A $7000 USD budget for Wedding Photog Entry gear?

[christopher_ellington]

<p>I agree with Pete. I'd recommend building your gear as you go and realize you need it especially if you're learning.</p>

<p>Maybe these comments are simply all of us wishing we had $7000 for A LOT of things beyond photography. So it's hard for me to imagine spending that all at once on photography.</p>

[personalphotos]

<p>Yes, Add me to Pete's advice after your recent update. If you want to continue with Nikon, then get a less expensive camera like a D7000 as your primary. Then maybe get a lightly used D90 as a backup. Together they are less than a D700. Add a few lenses and flashes as discussed above and get some jobs as a second shooter to gain more experience.</p>

<p>As your business grows, then start upgrading gear. Spending the $7000 all one the gear I and others listed earlier is putting the cart before the horse. </p>

[picturesque]

<p>Also add me to Pete S.'s, Christopher's and Peter Z.'s advice.</p>

[ty_mickan]

<p>Ed, as a wedding photographer, you will be shooting in low light conditions. My suggestion is that you avoid zoom lenses - they are at best only medium speed. Yes I know we have high ISO's, but high ISO compromises on dynamic range. Dynamic range is the one thing you don't want to compromise on with weddings, and DR is not a strong point of digicams to begin with. Good primes are, at worst, four times faster than zooms, plus they're a lot lighter and more discreet.<br>

You will also need two cameras. Now that you have two cameras, it makes using primes easy. One 1.4/85mm and one 1.4/35mm on each camera. You might also consider a longer lens and a wider lens, although I never use anything but the above two focal lengths. Forget about light shapers, you just need a couple of umbrellas, a foot stool, a tripod, and a couple of spare batteries. A flash is a must, but use sparingly - look for good light.</p>

[markonestudios]

<p>Ed, thanks for the update.</p>

[studio460]

<p>Ed:</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>After a discussion with family, this was a comment I got, "Photography is not a profession, its a rich hobby, and you're not Bill Gates."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I congratulate your defiance! Damn the torpedos--full speed ahead, I say. I tell my GF I want to be a photographer. I tell her I "need" a $5,000 pro body. I "need" a $2,000 lens. I "need" . . . Truth be told, I don't "need' any of it. But an FX body does make me a bit more competitive. And, it's my money. I'm going to buy whatever the hell I want with it. Yes, right now, it's a rich man's (now, poor man's) hobby. But, I'm starting to get paying gigs. I'm starting to fill my portfolio with clients people have heard of. Eventually, I'll get there. I think you will, too.</p>

[studio460]

<p>So, here's what I did. I figured out what the best tools were for my artistic goals. I bought all that stuff. Then, I started getting some gigs. I realized, that required different gear. So, I got that, too. I researched and found the best tools for the types of jobs I'm seeking. The competition is experienced, skilled, and talented. I need to be as good or better. So, after I bought my "art" tools, I started concentrating on what I needed to better cover events. The standard de rigueur is:</p>

<p>1. Nikon D3s bodies x2 $5,200 each; $10,400 total.<br /> 2. AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G $1,887<br /> 3. AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G VR II $2,397<br /> 4. Nikon SB-900 $469<br /> 5. Quantum Turbo 3 $624</p>

<p>That totals to $15,777 before tax and accessories. Although I already own some of this stuff, I couldn't justify buying two, $5,200 bodies right off the bat. So, I'm going with one FX body for now. Here's my new event rig:</p>

<p>1. Nikon D3s (refurbished) $4,250<br /> 2. AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4 VR (refurbished) $999.<br /> 3. Nikon SB-800 + Quantum Turbo + SC-17 (already owned this stuff) about $750.<br /> 4. Newton FR2 + 2-10102 rotating flash bracket $208.<br /> 5. ExpoImaging Rogue FlashBender Speedlight bounce modifier $100.</p>

<p>This totals $6,308 (including the stuff I already owned for years). With this alone, I can cover 95% of the types of events I'm seeking (red carpet arrivals). I never bought the otherwise excellent Nikkor 24-70mm (I do own the 70-200mm VR I), mainly because I just think it's too short, even though most pros live and die by that lens. However, I am seeing more and more pros shooting with this exact same set-up above (with the 24-120mm), using only a single body (yes, I know you should have a back-up--I'll use my D7000 + AF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 if the D3s breaks suddenly).</p>

[christopher_ellington]

<p>Yeah a backup doesn't have to mean two bulky D3s, so a smaller body (like your D7000) may be just fine, especially with the 17-55 2.8.</p>

<p>I know a lot of us would be THRILLED to have a $7000 budget to purchase camera gear. So I pray you got what you needed.</p>

<p>Curious to know what kind of life does the refurbished D3s have on it? Do you know it's use and/or actuations?</p>

[studio460]

<p>Christopher said:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Yeah a backup doesn't have to mean two bulky D3s, so a smaller body (like your D7000) may be just fine, especially with the 17-55 2.8.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yeah, I hope that works. I was loathe to buy another $5,200 body just for the convenience of two-body event coverage. I also don't like mixing FX and DX--the noise difference is too apparent when shooting available light.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Curious to know what kind of life does the refurbished D3s have on it? Do you know it's use and/or actuations?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I checked when I bought it, but have since forgotten. It was very low (<5,000). It appeared to be an NPS on-loan body, or Nikon demo body, loaned to a photographer for a few weeks. Cosmetically, it was immaculate. I buy refurbished bodies and lenses whenever possible. I was thrilled to get a nearly new D3s body for almost $1,000 off. I bought it one month after the earthquake, and felt lucky to find one at that time.</p>

[studio460]

<p>Christopher said:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I know a lot of us would be THRILLED to have a $7000 budget to purchase camera gear.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Isn't that what tax refunds are for? Buying new camera gear?</p>

[steve m smith]

<blockquote>

<p>I guess the “English” is referring to “colour” – which is Aussie and not Pommy.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>?</p>

[William Michael]

<p>^<br>

Hi Steve,<br>

I thought that Ed was being humorous, making a pun - referring to my "poor typing" - implying the Mis-spelling of "colour" - and making a pun by alluding to the fact that I was "English".</p>

<p>But I am not "English" (British): I am Australian.</p>

<p>WW</p>