Best lens for wedding photography

A 24-70mm f/2.8 is the lens that does most of a wedding. Add a 70-200mm f/2.8 for the stage and a cheap 50mm f/1.8 for the darkest rooms, and you have all three of the focal ranges you need.

A wedding moves between a tight room, a packed mandap, a big stage and a dance floor. You will not have time to swap lenses for every change, so you need range first and light second.

Your three lenses, by mount

Why f/2.8 and not f/4

An f/2.8 lens takes in twice the light of an f/4. In a dim hall that lets you use half the ISO or twice the shutter speed. The Nikon 24-120mm f/4 gives you great range, and on a Nikon body you can pair it with the 50mm f/1.8 to make up the lost light when the room goes dark.

On a tight budget

Start with a single fast prime for each body. The Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 weighs only 160g and the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 weighs 186g. They will not cover every moment, and you will move your feet a lot, but they are much better in low light than a kit zoom.

For the details

Rings, mehendi and jewellery need a lens that focuses close. The Canon RF 85mm f/2 Macro IS STM does portraits and close-ups in one lens. Otherwise see the Sony 90mm macro or Nikon 105mm macro.

What to avoid

Slow travel zooms with an aperture that closes to f/5.6 or f/6.3 do not belong at a wedding in a dim hall. APS-C lenses on a full-frame body are a mistake too, since they force a crop.

Complete packages are on the wedding kit page, and if you have not chosen a body, start with the best camera for weddings.

Before you buy

Tell the shop your body and how you work, alone or with an assistant. Try the zoom at the long end in the store, because weight on a long day decides whether you actually use a lens. Keep the shop's number handy for the next season.