Im so pumped because I finally booked a shoot for my sisters wedding next month and I need a better lens for portraits! I have a Canon T7 and have been doing some research online. Everyone keeps talking about the 50mm f/1.8 but then I saw a video about the 85mm f/1.8 being better for compression and now Im honestly just confused. My budget is tight, like 300 bucks max, and I dont know if the crop sensor on my T7 makes the 85mm too tight for indoor reception shots. Is the 50mm gonna feel too cheap or am I overthinking this? Has anyone actually used these on a crop body for weddings...
TL;DR: Grab the 50mm, skip the 85mm for now. Honestly, you're gonna have a nightmare indoors with an 85mm on your T7. I remember shooting my first wedding on a crop body and thinking I needed that fancy compression. I picked up the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM and it was a mistake. Unless you are in a massive ballroom, you wont have enough room to step back, and you will end up frustrated. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is cheap for a reason, but it works surprisingly well for the price. Just watch out for the autofocus speed, mine hunted a lot during the reception. It feels like a plastic toy, sure, but it gets the job done when you are on a budget. Keep it simple or you will regret it.
Just catching up here. Are you shooting the reception in a massive hall or a tiny room? You might want to consider the Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM for those tight spots.
Honestly, the budget struggle is the worst. I remember starting out and wanting everything but having like zero cash. Trying to balance decent glass with a tight wallet is such a headache, and I still get stressed thinking about those price tags. Grab a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM and dont sweat it too much. Just keep saving your pennies for better lighting later, because the gear hunt never really ends...
