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 Should I buy 35mm f1.4 or 50mm f1.4 for wedding?, pre wedding photos shoot DIY

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SUSjimmyoon1994
post Dec 25 2019, 11:27 AM, updated 5y ago

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141 posts

Joined: Apr 2018
From: Penang



My existing gears:
Sony A7III + Tamron 28-75mm f2.8
Sony a6000 + Sony FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM (use a6000 to mount this lens only)
Godox TT685S
Godox 80cm octagon softbox, light stand, umbrella
Godox AD600 Pro (selling this now to get 35mm or 50mm f1.4)


My wedding stuff and dinner falls in year 2022. I have very limited money to spend on this 2k lens. 2k mean a lot for me, more importantly for my future children.
My wife and I plan to shoot some pre wedding photos DIY. So, don't need spend too much on wedding photo shoot (full package bridal house).

First of all, should I sell my Godox AD600 Pro to get new Samyang 35mm f1.4 or 50mm f1.4? (Good lighting makes big difference in photos.)
If yes, should I buy Samyang 35mm f1.4 or 50mm f1.4?

Or just blur background with Photoshop to save money? Even though I need take a lot time to process it, I doubt any normal people would notice it, phone fake bokeh is even worst.



I seen many pre wedding photo shoot have great blurry background, I noticed some add blur with Photoshop, some with high aperture lens. Since pre wedding photo shoot DIY, my Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 with a full frame camera just couldn't obtain good shallow blur / depth of field (like f1.8 prime lens) to make images look outstanding.

Also, nowadays I don't shoot photos that often anymore.


SUSjimmyoon1994
post Dec 26 2019, 12:21 AM

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Joined: Apr 2018
From: Penang



QUOTE(Wild Honey @ Dec 25 2019, 11:19 PM)
Why would you need 2 bodies in the first place? Why not sell off one body and use that money to buy a better lens?

As for getting a lens for blurry background, going with a 35mm f1.4 would be a bad idea. If you cannot achieve good background blur with 75mm f2.8, I doubt you will be able to do much more with a 50mm f1.4. What you really need is a longer lens, something along 85mm to 135mm. That way, you can zoom in on the subject all the way to head and shoulder shots AND have a flattering subject perspective at the same time. If you want to do H&S shots mostly, suggest to go with the longer end of the spectrum, anything between 105mm to 135mm. f1.8 is good enough with these lens.
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Sometime I got some events/outdoor activities to shoot for fun, two camera combination.

I know how to get good blurry background at 75mm f2.8 (Tamron). Tamron has great minimum focus distance, so I can get close up half body shots. Having my 70-200mm f2.8 can do it too.
However, pre wedding "couple half body shots", half body composition usually slightly close up or far away. My wife and I do it ourselves, setup tripod along with camera + lens, the problem is using longer length 85mm above with 70-200mm @ f2.8, my tripod setup is far distant from me. Definitely have to try out first in the real world.

Maybe, get 35mm f1.4 or 50mm f1.4 could reduce this inconvenience. Due to limited funds and have more important things to cover, I probably won't buy this new lens and Samyang 35mm f1.4 has little auto focus issues, need dock / samyang lens station (extra RM 250) to update latest firmware.


70-200mm f2.8 - @ 100mm f2.8
vs
35mm f1.4 - @ 35mm f1.4
Working distance from my setup

user posted image

user posted image


https://dofsimulator.net/en/

SUSjimmyoon1994
post Dec 28 2019, 02:07 AM

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Joined: Apr 2018
From: Penang



QUOTE(Wild Honey @ Dec 28 2019, 12:16 AM)
I don't understand what you're trying to achieve. On one hand, you want more background blur, but on the other hand, in your simulator charts, you want to have full body 'portraits'.  I don't claim to be a pro, but I hardly see anyone who go after full body wedding shots WITH significant background blur.  Most of the pictures with lots of 'bokeh' are usually waist up, or even tighter framing. So I really don't know what you're thinking. Work on your composition first, then you will get the answer for your lenses.
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To get full body shot with blurry background, probably need to use my 70-200mm @ 200mm f2.8 to do it, however, working distance might be issue.

(photo took from pinterest/google)
user posted image

user posted image

I mean, shoot with Tamron 28-75mm, @ 35mm f2.8 can't achieve what 35mm f1.4 can produce (obviously).
Maybe @ 50mm f2.8 able to get same composed image like 35mm f1.4 can do at shorter shooting distance, but my working distance gonna be slightly longer (50mm f2.8).
So, I'm thinking to get a 35mm f1.4 to speed things up a little (composition & working distance, processing) since we are trying to shoot pre wedding ourselves. Why? Those pre wedding photo package are expensive, RM 2000 ~ 3000 maybe just 10 or 20 photos, RM 4000 ~ 5000 for 40 photos and so on.

Buying 35mm f1.4 can save plenty of time as I stated above... Example 1000 photos, editing and add blur on each photo...
But money is an issue here, I would probably ended up using Photoshop to add more blur on specified images with proper way to look natural, time consuming...

This post has been edited by jimmyoon1994: Dec 28 2019, 02:23 AM
SUSjimmyoon1994
post Dec 28 2019, 02:22 AM

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Junior Member
141 posts

Joined: Apr 2018
From: Penang



QUOTE(Kaitodesuuu @ Dec 25 2019, 08:10 PM)
just rent one instead bah maybe even the 35 1.2
but spend so much time and effort choose location and shoot 1.4 abit wasted leh if you ask me 2.8 at least can still see the background
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This is true, too blurry is not nice, but sometime it is looking appealing, depend on location.

QUOTE(flowerbloomX @ Dec 27 2019, 10:34 AM)
35mm is more versatile for a greater variety of shots that you'll be taking for weddings/family photography.

Alternatively, have you considered renting lens instead?
*
I don't know Penang provide lens renting service for long time. I bet it is costly to rent one too.

QUOTE(BOTAK_WAI @ Dec 28 2019, 12:16 AM)
outdoor shooting? looks like existing equipment can satisfy already…

maybe what u need is more constant lighting with power source and a nd filter?
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We are doing pre wedding photo shoot ourselves with tripod, wireless trigger, and other equipment. Mostly outdoor.

I have Godox AD600 Pro as biggest light power source, it has constant modeling light too. My current gears can do it already, but I stated some issues or troublesome can probably occur during shooting time. Have to testing irl first.

QUOTE(mastering89 @ Dec 28 2019, 12:58 AM)
of your current line up
go and check your current / previous photos shot with the zoom lens.

check if the photos captured more towards 35mm or 50mm focal length.
thats the focal length you most favor. should be best option.

another thing is rent the lens and test.
*
Mixed result, depending on situation, hard to determine.
When I feel want to get good blurry background, will shoot @ 75mm f2.8 (because I know 35mm f2.8 couldn't get result I wanted)
Group shot is obviously wide angle.
Street shot mostly 50mm f2.8
Detailed shot 35mm or 28mm f2.8, Tamron has great minimum focus distance

 

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