Wedding season is upon us and whether you’re a first-time wedding photographer or an experienced pro, you’re likely debating which lenses you should keep or add to your daily kit. Sony makes deciding even tougher with an incredible variety of glass offerings for their E-mount mirrorless system. Don’t worry though, we’re here to help with our picks for the best Sony lenses for wedding photography.
A Versatile Zoom: Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II
It’s common for wedding photographers to bring two cameras during the big event and you can likely assume one of them is equipped with a 70-200mmm. The versatility of a fast telephoto zoom makes it perfectly suited for capturing portraits, close-ups, and the bride’s all-important walk down the aisle. Sony’s FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II Lens is a recent upgrade for the venerable zoom and is one of the best lenses you can buy today with enhanced optical quality and a smaller, more lightweight design.
A Solid Standard Lens: Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM
Zooms are great, but primes are better. The Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM is a standard lens for many photographers but wedding shooters especially should definitely add this to their kit. It provides a natural perspective that can easily capture candid moments as well as staged portraits and that f/1.4 aperture should create that shallow depth-of-field look that everyone wants.
It is worth mentioning that you can go for the f/1.2—which is my personal pick for a 50mm—but the smaller size of the f/1.4 model makes it a choice pick for adding to an already stuffed bag.
The Everyday All-Arounder: Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II
There is no better partner to the 70-200mm than a mid-range zoom and the Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II is the one to beat. This second-generation lens improves on the first in nearly every way with increased sharpness, a smaller design, and by being lighter. It also covers all the essential focal lengths you may need to get the job done. That relatively fast f/2.8 aperture helps make sure you can work in nearly any situation and create those dreamy images with a shallow depth of field.
With these 24-70mm and the 70-200mm lenses in your kit, you’ll be prepared for whatever comes your way and you might not even find a need for anything else.
The Best Portrait Prime: Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM
You need a good portrait prime and while most photographers are opting for the classic 85mm I would push you towards the FE 135mm f/1.8 GM instead. The longer telephoto focal length and impressively fast f/1.8 aperture combine to create images that are phenomenal. Sony also made sure that the glass in the 135mm is top notch which will allow you to enjoy a level of detail that will make you want this lens even more than the 60MP of the a7R V. It may be a little larger and less practical than an 85mm, but the 135mm is going to become the lens you never want to take off your camera.
A Unique Pick: Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS
A hidden gem of Sony’s lens lineup is the FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS. The lens features “Smooth Trans Focus” (STF) with an apodization (APD) element that helps smooth out bokeh. The element is a radially graduated ND filter that help create rounder and smoother bokeh and will help perfect the bokeh of your photos.
For wedding photographers, a useful feature of the 100mm STF is the ability to focus as close as half-life-size—making it nearly as good as a dedicated macro lens. Great portraits, a distinct look, and the ability to get those close-up details make the 100mm a sleeper hit that should be considered by wedding photographers. We need to point out that the one downside of this design is a big one, however, as it reduces the transmission of the lens down to f/5.6 wide open, which is not ideal for dim wedding venues.
The Runners-Up
Beyond the above lenses, there are plenty of others that might better fit your tastes or personal photography style. We didn’t want to leave them out, so here’s a quick rundown of some other popular wedding lenses:
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FE 35mm f/1.4 GM: The slightly wider field of view may be preferred over 50mm as the “standard” prime in your bag.
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FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II: For when you need a wide. Complete the holy trinity by adding the 16-35mm to your 24-70mm and 70-200mm.
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FE 85mm f/1.8: An impressive lens for its size and relative affordability—it even gives the f/1.4 version a run for its money.
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FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS: Macro lenses are perfect for rings and other small details.
Do you have any lenses you would add to this list? Let us know in the Comments, below!
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