grant h

THE DAY IS ALMOST HERE!

 

Update: I am back to being a co-primary shooter with other family members shooting with Sony 5MP 3x optical zoom digital point-and-shoot.

 

Review of my equipment:

 

Nikon FM

Nikon Nikkor 50mm 1:1.8 lens

Nikon Lens Series E 28mm 1:2.8

Nikon Lens Series E 70-210mm Zoom 1:4 (constant)

Vivitar Zoom Thyristor 285 flash unit

Swing/rotating flash bracket for vertical shots

Kodak Portra 400NC

 

We will be shooting formals up front (by the alter) in the church before the wedding. The bride/wedding coordinator (my mother-in-law) have provided almost 100 different poses that include formals before, procession, ceremony, recession, outside, and indoor reception shots.

 

The wedding is at 3:30 PM in a small-rural town in Indiana. The weather is supposed to be Mostly Cloudy with a High of 75 deg F, winds SE at 10 mph, chance of precip 10%, UV index of 7 (high).

 

I have just recently got my Vivitar 285 flash unit and I haven't got to play with it much. I am a little nervous about exposure for the formals. I plan to use my 50mm lens for the formals with the Portra 400NC.

 

I have tried to cipher through the advice above, but I would like a clear cut strategy approach. Particularly with the FLASH settings for the formal portraits.

 

I have been instructed to shoot from the back of the church during the ceremony, as the team of aunts will take shots up front with their Digital P&S(s) and Digital Rebel. The church is pretty small (I did not get a chance to go there yet, but will get to go to the rehersal), so if I may use the flash, reaching out upto 60 feet with it may be reasonable. I may just shoot available light, but I am concerned with the Portra 400 and my 70-210mm f/4 zoom.

 

There is also the issue of PUSHING the Portra 400. I have never "pushed" film before and would like to hear more about this and the actuall procedure. Nadine suggest setting the ISO to 250 on the camera. When I go to get the film developed, do I tell them I pushed 400 to 250? Also, can I push the film even if I don't use the flash all the time?

 

Other than that, I note to:

 

- Over expose +2/3

- Shoot vertical shots (note the rotating flash bracket above)

- Will shoot some available light indoors for "warming effect"

- FM max synch speed is 1/125th

- 50mm & 28mm (watch distortion on group shots) for reception

- Shooting all 400 (set ISO to 250 on camera?)

- Drag shutter at 1/60th

 

Anything else?

 

I will be practicing b/t now and Saturday and plan to shoot several rolls w/ cheap 1-hr developing just to get an idea before the big day.

 

I am excited and I feel that I can wow (in a good way) the bride and our family. I am comfortable with available light, just nervous about the flash, over-exposing, and pushing film.

 

Thanks for the help, advice, and encouragement!

 

NADINE feel free to chime in (PLEASE).

 

Grant

Thank you for all of the replies!

 

I think I am going to "punt" on the formals and let the aunt with the Digital Rebel get those shots. I don't really want to put anymore money into my kit, as I am saving up for a digital system of my own (Nikon D80, 18-200mm). So at this point, I don't think I am going to pick up another FM body or a flash reguardless of the relatively small cost.

 

I will shoot what I can (before the ceremony as a secondary shooter) with my 50mm with Portra 400 and hopefully the 70-210mm zoom with what available light I have with some ISO 800 during the ceremony. I plan to steakout my shooting vantage points during the rehearsal and would like to find a nice spot in the back or off to the side to setup my tripod. With both families being very small and a limited number of friends attending, I may be able to find an empty pew relatively close.

 

The bride just wants basic pictures to record the event. The couple has been together forever and has a two year old together (so the wedding at this point is a formailty). The ceremony will be small, short, and sweet.

 

Thanks again for the advice!

I thought that would get your attention! No really, I am shooting a wedding

with my Nikon FM. I was asked by a cousin (in-law) to shoot her wedding. I

promptly declined. However she insisted that this small-town, small-family,

low-budget, informal wedding was worthy of my amateur/beginner skills. She

insists that photography by committee (her aunts and myself) will get the job

done (she has low expectations). Between myself and the aunts, we will have

my Nikon FM, a Canon Digital Rebel XT w/ a 18-55mm and a few Sony point and

shoot 5MP digitals. Again, I have violently declined shooting, but she still

insists for me shoot and have fun with my one year old hobby.

 

My kit consists of a Nikon FM, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, 70-210mm f/4 Series E, 28mm

Series E, and a tripod. I plan to get a dedicated TTL bounce swivel flash.

 

I have read many of the beginner threads on here about film selection,

lighting, etc., however I would still like specific advise for a general plan

of attack.

