The New Wedding Lens Combination

I've been a South Wales Wedding Photographer for around 13 years. Covered over 300 weddings and have used 5 different cameras along the way, and all Canon. I did buy a Fuji & a Sony to see what the fuss was all about but quickly found the files Canon produce are far superior, so never used them for weddings.

So I've gone from taking every lens I owned and lighting equipment to weddings, to now, this amazing lightweight (for me) set up. This not only makes me more mobile, but also more efficient and quicker still at capturing all those special moments which comes with years of experience and constantly developing knowledge.

The files these Canon R5s produce is second to none. I reduce the files using cRaw which loses no quality yet reduces the file sizes considerably. This makes the R5 files similar in size as my previous Canon 5D Mark IV yet virtually double the information present.

The auto focus system has been a mind blowing experience for me. Totally changing how I shoot. I now have virtually no missed shots. Plus they are razor sharp.

The biggest surprise for me was purchasing the relatively cheap Canon RF 85mm F2.0. I own the EF Canon 85mm F1.2 but never liked shooting at F1.2 as felt it was a little soft, so generally used to shoot at F2 anyway. But purchasing this lightweight RF 85mm F2.0 has not only given me a razor sharp F2.0 lens but also doubles up as a macro lens for ring shots etc. It may not be a true 1:1 macro but the detail is super crisp and with the files so large and detailed, I have no problem cropping in on the R5 files to create exactly the same image as my dedicated Canon 100mm F2.8 macro that I also own.

The workhorse in this lined up is the canon RF 28-70mm F2.0. What a lens!

To put it in context I own and have owned the Canon EF 85mm 1.2, Canon 50mm F1.2, Canon 200mm F1.8. So top of the tree quality lenses, so when i say that this lens is thee best lens I have ever owned I mean it and say it from vast experience. Yes its super expensive and I wrestled with the idea of spending this much money (around £3,400) on 'just a lens'. But boy am I glad I did. It's like having 3 prime lens in one. Super sharp, gorgeous quality to the images and I actually like the weight, it feels balanced in my hand.

I can go from group shots, to gorgeous portrait image in a split second. I can go from wide to zoom in less than a second. Its the ultimate wedding lens and if pushed I could probably shoot a whole wedding using just this lens if need be!

To complete the Wedding Kit is the Dual Harness & the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8.

The Dual Harness initially I was a little reluctant to purchase as felt I might come across as some sort of gangster with a pair of gun holsters. Also that it might detract from the smart suits I chose to wear to a wedding, after all it is a wedding you are going to. However the soft leather option I went for, with the logo back plate adds to an already professional look but more importantly helps me to quickly change from camera to camera with ease and takes pressure off my wrists, fingers and neck that I would normally suffer from whist working with such a heavy lens as the 28-7o.

Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 completes the focal range needed for most weddings. Plus I do take the Canon EF 15-35mm F2.8 as a back up incase I need that extra wide lens. I use the 70-200mm purely for speeches and during candid moments such as guests mingling. It means I can remain at a reasonable distance and still get incredibly intimate superb quality images for my Bride & Groom and their guests on their wedding day.

My only reservation with the new RF version is the focal barrel is in an unfamiliar position down the barrel of the lens but I'm getting used to it. The upside is the light weight and super small size which is why I opted to sell my EF version. That way I can use the new Billingham Hadley Pro Bags I purchased to add to the line up for weddings. After all rucksacks and 3 piece suits isn't a good look!

The result is a compact professional look thats not only practical but smart.