The Best Canon Wedding Lens for 2024
What is the ultimate Canon wedding lens?
- Canon RF 28-70mm F2 L USM Lens
- Canon RF 24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z Lens
- Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
- Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
- Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
- Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM Lens
- Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM Lens
- Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM Lens
- Adapt one of the Best Canon DSLR Wedding Lenses
As a generalization, the above list is sorted in preference, utility, performance, and price descending sequence.
Do you have a Canon DSLR camera? Our Best Canon DSLR Wedding Lens recommendations page has your answer.
About Canon Wedding Lenses
Images captured at weddings become some of the most cherished memories of those involved, and those contracted to photograph these events are expected to deliver high-quality results regardless of the circumstances encountered. Weddings are one of the most common paid gigs photographers can find, and that fact helps justify the purchase of quality, reliable gear, and the lens kit is one of the big keys to successful wedding photography.
Not everyone photographs a wedding the same way. I prefer a photojournalistic wedding photography approach mixed with the classic portraits, and this wedding lens recommendations list reflects this. Zoom lenses allow a wedding photographer to quickly respond to the action taking place while providing for compositional variety and different perspectives. All this without intruding on the event.
Traditional/formal wedding photography may be done just as easily using two or three prime lenses. Prime lenses can also serve well for backup purposes (never rely on a single lens, camera, flash, or anything else for photographing events as important as a wedding), and they can add a different look to the mix of results.
A wide range of focal lengths is often needed for a good wedding shoot - meaning more than one lens.
Since the ambient lighting is usually very dim at indoor weddings, fast (wide aperture) lenses and image stabilization are best. While f/2.8 is typically the slowest (most narrow) aperture I recommend a wedding lens have, though image stabilization can make slower lenses work if the subject is still. Image stabilization will not stop subject motion, but the wedding ceremony itself (with mandatory flash-less photos) is generally composed of near-motionless people. IS will allow some extra depth of field (narrower aperture) while shooting handheld. Adding a flash will allow action-stopping f/4 shots at the often-even-darker reception venue.
If working with multiple camera bodies or there is adequate time for lens changes, fast prime lenses are an excellent choice for wedding photography. Their wide apertures allow lower ISO settings, faster action-stopping shutter speeds, and more-diffusely-blurred backgrounds in a package that is often smaller and lighter than the closest zoom equivalent.
While fast-focusing lenses are always better than slow focusing lenses, most of the action at a wedding is not usually going to stress AF speed performance in a lens. AF precision is always a top requirement, especially so with the shallow DOF delivered by wide aperture lenses.
I'll start the recommended Canon wedding lens list with the ultimate trinity of Canon f/2.8 L-series zoom lenses.
The Best Canon Wedding Lenses
1. Canon RF 28-70mm F2 L USM Lens
Having f/2 in a Standard Zoom Lens is Game Changing, Pro-Grade Build, and Outstanding Image Quality
The RF 28-70mm F2 L is big, heavy, and expensive, but it is the ultimate low light event lens. This lens has the full set of professional L-series features and delivers excellent image quality.
If I'm photographing a low light event or wedding, I usually have this lens mounted.
2. Canon RF 24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z Lens
Record Setting Focal Length Range and Wide Aperture Combination, Outstanding AF Performance, High Performing Image Stabilization System, Overall Professional Grade
Welcome to the world's first 24-105mm f/2.8 lens. For many photographers, this lens ends the 24-70mm f/2.8 vs. 24-105mm f/4 debate. With the formerly available professional-grade standard zoom lens choices, 70mm on the Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens was not always long enough, and f/4 on the Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM Lens was not always wide enough. With the RF 24-105mm F2.8 L IS USM Z, you can have the extended focal length range and the wider aperture, and that difference is big.
What subject is that record setting focal length range and aperture combination ideal for? People are at the top of that list. This focal length range affords a wide enough range of perspectives and subject framing to be the single lens for a wedding, including the details, or portrait shoot. The wide aperture is ideal for blurring the background and for stopping motion in low light.
