Im getting super stressed because my sisters wedding is in exactly three weeks and I promised to take some portraits of her and her husband at their rehearsal dinner. Im shooting with a Sony A7IV and currently only have the kit lens which is just not cutting it for the bokeh look I want. I really need to pull the trigger on a prime lens this weekend so I have time to practice but Im drowning in options.
I spent all night on YouTube and read that the Sony 85mm f/1.8 is the holy grail for budget portraits, but then I saw a ton of people on Reddit swearing that the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art is the only way to go for sharpness. Im honestly torn because the price difference is massive and Im trying to keep my gear spend under 800 bucks, so the Sigma is kinda pushing it. Plus, some folks are saying 85mm is too tight for indoor venues but then others say 35mm causes too much distortion for close-up headshots? Im so confused.
Im based in Chicago and the lighting at the venue is gonna be pretty dim, which is why I was leaning towards the 1.4, but I dont know if the extra weight is worth it if I have to lug it around all night. My hands are already shaking just thinking about messing up these shots since its a huge family event. If I go with the cheaper Sony lens, am I really gonna regret the lack of that extra stop of light? Or should I just bite the bullet and find a used Sigma or even the 50mm f/1.2 if I can somehow swing the cash? What would you actually use if you were in my shoes...
Building on the earlier suggestion, the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 is absolutely the way to go! I felt the same anxiety before my first wedding gig, but the native autofocus is just so much faster and more reliable than the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art. You really don't want to miss a shot because of a focus hunt in a dark room. Keep it simple and focus on the moment!
Honestly, grab the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 and dont look back. In my experience, the autofocus speed on the Sony native glass is way more reliable for events than third-party options. You really dont need that extra stop of light with the A7IVs high ISO performance. Just push the ISO to 3200 if you have to, the noise is totally manageable and you wont regret saving that extra cash.
^ This. Also, honestly, stop stressing! I was in your shoes a few years back for a cousin's wedding and I totally panicked about gear too. The Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 is honestly a workhorse. I saved the extra cash and picked up a Godox V1 Flash for Sony instead. That made way more difference in dim light than an extra stop of aperture ever could.
- Ditch the worry about distortion. If you keep the 85mm distance, your shots will look pro.
- Practice with your lighting. A nice bounced flash off a white ceiling makes even cheap glass look expensive.
- Don't blow the budget on the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art. You really need that money for extra batteries or a decent strap for the long night! You're gonna do great, just keep it simple.