Lens advice please?...Would you rather have...

[sky87]

Ok so here's a little about what I currently use; 5d3, 24-70L and 70-200 2.8 IS II. I shoot weddings and portraits.

My friend has a 70-200 f/4 IS and is selling for a next to nothing price, it's to good an opportunity to pass up.

My thoughts are to sell my 70-200 and use that money for an 85mm 1.2 II and then buy the 70-200 f4 IS as my zoom
OR
to buy the 70-200 f/4 IS and sell for a profit and use that money towards a 50mm 1.4 + BG-11 and keep my 70-200 2.8 IS II

I'd like to know your thoughts, is there anyone out there who would trade up their 70-200 2.8 IS II for an 85mm 1.2 II and use the 70-200 f/4 IS as their zoom?

 

[msdarkroom]

My $.02

For weddings I would not swap the 2.8 IS for the f4 regardless of the money. At least some portion of most weddings is dark and you will probably wish you had the IS and the better focusing abilities on the 5dm3. Yes, the 5dm3 rocks at high ISO, but, the f4 70-200 is a group C lens - no dual type cross points with that.

If the deal is really too good to be true, err, pass up, then buy the f4 and sell it for a profit.

Other than keeping the 70-200 2.8 IS, I don't know what to tell you. I'm in the same boat.

 

[briansquibb]

At a wedding you need the flexibility of a zoom if you only have one body

 

[wickidwombat]

I have found the sigma 85 f1.4 can effectively replace the 70-200 entireely for wedding use
I would look at that as an option too and save even more money
seriously have a look at it as an alternative to the canon 85 f1.2II
its 2.5 times cheaper
personally for a wedding I could comfortably shoot everything with 1 FF body 1APS-H body a 16-35f2.8L II and the sigma 85 f1.4 and a canon 50 f1.4
keep the 16-35 on the APS-H and the 85 on the FF swapping to the 50 on the FF for the reception where things get closer and dont have the reach.

I don't miss having the 200 at all, however I love the 70-200 for other times where having the focal range and still the f2.8 is killer so its a tough call I'd struggle to give up my 70-200 f2.8

 

[KreutzerPhotography]

For Weddings keep the 2.8

for everyday/outdoor f/4

Just my opinion

 

[briansquibb]

I have found the sigma 85 f1.4 can effectively replace the 70-200 entireely for wedding use
I would look at that as an option too and save even more money
seriously have a look at it as an alternative to the canon 85 f1.2II
its 2.5 times cheaper
personally for a wedding I could comfortably shoot everything with 1 FF body 1APS-H body a 16-35f2.8L II and the sigma 85 f1.4 and a canon 50 f1.4
keep the 16-35 on the APS-H and the 85 on the FF swapping to the 50 on the FF for the reception where things get closer and dont have the reach.

I don't miss having the 200 at all, however I love the 70-200 for other times where having the focal range and still the f2.8 is killer so its a tough call I'd struggle to give up my 70-200 f2.8

For the weddings I do (only 10 during 2011) I have found the 70-200 f/2.8 on the ff the most useful as it enables me to pick out people when shooting wide open as well as group scenes by closing down. The crop body is good with the 24-105 or 17-40 (depending on surroundings)

I can see the benefit of having a 200/f2 on the 1D4 for some church shots (when there is no flash allowed during the service - but allowed after the 'I do' bit). At least that is my justification for the 200/f2 and I dont get paid for weddings

 

[Daniel Flather]

For the weddings I do (only 10 during 2011)......I dont get paid for weddings

Are these wedding people you know? How do you do 10 weddings and not be paid for any of them?

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I can see the benefit of having a 200/f2 on the 1D4 for some church shots (when there is no flash allowed during the service - but allowed after the 'I do' bit). At least that is my justification for the 200/f2 and I dont get paid for weddings

Wow, I wish I could justify a 200mm f/2 for work that I do gratis. You are a really nice guy to buy a lens like that for work you donate. I admire that!!

 

[briansquibb]

For the weddings I do (only 10 during 2011)......I dont get paid for weddings

Are these wedding people you know? How do you do 10 weddings and not be paid for any of them?

pro bono work

 

[unfocused]

Is your 5DIII your only body? Do you rent a second when you shoot the wedding?

