I just got a Sony camera for my sisters wedding coming up in July but honestly I have no idea what I am doing. Someone told me I need a prime lens to get those nice professional looking portraits with the blurry backgrounds but when I look online there are so many options and numbers.
I have like $450 to spend which isnt a lot I guess. I keep seeing 50mm and 85mm and I dont know if one is better than the other or if they even fit my camera. Sorry for the dumb question I am just a total beginner... what prime lens should I look at for portraits?
Honestly, for your sisters wedding, you really want an 85mm focal length. It provides that classic portrait compression that makes people look flattering. I have been very happy with the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 and it works well for exactly what you are trying to do. No complaints from me after using it for years... the results are very professional for a lens in this price range. Here are a few reasons why I recommend it over the 50mm:
- Compression: Longer focal lengths make facial features look more natural.
- Separation: It does a better job of melting the background away.
- Reach: You dont have to stand right in front of the bride to get a good shot. Since you have $450, this is basically the best bang for your buck. The 50mm is fine for everyday stuff, but the 85mm is the real portrait king. You wont have any regrets with this one.
Just saw this pop up. Weddings are tricky because you move from huge ceremony halls to cramped reception tables. I remember my first time shooting a family event... I had this long lens and spent half the night backing into people or getting stuck in corners because I couldnt fit everyone in the frame. If you're a beginner, a 50mm is much safer than an 85mm for a wedding environment because it gives you some breathing room while still getting that blurry background. With your $450 budget, you actually have a couple solid choices that wont break the bank. You should definitely look at the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 because it is cheap and gets the job done, but if you want something a bit sharper and faster, the Samyang AF 45mm f/1.8 FE is a decent option that fits your price range perfectly.
- Turn on Eye-AF in your settings so the camera tracks the eyes automatically.
- Keep your shutter speed above 1/200 so people dont look blurry when they're walking or dancing. Having a fast prime makes a world of difference when the lights go down during the reception. Just make sure you practice with the focus modes before the big day so you arent fumbling with buttons when your sister walks down the aisle. It takes some time to get used to how thin the focus is when you're shooting at f1.8.
