[El Zoido]

Hello!

I could use some small advice regarding which objectives to choose.
Some friends asked me to take some pictures of their wedding ceremony this weekend.
I'll not be responsible for the "official" photo-session, it's just about taking some pics in church.
The idea is that I'll be shooting with two cameras, a Canon (booh! ) DSLR I borrowed from them, on which I'll most probably be using a very nice 50mm f1.4 lens and my own Pentax K200 to which I currently own the kit objective (18-55mm F3.5-5.6 AL II) and a Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG.
At first I was going to use the telezoom objective on my Pentax, but I'm concerned about the available light and furthermore I wouldn't have anything for wide angles.
Now I could just bring the kit lens, but I wanted to avoid changing lenses during the ceremony.
Unfortunately the only flash (except from built-in) is also on the Canon. So far I never did much photography that would warrant buying one for myself.
Excluding lending anything (time's probably too short now), my choice is between the 18-55 (better for wide-angles and lower aperture) and the 70-300 (nice for zooming in, but will I get good pics considering the comparably low amount of light?).
What do you think?

[aleonx3]

It is a tough situation to be without a decent 'fast' lens and also a camera that you can use high iso with relatively low noise.

[atupdate]

Will you be able to use a tripod or monopod? If yes, any of your current glass will work fine during the ceremony. I've done a couple of weddings for friends with just the two kit lenses. Shooting during the ceremony without flash is easy to do, as the action is never that fast.

Tim

[El Zoido]

Yes, I intend to bring my tripod.
And the 50mm f1.4 lens on the Canon is rather fast.
So I've got to decide wether I want long (70-300) or short (18-55) focal distance.

[elho_cid]

Last wedding I shot I had one body with FA*24 and one with FA*85. For pictures inside the dim church concentrate on using the 50/1.4 as good as you can. Kit lens is a waste of time if you have this option. Then use the kit when light is good.

Shame on you for not having decent Pentax lens...

[El Zoido]

A fast prime is very high on my list, esp. after shooting a bit with the 1.4 on the Canon...

[aleonx3]

A fast prime is very high on my list, esp. after shooting a bit with the 1.4 on the Canon...

The 50mm 1.4 on Canon is different from the 50mm 1.4 (even 1.7, 1.8 or 2.0) on Pentax as it is stablised in the body, you gain a couple of stops. As suggested by another poster, another option would be to use a mono-pod (better than tripod) as it is more mobile. There are many cheap options of 50mm primes out there if you are able to use manual focus.

[SpecialK]

I would stick with the 18-55, and try to get closer but still be unobtrusive.

[sameagle]

Can you visit the location of the ceremony at the same time of day and test out the 2 lenses in question in a practice session?

Seems like an obvious solution but somehow no one seems to mention it. The added advantage is that you may feel more comfortable / confident during the actual event.

- Sam

[bdery]

Shooting during the ceremony without flash is easy to do, as the action is never that fast.

I disagree. You need a fast lens, because even though no cars are racing, people are moving, turning, standing, etc. You NEED fast glass or good light.

There are many cheap options of 50mm primes out there if you are able to use manual focus.

Even with AF, you can get a F50 f1,7 for around 200$.

Can you visit the location of the ceremony at the same time of day and test out the 2 lenses in question in a practice session?

That is the best advice so far

I'd do that, and use the kit lens and 50 combo. The kit should be used for wide angle views, the 50 for mostly everything else.

The good thing is that you're not the hired gun, so you have no real responsibility. Just do the best you can, learn as much as possible, and enjoy the magical moment.

Last note : avoid using the flash. Many people hate it, and you run the risk of messing with the pro's work.

[Ash]

Yep, the pressure's off, so just enjoy shooting with what you have. You may find that you want some wide shots as well as some telephoto shots, so why not carry both your lenses? There's nothing wrong with changing lenses at any time, as long as you're doing it quietly and not disturbing the ceremony. I do this often, but I rarely do it during moments of action or anticipated action.

I'd wager though if you had a choice between the two, it would be the 70-300 for your ability to have some distance from the action and still manage some decent close up imagery. I'd avoid the extreme long end, however, due to the poorer performance and slower speed that will push your camera's limits in terms of high ISO noise.

[richard balonglong]

As others say, bring a tripod. That's very important. I shoot a lot of weddings, and I always use my tripod even though I have fast lenses. Bring both your 18-55mm and 70-300mm, with the 70-300mm on tripod you can achieve a good close-ups with considerable bokeh. And if you need wide angle shots, but only have the 18-55mm lens, do a panoramic shot with an 18mm focal length. Hope this helps. Cheers! =)

[twitch]

I would forget the Pentax, or at least religate it to "emergency use". It's very hard to juggle 2 cameras of different brands in a pressure situation. Just concentrate on getting good shots with the Canon and its 50 f/1.4.

[montman]

Like ash said, just enjoy the moment and not being under pressure. This experience will help you realize what kind of gear you need to shoot a wedding. The k200 is horrible at high ISO. The k-x is a big jump up as far as ISO if you are looking for a cheap upgrade.