For wedding photography, mirrorless lenses need to be versatile, sharp, and capable of performing well in a variety of lighting conditions. The ideal wedding lenses are often fast primes and zooms with wide apertures, as they provide the flexibility to shoot in low light and create beautiful bokeh. Here are some of the best mirrorless lenses for wedding photography across different camera systems:
For Sony (E-mount)
- Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II
- Focal Length: 24-70mm
- Key Features: Fast f/2.8 aperture, excellent sharpness, quick AF.
- Why it’s great: A workhorse zoom lens for wedding photographers. The 24-70mm range is versatile for wide group shots, portraits, and candid moments, while the fast aperture allows for low-light shooting.
- Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM
- Focal Length: 85mm
- Key Features: Beautiful bokeh, fast f/1.4 aperture, sharp focus.
- Why it’s great: Known for its creamy bokeh and excellent sharpness, this is one of the best portrait lenses for capturing intimate moments, especially for bridal portraits or couple shots.
- Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM
- Focal Length: 50mm
- Key Features: Wide f/1.2 aperture, ultra-sharp, fast autofocus.
- Why it’s great: The 50mm focal length is perfect for capturing a mix of close-up portraits and full-body shots. The f/1.2 aperture gives excellent subject isolation and low-light performance.
- Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM
- Focal Length: 35mm
- Key Features: Compact, fast f/1.4 aperture, excellent sharpness.
- Why it’s great: Ideal for environmental portraits, wide-angle shots, and candid moments during the ceremony and reception. The fast aperture allows for beautiful background separation.
- Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II
- Focal Length: 70-200mm
- Key Features: Fast f/2.8 aperture, optical image stabilization.
- Why it’s great: A great telephoto zoom for capturing ceremonies from a distance, intimate moments without being intrusive, and detailed candids. It’s also excellent for portraits due to the subject compression and bokeh.
For Canon (RF-mount)
- Canon RF 28-70mm f/2L USM
- Focal Length: 28-70mm
- Key Features: Constant f/2 aperture, outstanding sharpness, fast autofocus.
- Why it’s great: The only lens in its class with an f/2 aperture, offering more light-gathering ability than typical zoom lenses. It’s a superb all-in-one lens for weddings, handling everything from wide shots to portraits.
- Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L USM
- Focal Length: 85mm
- Key Features: Fast f/1.2 aperture, beautiful bokeh, incredible sharpness.
- Why it’s great: Perfect for stunning bridal portraits and close-up details. The ultra-wide aperture creates dreamy bokeh and is excellent in low light.
- Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L USM
- Focal Length: 50mm
- Key Features: f/1.2 aperture, incredibly sharp, great for low-light.
- Why it’s great: With the fast f/1.2 aperture, it excels in low-light reception environments. This lens captures beautiful, crisp images with exceptional depth of field control.
- Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM
- Focal Length: 35mm
- Key Features: Compact, fast f/1.8 aperture, built-in image stabilization, macro capability.
- Why it’s great: A versatile wide-angle prime for environmental portraits, details, and candid shots. It’s lightweight and great for documentary-style shooting during weddings.
- Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
- Focal Length: 70-200mm
- Key Features: Compact design, constant f/2.8 aperture, image stabilization.
- Why it’s great: Perfect for capturing moments from a distance, including ceremonies and candid shots during the reception. Its fast aperture and great reach make it a must-have for many wedding photographers.
For Nikon (Z-mount)
- Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S
- Focal Length: 24-70mm
- Key Features: Fast f/2.8 aperture, advanced optics, versatile range.
- Why it’s great: Ideal for weddings, this versatile zoom lens is perfect for wide-angle shots and close-up portraits with beautiful bokeh, offering top-notch sharpness throughout the zoom range.
- Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S
- Focal Length: 85mm
- Key Features: Fast f/1.2 aperture, excellent portrait lens.
- Why it’s great: Provides beautiful subject separation and smooth bokeh. This is a go-to for capturing romantic portraits, ceremonies, and close-up moments.
- Nikon Z 85mm f/1.8 S
- Focal Length: 85mm
- Key Features: Fast f/1.8 aperture, lightweight, excellent portrait lens.
- Why it’s great: Provides beautiful subject separation and smooth bokeh. This is a go-to for capturing romantic portraits, ceremonies, and close-up moments.
- Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S
- Focal Length: 50mm
- Key Features: Ultra-sharp, wide f/1.2 aperture.
- Why it’s great: For low-light settings and portraits, this lens offers exceptional sharpness and a creamy bokeh that is perfect for close-up details, portraits, and low-light reception shots.
- Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S
- Focal Length: 70-200mm
- Key Features: Fast autofocus, f/2.8 aperture, built-in vibration reduction.
- Why it’s great: Provides reach for capturing candid moments from a distance without being intrusive, and is also great for portraits with excellent background blur.
- Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S
- Focal Length: 35mm
- Key Features: Fast f/1.8 aperture, compact and lightweight, great for environmental shots.
- Why it’s great: The perfect lens for capturing wide-angle moments and candid shots of the venue or the guests. It’s lightweight and performs well in low light, making it versatile for all-day wedding coverage.
For Fujifilm (X-mount, APS-C)
- Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR
- Focal Length: 16-55mm (equivalent to 24-84mm on full-frame)
- Key Features: Fast f/2.8 aperture, weather-sealed, sharp optics.
- Why it’s great: The workhorse zoom for Fujifilm shooters, this lens is versatile enough for wide shots of the ceremony and detailed portraits, with the fast aperture handling low-light environments.
- Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R
- Focal Length: 56mm (equivalent to 85mm on full-frame)
- Key Features: Fast f/1.2 aperture, excellent bokeh.
- Why it’s great: Perfect for portraits, this lens provides a flattering focal length with beautiful subject isolation and is excellent for capturing intimate moments during a wedding.
- Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR
- Focal Length: 90mm (equivalent to 135mm on full-frame)
- Key Features: Fast f/2 aperture, weather-sealed, fast autofocus.
- Why it’s great: A longer portrait lens, it creates beautiful bokeh and is great for candid shots from a distance, offering more subject separation.
- Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R LM WR
- Focal Length: 23mm (equivalent to 35mm on full-frame)
- Key Features: Fast f/1.4 aperture, weather-sealed, sharp.
- Why it’s great: Great for wide shots of venues, group shots, and environmental portraits. The f/1.4 aperture also makes it good in low-light reception environments.
Key Features to Look for in Wedding Lenses:
- Fast apertures (f/1.2 to f/2.8): Necessary for low-light environments like dimly lit churches and evening receptions, as well as for creating beautiful bokeh.
- Versatility: Wedding photographers benefit from zooms like 24-70mm or 70-200mm, which allow them to quickly adapt to different scenes.
- Sharpness: High sharpness, especially at wide apertures, is important for capturing the fine details of the ceremony, venue, and attire.
- Autofocus performance: Fast and accurate autofocus is crucial for capturing candid moments.
- Weather sealing: Weddings often take place in various weather conditions, so having weather-sealed lenses can be beneficial.