Which zoom lens to get with a budget of 1k?

[Luke Gates]

Originally Posted by James Bishop

I shoot weddings, and am looking for a lens that will be usable during quite dark receptions, to capture close ups of the speeches/dancing etc.

James

have a 17-55 2.8, hardly ever use it at weddings! most churches i have to use 1.4 and 1.8 primes wide open and iso 800 or 1600, 48fps, NOO clue how some use camcorders and get usable footage.

with that budget a 70-200 2.8 is an obvious choice

[Kin Lau]

Originally Posted by James Bishop

Thanks very much for all the suggestions.

I actually already have the Tamron 17-50 (currently the only lens I have!). Its great most of the time, but I really need something for during the ceremony and speeches which gets closer to the action.

So I think what I'm going to do is go for the Canon 70-200 2.8 IS. The new version is way out of my budget so I'm going to try and get the Mark I version second hand instead. Hopefully will be possible for under 1k!

cheers
James

Samyang/Rokinon/Vivitar 85/1.4 is likely the most economical and practical lens in this situation.

I already have the Canon EF85/1.8, and on a aps-c body, you can get nice and tight shots on the dance floor and speeches. I only used the Manfrotto 561 (video monopod w/ small legs) for a wedding, and it worked quite well.

[Will Gentile]

Originally Posted by Ben Giles

I regularly use the Sigma alongside a colleague's Canon 70-200 2.8 IS and we both feel it only loses out on weather-proofing.
Ben.

question on that as its something I have been wondering for a long time, and it will determine what i buy.

the IS between the 2, is there a noticeable difference? I have used the canon 70-200 2.8 with IS and have never gotten my hands on the sigma equivalent. i was very impressed by the canon's stabilization, is the sigma comparable/the same in that respect?

[Peter Burke]

I have a Canon 70-200mm L MKII - the IS is INCREDIBLE and the boketh is beautiful

The colours and contrast is so strong, I always back them off. Sharpness always set to minimum. Looks very Hollywood.

WORTH EVERY CENT

[Matt Davis]

Here's a lens I don't own, but want to. Have borrowed one, Philip Bloom is also a fan:

Canon 24-105 f4.

Yes, it's slow - but it's a great range, and it has IS (and that's really important).

It's the killer interview lens - you won't miss the 'wafer thin' DoF as your interviewee moves around, you'll enjoy shooting interviews hand-held in voxpop style on a DSLR, and F4 gives you way better DoF than a broadcast lens for 2/3" cameras.

I've since ditched DSLRs for an FS100, but as soon as I have an EOS mount that enables IS, I'm buying this lens to complement the Canon 17-55 F2.8 IS lens that made my 550D a usable interview machine. 70-80mm is a great length for interviews that's just out of reach of my current glass.

And if you're handheld, I don't care what you can brag - IS is essential.