Equpiment for Hypothetical Wedding

[bcap]

Hello all,

I know this has been asked a million times, but let's just play along.

You have been hired to do a wedding (no way!). The ceremony is indoors in a church. The lighting isn't the greatest - there is dim lights overhead and some sunlight coming in from the stainglass windows on the side walls. After the ceremony, you have about 2 hours planned for photo shoots - the first hour for group shots, the 2nd hour with the bride/groom for their photo shoot. After this, is the reception. It is taking place at an indoor hall. It's now nighttime so there won't be much sunlight coming in from outside, the only lights are the dim overhead lights and the disco ball.

Given that you have a 30D and backup 20D and do not have the option of bringing studio lights (pretend the church is oldschool and doesn't have plugs), what equipment would you bring:

- List 3 or 4 lenses to fully capture the day - the dressing room, ceremony, group shots, b&g shots and reception
- What flashes/light units would you bring?
- Tripod? Yes/No and why.
- Assistant?

Keep in mind this isn't a situation I am facing, it is hypothetical. I think that if we get some good discussions going on here, it can avoid a lot of the typical "I have a Rebel and kit lens, I want to do a wedding" threads I see here.

Personally, I haven't gotten into weddings yet, but plan on doing so soon. I am booked as a 2nd shooter for a few weddings this summer as well. Given what I know, here is what I would bring:

Lenses:
- 70-200 2.8L IS on 30D
- 17-55 2.8 IS on 20D
- 10-22 EF-S and 50 1.4 in the bag
This was a tough one, it was a toss up between the 85 1.8 and 50 1.4 but figured the 1.4 is faster and will allow me more flexibility as it isn't so tight.

Flahes:
580ex on my 20D (with 17-55) with a diffuser and 430ex off-camera set to slave. Have a pocket wizard attached to the 30D and one ready to throw on the 20D if need be. Also have a PW on the external 430ex for when you decide to do multiple-flashes.

Tripod:
Have a collapsable one with me for group shots and extremel low light reception shots.

Assistant:
Well, I'm assuming I am the assistant seeming as I've never done a wedding before ;)

What are your thoughts?

[coreypolis]

17-55/17-40/16-35
24-70/24-105/28-75
70-200 2.8 IS
85/135
100 macro

bolded ones are with me at all times, others come based on lighting and location.

2 flashes, st-e2 or PW's
light stands
lighting modifers

tripod for formals maybe

assistants are great, but only if you know their knowledge, taste and how to get the most out of them.

[bcap]

Corey, interesting. I have debated in my head many times the 16-35 2.8L vs the 17-55 2.8 IS. Out of curiosity, why do you choose the 16-35 over the 17-55?

I understand it is an L lens, but don't you think the IS is more suitable for weddings?

[cdifoto]

Corey, interesting. I have debated in my head many times the 16-35 2.8L vs the 17-55 2.8 IS. Out of curiosity, why do you choose the 16-35 over the 17-55?

I understand it is an L lens, but don't you think the IS is more suitable for weddings?

He shoots 1D's and they are not EF-S compatible bodies. :)

[coreypolis]

He shoots 1D's and they are not EF-S compatible bodies. :)
we have a winner ;)

[bcap]

Ah, not following the "instructions" eh Corey? ;)

J/k ... like I said, hypothetically if you had a 30D/20D ...

[cdifoto]

If I still had my 30D and a 10D/20D/any other cropper, I'd go with the following:

2x 580EX
2x Croppers
1x 12-24/10-20/something
1x 24-70 2.8
1x 70-200 2.8

Why? Because I love powerful fast recycling flash, I don't like overlap if I can help it, I prefer to go extremely wide in my UWA, "moderate wide to portrait tele" than "not wide enough to not long enough" in my standard zoom, and candid-pickin' long in my long-ish tele.

I feel the setup works just as well on a 1.6 crop as it does on a 1.3 crop. Slightly different on a full frame, but still similar function.

Less need to change lenses when you upgrade bodies. :)

[bcap]

I have read a lot of people saying that they found the wide end of the 24-70 too tight for weddings and the 10-20 not having enough reach in certain situations for a walkaround, so they say the 17-55 is perfect for walkaround.

