Choose the Best Lens for Wedding Photography!

If you are a professional photographer or an avid hobbyist with a new SLR, you have probably found yourself at a wedding - either to take the official pictures, or as a guest. No matter the reason, you want to take the best wedding pictures possible and capture all the great moments that are likely to go unnoticed, or relegated to fading memories in conversations.

Canon has a bunch of lenses on the market specifically for shooting weddings. From classic portraits, to low lighting scenes, to settings where everyone is in motion, Canon lenses cover a wide range of scenarios, while giving you complete control.

Canon EF 50mm

Let's take a look at a few of the great Canon lenses out there right now.

Choose the Best Lens for Wedding Photography!

The Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Canon isn't messing around with the EF 70-200mm lens. From Canon's L-series (the L is for luxury), this lightweight and portable lens sports a rugged design, despite its weight. The Canon EF 70-200mm Lens is a culmination of years of design, set to work with today's digital and high megapixel cameras. This lens is sharp and quick to focus, even at a distance - and the Canon EF 70-200mm keeps your subject matter sharp and in high-detailed focus no matter what the conditions.

The Canon Zoom Wide Angle Telephoto EF 24-105mm f/4L

This is a very versatile Canon lens because it is weather sealed, and can fit both full-frame and crop sensor cameras. As part of the Canon L-Series, the Canon Zoom Wide Angle Telephoto Lens can give you sharp detail and focus on you subject matter from 1.5-feet on out to incredibly long distances. The quick and smooth focusing makes this the perfect lens for wedding portraits - both indoor and outdoor. That means that with this lens, you will be able to get those perfect outdoor shots no matter the weather, or across the reception hall for those heart-touching moments on the dance floor.

The Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM Ultra-Wide Angle Lens

If there were an ideal wide-angle lens for weddings, the Canon EF 14mm would be the one. This Canon lens gives you extremely sharp images while minimizing distortion - both in image output and color. This is perhaps the easiest wide-angle lens to use, and Canon has once again made the housing extremely durable, while giving you the highest quality output. You will now be able to take in the entire room and wedding party with the wide angle shots that the Canon EF 14mm allows.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens

For indoor and outdoor wedding portraits, the Canon EF 50mm is perfect. This lightweight lens is prime for those who want those expert wedding shots with little margin for error. This is purely a professional lens, and is designed with the experienced photographer in mind, though the output of this Canon lens is nothing short of brilliant.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Standard Zoom Lens

This Canon Lens is both weather and dust sealed, with a rugged design. But don't let the extreme durability fool you. The Canon EF 24-70mm Zoom Lens has a minimum focus distance of 1.3-feet, and can bring ultra-long distance shots into crystal clear focus. The autofocus and manual on this Canon Lens are superb, and considered the best out there for zoom wedding shots by both professionals and hobbyists alike. With a rugged and compact design, plus an incredible performance, nothing beats the Canon EF 24-70mm Zoom for getting perfect wedding photos at a distance.

The Canon EF 85mm for 1.2L II USM Lens

This Canon lens is a prime lens for wedding photographers. It's a bit on the heavy side, but features both AF and MF, giving you complete control over your subject matter. It is important to note that this lens is electronically controlled, so the focus will only work when it is attached to your camera. The Canon EF 85mm is outstanding and bringing your subject matter into high-detail focus, while also giving you control over background blur, so your shots will stand out even more.

As you can see, Canon has a variety of lenses for getting the ideal wedding photos, and this is just a handful. There are about 15 Canon Lenses that make the list of Top Wedding Lenses Available Today. Canon has taken their decades of expertise and combined that with the desires of both professional and hobbyist photographers to make the perfect lenses. Not only that, but Canon realizes that with wedding and portrait photography on the rise, lenses should not only be designed perfectly, but they should be affordable on top of it.

With Canon, you are getting the best lenses. And by looking around, you can often find these high-end Canon lenses for up to 40% off the list prices you find in brick & mortar or specialty shops. Just visit the links below to see what the experts say in their reviews of Canon Lenses.

Choose the Best Lens for Wedding Photography!

Canon Portrait Lens On a Budget - How To Choose A Portrait Lens

Getting a good portrait lens is not difficult, but knowing which ones qualify is important. Before you go out and make a purchase, you should take a look into your camera bag to see if you may have a Canon portrait lens in there cleverly disguised as.. let's say a Macro lens or maybe a sports action lens.

The first issue is to determine what the qualifications of a good Canon portrait lens actually are. But in the process, keep in mind that you want to save money.

