Next Purchase - Equipment/Weddings

[wesleyfarnsworth]

<p>Ok so I just got booked for another wedding that makes 2 this year. I'm new to wedding photography and both clients fully understand that. It's even in the contract. So I'm wondering what should be my next peice of equipment to buy. My kit currently consists of a</p>

<ul>

<li>Nikon D80 body</li>

<li>18-135 1:3.5-5.6G ED lens</li>

<li>55-200 1:4-5.6 ED lens</li>

<li>UV filter</li>

<li>Circular Polarizing Filter</li>

</ul>

<p>Both filters only fit my 18-135 lens. My budget for spending is about $600-$700 for right now. I'm already planning on purchasing a SB-600 flash unit. So that would bring me down to about $400-$500 for another lens. Both weddings will be outdoors with a reception indoors. Any ideas/input?<br>

[jimstrutz]

<p>You do need a flash, and you need backup gear, and $700 is not enough to do that. If it was me I would buy the flash, and either borrow or rent a second body, lens and flash. Shooting a wedding for money without backup gear is negligence.</p>

<p>The D80, 18-135, are not the best wedding gear for a low light reception, but they can get the job done. The truth is you need about $5000 more to spend to get what you need for shooting weddings, but since you don't have that much to spend...</p>

<p>If you have sufficient experience with film cameras you can use one as the backup. They can be had cheap these days, and hopefully you wouldn't have to use it. This is a poor option if you are not suficiently experienced with print film. It behaves a lot different than digital.</p>

[ferdi_s]

<p>Sell your 18-135mm, buy Tamron 18-50mm 2.8 and Nikkor 85mm 1.8 (or 50mm 1.8 + 35mm 1.8).</p>

[picturesque]

<p>I agree with Ferdinand, and you DO need a back up body if you shoot weddings for money. Unless it is in the contract that should your one camera body go down, you are not liable for failing to provide any images. However, you can squeak by with your current lenses and the flash you're going to buy for the wedding you describe above, since everything but the reception is outside (unless you are talking about dusk). By the way, it is a Tamron 17-50mm f2.8. The Sigma is an 18-50mm f2.8.</p>

[William Michael]

<br />I suggest an expansion of Ferdinand's idea:<br>

. sell both the 18-135 1:3.5-5.6G ED & 55-200 1:4-5.6 ED<br>

. buy Tamron 17 to 50F/2.8<br>

. buy Nikkor 85 F/1.8<br>

. buy Nikkor 35F/1.8<br>

. Buy the Flash <br>

. buy a second hand D80, D70 or etc . . .</p>

<p>WW</p>

[chris_whitcomb1]

<p>You can get a backup refurbished D50 for $399 at Adorama or you can buy a used one from me for $200. Sell both of the lens' you currently own right now either privately or through Adorama, then pick up the Tamron, Nikkor 85 1.8, and the flash. If you can squeeze it, then I would pick up the Nikkor 35 1.8 but I would first make sure you have at least 3 batteries, rechargeables for your flash, and double the amount of SD cards you think you might need.</p>

<p>I would say that many of us, those who would be honest, started out with only one body but quickly picked up a backup after booking a few weddings. You'll realize this in the heat of the moment when you get an error or the camera does something unexpected...that sinking feeling in your stomach that makes you want to puke while scrambling to "fix" the error, missing shot after shot, will drive you to the camera store the next business day. Don't let this be you.</p>

[shawn_mertz]

<p>You don't need a backup body. You need a good body the d80 can back up. But under your budget get an sb 800 flash instead of the 600 (save money by getting the right stuff the first time as much as possible) and find a used body or rent one. A truck load of great lenses will do you no good if something happens to your lone camera body, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. </p>

 

[wesleyfarnsworth]

<p>I'm well aware that you should have 2nd body when doing weddings. However it's just not in the budget. You have to start someplace. I'm planning on checking into possibly renting another body. What I'm looking for advice on is what other lens should I buy. Do you have any good recommendations? Both weddings are around the 3-5pm time frame so lighting is not going to be a big deal except for the reception. I've done indoor events using my 18-135 lens and it did a good job for the lens.<br>

The other option would be renting a couple lens's and possibly a body. what would you suggest.<br>

[chris_whitcomb1]

SB-600, Tamron 17-50 2.8, Nikkor 85 1.8, and the 35 1.8 have all been recommended. Get the zoom first, take some pictures with it, compare them to the same images captured with the crappy 18-135, and you'll see why we said sell it..</p>

<p>http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/index.php</p>

[wesleyfarnsworth]

<p>Thank you Chris you answered the question. I was looking to see what you all suggested I get first. When mentioned above the different lens's were just listed as ones to try and get.<br>

[KenPapai]

<p>I'll back up Mike Bisom ANY DAY. You must have a 2nd body of your own and backup flash (if you use flash). 2-3 year old bodies are not pricey. There is a finite, non-zero chance your primary camera will fail.</p>

[mark_t5]

<p>i'll offer the 2nd body necessity from a business side of things.<br>

in this business you don't get a 2nd chance.<br>

if you have only 1 camera and you got nothing else to use when it breaks, pack your bags cuz you are done.<br>

you can stop working as a wedding photographer, cuz it only takes 1 bad wedding/review to ruin your reputation, and that is not something you can buy back.<br>

your brides can say all they want to you about how they understand you are not a pro and whatnot, but when they get no pics, you can be pretty sure it will becomes a whole different matter.</p>

[picturesque]

