Low Lids Loc: Gainesville, Florida

I have the 50mm f/1.4d, 50mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.8 lenses. They are all good but I frequently found I couldn't get sufficient distance from people or scenes. There just wasn't enough room to step back far enough to include everything I wanted in the picture. I took a chance on the Sigma 18-35 f/1.8 and was very surprised and happy. It's very clear, fast and works on my Nikon D3200 and D7100. It does have a disadvantage factor of "4" though. By that I mean it weighs about four times as much as the 50mm Nikons and, at $800, costs about four times as much as the 50mm Nikons, too! The bright side is, since your pockets are lighter, you'll be able to move much faster, taking a lot more pictures, and, by the end of the wedding, you'll have really well defined biceps! The Sigma IMHO is worth it!!!

Robeng Loc: California

If you want a kick butt portrait lens. Buy the 135mm DC. Nothing better in Nikon.

Robeng Loc: California

If you want a kick butt portrait lens. Buy the 135mm DC. Nothing better in Nikon.

Bram boy Loc: Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

I take it your wanting a normal lens for a full frame . If it's for a Dx I would get a 35 mm . For weddings .

Bram boy Loc: Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

Listen to old Al and get the sigma , if your shooting Dx . They make a zoom
That's , I think a 18 or 16 to 32 mm f1.8 that's better than all nikon primes
In that focal range . And if your shooting Dx why would you want a 50 mm for close gatherings . That's like trying to shoot four people on a couch with a 75 mm lens on a dx . Just look through one eye . Now put a 75 mm on that same eye . To get a group on the chesterfield you would have to be in another room to fit them all in .

Leonb Loc: NYC

Some thoughts... Either of those lenses would be good for any :average shot". What you should think about is the times that you need a wideangle (goups) or portrait (85mm). For some mildly distant scenes that you cannot get access to you may be looking at a 120mm or greater. Basically if you see where I going with this is that a zoom is your best bet unless 1. you have more than one camera; or 2. you want to purchase more than one lens. Another suggestion is to focus (no pun intended) on the best flash that you can financially handle (the Nikon SB910 comes to mind) and learn how to shoot with it properly. I know that I have reiterated some of the comments that others have stated, but I feel that they are on the right track. If you insist on just one lens and that is the 50mm go for the less expensive 1.8G and the money saved could be used to purchase the flash. My other advice is to spring for the 24-120mm and get a less expensive flash. This lens is not as fast as the 2.8 24-70 but it does have a longer zoom range.You could purchase the SB700 for instance for around $350ish. You have sit down and work out the variables.
Good Luck! Leon

Bram boy Loc: Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

[quote=Low Lids]I have the 50mm f/1.4d, 50mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.8 lenses. They are all good but I frequently found I couldn't get sufficient distance from people or scenes. There just wasn't enough room to step back far enough to include everything I wanted in the picture. I took a chance on the Sigma 18-35 f/1.8 and was very surprised and happy. It's very clear, fast and works on my Nikon D3200 and D7100. It does have a disadvantage factor of "4" though. By that I mean it weighs about four times as much as the 50mm Nikons and, at $800, costs about four times as much as the 50mm Nikons, too! The bright side is, since your pockets are lighter, you'll be able to move much faster, taking a lot more pictures, and, by the end of the wedding, you'll have really well defined biceps! The Sigma IMHO is worth it!!![/quote

That's the lens I was referring to in my post . I read the test on it around the time it came out by Thom hogan . And he says it's like having $4000 of primes in that range . It puts nikon and canon at the back of the line . So just buy it . It was around $700 when first out .

Royce Moss Loc: Irvine, CA

Thanks for t
he advice Edmund. I keep hearing great thing about the D