Best Lenses for Wedding Photography in 2026
Look, let’s get one thing straight: If you ask 5 different wedding photographers what the best lenses for wedding photography are, you are going to get 5 different answers. For that reason, I will try to give my preference while also being objective to what others may view as necessary. Hopefully with the information I provide, you’ll be able to draw your own conclusions. We will break it down between the two major types of lenses, primes and zooms, and further dive into them, then I will close with the lenses I prefer to use, and how my approach and lens choice has changed over the years. Please note that I am basing my thoughts and experience using these lenses and focal lengths on a full frame camera body. Results will be different when using an APS-C crop camera.
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Photo by Nic Hilton | Canon 5D IV + EF 35mm f1.4 L
Best Prime Lenses for Wedding Photography
Prime lenses, if you’re unfamiliar with the term, are lenses with a fixed focal length (they don’t zoom). If you want to get closer to, or further from, your subject, you have to physically move yourself, or swap to a different lens. Prime lenses are preferred by many photographers (and gurus) because you are forced to move around more when using them. And, when you physically move, you’re changing not only the ‘crop’ but also the perspective. Using a prime really can teach you a lot about focal lengths and composition, there’s no denying that.
One con to using primes (the only I can think of) is that they don’t zoom. You must move around a lot more, or switch lenses constantly if you use them. With that said, there are a few advantages to primes. The first advantage is that they are cheaper. There’s less components and glass in the lens, so a prime is less expensive than a comparable zoom. Second, prime lenses generally can accommodate a wider aperture than a zoom. You’ll often see prime lenses in the f1.2-f1.8 range, however, zoom lenses are generally in the f2.8-4.0 range. This means that if you are after that super blurry background (bokeh), a prime will give you more blur, and at a lower cost. Another advantage is that prime lenses are lighter and smaller. This makes carrying them around for a full wedding day less cumbersome. Though, it’s important to remember that you may need to carry more of them. More on that later.
Sorry to disappoint you if you were looking for exact lens models, but I can’t do that for you. I shoot on Canon systems, so I use Canon lenses. I don’t know what system you use, so I’m going to talk about focal lengths instead of exact lenses. There are 4 focal lengths that are widely popular amongst wedding photographers, and later, I’ll give insight into 2 more that aren’t widely used.
35mm
35mm prime lenses might be the most common lens amongst wedding photographers. It’s extremely versatile to get moderately wide shots, while also being great for vertical full-body portraits, family formals and more. There are photographers who photograph entire weddings on a 35mm lens. Something to remember about a 35mm lens is that if you want to get a close-up shot, you must get close. Below are some different options for 35mm prime lenses to check out.
50mm
Another lens that some wedding photographers may exclusively use is a 50mm prime lens. A 50mm lens is often preached by gurus (because of the ‘nifty fifty’) as the lens to use when you are learning photography. Though I don’t fully encourage that, I understand the premise. A 50mm lens doesn’t have any distortion, it’s very versatile for portraits, group shots, candid photos, and more. If I could describe the characteristics of a 50mm prime lens in one word, it would be ‘simple.’
85mm
With an 85mm prime lens, we lose the ability to get wider photos, such as group shots. Well, you could use it (I have) if you have enough space to back up and get each person in frame. An 85mm lens is an incredible option for portraits and candid photos. An 85mm allows you to keep your distance during candid shots and focus on each person individually. Portraits can look beautiful with an 85mm prime lens because of the background blur that can be achieved with a wide aperture. 85mm prime lenses can usually be bought on a budget as well (there are expensive options, and less expensive options).
100mm
A 100mm prime lens actually makes an incredible portrait lens. Possibly even better than an 85mm but because they usually aren’t available with an aperture wider than f2.0, people neglect them. I’ll say though, a 100mm lens with a 2.8 aperture looks incredible for portraits. The reason most wedding photographers equip a 100mm lens is for macro capabilities. Many 100mm lenses are the chosen focal length from different brands to allow for really close focusing distances. This makes them useful for small details such as a wedding ring, where you are trying to fill the frame, and focus from only a few inches away.
Photo by Nic Hilton | Canon R6ii + EF 70-200 f2.8 II
Best Zoom Lenses for Wedding Photography
Zoom lenses are exactly what they sound like: lenses that zoom. There is an entire segment of wedding photographers who believe in using zoom lenses to cover the entire day because of their versatility. When using a zoom lens, you don’t have to physically move as much and, in theory, you can be better prepared for anything because you can zoom. When talking about zoom lenses, there are 2 that are most popular amongst wedding photographers. Note: exact focal lengths may differ from brand to brand.
