment on a house, or buy a good used car.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Ok so lets say you do a wedding.. Will you be shooting with 1 camera or 2? You must have 2 cameras... but will you be using both bodies simultaneously or leave one in the bag? Good luck trying to carry 2 cameras, one with 70-200 2.8L IS and one with 24-70 2.8L. Freaking big and heavy!

 

[Patrice]

Ok so lets say you do a wedding.. Will you be shooting with 1 camera or 2? You must have 2 cameras... but will you be using both bodies simultaneously or leave one in the bag? Good luck trying to carry 2 cameras, one with 70-200 2.8L IS and one with 24-70 2.8L. Freaking big and heavy!

Done that many times. Both cameras also equipped with sb800 with external battery pack. Cameras are carried over each shoulder bandolier style and the battery pack for the flashes is on my belt at my back.

 

[Robin Usagani]

I've done it too Patrice, didn't like it . Especially with the hoods on, oh my.