It’s no secret that the battle between Nikon, Canon, and Sony have been heating up over the past couple of years. Things have started to get really serious with
Best Nikon Lenses for Wedding Photography
I feel like most people that know us personally (couples and photographers) have heard about the two different styles that we have photographing couples during their Together Sessions and their Wedding Day. I have a love for wide open spaces and using architecture or scenery in photos. Marta is a big fan of capturing all of the little details and emotions that are found throughout sessions or weddings. So let’s get into it. Keep in mind that this is in no particular order at all. These are just lenses that we’ve gravitated towards that we adore.
Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art DG HSM Lens
There’s a lot of hipster love for this lens, and I dig it. This lens feels like the perfect amount of distortion and depth of field to get everything just right. Personally, I love it because there’s a lot of versatility and it still allows me to interact with couples during portrait time in order to get the best wedding photos possible.
My one gripe with this lens is the overall weight that it adds to the body. After shooting with it for an eight-hour wedding, anyone’s wrist gets sore. Also, roughly 6-8 months after purchase the lens started to get a little soft and the
All that aside, this lens is sharp! The images that come out of it are some of the best that we’ve seen out of a lens. The colors that come out are beautiful and the right amount of saturation. Of course, I recommend renting it and giving it a go before purchasing your own, but this lens is on par with first party 35 mm lenses.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2FEJr7O
Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 58mm f/1.4G Lens
A lot of people told us when we first started Rudy & Marta Photography that an 85mm lens was the sweet spot after the Nifty Fifty. Then a friend of mine introduced me to the 58mm f/1.4 lens. I’m sure there are some photographers that are wondering why anyone would go for with a 58mm. It’s a weird focal length, but hear me out.
A lot of photographers love the nifty fifty and there’s just as many that love the 85mm, but imagine if the two had a baby. You get lens compression similar to the 85mm, but with the real world versatility and view of a 50mm. Also, the amount of light that it lets in is slightly more than the 50mm. That’s the most accurate way of describing the lens to someone that’s on the fence on it.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2WzODk2
Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G Lens
If you’re just getting into wedding photography, or just photography in general, this is the best lens to get starting out. I would say either this or the aforementioned 35mm 1.4 would be a good place to start. That being said, the performance and overall quality of this lens is so much bang for your buck that it doesn’t matter what you’re shooting.
Here’s the thing, the 50mm lens is the closest at replicating the way our eyes see the world. The amount of distortion and compression is just right at making things look like the way we remember them. It lets in just enough light to be usable in low light situations and the focusing is pretty fast for the price as well. It’s definitely worth checking out.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2FLldsC
Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED Lens
Technically, we’re supposed to use this lens to take photographs of small details such as rings, cuff links, jewelry, etcetera. What happened by mistake is that we realized that this big lens is actually capable of producing some awesome wedding portraits during the ceremony. It’s perfect for it, to be honest. For quite some time, we used this lens for only details and then tried it out on the recommendation of a friend. That being said, the focal length is right in the middle of a 70-200, and the images are right up there for a fraction of the cost.
This is a great lens for getting the best of both worlds without carrying two different lenses and bogging you down further on a wedding day. I will say that the 2.8 aperture has such a small depth of field when you’re shooting macro that it becomes difficult to shoot with at times. I’ve found that using a video light or some sort of off camera flash helps in this scenario. If by any chance you don’t have time to photograph the rings before the wedding ceremony, then you can always photograph them during the wedding reception with the help of that light. This is definitely a lens that’s worth checking out.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2HQ0LtI
Conclusion
At the end of the day, you have to shoot with lenses that fit your needs. I’m sure you’ve noticed that all of these lenses are prime lenses. Marta and I don’t work with zoom lenses at all when it comes to still photography. For us, they just don’t have the same caliber when talking about the best Nikon lenses for wedding photography. There are other lenses that we take with us from time to time, but these are our go to’s when it comes to getting those crisp, sharp photos that have just the right amount of depth of field.
