which camera should I let go for wedding photography?

<p>Guys, I love this forum, and I can always find something interesting from here.<br>

I have been doing wedding photography for a while, but lately I just get more and more confuse about what I should do next. Shooting a wedding always interests me, and I enjoy it very much. But unfortunately, recently I got my back hurt quite badly, and need to go through physical therapy. Part of the reason, based on doctor’s opinion, was the stress from shooting, especially; carrying two FX DSLR and couple lens and intensively shooting 8 hours, definitely exhausted. <br>

My current gears for weddings are: D800 + D700 + 70-200 + 24-70 + 17-35 + a couple prime lens, lighting system are a couple Nikon flash + PW TT5/TT1.<br>

Generally, I carry two bodies with a wide angle lens on one, and a portraits lens on the other, both have flash on top, and sometime with battery grip as well. As you can see, weights are adding on my shoulder and back quickly.<br>

But with the recent back problem, I don't think I could do this anymore; really don’t want to get things worse. And that lead to my thinking of how to reduce weight on shoulders and yet maintain the quality of photos.<br>

I recently got a new camera, Fuji X100s. I read a lot of good feedback about it, and also I am really comfortable of shooting it around, since I use to shoot Leica. So, my plan now is to use X100s with another DSLR with a portrait lens, either 70-200/2.8, or just 85mm, or just 50mm. X100s is just like nothing on shoulder, but gives me a good quality 35mm lens, and I don’t need another DSLR + heavy lens.<br>

But here comes my questions:</p>

<ol>

<li>Which body should I keep? D700 or D800? Pro and Cons?</li>

<li>Is my current plan realistic? My biggest concern is reliability, since sometime just myself be the sole photographer in some weddings.</li>

</ol>

<p>why not consider getting one or more cameras off your back and on your belt. I can't recall the name of the neat widget I saw recently.</p>

<p>I'm pretty sure this is it</p>

<p>http://www.spiderholster.com/spiderpro-systems.html</p>

<p>but there are others, I googled 'DSLR belt clip'</p>

 

<p>A lot of very successful wedding photographers use primes. Some of these also just carries one camera body at a time (backup close by). Some / most of them are also primarily available light shooters.</p>

<p>I would rethink my strategy. Sell the D800/D700 with grips and buy two D600/D610. Same image quality, less weight. Double memory cards as well. Sell the monster zooms and buy small primes if you don't already have them. The 28 G 1.8 and 85 G 1.8 are a lot less weight and better image quality compared to zooms. Perhaps add a small 20mm for wide shots, like the pancake-like voigtlander. Stick to available light whenever possible and just use flash when absolutely needed. Try shooting with one body and the other lens on you - perhaps on a belt instead of a bag. Use a roller bag for things you want to have close by.</p>

<p>Just some ideas but basically I think you need to change how you shoot weddings and with what gear, just as you were thinking. But using the Nikon system you already are invested in. I understand that the X100s is a very good camera but it can't compete with with full frame cameras in low light. And it's a one trick pony as you can't change lenses.</p>

<p>If you have large pockets I'd say get two Nikon Df instead of D600/610. That kind of serious high ISO capability with little weight and primes would be a killer combo for the available light shooter.</p>

<p>Hope you get better and good luck!</p>

<p>I have a similar situation. A chronic herniated disc in my lower back, and a total knee replacement done this year.</p>

<p>Due to the extremely bad knee that was an on-going issue for years, I started dealing with gear weigh some time ago.</p>

<p>I recommend a Think Tank Airport roller bag ... it is small but takes a good deal of gear. It comes with a built in cable to secure it in case you have to be out of immediate eye contact for short times. I still try to avoid packing it to fully, because at some point you have to lift it in and out of a vehicle. </p>

<p>I no longer carry more than one camera at a time ... but keep the roller relatively close so I can grab a back-up if necessary. I use a RRS lens bag to carry more than one lenses and/or a flash when working mobile like outdoor location work ... and sit it down nearby while working.</p>

<p>I sold my back busting 70-200/2.8 ... and frankly don't miss it. With the resolution of today's camera's, a 100 to 135mm is usually more than enough and is at least 1/2 the cost. If you feel reluctant to off your 70-200, consider using a good mono-pod ... I equipped mine with a Really Right Stuff mono-pod head to allow shifting from landscape to portrait orientation in a nano-second.</p>

<p>My latest weight reduction move is to pre-order an interchangeable AF lens Sony A7R which is smaller than a Leica M ... I've nick-named it "Mighty Mouse" because it uses a FF 36 meg sensor in a camera that fits in the palm of your hand. I think this game changing camera will place pressure on Canon and Nikon to reduce the size of their cameras in the near future. Probably for Photokina next year.</p>

<p>If I were to keep one of the cameras you currently use, it'd be the D800 ... then get rid of all the monster glass that is the real back torturing weight hanging out front. The 36 meg FF sensor allows huge crops to help make-up for the lost reach of a heavy telephoto. In all honesty, one could use a 2 or 3 lens kit with a D800 and cover everything needed at a wedding. A 35 and 85 ... plus a 24mm if necessary. Or a 28, 50, and 100mm ... all smaller lenses than lugging around the big expensive zooms.</p>

<p>It used to be <em>"zoom with your feet"</em> when using prime lenses, but today it could be said it is <em>"zoom with your crop tool".</em><br>

