Learn everything you need to know about wedding videography and the proper approach – from styles, lighting, choosing cameras and lenses to how to capture every special moment of a wedding.
Camera Lens & Wedding Videography
Every wedding has special moments full of emotion, joyful laughter, and whispered promises from the heart. Capturing these for a videographer is a true challenge. They should have the right equipment, especially the camera body and lens, at the right moment and place, because these moments happen only once.
Most of us do not know how to make professional blockbuster films, but we know exactly what kind of films we like and which we do not. Whether you hire a videographer or are one yourself, defining your desired style is extremely important. This decision should be personal and fit your character and the theme of your wedding day.
The chosen style mainly determines which camera lens you need for this event. Some of the most common styles and the suitable lenses are explained below:
1. Documentary Events:
First, you should get a sense of the space and decide how things will unfold there. You can choose between different themes, most often documentary films. In this style, the videographer does not film anything planned; everything happens as naturally as at an event.
You select the lens so that you capture spontaneous, genuine shots with real-time moments and the final footage shows as little disturbance as possible. For close-ups, an 85mm lens is suitable; for wide-angle and group photos, a 24mm or 28mm wide-angle lens; and for all other shots requiring natural storytelling, a 35mm lens (f/1.8 or f/2 aperture) is suitable.
2. Cinematic Style
Most people prefer the documentary style, but as the content industry increasingly follows TikTok, wedding videography also tends toward a cinematic style with additional effects and transitions. Such a style requires camera lenses that capture dramatic slow-motion images and can add creative movement and framing to the raw footage.
For this cinematic style, we recommend the SIRUI AURORA Series 85mm F1.4 Full-Frame Autofocus Lens with its 85mm focal length. It delivers exceptional bokeh that draws attention to subjects and isolates objects even in low light.
The lens works with the STM motor focus system, which is extremely quiet and crucial for noiseless real-time video recording. At weddings in dark chapels or reception halls, the f/1.4 lens also allows photos and videos without loss of sharpness in low light.
You can also expand your kit with 35mm and 50mm focal lengths to enable versatile storytelling where no object isolation is needed. Combine all focal lengths during shooting to create a unique, creative mix for cinematic storytelling.
3. Storytelling Style:
This wedding style requires videographers to assemble a video that captures far more than just the wedding and tells the background story of the day. Interviews with important wedding participants are even conducted before the event, which videographers can record in advance.
The task of a videographer is to capture moments before and during the wedding – such as the marriage vow, the kiss at the main event, the bride and groom’s dance, as well as interviews with other people (previously recorded) – and create a complete story from these. Such a style requires combining a 50mm camera lens for interviews, a 35mm lens (likely with f/1.8) for B-roll shots of wedding events, and an additional 85mm lens for object-isolated shots.
4. Traditional Style
Another form of wedding videography is the traditional style. Here, artistic shots or cinematic scenes are the focus. This style is event-oriented and linear, and the simple video recordings are made with practical focus rather than artistic ambition.
You can use a 50mm standard prime lens for balanced image composition and a 35mm lens for tight spaces. Additionally, you can use a 70–200mm zoom lens with an f/2.8 aperture, which is recommended for shots of seated ceremonies and other important moments from a distance.
Summary:
Both experienced professionals and aspiring videographers must define their wedding style, and the choice of suitable camera lenses has a significant impact on the results. Among all these camera lenses, the SIRUI AURORA Series 85mm F1.4 Full-Frame Autofocus Lens is the most popular for wedding videography due to its top-class object isolation, creamy bokeh, and excellent performance in low light conditions.
