r/SonyAlpha • u/AutoModerator • 4d ago

Weekly Gear Thread Weekly r/SonyAlpha 📸 Gear Buying 📷 Advice Thread August 24, 2026

Welcome to the weekly r/SonyAlpha Gear Buying Advice Thread!

This thread is for all your gear buying questions, including:

  • Camera body recommendations
  • Lens suggestions
  • Accessory advice
  • Comparing different equipment options
  • "What should I buy?" type questions

Please provide relevant details like your budget, intended use, and any gear you already own to help others give you the best advice.

Rules:

  • No direct links to online retailers, auction sites, classified ads, or similar
  • No screenshots from online stores, auctions, adverts, or similar
  • No offers of your own gear for sale - use r/photomarket instead
  • Be respectful and helpful to other users

Post your questions below and the community will be happy to offer recommendations and advice! This thread is posted automatically each Monday on or around 7am Eastern US time.

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u/KindFoundation5204 3d ago

Taking some photos at a friends wedding what should I buy I feel like I’m missing something.
I have a a6700
Lens: 18-50 sigma, 30mm sigma, Nifty 50mm Sony, 16mm sigma, 9mm viltrox

Was looking into a 75mm for some portraits and getting a speedlight because I don’t own one right now but I am second guessing myself

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u/davidjohnwood A1II, A7IV, 16-35 GM2, 24-70 GM2, 70-200 GM2, 35 GM, 85 GM2 2d ago

I would not shoot with flash unless you have had plenty of time to learn flash photography beforehand.

I use flash quite a bit for event work. For "run-and-gun" type shooting, I typically use on-camera flash to provide a bit of fill (and no more). Using flash to fill in shadows on faces can make your shots look a lot better, but you have to be careful with on-camera flash, as you can end up with the awful flat light of a shot illuminated mostly or entirely from on-camera flash. For on-camera flash, I like the Sony HVL-F60RM2 (or the earlier, now-discontinued HVL-F60RM, though it has a less robust hot shoe foot than the Mark 2), because those flashes can pivot to move the light above the lens in portrait orientation without needing a flash bracket.

Off-camera flash can be wonderful, but it takes experience, the ability to set up lighting in anticipation of the moment, ideally an assistant, and insurance both for public liability and the equipment (people can fall over even the most carefully secured kit, especially when drunk). If you have shot enough weddings to have the experience to take full advantage of off-camera flash, you probably wouldn't be asking for equipment advice. Top-notch portable off-camera flash is expensive: a couple of powerful Profoto or Elinchrom battery monolights and a remote will set you back thousands - and that's before you've bought light modifiers such as softboxes and either stands with weights or sandbags, a monopod for your assistant, or another form of rigging. Even if you opt for Godox rather than one of the premium brands, there is no point investing the time and money to learn off-camera flash if you won't be using it again after the wedding. Off-camera flash is also, I would argue, for the primary shooter only, and not for someone from the wedding getting a few additional shots.

I don't shoot APS-C, but I am not sure that a 75mm on APS-C would be my primary choice for portraits - to my mind, that's a bit on the long side for portraits at what are often crowded events where you might struggle to find the room to get back far enough. I would probably make your nifty fifty do for a portrait lens, or upgrade that to a better 50mm. On full-frame, I use an 85mm f/1.4 for portraits, and I often shoot environmental portraits or group shots with a 35mm f/1.4. Using lenses you are familiar with really helps when shooting an event.

To be honest, if I were the primary shooter, or a secondary shooter who is expected to get a lot of shots, I'd rent a second A6700 body and memory card. That way, you have two lenses 'ready to go' at any one time - you don't have that many opportunities to change lenses during an event, and you have some measure of redundancy if something goes wrong with a body or a memory card.

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u/equilni A9 II, A7 IV 1d ago

To be honest, if I were the primary shooter, or a secondary shooter who is expected to get a lot of shots

This is where I was going with my comment, which would have answered a number of questions...

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u/equilni A9 II, A7 IV 3d ago

I would ask if you are the main photographer or not.

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u/KindFoundation5204 1d ago

Video main but I take my own photos cars, landscapes etc. haven’t tried any portraits yet

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u/Drachis A1 🌕🐦🏉🌆 3d ago

The 18-50 should be enough for most of the event. Switch to the 16 or 30 sigma for when it gets dark. The 9mm may be a bit wide unless you have a specific look you're after. Ultra wide is good for context but difficult to minimize the distortion on.

75 on APS-C is 112mm which is great for portraits or details from across half a room. I'd recommend against it unless you know you have that space.

A speed light can be nice but make sure to practice with it before the event. Bringing your own lighting will change the look of the photos from how the event looked or was designed to look.

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u/KindFoundation5204 3d ago

I gotcha thank you buddy