Canon EF 50mm

I hope this does not burst your bubble. I mean, photographers are kind of like fishermen and golfers. We are always under the impression that we need the next new camera or lens that comes out. Or, like my mother-in-law used to say, "If you don't have it, you need it." While the grass may be greener on the other side of the fence where your neighbor has a Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 portrait lens that she paid 00 for, it's possible that you can get by with something that you either already own or that costs just a tad bit less.

Canon Portrait Lens On a Budget - How To Choose A Portrait Lens

OK, real quick, the qualifications:

1. Image quality - this has to be really good. You do not want a lens that has poor image quality. After all, you will be shooting people, and most people are very vain about their appearance. It's not like taking a picture of a monkey or bear at the zoo. Those animals don't care what their picture looks like.

To find out whether the lens in question will qualify as a Canon portrait lens with respect to image quality, check some expert sites. But keep in mind that these guys are going to be very technical. You might just want to go to the Amazon or B & H Photo website and check user reviews. In that case, look for reviews from advanced amateurs or professionals. They will also be fairly reliable.

2. Focal length - Portraits can be taken with a lens that is as short as 50mm or as long as 300mm. Some of the pros use the extra long length to get the great bokeh, but normal portrait shooters use a lens of about 85mm to 135mm. The good news is that if you have an entry-level or mid-level digital SLR, you have what is known as a crop factor, which simply means that your camera multiplies the focal length of the lens by either 1.5 or 1.6 depending on the make of the camera. So if you have a 100mm lens, multiply it by the crop factor of, say 1.6, and you have an effective focal length of 160mm. And a 50mm lens becomes an effective focal length of 85mm. Of course, the shorter the focal length, the closer you will be to your subject. That's why a wide angle lens of 28mm will not be your best bet for a portrait lens.

3. Aperture - The aperture is really important. The wider the aperture, the better your chances for getting the nice blurry background that is desirable in this type of photography. You want a minimum of f/4.0 for longer length lenses, such as a 180mm lens, and at least an f/2.8 for the shorter lenses, such as 50mm. The larger the aperture, the better your background will be. But you also need a good sharp focus on the eyes because there is a very shallow depth of field with the wider apertures.

Generally, single focal length lenses are preferred for portraits, but that is not a hard and fast rule. Some photographers use their Canon 70-200 mm lens for this and are very happy with it.

OK, so there is a wide range of possibilities here. Going back to the first suggestion, look into your camera bag and see which, if any, of your current lenses fit the qualifications. If you still need to purchase a Canon portrait lens, proceed with patience. Getting a lens that can do two or three types of images is also a viable option.

One last thing. Third party lenses, like Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina are also great ways to save a few bucks. There are some excellent lenses made by these manufacturers, but make sure you check what the experts and others who have used them say in forums and online comment areas.

Canon Portrait Lens On a Budget - How To Choose A Portrait Lens

Best Canon Rebel Macro Lens

Canon Rebel DSLR cameras come in several models. The newest is the Rebel T2i, and the oldest that can still be bought new is the Canon Rebel XSi. There is quite a bit of difference between the models, but the one thing that they have in common is that they are the entry-level digital SLR cameras in the Canon line.

That is important to understand when selecting a Canon Rebel Macro lens that is appropriate.

Canon EF 50mm

You see, there are numerous macro lenses that will fit the camera, whether you own the newest or the oldest Rebel. In fact, ALL macro lenses made for Canon will fit.

Best Canon Rebel Macro Lens

That makes it easy, right. Just pick one. But wait. Is there a best Canon Rebel Macro lens?

I'm thinking that if you own an entry-level digital SLR, you may want to go easy on the pocketbook.

If you paid about 0 for the camera, would you want to spring for another 0 or 0 for a lens that does close up photos? Those prices would get you one of the Canon 100mm macro lenses. There are two, one of which is an "L" lens, the best that Canon makes.

Keep in mind, if you do choose one of those rather expensive lenses, you will get a superb portrait lens too. That's because the 100mm lens is great for portrait work... Really great.

Other possibilities are lenses in the same focal length range made by either Tamron or Sigma. One of these would save you about 0.

If you want to go much cheaper, you may consider a zoom lens that has a macro setting. For instance, the Sigma 70-300 has a macro switch on the lens that does something to the settings that qualifies it as a macro. However, you still can't get very close to the subject, and the quality is not nearly as good as the other lenses mentioned above. One good thing is the price - less than 5. And this lens does a decent job of taking other types of shots because its main job is not as a macro.

Another option is to go for a shorter focal length. For instance, there are lenses at 50mm and 60mm that are true close up lenses. They run about #300.

One thing that is very important to note is that taking shots of very small objects does require different optics and technology. Getting a single focal length allows you to get better image quality than using a zoom lens. Plus your distance from the subject will be shorter with a "real" macro lens.