Again, I haven't done a wedding before so can't comment directly on it, but wouldn't you think an IS would be more suitable (i.e. 17-55).

In case you can't notice, I am currently trying to decide on a walkaround to buy. I am stuck between the 17-55 IS, 16-35L and 24-70L

[cdifoto]

I have read a lot of people saying that they found the wide end of the 24-70 too tight for weddings and the 10-20 not having enough reach in certain situations for a walkaround, so they say the 17-55 is perfect for walkaround.

Again, I haven't done a wedding before so can't comment directly on it, but wouldn't you think an IS would be more suitable (i.e. 17-55).

In case you can't notice, I am currently trying to decide on a walkaround to buy. I am stuck between the 17-55 IS, 16-35L and 24-70L

I pretty much hated the range on my kit lens, so I highly doubt I would go with the 17-55. I don't have plans to go Full Frame though either because 17-55 on 1.6 is pretty much the same as 24-70 on Full Frame. I probably wouldn't like the range then.

I guess I'm just one of those oddballs.

[bcap]

Interesting. Thanks for the insight ..

Anyone else?

[tim]

For a hypothetical wedding I always take my hypothetical equipment, as it's smaller and weighs less. The hypothetical photos come out great.

For a real wedding I take what I recommend in my FAQ (link below).

I pretty much hated the range on my kit lens, so I highly doubt I would go with the 17-55. I don't have plans to go Full Frame though either because 17-55 on 1.6 is pretty much the same as 24-70 on Full Frame. I probably wouldn't like the range then.

I guess I'm just one of those oddballs.

I shot almost an entire wedding with the 17-55, it's a great range when coupled with the 70-200.

[bcap]

Thanks Tim .. good info ... hypothetically ;)

[Ken Cravillion]

If I had crop bodies (I shoot weddings with a pair of 5D's) I would have one body with a 17-55 IS, body 2 would have the 70-200 2.8IS. For the getting ready and reception stuff I would have one body with the 24L and another with the 50L (on the 5D's I use a 35L and 85L but also have the 24L and 50L).

[davidgr]

Well, I would probably bring what I already have, :) two 30D's, 16-35L, 24-70L, 70-200L2.8IS, two Quantum T5D's (1 as backup), tripod for during cermony and maybe formals, a couple Sunpak 522's for secondary lights for formals triggered by Pocket Wizards (rented for now). Eventually I'll have a few more T5D's and connect them with the FreeXwire trigges.

If the 17-55IS would have been out when I got the 16-35, I might have gone with that lens instead...if I also hadn't been planning on going full-frame someday too! :D

[cdifoto]

I shot almost an entire wedding with the 17-55, it's a great range when coupled with the 70-200.

Yah I'm an oddball. 18-55 didn't really work for me but 24-70 seems ideal most of the time, while the 12-24 & 70-200 bookend it nicely. Just my preference though.

[davidfig]

I would prefer the following
2- 5Dhsc
1- 24-70L
1- 70-200L
This would be the main work horses. A 50 1.4 and 85 1.8 would help also.

Oh what is the 5Dhsc. Its the 5D with a high speed 1.5x crop reaching 5fps.

[jamiewexler]

With my crop bodies I felt I could handle any situation (including the one you described) with:

Canon 17-55 f2.8 IS (mounted on one body all day with a flash and bracket)
Canon 70-200 f2.8 IS
Canon 35 f1.4
Sigma or Canon 10-20/22
2 x 550 (580)ex's with Flip-It's and Stofen's

[bcap]

With my crop bodies I felt I could handle any situation (including the one you described) with:

Canon 17-55 f2.8 IS (mounted on one body all day with a flash and bracket)
Canon 70-200 f2.8 IS
Canon 35 f1.4
Sigma or Canon 10-20/22
2 x 550 (580)ex's with Flip-It's and Stofen's

Interesting ... you say "Flip-It's and Stofen's" ... just to clarify, aren't some Stofen's Flip-It's?