 

They would like me to take some formal shots, so I plan to get into the church

the week before to get familiar with the lighting and experiment with using my

flash. I plan to use the 50mm and 160 to shoot the formals and then use the

zoom with 800 in natural light (hopefully the church is not too dark for the

zoom, I plan to remain in the back or off to the side and remain as un-noticed

as possible). I am trying to get the aunt with the Digital Rebel to shoot

many of the formal portraits as well. I will let the other aunts shoot the

getting ready shots, as my wife is part of the bridal party. It is an early

afternoon wedding in May. Standard church with small amounts of natural

sunlight, mostly the florescent lighting in the church.

 

Please comment on the approach ?

 

Thanks.

If you have time, get a "City Pass." Freedom Trail is a must! You can get around on the subways really easy and it is a really good walking city as well. Walking the streets of Beacon Hill (street) and shopping the back bay are fun as well. I was opposite of you with me being in the meetings and my wife along for the ride for five days. She got the City Pass and really enjoyed all the sites. In the late evening and night we ventured out to Harvard, the north side (little italy), and Fanniel Hall. Cheers was ok to see, but not that big of a deal. Boston Commons and Public Garden are nice as well. Boston is a great town, have fun!

Thanks. I figured it was something like that. I just wanted to make sure there was no manufacturing/operation difference. I will call KEH to see exactly what the engraving is.

 

Thanks again!

I am looking to buy a Nikon FM2N ... on KEH there is a bargain FM2N

CHROME ENGRAVED 35MM SLR MANUAL FOCUS CAMERA BODY. Why does

the "engraved" version cost $50 less in the same condition? What

exactly is engraved and where is it on the camera?

 

Thanks!

I am concerned with using the basic 50mm F1.8 II with the Elan 7. I have read that it is not a good lens for the Elan 7 since it is not a USM lens. Is this true?

 

After much research on this forum, I have also considered buying him a classic Nikon FM2n, which he has showed interest in.

 

However, I like the growth ability of the EOS system incase he wants to go digital in the future.

I am wanting to start trying to shoot star trails. I will be

shooting throughout the midwest (mostly Ohio and Indiana). Do you

have any tripod recommendations for this type of shooting. I will be

using a Nikon FM2n with a 50mm lens. Budget less than $60 please.

Currently looking at some of the lower end Giottos. Thanks!

Assuming your choices are down to the T2 and Elan 7, which do you go

with? The only realy advantages of the Elan 7 that I observe are

the mirror lock-up, 4 fps, and 13 custom functions. The T2 comes in

at about 8oz (~200g) lighter and has shake warning, and otherwise

matches up pretty well with the Elan 7. The only down side of the

Elan 7 is the year 2000 release date.

 

It looks like KEH has NEW T2 bodies for $189 and 90-96% condition

Elan 7 bodies for $149.

 

I have tried to research this comparison, but all of the old posts

compare the T2 and 7N or Ti and 7. I am wanting the new Rebel T2 vs

the old Elan 7 debated.

 

I will be buying the camera for my brother's college graduation

present. It will be his first SLR and he plans to shoot travel and

hobby photography (architecture, landscapes, star trails).

 

Thanks.

Thanks for all of the insight and replies! My wife has a decent enough eye to get the zoom shots on her digital (35-105mm f/2.8-4.9 3x equivalent), so I am leaning towards bringing along a 28mm f/2.8 (shhhhh, she won't even know it's in my pocket) :). Oh, the 28mm is on the Christmas/January Birthday wishlist, so I will get it before our trip. I was considering a 28-105mm zoom, but I think my wife's digital can produce similar results. I am more of a big picture/wide angle guy anyway. Thanks for all the input!

I am planning on attending a 14-day small-group ( <12 people)

European tour with my wife. I consider myself to be a

beginner/hobbyist photographer. My current equipment consists of a

Canon Rebel T2 and EF 50mm f/1.8 lens. Since this will be a

vacation (or should I say holiday), my wife does not want me spend

the whole vacation looking through the camera and changing lenses.

This doesn't mean I don't plan to take an artistic approach to shoot

architecture, historical buildings, narrow streets, archways,

national landmarks and some landscapes (Swiss Alps). Another factor

is, I don't want to hold up group (there will be times for self

exploration however). My wife will be carrying a Canon SD400 5MP

digital for the standard post card shots.

 

So to the question ... is it a mistake to only bring my 50mm lens or

should I give in a take a midrange zoom (28-105mm f/3.8-5.6)?

(assuming I want minimal equipment, i.e. one lens).

 

Thanks,

 

Grant