Finding the right Canon Rebel Macro lens should not be hard. Take a few minutes to think about your priorities. What do you need the lens to do, and how much do you have in your budget. Maybe you would be better off waiting until you can afford a better lens rather than buying now and being dissatisfied with your choice.

Best Canon Rebel Macro Lens

Say Cheese With Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM AF Lens

Known to be a serious glass for serious photographers, the EF 50mm USM is at present the greatest Autofocus lens in its group, thanks to its EF 50mm f1.2L lens. Canon EF 50mm is strong evidence to Canon's inheritance of optical quality. Every feature of this EF 50mm Lens shows professional excellence from its wide 72mm filter diameter to its dust and moisture sealed building.

Full frame digital camera users will enjoy the benefits of Canon 50mm f1.2L focal length, when shooting waist-up portraits while maintaining suitable subject distance. Photographers can use its high shutter speeds to shoot in lower light through EF 50mm USM and help prevent blurring caused by subject movement or camera shake. In addition to a large aperture, the lens also has blazingly fast Autofocus speed and response time. The EF 50mm USM is an ultra-large aperture standard lens preferably suitable for portrait photography. In addition to offering a low depth-of-field with a maximum aperture of F1.2, the lens enables use of quick shutter speeds to decrease motion blur and carry shooting in low light.

Canon EF 50mm

A full-time manual focus feature allows photographers to fine-tune the sharpness of their images, even when the lens is set for Autofocus and a glass molded (GMO) A spherical element ensures maximum image quality by reducing spherical aberration and linear distortion.

Say Cheese With Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM AF Lens

The EF 50mm F1.2L USM Lens employs a large, high-precision spherical lens element made of extremely refractive glass to minimize aberrations during focusing and keeps a greater image quality throughout the shooting rang. Furthermore, the lens's ring-type USM (Ultrasonic Motor), high-speed CPU, and an optimized AF (Autofocus) algorithm allow silent and enormously accurate Autofocus operation.

Intended to meet the miscellaneous needs of expert and superior amateur photographers, the brilliant lens features full-time manual focusing, which allow users to focus by hand in the AF mode, and a dust and moisture proof construction, ensuring certain presentation even under harsh situation.

ALl in all, the EF 50mm USM from Canon lenses is tough enough to meet the needs of demanding photographers for sure.

Say Cheese With Canon EF 50mm F1.2L USM AF Lens

Canon 70-300 IS USM Lens Overview

The Canon 70-300 IS USM Lens should appeal to serious amateur nature and sports photographers, incorporating a 3-stop image stabilizer, superb auto focus and fantastic image quality.

Shutter speeds of up to three stops slower than otherwise possible is achieved with Canon's latest 3-stop image stabilizer and image blur is reduced significantly, creating outstanding hand held photography results. Options in low-light conditions are very much extended by shooting at a shutter speed of 1/60 per second with the Canon 70-300 IS USM Lens, as opposed to shooting a 300mm handheld at 1/500 per second. Unwanted vibrations are picked up by gyro sensors. The Canon 70-300 IS USM Lens provides 2-mode image stabilizer for shooting immobile objects. Mode 1 stabilizes the object along the horizontal and vertical axes. Mode 2 turns off correction in the panned direction and prevents the effect of dragging the object back through the frame when following a moving object. The image stabilizer switches off automatically when the camera is mounted on a tripod.

Canon EF 50mm

The micro USM motor in the Canon 70-300 IS USM Lens drives super responsive auto focus with unrivaled speed and virtually silent operation. The instant it arrives at the correct focus point the lens stops with precision and accuracy. The Canon 70-300 IS USM Lens has a big increase of AF speed compared to that of its predecessor. At the wide-angle setting the zoom is locked by a zoom ring locking mechanism, preventing possible damage by carrying and storing the lens in its most compact position. The lens allows for increased light absorption and reflections off the lens element surfaces are reduced to deliver crisp, undistorted images with natural color balance.

Canon 70-300 IS USM Lens Overview

The Canon 70-300 IS USM Lens features only lead-free glass which is in keeping with Canon's Kyosei philosophy (living in harmony with the environment). The lens measures 3 inches in diameter and is 5.6 inches long, weighing 22.2 ounces and includes distance metering information and is therefore compatible with flash systems of late model cameras. Accessories include the lens hood and pouch and it also has a 1-year warranty.

Canon 70-300 IS USM Lens Overview

The Top 5 Best Accessories for Canon EOS 600D or Canon EOS Rebel T3i

So you now have the Canon EOS 600D also known as Canon EOS Rebel T3i. Let me just give you a brief introduction to this wonderful DSLR. The 600D boasts of an 18 Mega-pixel APS-C sensor, 1920 x 1080 High Definition Video, 3" tilt-swivel LCD and a load full of beginner friendly feature like movie Digital zoom, Feature Guide and a new Intelligent Auto Mode. So here is the list you have been waiting for...

