I Think I've Just About Got My Gear Right!

Sorry, I know repost. Don't know how to delete original post. Otherwise I would. Was not

getting as good response because I forgot to tell it what category to post in. So here goes

again:<br><br>

 

Alright after much research and questioning all of you I have come up with a list of

equipment I feel will be sufficient for me for my first few weddings. Some of it I have.

Some of it I don't have yet; the 3 lenses I have selected being something I don't have yet.

Good news too! I picked up 2 more weddings! That's 6 now! So here's the

list:<br><br><br>

 

 

<b>Cameras</b><br>

Canon 20D<br>

Canon Rebel 300D<br>

Canon Rebel 2000<br><br><br>

 

 

<b>Lenses</b><br>

Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM<br>

Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L USM<br>

Canon 85mm f/1.8 USM<br><br><br>

 

 

<b>Media</b><br>

1 GB Sandisk CF<br>

2 GB Sandisk Ultra II CF<br>

(2) 4 GB Sandisk Ultra II CF<br><br><br>

 

 

<b>Batteries (accessories)</b><br>

5 BP-511A Batteries<br>

Canon BG-E2 Battery Grip<br>

50 AA's<br><br><br>

 

 

<b>Tripod</b><br>

Bogen/Manfrotto 3011BN w/ 3047 3-way tilt pan head<br><br><br>

 

 

<b>Flashes (accessories)</b><br>

Canon 550EX<br>

Canon 430EX<br>

Stroboframe Pro-T Flash Bracket<br>

Stroboframe Flash Mount Adapter<br>

LumiQuest Big Bounce<br>

Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce<br>

(2) Canon Off-camera shoe cord 2<br><br><br>

 

So, any suggestions? Do you think the lens selections will work; is a longer telephoto

neccessary? What about quick release plates for flash bracket? Also real big question I

would like answered is: What kind of bag do you reccommend for carrying all this stuff? As

always thanks for helping me out!

Personally, I'd get a 70-200 f2.8L IS for the longer end. I'd also get some backups if possible

for lenses. I'm not sure if you already have suitable backups like kit lenses or primes though.

the 50mm 1.4 or 1.8 is also a good lens to own. It's cheap and sharp.

 

I'd also get a Canon CP-E3 battery pack and fill it with MAHA 2500 NiMH rechargeables

instead of carrying around 50 AA's. It'll pay for itself in a short time, the batteries are lighter

than alkalines and they hold a better charge. I can do a whole wedding on one charge of the

8 AA NiMH's in the CP-E3 and the 4 AA NiMH's in each flash. That's a total of 16 batts with

another 12-16 AA NiMH's as backup.

You need a faster lens on the wide end. Think Canon 35mm F1.4L or Canon 50mm F1.4

 

F2.8 is often too slow for available light.

 

I would sell both rebels and get a 2nd 20D...a true back up body. Don't just use the back up body if the primary fails....use them both during the shoot...less lens changing, and also, you can spread your shots across two cards. Great you have a tripod, but I also found a monopod useful too.

If you don't get the CP-E3 mentioned above, at least get NiMH AA's for the flashes. They will recycle the flashes considerably faster than alkaline AA's and last far longer too.

 

I also think you need a longer lens. The Canon 85mm f/1.8 is a great little lens, but a 135mm or even 200mm would be more useful to me. At the very least, get Canon's 100mm f/2 instead of the 85mm. The little bit of extra reach will be needed, and well worth the few extra bucks needed.

 

I opted for a Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 for my normal zoom. I think it's a more practical focal length on a 20D, especially for indoor weddings. Canon has announced that they will soon ship a similar focal length with Image Stabilization. That would be great for weddings.

It sounds like you have spent a fortune on gear, now you should concentrate on learning how to use it.

You might look at getting some studio lighting, monolights or a pack and head system for formals, portraits and shots that actually need real lighting. Some clients might want more than an all candid/PJ job with on-camera or bracket flash.

