Anyone use a Blad Xpan to shoot a wedding?

[gmahler5th]

Curious about your decision to shoot Xpan at a wedding. Where do you like to

use it at, and how do you market/sell those images? Can you post some samples

of your Xpan work, or show us your Xpan gallery?

 

The photographers that use (or have used) Xpan in weddings and use in their

marketing stand out like a sore thumb. When used effectively the results from

an asthetic POV are so stunning that I'm considering giving it a try.

 

On the business side, one would pretty much have to accept the fact that the

cost of using Xpan exceeds to return.... Unless, of course, it's used as a

status symbol of the elite photographers, like Leicas are :) And for those of

you who complain about vignetting, you are going to use a vignette in post

anyways, so who cares?

[thidglance]

Sure, I've seen some great wedding work shot on XPan - but it would only be 2 or 3 shots

total for the album etc... It's pretty specialized.

[fotografz]

I used one for a couple of years.

 

What many forget about that camera is that it is dual format. Shoot panos where creatively appropriate, switch to 35mm for the rest.<div></div>

[garry_anderson3]

Often, It's great for those group shots were you have 200+ guests to get into one image. It's also very quiet, just the tool when you're trying hide for grab shots.

 

That said it's usefullness is limited at a wedding other wise it becomes a cliche.

[neilambrose]

<p>I use an XPan from time to time. First off you have to be comfortable framing and

focusing quickly and accurately with a rangefinder. Not a problem at all if you already use

rangefinders, but a bit of a mind shift if you're coming from an autofocus SLR. As you've

already identified the quality is outstanding - the width of the dual frame panoramic

image is greater than width of 120 film - so there's a definite benefit.</p>

 

<p>The weakness for weddings is that the fastest lens is f4, and flash sync is only 1/90th.

This limits some of its applications, although the 90mm lens will produce excellent out of

focus when the subject is at close range. Also, if you shoot slides, you'll need to use the

center filter which will reduce effective exposure by a further 1.5 stops.</p>

 

<p>In real terms, the XPan is probably most suited to working outside in good light at

smaller apertures - and especially so if you need fill flash. For which reason you probably

couldn't shoot a whole wedding with it, but it makes a great specialist camera for certain

shots.</p>

[fotografz]

Hello, anyone home?

 

The X-Pan is NOT just a Panoramic camera. It shoots regular 35mm mode also. It's

basically a rangefinder with Pano ability ... so not a cliche' any more than using a Leica M

would be.

 

BTW, the wide angle lenses are some of the best corrected lenses in the world.

 

Of course f/4 can be an issue in really low light ... but like any rangefinder, focusing isn't

part of the issue since you aren't looking through the lens. If you are not into rangefinders

then this isn't a camera for you.