Top 5 Best Lenses for Canon 600D / Rebel T3i: Shoot the Sharpest Pictures!
EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Standard Zoom Lens EF 50mm f1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Lens EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens

Canon EF 50mm

Top 12 Best Books for Canon 600D / Rebel T3i: Gain Knowledge
David Busch's Rebel T3i/600D Guide to Digital SLR Photography by David D. Busch David Busch's Compact Field Guide for the Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D by David D. Busch Rebel T3i / 600D: From Snapshots to Great Shots by Jeff Revell Rebel T3i / 600D Digital Field Guide by Charlotte K. Lowrie Rebel T3i / 600D For Dumb Canon T3i Experience - The Still Photographer's Guide to Operation and Image Creation by Douglas Klostermann Canon Rebel T3i / 600D QuickPro Tutorial DVD by QuickPro Magic Lantern Guides: Rebel T3i (EOS 600D) Multimedia Workshop by Lark Books Canon Rebel T3i / EOS 600D (The Expanded Guide) by David Taylor Magic Lantern Guides: Rebel T3i (EOS 600D) by Michael Guncheon Canon Digital Rebel T3i / 600D CheatSheet by Bert Sirkin Canon T3i - Introduction to the Canon Rebel T3i / 600D Basic Controls by Blue Crane Digital

The Top 5 Best Accessories for Canon EOS 600D or Canon EOS Rebel T3i

Top 5 Best Filters for Canon 600D / Rebel T3i - Best Filters
Canon UV-1 58mm Haze Filter Tiffen 58mm UV Protection Filter Digital Concepts 1 2 4 10 Close-Up Macro Filter Set with Pouch (58mm) Hoya 58mm UV (Ultra Violet) Multi Coated Glass Filter Professional High Quality 3 Piece Filter Set

Top 5 Best Bags & Cases for Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i: Best Protection
Canon 2400 SLR Gadget Bag for EOS SLR Cameras Case Logic SLRC-205 SLR Camera Sling (Black) Canon Deluxe Photo Backpack 200EG AmazonBasics Backpack for SLR Cameras and Accessories Case Logic SLRC-202 Medium SLR Camera Bag

Top 5 Best Tripods for Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i: Stabilize your Camera for the Best Shoots
Polaroid 65" Pro Carbon Fiber Tripod With Removeable Ballhead SLIK PRO 700DX Professional Tripod with Panhead (615-315) Manfrotto 055XPROB Pro Tripod Legs (Black) Vista Explorer 60" Lightweight Tripod with Tripod Bag Joby GP3 Gorillapod SLR-Zoom Flexible Tripod

Top 3 Best Battery and Battery Grip for Canon EOS 600D / Rebel T3i - Your Power Backup
BG-E8 Battery Grip LP-E8 Battery Pack Zeikos ZE-CBGT2 Battery Power Grip

The Top 5 Best Accessories for Canon EOS 600D or Canon EOS Rebel T3i

The Magic Lens - Canon 50mm F1.8 Lens Review

First off I would like to say that this is one of the most under rated lenses in the whole market. In this article I will try and inform you why I have formed this opinion.

Many people feel slightly underwhelmed with the results they get when they start shooting with their first digital slr camera. Their are two main mistakes that people make when moving from compact cameras to SLRs. The first is that they use the automatic or preset modes within the camera while shooting. In my eyes this is like buying a Ferarri and never getting out of first gear. To unleash the power of a SLR camera you need to start learning about how to use some of the semi manual or manual modes.

Canon EF 50mm

The second mistake is that people fail to appreciate how important lenses are on a camera. In the world of compact digital cameras marketing efforts seem to be based about the number of mega pixels a camera boasts. Large numbers of pixels will only give you a large image, not necessarily a sharp one. The lens on any camera is the most important part and the one that truly defines the image quality the camera produces. One downside is that most great lenses cost many hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.

The Magic Lens - Canon 50mm F1.8 Lens Review

The Magic Lens

The Canon 50mm f1.8 is without doubt the best value lens money can buy. Commonly known as the 'nifty fifty' it costs under 0 and produces images that are up there in quality with those taken on Canons L series or professional range. The reason this lens is so cheap is because Canon has only focussed on the glass optics in this lens. The rest of it such as the plastic body, noisy auto focus, barrel design etc are all built cheaply .

My advice to anyone starting out in the world of digital slr photography would be to buy this lens. In fact I would recommend buying it in place of the standard kit lens if you are about to buy a new camera.

The Magic Lens - Canon 50mm F1.8 Lens Review