 

And while you're at it get a hand held ambient and flash meter, and learn how to use it. If you can afford an ambient/flash meter with a 1 degree spot capability that would be a good choice for distant work from the back of the church, etc.

Looks to me like you're loaded for bear. You might want to add a small box with, safety pins, sewing kit, straight pins, aspirin, penlight, & pocket knife.

You know what? Just forget it! I thought I could get some encouragement on this site and

some serious input. I know there's some of you that do but some of you are just flat out

jerks and I really don't understand how any client would ever choose some of you to shoot

their wedding.

Tim, you are getting some great advice here. Don't poo poo it, try what these guys are suggesting. No one is trying to be a jerk that I can see. I would also give you similar advice, but it is a very personal choice. You do have enough gear provided all goes reasonably well. For a bag, I like the rolling backpack type. Lowepro do some great gear and then there's Hakuba and some others. Try this link:

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=FetchChildren&Q=&ci=4363

Tim you have an excellent set of gear to startwith. Just grow a thicker skin. I think you need a longer lens -- the 70-200 2.8L is excellent and I've scored wonderful results with it (I don't subscribe to the need for I.S.)<div></div>

Another example, this is with a 10D:<div></div>

Tim, What are you reacting to?

Alright thanks David and Ken. I appreciate it. Guess I just need to stay focused on what I

want to do; which I am trying really hard to do.

 

David W.: I've been looking at those roller bags. Do you think a Lowepro Pro Roller 1

would suffice for all my equipment? How about a suggestion for a smaller bag to keep on

me when I'm actually shooting for lens(es), memory cards, batteries etc? I've looked at a

few shoulder bags but not sure what to get. I'll be going to the local camera shop here

tomorrow to check them out but just want to get your advice. Thanks.

 

Ken: Yeah I've previously owned the 70-200 f/2.8L and found that it was an amazing lens.

I've had a lot of people suggest it. I've also had a lot of people say I won't use that amount

of zoom at a wedding. But the 70-200 f/2.8L seems to be most people's suggestions

when it comes to my lens situation. I have a friend of mine who has shoot many weddings

that I will be visiting with in a few weeks. He has a 70-200 f/2.8L IS lens and I might be

able to bum it off him for the first 2 just to see if I need it that much. Figure that'd be

better than putting another $1200 down for another lens. :)

 

Thanks! Anymore help?

David S: I apologize. I think I just may have misunderstood you. I read your post just after

Steve Levine's and I think my frustration just carried onto your post. He hasn't been very

encouraging in the way he's responded in my past posts. I know it does me good though to

hear that kind of stuff. But anyway I read his post and then went to yours and didn't

understand it and took it as negative. If it's not negative I apologize.

 

I thought you were mocking me for having too much gear or something in your reply. I didn't

understand what you meant by "looks to me like you're loaded for bear"....What did you mean

by that?

Tim, ya' big goof :-)

 

I wasn't being negative at all. In fact I just gave you a huge tip on being a good wedding photographer. Your post asked about everything up to and including the bag. You had pretty much everything covered to be a photographer...what I added will make you the bride's "hero".

Haha! Soooooooo sorry David S! Alright thank you very much for the input! I'll see what I

can gather up here.

You got it all. Quick releases are good idea. You don't need a 70-200 unless you got the

extra money. You can start to make some money with what you got then you can get a

longer lense. i would not get a back pack bag as it is not easy to work with. I like to work out

of my bag either on my shoulder or quickly on the ground and you just cant do that with a

back pack. If you are going hiking in the mountains then ok. Tenba and Domke make

exellent bags. I also would not get a suit case roller bag. I use mine for my medium format

and it is slow like the backpack.

Yeah that's what I was thinking. Thanks for your input. I will check out the Tenba and

Domke bags you are talking about. Thanks again!

By the way I'm actually picking up the 100mm f/2 instead of the 85mm /f1.8.

