do you use your wedding equipment everything?

[danzel_c]

<p>should wedding equipment be predominantly (say 90%) used for business purposes only, or do you use your wedding equipment for everything including paid, unpaid, personal events, and vacations? just wondering if others have given thought to the wear and tear that gets put on equipment everytime you click the shutter or pop the flash. also, is it worth risking damage to a $1200 lens or a $2500 camera body at a kids birthday party or at disney world? does it make sense to purchase some less expensive equipment for that? wondering what others are doing?</p>

 

[mcmanamey]

<p>Well, if you want the accountant angle of the answer: If you do not use your business equipment 100% for business and ZERO % for any personal reason whatsoever, you can NOT take a 100% deduction on the costs of your equipment on your taxes. You would actually have to figure the % of personal use you put your equipment to, figure your exact usage costs (AND you are actually depreciating, not taking in one big chunk), divide out the % of that cost that is personal use, subtract that from your deduction, THEN get to claim that. Good luck with the math.</p>

<p>Personally: yes, our equipment goes with us everywhere. There isn't a personal set & a business set - that's way way too much $$ to outlay "just" to take vacation pics. I still won't use the p&s on vacation, the results aren't consistent, because the camera isn't smarter than I am. It makes sense to me to use my pro equipment at the bday parties & vacation, because I don't want snap shots. I'm still taking portraits and photos I expect to keep for a long, long time.</p>

[gregory_c]

<p>mm, hard one, I used to NEVER use my wedding cameras for anything, they are/were hasselblads, 120 film is not cheap to develop & print, espically when you are photo-ing a birthday party. But now, I do use my wedding digital camera a lot for other stuff now, but I am very careful with it. Does not go to ball games, boating, sit on the beach in case, etc. Back in the<strong> </strong><em><strong>good</strong> </em>old film days, ( you know, that roll stuff that goes in the back of a camera) I always had a couple of knock-around 35mm's & several lenses to keep the hassy's safe.</p>

[mike_bisom]

<p>What's your back up?! We use a D90 for back up/2nd camera. For professional use we put a decent lens on it. For personal use, we pop the 18-200 on it and couldn't be happier. I have tried various P&S cameras, the latest being a Canon G9, but I have never been happy with them, including the G9. I have been spoiled too much by the DSLR.</p>

[marten_holmes]

<p>I use a P&S for back up - it's great, just keep it in your pocket. No, not really. I alternate between a D700, D200, D70, P&S (bought it for taking skiing) 35mm film and Dianna lomo medium format.<br>

Mostly I use the D700 as I'm after the quality and want it to remain instinctive in my hands but take out the D200 and D70 to keep myself aquaninted with them and also if I feel they may get a little rough handled e.g. night photography in the town centre.</p>

[picturesque]

<p>I tend to use my backup gear for personal use and leave my main wedding gear for weddings/paid work.</p>

[lindsay_dobson]

<p>I have a miniature point and shoot in my handbag. I found that the more I shoot professionally, the less inclined I am to want to get my 'work' kit out.</p>

[brandtdelorenzo]

<p>I have a Nikon D300, D40x, and D50. The D40x and D50 get used for family photos and stuff around the house mainly. The D300 is used for bigger gigs like when I go shoot MMA events or weddings.</p>

[booray]

<p>For personal use I prefer to sketch.</p>

[frolickingbits]

<p>I bought a Canon G10 right before my daughter was born, mostly for my girlfriend to use for snapshots, but I have been using it a lot with a bounced 430EX. The G10 really is a wonderful camera, and I have gotten some great shots with it. I do use my pro gear for personal work, but for the most part I grab the 30D and Tamron 28-75, not the 5D. I also have my Pentax *istD and some old manual focus lenses that I grab when I'm feeling nostalgic. As Maria said, if you are using your equipment for personal use, you will only be able to deduct the commercial use portion of the cost.</p>

[doug_axford1]

<p>The only time I use a cheapie camera is if I'm on a vaction to a place where equipment might get damaged or stolen. Then, it's a disposable from Walmart. Otherwise, with cameras going obsolete after 2 years, use it to the max to get your money's worth. If you're going to drop a lens, it's as likely to be on a paid assignment as anything.</p>

[William Michael]

<p>My professional camera gear is only ever used for Business Purposes. </p>

<p>Sometimes I have to run practice drills with it to keep my hand in, or to give it a test run, I am of the opinion that if not used it and I become somewhat slack - something like not doing Piano Practice.<br>

If I do any gig Pro Bono, then I also use my Professional Rig: not to do so would be diminishing the value of the gift. The value is shown on the "Paid in Full" invoice I supply.</p>

<p>Funny this thread came up: I recently (a few weeks ago) needed a camera to get some shots on a racing yacht my friend wanted for his advertisement for sale . . . I thought about my 20D . . . and I thought about how silly I would be getting a great shot along the gunwale . . . and all the salt water spray. <br>

I bought a 350D with the kit lens on it from a pawn shop for a couple of hundred dollars . . . worked fine and even with a lot of salt spray on it cleaned up OK . . . I guess I will now have to field test that camera extensively, and in various situations, to ensure it is an adequate second digital backup to my Wedding Kit.</p>

<p>It is very important as part of best business protocol, to test all the backup gear to the Wedding Kit, adequately (meaning in various circumstances) and routinely (meaning often, and not at Weddings). It may be that with all the Post Production Editing that seems to take up an inordinate amount of time for many, that testing might be required to be outsourced to a mate, understudy or other family member.<br>

This even applies even if the last resort back up is a P&S which one carries in the car, or handbag. </p>

<p>Not being rigid and disiplined in the use of back up equipment, is unprofessional, and therefore, not in the best interests of one's Business.</p>

<p>WW</p>

[jimstrutz]

<p>I like the way you think WW.</p>

<p>I think I need to practice more at family/recreational events, and in the odd places I sometimes find myself. All for the enhancement of professional skills, of course.</p>

[kevin_swan1]

<p>I use my equipment for both personal and wedding work. I justify it by considering it "training" by keeping myself fresh with my equipment. I use personal events as an opportunity to familiarize myself with new lenses, techniques, etc. before trying them in a high-pressure, paid event.</p>

[l_e]

<p>It is all business. Everytime I pick up my camera I am either being paid, training myself, or adding to stock photos.</p>

[bob_osullivan]

<p>I also use the "backup" gear for personal shots. I used to have P&S stuff but ebayed all that. If I want to see built in flash snapshots, let everyone else at the birthday party take those shots. If I'm shooting, I want something decent.</p>

<p>I basically have 3 levels of gear. </p>

<p>1) the really good stuff, rarely leaves the studio. Only for a pricey special job</p>

<p>2) the pretty darn good stuff, which is what I use mostly for event work or any location shooting</p>

<p>3) the "bought it for a song on ebay" stuff. This is the gear I use both for hazzardouse duty shooting and for personal use. </p>

<p>I include lighting, grip, bodies, lenses and all in these categories.</p>

[ben_mcmillen]

<p>i use my backup gear for personal use. main gear if I feel the need to practice and the risk of damage or theft is low.<br>

sometimes i just finger paint</p>