batteries and CF Cards: how many do you bring to a wedding?

[jamesmorophotography]

<p>I'm shooting my first wedding in may and want to be sure I dont run out of batteries or memory.<br>

I currently have 2 x 16GB CF cards, 1 x 8GB card and 1 x 2GB card.<br>

I have the battery grip for the 5DII and two batteries.</p>

<p>I'm shooting an 10+ hour wedding.<br>

I was thinking about picking up another 16GB card, along with another spare battery.</p>

<p>any suggestions?</p>

 

[william-porter]

<p>James,</p>

<p>Well, I suppose we could say "You can never have too much storage or too many batteries." But it wouldn't be true. I mean, to be absurd about it, you don't need or want to bring 200 16 GB storage cards, or 50 lbs of batteries. :-)</p>

<p>Not sure how fast you fill up a card. It depends on whether you shoot raw, or raw + jpeg, and how big your files are. I shoot raw and the files are about 12 MB each on the card. I typically start the day with an 8 GB card in each of the two cameras that I work with mainly; and I have another 16 GB of storage secreted on my person. I usually have to change cards in ONE of the two cameras, seldom both. I typically shoot 600-800 shots and I gather from many threads here that those numbers are pretty similar to those of many others.</p>

<p>As for batteries, my cameras use proprietary (rechargeable) batteries. I now have four, but until recently I had only 3. I would of course make sure that the batteries were recharged fully the night before. I have sometimes gotten through the day without changing batteries in either camera, and sometimes I do have to change once. I'm a bit more confident now that I have four batteries. My third body is an older model that uses AA and I always have it with and ready to go.</p>

<p>The real problem for me is AA batteries in flashes. I use a combination of Eneloops and other brands of rechargeables. The Eneloops are certainly better. I have a system of identifying fresh batteries (colored bags) and I usually carry two fresh sets of 4 batteries in my suit jacket pocket. Almost always have to change batteries in one or more flashes in the course of the reception.</p>

<p>Will</p>

<p> </p>

[picturesque]

<p>This is dependent upon your gear, how you shoot, and what your comfort level is. Think about what would happen if one of your cards goes down (complicated by size of card) or your gear is stolen with cards in them. Or you take a dunk in the ocean with cards on you, or... Then figure it out. You can always go to shooting jpegs, but I would consider that less preferable than just buying spare cards and storing them separately or on my person at all times (whatever suits your emergency plan).</p>

<p>As for camera batteries, I am comfortable with 4-5 rotating batteries to use in 2 cameras. The thing is--you can always forget to charge one and there you are, short of batteries. Or one can go south or more likely, slip in capacity so that one day, you put in a battery, knowing you charged it yesterday, and find that after 10 minutes, it goes dead. I mark my batteries and retire them after 3 years, unless they need retiring before that. I still have short capacity batteries as third back up.</p>

<p>For flash AAs, or for powering any other device you use--just have enough and then some, for the gizmos you need to power. I have 3 active sets of hybrid AAs, and 2 active sets of NiMh AAs for my flashes. Plus other hybrid sets for my triggers, etc. And my external battery packs. Again--I have short capacity (aging) AAs for third back ups, plus lithium AAs as last ditch emergency batteries in my shoulder bag.</p>

[jamesmorophotography]

<p>i shoot RAW exclusively. My raw files are 21MB. I can use NiMh batteries or AA batteries in my my camera, and have at least 20 NiMh batteries of varying age.<br>

I'm thinking i should pick up another 16GB card b/c i've burned through 2 x 16gb cards in less than four hours during a bridal fashion shoot before, although I was seriously stoked on the model that day.<br>

for those of you shooting with canon 5DII's, how many batteries do you end up using for an 8-10 hour wedding?</p>

[benjamindbloom]

<p>I bring at least two fully charged batteries per camera. Usually, I find I don't need to swap batteries for a typical day shooting, but I do things like turn off autopreview to minimize battery drain. Nadine makes an important point about retiring batteries after a time period. They definitely get old and don't hold as much juice. I label my batteries alphabetically. I know that "A" is my oldest battery and holds the least juice. I don't use it for hired shoots.<br>

Flash batteries... at least a full set of NiMH batteries per flash plus two sets of alkalines for each flash. Would love to have all NiMH backups, but shelf life, price, and recharge time keep me buying alkaline as backups.<br>

As for media - I bring as much as I can. Enough to store a few thousand RAW photos. You can calculate how much storage you need if you estimate how many photos you'll take and know the approximate size of your RAW images. </p>

<p> </p>

[ejchem101]

<p>Or why not figure out how many cards you need by estimating the number of shots, putting the card in your camera at the settings you will use and it will tell you how many will fit. A lot easier than the math of MB and GB.</p>

[jwilli4834]

<p>I would go with 3 or 4 smaller memory cards, 8 GB, instead of one big card. Less chance of a single point of failure. </p>

[benjamindbloom]

<p>John - I've held that belief for a while, too. The alternate side of the argument is that by switching cards more often, you increase the chance of imparting failure (dropping a card into a puddle, losing a card, etc..) I'm not sure which one scares me more anymore. </p>

<p>4GB backs up to a DVD well, 8GB backs up to a double-layer DVD.. I usually shoot 8's now. </p>

[david_noceti]

<p>Avoid the AA's in the grip. If you check the user manual you'll find that you won't get many shots out of a set of AA's, probably a lot fewer with older rechargeables. As has been noted, it depends on what you're shooting with. If you shoot a lot with image stabilized lenses, they'll drain power faster than primes. I carry two sets of batteries, as in two in the grip and two for replacement. Better safe than sorry.<br>

I too stick with smaller cards rather than running the risk of card failure and losing an entire segment of the wedding. We started with lots of 4Gb cards but that was because we were shooting on 50D's, now that we have a 5D Mk ii, I'll likely move to 8Gb cards.<br>

I've also heard of photographers who change the file size they shoot at depending upon what part of the wedding it is. If it's something you likely won't sell a large print for, getting ready, reception, they shoot at a smaller raw size then bump it up for the ceremony and portraits.</p>

[neilambrose]

<p>Personally I won't use any card larger than 4GB, and I prefer 2 GB cards. I find that six cards (12 GB) is plenty for a 12 hour shoot (based on my shooting rate) but the main thing for me is avoiding the risk of card failure. It takes a few seconds to change cards. It could take months to deal with a card failure that results in the loss of 100% of the wedding...</p>

[rayt]

<p>I use two, 8 gig cards for each camera, two cameras. Batteries last the entire event as I use a grip with two batteries. I do carry a spare set but have never used them. Flash batteries are not an issue as I use a HV pack that is good for 1K flashes. Formals are done with AC powered strobes so demand on the portable flash is reduced. Typically about 800 to 1000 images total.</p>

[joseph_brown7]

<p>Memory - 40 GB worth of 8GB cards 2-3 1GB and 2GB cards for back up.</p>

<p>Batteries - I shoot with battery grips so each camera has 2 EL3 batts and I take 2 spares. I will take 16 eneloop cells and 24 Powerex cells for my flashes. I usually bring one of my Maha 8 cell chargers in case. I will also bring a bag of Duracells as back up (usually 24 or so). The nikon battery grip comes with a AA attachment too so if things went south in the el3 dept I can always use AA'S.<br>

I have never actually used all of my cards or batts but you need backups in case.</p>

<p>Joe</p>