Tim, I think you're getting some flippant answers because you've asked this question a number of times. I, and several others already answered your previous posts. The more you ask the question, the more different answers you're going to get, especially about lenses, which is a pretty personal decision.

 

I think you can go out and shoot weddings with what you have on your list--85mm or 100mm--whatever. Then, add as you get to know yourself and your shooting needs.

 

Quick releases are nice for the flash bracket but I personally don't use them. I don't have much trouble putting the camera on the bracket at the start of the job, and I actually don't have much trouble with the camera twisting on the bracket. I use the standard cork padding and it works OK for me. Quick releases between the bracket and the tripod are another thing. They help (me, at least) immensely, especially when you need to get off the tripod real fast right before the kiss at the end of the ceremony. I tried a lot of things and ended up with the Really Right Stuff system. Again, this is something you're going to have to research for yourself and isn't a necessary piece right now.

 

I posted on bags last time, but since you seem to want specifics, here goes. I use a medium shoulder bag (besides a hard case). I actually use a Lowepro small journalist bag (doesn't have a lot of stiff padding) to which I've added 3 lens cases, 2 wide cases for lenses and one skinny one for my flash. It makes the bag skinny, shallow and long, which is fine for me. I don't like bags that have double layers because I like to be able to get at my gear quickly. You do, however, have to be sure it is deep enough so you can fit your longest telephoto in it (or carry the telephoto on your belt, the rest in the bag). You have to think about what gear you're going to put in the bag and how it is all going to work in the field. The 24-70mm zoom is a big lens, with a big hood. I keep rigid hoods on my lenses at all times so my bag has got to accommodate the widths. The biggest pocket in my bag is for my 16-35mm zoom with hood on. When traveling, my Lightsphere sits over it. If you use primes a lot, you have to have a bag that you can work out of quickly. I use back lens caps but take them off at the beginning of a job and don't put them on in between--no front caps at all. I don't carry back-ups in the bag--only what I use a lot. If you're going to shop in person for a bag, take all the gear you intend to put in it and try them all out.

I use the Lowepro belt system for the lenses/pouches etc. That works well for most things and you can customize it to suit your needs/lenses.

 

The kit that David S. recommended is about what I carry to. Safety pins by the 100's :-)

I agree (as usual) with Nadine about the flash bracket quick release plates. I have some but have never found them very important, because it isn't something that I ever needed to be changed quickly.

 

Before there were modern brackets and before flashes swiveled upward, it was important to have a quick release of the type that would allow you to take the handle-mount flash off its small bracket close to the camera and hold it away or aim it up for bounce, but that's a different thing.

David Schilling forgot to mention chewing gum. Mint flavor. Cinnomin is fine too. Keeps your breath fresh. ;-)

Ken P...I loved that 2nd picture...the one taken with the 10D...very nice!

That's a lot of stuff to carry in a shoulder bag. I suggest a roller bag for all of it, and a

smaller shoulder bag to carry select lenses/2nd flash when shooting. Most of the time you

can predict an assortment of gear needed and carry just that.

 

Why the 3rd camera.? Are you shooting B&W film or something?

 

I use a Quick Release for tripod mounting, and have or will be moving to all Arca Swiss

because their Ball Head is the best I've ever used to date. I've also heard good things about

Right Stuff.

 

I no longer use a flip bracket, but when I did I used a Stroboframe QR on the Pro-T bracket

with a anti twist plate on the camera. They don't make those anti-twist plates for no

reason ... I experienced the sticky stuff on the cork literally liquifying in the summer and

the plate sliding all over the place.

 

In your case I'd get the 100/2 per your intentions, but if you could manage it consider the

135/2 because the 100 is still relatively close to the 70 end of the 24-70. A 135 will be

very useful when stuck at the back of a church, and also useful for "toast" shots at the

reception, or picking out people in a crowed room ... like this ...<div></div>