<p>Wesley--all of the above folks are jumping on you about the second camera body because it is that important. Since you seem to have some cash for purchase toward wedding gear, here is what I suggest, although I am sure it isn't what you want to hear.</p>

<p>Since the wedding is in the daytime and not at dusk, use the lenses you have for this wedding, buy the flash, and use the money for a back-up body with enough quality for pro shooting, or rent one, along with another external flash. Purchase of a 50mm f1.8, cheap but good quality lens is also a consideration, if you feel you must have something for low light. During the reception use your lenses with the flash. Or, perhaps you know someone that has something appropriate you can borrow.</p>

<p>In any case, not only is having a back up body necessary, but a back up flash and lens option, too. You do not want to be shooting a night time reception with your pop up flash, or everything with a long tele. On the Canon side, there is a 35mm f2 lens which is cheap but good. In a pinch, you can shoot a whole wedding with it (on a crop sensor body)--not ideal, of course, but do-able. A back up flash is just as important as a camera body, particularly since flashes are perhaps a bit more prone to have problems, particularly if you buy one new and are using it on the first few weddings. The chances of running into problems, IMHO, are greater.</p>

<p>I'm glad you have confidence in yourself and your gear, but the latter is misplaced. Gear can and does, fail--usually at the worst times. Luck might be kind to you, and then again, not. Burying your head in the sand is no way to start off a career. It is true everyone started somewhere--usually with very humble gear. I can tell you, though, that when I started shooting weddings, I had complete back-up. Camera, lenses, flash, cables, film (it was that long ago)--you name it. This is one of the first things one learns about shooting weddings. How lucky do you feel?</p>

[rob_c3]

<p>Chris: One of the lenses you've recommended, 35mm f/1.8, is a new lens and pretty much sold out every where.<br>

Fansworth: I have never shot a wedding before... well I have but not in a professional capacity. It was just my Nikon D70 with kit lens and onboard flash. At any rate, take my comment however you want. I think a 2nd body is prety much imperative to a wedding shoot. Most everyone here have mentioned a 2nd body as a backup, but you should also carry a 2nd body with a different lens attached. If the wedding is held in a low light room, prime lenses usually are better dealing at those situations. Primes usually have faster stops letting more light in, but are fixed in focal length. Therefore carrying a 2nd body with a different lens comes in handy.</p>

[aimee_pieters]

<p>Chris,<br>

Everyone is jumping on you because when a photographer has an equipment problem and that photographer has NO backup, it makes every future bride and groom who hears about it very leary about their own photographer.<br>

Nadine probably has the best solution at this point, given your budget. Your current lenses cover you from 18-200mm which is plenty. Not to show my age, but when I began my career photographing weddings for a large studio, we were give 2 camera bodies, each with a "normal" lens. No wide angles, no telephotos and NO Photoshop because it was all done on film.<br>

Get the flash and either rent or perhaps buy a used DSLR on ebay. Your clients may know that you're relatively new at this, but that covers your talent, NOT your preparation. There's no such thing as a photographer who can forecast when something is going to break. Regardless of what your contract says, if you knowingly show up with no backup and can't deliver photographs, it's negligence on your part.<br>

Protect yourself and your client's once-in-a-lifetime event by doing the right thing....-Aimee</p>

[think27]

<p>Moderator note: </p>

<p>Wesley - this is a forum of serious wedding photographers who are here to answer your questions but also to give you the benefit of their experience. We've heard from people who didn't have a budget for a backup camera and had a nightmare experience where they had to use a guest's camera to finish the day. Everone here is just giving you some perfect advice. Renting or borrowing another camera body is a great idea.</p>

<p>So - when asking questions - please do not restrict the answers and allow for the genuine help that is here for you.</p>

<p>Lastly - the Wedding Forum is never going to go down the road of being snippy and unhelpful. Posts as well as the original question have been edited to reflect the tone of threads we want to have on this forum.</p>

<p> </p>

[gregory_c]

<p>Depends on what you want to do,,do you want a careear photographing weddings ? even part time ? or are you doing it for a hobby ? I am a part-timer, but my equipment is the same as the full-timer. To be easy on you; you need another camera body, if just a hobby, you can get by with a Nikon film body,,,(ok, lets do not explode here),, like a N90, and a couple of flashes. Film is OK if you even do it part time too. Metz makes good non Nikon flashes, you can find them on Ebay. But flashes do have a high failure rate. I have a $500.00 flash that looks almost new ( I take care of my equip) but has died from having been flashed a zillion times. About flashes,,,practice, practice & practice, be willing to change settings beyond normal.</p>

[gregory_c]

<p>Nadine,,,you said ""<strong>Camera, lenses, flash, cables,<em> film</em> (it was that long ago)""" </strong>what is film ?? you are dating yourself !!! hey, I remember shaking birdseed out of my waist level finder !!!</p>

[chris_whitcomb1]

<p>Aimee - I'm not sure I see anyone jumping on me...did I miss something?</p>

[think27]

<p>Chris - she meant the OP - Wesley... not you. She just used your name by mistake</p>

 

[wesleyfarnsworth]

<p>Thank you all for your advice so far. I've gone ahead and purchsed a new D200 to use as my primary body and I'm in the process of researching the lens's you have suggested and the flashs. One question is I can't decided is should I get a fixed length lens or one with a range? I've seen both suggested here and I can't decided which way to go.<br>

Finally I appolgise about my last post. I didn't mean to come accross snippy. I was having a bad day and it just came out that way. So again I'm sorry and I really do apperciate all the help I've gotten from these fourms!</p>