<em> </em><br>

<em>- Marc</em></p>

<p> </p>

<p>Keep the 24-70 and get something like a 105/2.5. Lose the other lenses or keep them somewhere you don't have to carry them around. Two flashes and something like a lightsphere or other light modifier. I've been hauling heavy bags around for decades and still do but for weddings I carry only what I use and leave the rest in the trunk. You aren't likely to save much weight by changing bodies. Alternatively, get rid of all of it and replace it with a pair of 7100's, a 17-55/2.8 and an 85. You'll only save maybe 2 pounds though.</p>

<p>Rick H.</p>

I've had operations on the lower back, both feet, called a plantar facia release. (tendons) They cut the

tendons, and an elbow surgery. I only carry 1 camera and the 24-105 zoom as the main setup. I use and

switch on the fly to other lenses as needed. I have several primes, but I usually stick to the zooms. The 8 to

15 fish eye, the 16 to 35 and the 70-200 using sticks to keep the weight down. I keep the extra gear in a

rolling case. Same with the lights, a rolling case.

<p>I'm no wedding pro, and have very little experience with shooting weddings, but I see one big flaw in your plan: the X100S is not a full blown backup to the D800 (or D700, but I'd keep the D800 if I had both). If your D800 causes problems halfway through a job, you're left without a replacement for that 70-200 range. Zoom with your feet - nice concept, but there are perspective differences between a 35mm and a 105mm which your feet really cannot solve.<br>

So, as some suggested, if weight is the issue, I'd look to lighten the Nikon load you have, but stick with 2 Nikon bodies. Selling D700 and D800 - you'll loose money over it, and quite some. I wouldn't. But the 24-70 and 70-200 are both really quite heavy. Moving to a balanced set of primes could do the trick, but first you'd need to rationalise a lot which focal lengths you really need, and which camera takes which lens (the D800 images can be cropped a lot, the D700 a whole lot less), etc. Study EXIF data of your best work to get an idea what might work - it's (in my view) hard to tell others which primes work for them.</p>

<p>Thank you all for all these useful comments.<br>

As to the prime lens, I have 50/1.8, 85/1.4 and 90/2.8 Macro, and also 8mm fish eye, 90 macro for rings and details, and 8mm fish eyes for venue and mostly I like 50 and 85. Use to own 35mm/f2, but the quality is not quite there for me, and don’t want another heavy 35/1.4, so that is one of the reasons I turn to x100s. Just like many of you suggest, I use more and more prime lens, mostly 50g, and thinking about downsize the 85/1.4D to 85/1.8g due to the weight and faster focus.<br>

I do have a roller case, lowepro x300, that fit in these gears, but one problem is that it is not very practical to move it all the time around the venue, and if need to switch lens very often, something might disappoint the clients, but maybe reducing staff and have small roller case might work.<br>

As to the backup body, yes, I still debate with myself whether should keep one more FX body in the back as backup. Or maybe downplay to have another cheap light DX body?</p>

<p>Eric, I for one wished that Nikon would make a current 35mm f2 but they don't. But the Nikon's 28mm f1.8 seems very good (and light) so you should check that out.</p>

<p>I also use a Think Tank Airport roller case and I had a look at Lowepro when I got the Think Tank. If I'm not mistaken the X300 is one of the largest ones. I chose the Airport Airstream which is much smaller. If you carry your camera with your most used lens and have a small pouch or small shoulder bag with your second most used lens then you can put the backup camera body, flash and any additional lenses or gear in the roller bag.</p>

 

<p>I'd suggest keeping D800/24-70/Flash as primary gear and a wide angle p&s.<br>

I recommend a Nikon Coolpix A because it can CLS control your flash on your D800. I just can't shoot without a flash.</p>

 

<p>"<em>I recommend a Nikon Coolpix A because it can CLS control your flash on your D800." - </em> </p>

<p>something wrong here...please explain better.</p>

<p>The Coolpix A has CLS features, but it cannot control a flash that sits on D800 hot shoe when the D800 is powered. What would be the purpose of such a control ?</p>

<p> </p>

<blockquote>

<p>The Coolpix A has CLS features, but it cannot control a flash that sits on D800 hot shoe when the D800 is powered. What would be the purpose of such a control ?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Nothing special, just cut the weight by sharing one flash between two cameras, and avoid pulling the flash from one camera and attaching it to another when switching cameras.<br>

I used to do that with my NEX and DSLR/flash. Whenever I need to shoot from some weird angles, I just take the NEX in one hand and grab a shot, with the other hand holding the flash (still on top of DSLR) to do the lighting.<br>

In my case, it doesn't matter whether the DLSR is on or off, and it's a simple optical trigger instead of CLS.</p>

<p>Eric, if you have physical problems then anything resembling a full frame DSLR, or even APS-C is going to be heavy, whichever way you do it. The problem is not necessarily the camera bodies, but the size and weight of the lenses. I have a number of health problems and a couple of years ago it became very clear that carrying my usual DSLR kit wouldn't be possible, at least not regularly. I now use the Olympus OMD system (EM5 and EM1) and the stunning array of Micro 4/3 fast primes and pro-level zooms. It's not just about image quality (which is easily on par with the better crop sensor DSLRs) but performance and speed, and this is where Micro 4/3 excels over other compact systems. I have set out my reasoning in this fairly frank article: <a href="http://lindsaydobsonphotography.com/blog/micro-four-thirds-vs-full-frame/">http://lindsaydobsonphotography.com/blog/micro-four-thirds-vs-full-frame/</a></p>

<p> </p>

<p>How about an assistant?</p>