Why 24-70mm lens sucks for wedding photography

24-70mm f/2.8 is a go-to lens for many wedding photographers. However, photographer Taylor Jackson has a different opinion. He believes that the 24-70mm lens sucks for wedding photography, and he gives you a couple of reasons for that in this short video.

Of course, this is a completely subjective video and opinion, and it’s not set in stone. Here are Taylor’s reasons why the 24-70mm may not be the best lens for wedding photography:

Lack of consistency

According to Taylor, when you’re shooting primes, you have the consistency which creates a style. On the other hand, when you use a 24-70, you’re there only to get the job done. He believes it’s better to combine prime lenses like 24mm and 50mm, or 35mm and 85mm to achieve that consistency.

Shooting without a purpose

Another point Taylor makes is that a gallery of photos shot on prime lenses shows that each photo has a purpose. I don’t know if this implies that the photos shot on a 24-70mm lack purpose, and if so, I must disagree with that. Anyways, he adds that the gallery shot on 24-70mm looks dull with the wide variety of focal ranges used to get the shots. It creates a much bigger impact if you switch between, say, 24mm and 85mm.

Depth of field

Well, I guess this depends on the preferences. Taylor points out that he prefers shooting at f/1.8 or f/1.4, and 24-70mm f/2.8 can’t give you such large depth of field and subject separation.

Price and weight

Lastly, Taylor refers to the price and weight of the 24-70mm. Indeed, this type of lens is rather expensive and heavy regardless of the manufacturer, and I believe the weight can be a problem if you spend an entire day with a camera in your hands.

Personally, I don’t own the 24-70mm nor I do wedding photography. But, I think it would be my go-to lens. It’s versatile and covers a wide range of situations, and it’s ideal for fast-paced and dynamic events such as the weddings. I’d combine it with primes though, but it would definitely find its place in my gear bag.

Just like any other lens, the 24-70 f/2.8 has its good and bad sides. And apparently, the opinions about it range from being the best lens for wedding photography to being the worst. As you can see, I myself don’t have experience with it, so I’d really like to hear your thoughts on this topic. Is 24-70mm the best or the worst lens for wedding photography? Or is it somewhere in between?

[Why I Hate The 24-70mm F2.8 For Wedding Photography (1 Minute Rant) via SLRLounge]