Image quality was not forsaken to obtain the desirable focal length range and aperture combination. Though the strong barrel distortion at the wide end requires correction, this lens produces outstanding image quality.
Quiet, high-performing image stabilization and AF systems further aid this lens's photographic advantages, and the red ring indicates that this full-featured lens is built for the rigors of professional use. The "Z" designation highlights compatibility with Canon's Power Zoom Adapter, indicative of this lens's high video utility.
This lens is expensive, heavy, and large, but professional people photographers will find the advantages far outweigh the downsides.
3. Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
The Entire Package: Impressive image quality and Overall Performance, Wide Aperture, the Right Focal Lengths, Image Stabilization, Pro-Grade Build
The Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens is my go-to general-purpose zoom lens. This lens is the right choice for a very high percentage of photography needs, from landscapes to portraits and from night skies to weddings, with most needs between covered.
Few want to compromise image quality, and this L-series lens delivers greatness in that regard. Fast and accurate AF? That box is checked. Pro-grade, weather-sealed build quality? Ruggedness is built in. High-performing image stabilzation is there for you when the tripod is not.
4. Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
The Entire Package: Impressive image quality and Overall Performance, Wide Aperture, the Right Focal Lengths, Image Stabilization, Pro-Grade Build, Incredibly Compact
The Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens is my go-to general-purpose telephoto zoom lens. This lens is the right choice for a very high percentage of general telephoto photography needs, with landscapes and portraits being ideally covered.
Few want to compromise image quality, and this L-series lens delivers greatness in that regard. Fast and accurate AF? That box is checked. Pro-grade, weather-sealed build quality? Ruggedness is built in. High-performing image stabilzation is there for you when the tripod is not, and the wide aperture enables stopping motion in low light.
5. Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens
The Entire Package: Impressive image quality and Overall Performance, Wide Aperture, the Right Focal Lengths, Image Stabilization, Pro-Grade Build
The Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens is my go-to general-purpose zoom lens. This lens is the right choice for a very high percentage of photography needs, from landscapes to portraits and from night skies to weddings, with most needs between covered.
Few want to compromise image quality, and this L-series lens delivers greatness in that regard. Fast and accurate AF? That box is checked. Pro-grade, weather-sealed build quality? Ruggedness is built in. High-performing image stabilzation is there for you when the tripod is not.
6. Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM Lens
Incredibly-Wide Aperture, Impressively Sharp Wide-Open, Good General-Purpose Portrait Focal Length, Pro-Grade Lens
This lens is fat, heavy, and, especially for a prime lens, expensive. However, the sharp, background-blurred images this lens produces at f/1.2 will quickly have you overlooking any downsides of this lens. This lens rules low light events.
The RF 85 F1.2 L gets the full L-series pro-grade build quality and performance features.
7. Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM Lens
Insanely Sharp, Ultra-Wide f/1.8 Aperture, Outstanding AF Performance, Impressive Image Stabilization System, Professional Grade
The RF 135mm F1.8 L IS is one of the highest performing lenses ever created.
If you like sharp, this lens has your name on it.
Additionally, the 135mm f/1.8 focal length and aperture combination is super useful, especially for photographing people, including people participating in events. Few lenses can blur the background more diffusely than this one, and making the subject pop from a blur of color is differentiatingly beautiful.
F/1.8 combined with a 5.5-stop image stabilization system (8 stops coordinated with IBIS) is ready to tackle extremely low light scenarios, and weather-sealed, professional-grade build quality is ready for high-volume daily use.
8. Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM Lens
Impressive Image Quality, Extremely Wide Aperture, Useful Portrait Focal Length, L-Series Professional Grade Build
The 50mm focal length is very popular for portraiture, and Canon made this lens a high priority when building out the RF lens series.
While some may find the price of this lens difficult to hurdle, the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM Lens will be a constantly used model for many.
9. Adapt a lens from the Best Canon DSLR Wedding Lens
Huge Selection, Excellent Options
This was not an exhaustive list of the lenses that can be used for wedding photography. Any lens listed in the Canon portrait lens recommendations can work well for weddings. Also, visit the Canon Lens Recommendations page for more recommendations.
