Good Egg Productions wrote:
you'll hear two things over and over.

the 24-70 and the 70-200.

That's a wedding shoot in a bag.

Yep, I was going to make the same suggestion.  That's what's in my bag, along with a battery grip.

RKD Photography wrote:
What are you shooting and where?

Nikon D700 with MB-D10 grip

AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 IF-ED
AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8 IF-ED
AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 IF-D
AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED
AF-S VR-S Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED
AF Zoom Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED VR

Nikon SB-900
Nikon SB-800 x 3
SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander

WOW! The above is definitely a helluva recommendation - and if u carry all -
u need a trolley bag! But a fantastic selection of what a wedding photographer should have.
Only thing left out - second camera body.

For wedding photography - best recommendation is always gauging on the conditions you
are in and the style of photography you are doing.

Style of photography - if you want to be "IN" the action and make the viewer of the images feel they are 'part' of it... use wides (I personally love Fixed Focal Length - 18mm or 20mm).
If you wanna give an impression that is someone just "LOOKING-IN", then use longer focal lengths from 85mm to 200mm.

Conditions - do you have alot of space to work or limited.
At banquets, with all the tables n people, its tough to work with long lenses - you can only do that when things slow down.. and u wanna capture some candid 'intimate' moments of the couple.

Choice between Zooms and fixed focal length lenses.
Through experience - you would know what effect (wide depth of field to shallow depth of field) your lenses should give you. I avoid zooms cos they can be a 'bitch' when you have to work real fast and you waste your time readjusting your 'perspective'.

At the end, it comes down to experience, preference and professionalism.

Never do a wedding shoot without a second set of equipment that can compliment your main.
You never know when anything can 'give up' on you. And weddings - a "once in a lifetime" thingy.

Hope the above helps - my 2 cents.

ps: If anyone tells you that with the wonderful fast ISO nowadays cameras can be shooting - and you dont need fast lenses, they dont know the technical issues of lenses yet. Digital needs more light hitting the sensor (and all the technical crap that goes into it). Shooting digital - you MUST have fast lenses.

MarcP-Photog wrote:
I just added the 70-200 2.8 VR AFS - There is a new model due out soon which is more money and reported to be sharper, but the one I have is awesome. I have no idea what I did before I owned that lens. It is awesome for the type of shooting you do. The other I keep on my camera a lot is the 24-70 2.8 AFS It is versatile for the mid to close range work. Neither is cheap but they rock!

+1 I totally agree on the 70-200 2.8 VR it is super sharp. I don't think that I will get the new one. I love this lens to death. I cannot find the 24-70 most of the time, but it is on my list when it's in stock.

SH Photography wrote:
Just bought a D700 and have 2 lens 85mm 1.8 and 50mm 1.8.

All other lens I own are DX format.

For wedding and portraits wondering if anyone can advise what are best lens options to fully exploit D700.

If you like the 50mm go for the New Nikkor 50mm F1.4G ED just came out, it's a sharper lens than both the above. And the test for it is on www.photozone.de
click on Full frame Nikkor.
Or get the New 70-200mm F2.8G VR II which will be out in Nov this year,  better for wedding!

Make sure you get the new lenses not the old 70-200mm F2.8G VR, this one is design for D300 crop sensor camera!

If you got 2 to 3 D700 bodies then I will go for prime, otherwise get a zoom. You won't have time to keep changing lenses during a wedding.

The 24-70mm F2.8G is also good for wedding.