Shooting a wedding with one body is really dangerous. If it fails on you during the wedding, the legal fees and damage to your reputation will make the price of a second body seem insignificant. If you don't already have a backup body, that would be my first purchase, even if it's a 60D or a Rebel.

 

[briansquibb]

Is your 5DIII your only body? Do you rent a second when you shoot the wedding?

Shooting a wedding with one body is really dangerous. If it fails on you during the wedding, the legal fees and damage to your reputation will make the price of a second body seem insignificant. If you don't already have a backup body, that would be my first purchase, even if it's a 60D or a Rebel.

Even a 5D or 5DII would be very good

 

[prestonpalmer]

DO NOT sell your 70-200 f/2.8 IS USM II!!! As far as I am concerned that is one of the best wedding photography lenses ever made!! You will regret going to the f/4 version. Trust me on that one. I recommend selling his f/4 for a profit, then get whatever you like.

Also, for those of you shooting weddings for free. STOP THAT! There is help out there for you if you are having troubles making money with photography.

Have you considered a wedding photography mentorship?
http://www.brovadoweddings.com/blog/photography-apprentice/
(watch videos)

 

[unfocused]

...Also, for those of you shooting weddings for free. STOP THAT! There is help out there for you if you are having troubles making money with photography...

If you are referring to Brian, he chooses to shoot weddings for free because his clientele cannot afford a photographer. It is charity work and frankly he should be commended for it. The world would be a better place if we all decided to give back a bit every once and awhile. When I retire from my paying job, I hope I will have the social conscious he does and volunteer to do a little charity work occasionally.

 

[jlev23]

keep what you got!

 

[briansquibb]

...Also, for those of you shooting weddings for free. STOP THAT! There is help out there for you if you are having troubles making money with photography...

If you are referring to Brian, he chooses to shoot weddings for free because his clientele cannot afford a photographer. It is charity work and frankly he should be commended for it. The world would be a better place if we all decided to give back a bit every once and awhile. When I retire from my paying job, I hope I will have the social conscious he does and volunteer to do a little charity work occasionally.

Thank you for the kind comments

I am now retired and on a pension without money issues. I choose to do free photography in return for the photographic opportunities I would not otherwise get. By doing pro bono work I make sure that I do not take paying work away from the professionals.

This is not a one way street - I want to improve my photography and by giving my time, resources and prints free then that is what I get from it. It is a mutally beneficial arrangement

I work about 4 days a week on 'assignments' - my current project is to help a group of aspiring actors by creating a professional looking portfolio for them to give to their agents. This means I have 17 actors as free models who are more than prepared to do any amount of acting to get their portfolio correct - and I am prepared to give as much time as they want to achieve this.

I get a huge amount of satisfaction from this approach, when an actor gets a job because the portfolio is good, a charity gets free pictures for their web site (like the goat sancturary) or a poor person gets professional level photos to remember their wedding day.

Last week I got perhaps the biggest emotional high when I had taken pictures of a puppy - only for it to die in a road accident. The owner hadn't taken pictures of the puppy - but I had 6 and on cd for them to remember it by, quite a tear jerker for all of us.

I am not an altruistic person - just prepared to swap photographic time for photos - it is very rewarding.

 

[prestonpalmer]

Sorry Brian!! I totally mis understood why you were shooting weddings for free! I applaud what you are doing! Keep up the great work!

 

[briansquibb]

Sorry Brian!! I totally mis understood why you were shooting weddings for free! I applaud what you are doing! Keep up the great work!

8) 8) 8)

 

[sky87]

Is your 5DIII your only body? Do you rent a second when you shoot the wedding?

Shooting a wedding with one body is really dangerous. If it fails on you during the wedding, the legal fees and damage to your reputation will make the price of a second body seem insignificant. If you don't already have a backup body, that would be my first purchase, even if it's a 60D or a Rebel.

I don't have my own back up at the moment, I borrow from my trusty friends =)

 

[sky87]

Thanks for the replies guys, I get itchy hands every time I see an 85L. It's beautiful!

 

[KreutzerPhotography]

Sorry Brian!! I totally mis understood why you were shooting weddings for free! I applaud what you are doing! Keep up the great work!

8) 8) 8)