Best gear for wedding photog?

[gavingoh]

Originally Posted by dannyrich

One of the guys at camera club is a pro photographer, weddings etc.

He shot the while wedding with a 50mm f/1.8!

The results were great but its some confidence!

wow...... thanks on the info...... Indeed work of a pro...

[WooD]

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

Best gear for a wedding
16-35mm f2.8
28-70mm f2.8
70-200mm f2.8

Now, why in the hell would anybody want to take on a wedding with the slower 18-55 and 70-300mm lenses as they are slower than molasses and you're screwed if you can't use flash.

Now if you shoot with one lens...a 50mm f1.8, all your shots will have that same look to to every picture. What sets a pro from everybody else apart is the quality lenses in the bag and the knowledge of shooting a wedding.

Most true.

Another main thing I'd get is a deposit. March 2010 is a long ways off. They might split up by then, but you'll not get left with nothing.

[Chad Z.]

I have a page on my photo blog where I list all my gear if you want to take a look.
Each piece has a link to where I bought it and why I bought it and I have a FAQ at the bottom for beginning wedding photographrs.

I am a professional wedding photographer and with all the gear I have listed I can pretty much shoot any weddings in any light with no problem. It's a very good setup.

Hope this helps and good luck =)

two pair photo blog » About

[Chip]

Originally Posted by julesjan

Yes, I have been a little disappointed with the noise levels starting at around ISO 400 in the D90. Sometimes you can get away with not running any noise reduction software on the images, but it just depends. At ISO 800 it's pretty noticeable. I really was hoping for better quality in the D90 since it was the latest mid-range DLSR from Nikon and is pretty much brand new.

Curious. I have a D90, and I routinely go to ISO 1600 with no noticeable noise. And if the subject matter isn't too black and I don't underexpose, I can go to ISO 3200 with very little noise. Maybe I'm just missing something?

[JavierT]

Originally Posted by Chip

Curious. I have a D90, and I routinely go to ISO 1600 with no noticeable noise. And if the subject matter isn't too black and I don't underexpose, I can go to ISO 3200 with very little noise. Maybe I'm just missing something?

I agree.

Sometimes you have to consider go to a higher ISO value and overexpose the shot. With this technique you can get better pictures and lower noisy results. It Is highly recomended to shoot 1 stop overexposed at 1600 ISO than a little bit underexposed at 800 ISO

[BriscoPhoto]

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

Best gear for a wedding
16-35mm f2.8
28-70mm f2.8
70-200mm f2.8

Now, why in the hell would anybody want to take on a wedding with the slower 18-55 and 70-300mm lenses as they are slower than molasses and you're screwed if you can't use flash.

Now if you shoot with one lens...a 50mm f1.8, all your shots will have that same look to to every picture. What sets a pro from everybody else apart is the quality lenses in the bag and the knowledge of shooting a wedding.

Agree here ... but I think some of this may come down to the knowledge of camera equipment by the couple getting married too. I don't know if they'll be able to notice or care if the pictures have "that same look" to each of them. Photogs would notice it but friends of mine who just got married certainly wouldn't.

Other than that, a lens to handle the low light, a flash, and maybe even a warm diffuser for the gray days would be absolutely necessary.

[Shinka]

As someone who just did his first (and possibly last, I'm not a pro) wedding last weekend, I'll give my input. First if you can get a full-frame camera with good noise control, that's awesome. If not, at least a semi-pro APS-C body like a D300 or A700.
In my opinion, 2 bodies is a must. I was using a Tamron 17-50/2.8 and an 85/1.4 as my primary lenses, one on each body. When there's just one of you and you see something going on across the room, dropping one body and picking up the other with the longer zoom can get you the shot.
You definitely need fast lenses, at least f/2.8, depending on the lighting conditions in the venue.
A decent flash with a rotating head and fast recycle times is also a must, though more for dressing room or reception pics than the ceremony. Learning to quickly turn the camera on the side and rotating the flash head at the same time to get a ceiling bounce is a good skill to have.
Hope that helps.

[RexK_Cozumel]

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

Best gear for a wedding
16-35mm f2.8
28-70mm f2.8
70-200mm f2.8

Now, why in the hell would anybody want to take on a wedding with the slower 18-55 and 70-300mm lenses as they are slower than molasses and you're screwed if you can't use flash.

Now if you shoot with one lens...a 50mm f1.8, all your shots will have that same look to to every picture. What sets a pro from everybody else apart is the quality lenses in the bag and the knowledge of shooting a wedding.

+1

Almost the setup I am using except I have the 14-24 f2.8 24-70 f2.8 and 70-200 f2.8

[jacX]

I begun shooting weddings with:
D80 – not bad for start but D300 would be much better (but have small problem with red color), not to mention full frame.
Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 – much sharper than 1.8. Gives very sharp picture starting from 2.0. I rather don’t go above f/2.8.
Sigma 20mm f/1.8 – good value for money
I try to not shoot above ISO 1000.

When ambient light is not enough I use an old lamp sb-28 in manual mode (the only mode available with digital SLR for this lamp) but with light never directed into people.

[Stampeder]

Ken, can you clarify what do you mean by soft? Is it soft focus? and why is 1.4 & 1.2 are softer? Thanks!