What I am trying to say is don't certain Stofen Brackets have the ability to flip the camera? Or are you talking about something different?

[Meaty0]

Sorry to chime in on your thread bcap. I notice a couple of people here have mentioned a tripod. Certainly a necessity in a dark church I imagine, (especially if you're not allowed to use flash). But I'm wondering why more wedding photographers don't use a monopod for the ceremony. They seem a logical choice because of their smaller size and ease of use, especially if you were moving around during the service. Is there any reason they aren't commonly used?

[bcap]

Good quesetion MeatyO!

Don't appologize for posting in here! I want to get some discussions going on regarding equip for weddings - this is a perfect question :D

[tim]

Interesting ... you say "Flip-It's and Stofen's" ... just to clarify, aren't some Stofen's Flip-It's?

What I am trying to say is don't certain Stofen Brackets have the ability to flip the camera? Or are you talking about something different?

Think this is the right link http://www.dembflashproducts.com/flipit/

[Phil V]

17-55 IS
70-200 2.8IS (my hypothetical one - my real 70-200 is non-IS)
10-20 (Hypothetically 2.8 - unfortunately it's not available)
50mm 1.0 (hypothetically - I actually carry a 50 1.8 and a load of other stuff)
2x 580s and 2x 430s (I actually use a 550 and a 420)
A tripod for the low light stuff (a monopod if there's nowhere to hide with the tripod)
The tripod is sometimes used for group shots as somewhere to leave the camera as a reference point whilst I'm sorting out the groups)
A small stepstool is invaluable (reminder - need to get a new one)
The flash is on a bracket, and accompanied by a LS PJ II and a stofen - rarely used, always bounced indoors where possible (LS for where it's not possible)

[jamiewexler]

Interesting ... you say "Flip-It's and Stofen's" ... just to clarify, aren't some Stofen's Flip-It's?

What I am trying to say is don't certain Stofen Brackets have the ability to flip the camera? Or are you talking about something different?

The FlipIt and StoFen Omnibounce are two different light modifiers for the flash. I use them at various parts of the day.

Sorry to chime in on your thread bcap. I notice a couple of people here have mentioned a tripod. Certainly a necessity in a dark church I imagine, (especially if you're not allowed to use flash). But I'm wondering why more wedding photographers don't use a monopod for the ceremony. They seem a logical choice because of their smaller size and ease of use, especially if you were moving around during the service. Is there any reason they aren't commonly used?

I usually work alone so I like to travel light. My tripod is certainly NOT light. With the IS in the 70-200 I can handhold down to 1/30. If I need a SS any shorter than that I'm going to get a lot of blur from subject movement...even with a tripod. For the formals I can use a flash - so I don't need a tripod there. I bought a monopod to use when I didn't have an IS tele, and found it cramped my mobility. So anyway there are my reasons for NOT using those tools. I'm sure there are folks with great reasons for using them...

[liza]

10-22
17-55 IS
70-200 IS
50L or 35L
100mm macro lens
2 - 580EX with Stofen diffuser/Lumiquest mini softbox
Tripod, if needed
Lackey to carry everything :)

[clengster_77]

this is my setup when i still have my 30d / 350d combo

30d + 24 - 70 + 580ex
350d + 10 - 22 + 580ex
85 1.8
70 - 200 2.8
10 gig worth of storage
monopod
assistant (for paid gigs)

[gateruner]

I have a mono but never use it for weddings except once. Low light and I am shooting from the rear of the church and needed to go to a slow SS. Didnt have the tripod so that was that. I dont like the monopod at a wedding as I am all over the place shooting, either lying down, kneeling, standing, bent sideways on a ladder or whatever. Mono becomes a huge rigid tail that is just in the way.

My setup is as follows.
Twin 30D's
Twin 580EX and contemplating a 3rd.
17-55 2.8 Absolute essential
70-200L 2.8 absolute essential
and if I had it I would have the 50 1.2 in the bag.
12-2gig cards (I dont want to even come close to a problem)
Laptop for dropping 2nd shooter shots onto before they leave. (just easier)
Tripod for just in case.