24-70mm
A 24mm-70mm lens can be useful for everything from group shots to portraits, to dance floor and more. Its widest focal length of 24mm is intimidating for many people but can be comfortably utilized for capturing the whole ceremony site and reception venue. Zooming in towards its 70mm max, it becomes an incredible lens for portraits, candid shots, and details. Many brands offer a 24-70mm lens with a constant aperture of 2.8, which will get a nice blurry background, though not to the extent of primes found in that focal length range.
70-200mm
For those that want extreme close-up photos during the ceremony while maintaining versatility, a 70-200mm lens can be a great choice. At 200mm, you can fill the frame with the couple during the ceremony and really capture the emotion on their faces. It’s also very useful for candid photography because you can be far enough away that people are completely unaware that you are photographing them. With many 70-200mm lenses being available with a constant f2.8 aperture, it makes them beautiful choices for portraits as well, especially when you want to really blur out the background or make a background object (such as a mountain) appear bigger and closer to your subject. A big downside to 70-200mm is that it is a big lens and it’s heavy. And when it’s equipped, you will find times where you have to switch lenses to do an emergency group shot or something. I will note that you can shoot group shots with this lens, you just need the appropriate space to fit everyone in frame.
Sony FE 70-200mm f2.8 GM OSS II
Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II
Photo by Nic Hilton | Canon 5D IV + EF 35mm f1.4 L
Lenses I Prefer for Wedding Photography
Let me preface this with the fact that I have used so many lenses over the course of my wedding photography career. Sometimes I switch my array of lenses for logical reasons, creative reasons, or even out of boredom. Do wedding photography long enough and you’ll realize that there is a time and place for every lens, and using lenses in ways they aren’t really designed can yield different results that you may or may not like.
Currently, I use 3 lenses on a wedding day. I use a 35mm prime, a 70-200mm zoom lens, and I use a 20mm prime lens. That last one is incredibly uncommon, but the Canon EF 20mm 2.8 lens is probably my most used lens (not just weddings) and it cost me less than $400. I have also added and more often now use the RF 28mm 2.8 lens, because it was ultra-cheap and ultra compact, making it perfect for discreet candids and dancefloor photos. Read my review on it here.
I use a Canon 35mm 1.4 lens for some of the getting ready portions of the day, portraits, an occasional ceremony shot, group shots (if I don’t have the space to use a 70-200mm) and some reception photos. I would confidently say that if I could only have one lens, I would choose this one. Some weddings, it hardly leaves my camera, and I feel comfortable with the focal length. However, I don’t use it as much as I could because I’m so comfortable with it that it’s boring. I get lazy with the 35mm lens, and I feel like the shots I get with it often resemble the work of thousands of other photographers.
My 70-200mm lens is essential for me, though it’s rarely used outside of the ceremony and family portraits. I really like to shoot weddings from the inside. I don’t like feeling like a spy during the reception and cocktail hour. However, with the ceremony, I like to be able to keep my distance, get a wide variety of shots, and be able to get those close-up, over-the-shoulder type shots of the couple during their vows. I also love the look of group portraits with the 70-200 because it really makes the group pop from the background. Unfortunately, there isn’t always the space necessary, and that’s when I would resort to the 35mm lens.
I like to shoot wedding photos that are immersive. I want the viewer to feel like a part of the moment, instead of feeling like they are looking at it from a distance. I also like big, epic environmental shots. For these reasons, I use a 20mm prime a lot. It’s lightweight, it was cheap, and it allows for crazy and immersive photos. Not every wedding photographer would like something this wide. Most wouldn’t. To get great shots, you have to be within a few feet of your subject. This means when shooting candid photos, you have to be at the table with the guests. You have to be sweating on the dance floor with everyone. You have to be inside the action. It takes a different level of confidence, but the photos you can achieve are unlike anything you could get with longer focal length lenses from further away. Now, I can read a room. When I can sense that I shouldn’t be that close, I use the 35mm. It’s not what I want, but what I want comes second to making the couple and their guests comfortable.
Photo by Nic Hilton | Shot on Canon R6ii + RF 28mm f2.8
So, What Lenses Should You Get for Wedding Photography?
There are no right or wrong lenses for wedding photography. Choosing lenses comes down to your understanding of focal lengths, how you shoot and interact with your clients, and what you are comfortable with. If you aren’t comfortable being super close to your clients and the guests, then you should probably go with a set of zoom lenses. I say this because a 24-70 will let you keep your distance but still be able to get wide ceremony and group shots. Whereas, if you have a 35mm prime, you’re going to need to get close unless you want every image to be really far away.
Whether you want mainly prime lenses, or zooms, it’s my opinion that everyone can benefit from having a 70-200mm in their bag. As I said, I use mostly prime lenses but still won’t go to a wedding without a 70-200mm lens because it can simply do things that other lenses cannot.