Need advice, please

[LoriKelso]

I have read the FAQ before coming to you for advice, and it completely describes my situation, shooting a wedding for a friend of a friend so that they don't have to have pictures from a PS camera. I am not a professional, and don't claim to be. I am shooting a very small wedding, a dinner afterwards, and an after-party. I would like some advice on which lenses to use, because I want to leave everything I won't need at home. I have a 5D, with battery grip and my backup is a Rebel XT also with battery grip and extra batteries for both which are charged and ready. I have a 480 EX flash along with plenty of batteries, although I don't have a diffuser, but plan to make one from some plans in a book that I have if I have time. I really hope not to have to use the flash. I have a tripod and monopod, but plan to hand-hold the camera for the most part. I also have reflectors, but doubt I'll be using those.

My lenses are:

24-105 f/4L IS (an excellent, very sharp copy)
17-40 f/4L
70-300 f/4-5.6 IS
50mm f/1.8
85mm f/1.8

and a couple of others that I know are useless.

I have a list of posed shots that are mandatory, along with a list of shots and poses that I've seen online that I would like to try to emulate. I'm taking my card reader along with my laptop, and 2 1 gig CF cards. I know that's not nearly enough memory, thus the ability to download to keep from having to buy more cards. A friend will handle the downloads while I shoot. I plan to shoot RAW.

Am I missing anything? Do you just hate me for asking stupid questions? I just really don't want to mess this up for them. I hesitated to even post this, but could use any advice you'd be willing to offer.

[Tony Spires]

For what it's worth, I just shot my first wedding recently and I shot RAW using 4GB cards. My 4GB cards can only hold about 350 RAW files so divide that by 4 to your 1 GB and that's only roughly 90 RAW files you can get on your 1 GB card and maybe even less since the 5D RAW files are larger with the 12.8 MP. Do you really think your friend can download 1 GB of RAW files to your laptop with no hiccups before you shoot 50-90 photos? Also are you positive that you won't need to shoot more than 50-90 photos during the ceremony? No time for you to swap cards and possibly miss an important shot. I say you should get at least 1 extra card and make it a 2GB card.

[LoriKelso]

The ceremony is going to be very small, only 10 guests, B/G and bestman and MOH. I can get about 60 RAW files on the 1 gig card, and it will be very easy to hand off to my friend. With both cards, that's basically 120 shots for the ceremony. Do you think I'll be taking more than that before they download? I'm asking seriously, not smart alecky at all. I just have no idea what I'm getting into, but plan on taking at least three of the important shots, so I guess it's possible. I may try to borrow some cards from a friend, if you think I really need them. I just hate to spend any more money on this than I have to.

[dsc_1972]

I asked the same thing recently and it seems to me you have plenty of kit if not more that some wedding togs out there. I can;t speak from experience but from what you've said...

I would agree with Tony and say get more memory - so that you can shoot RAW.
Seems most people carry about 16GB or more of cards... don;t wait for someone to upload images from a card while you;re missing photo opportunities - time flies by faster at weddings! Get maybe 2 or 3 more 2GB cards at least.

as for your lenses...
I'd put the 17-40 on the 5D and the 24-105 on the rebel.
The 430EX isn't very powerful but will suffice and make sure you have spare batteries for it.

Get to know your kit, and practise with it - especially using flash.
You know the couple, at least indirectly, so that's an advantage - use it! You'll be able to get them to relax in front of the camera easier than a stranger.

I can't offer much more practical advice - just what I've picked up on here. I'm sure more will follow from others!

[LoriKelso]

Tony and DSC, thanks for the advice, especially in reference to which lenses to use.

[tim]

I would go with the 24-105 F4L on the 5D unless the place where they're getting married's really small, in which case use the 17-40L. Put whichever lens you don't use onto the rebel. I'd get yourself a 4GB CF card, they're around $70 for a Sandisk Extreme III or Ultra 2, you'll be glad you had it. While it's being copied use the two little cards. With a 30D I don't even bother using 1GB cards any more, I only take my 4GB and 2GB cards - I took 14GB to yesterdays wedding and shot 10GB (I overshot really).

[dsc_1972]

You'll probably find 17-40 will be a bit wide at times...
However, keep the 24-105 on the rebel, and have the 50 & 85 close by to put on the 5D if you need to get closer with the 5D.
Unless the light is very, very much in your favour, the 70-300 is going to be the least preferable lens of choice I imagine.

[dsc_1972]

I would go with the 24-105 F4L on the 5D unless the place where they're getting married's really small, in which case use the 17-40L. Put whichever lens you don't use onto the rebel. I'd get yourself a 4GB CF card, they're around $70 for a Sandisk Extreme III or Ultra 2, you'll be glad you had it. While it's being copied use the two little cards. With a 30D I don't even bother using 1GB cards any more, I only take my 4GB and 2GB cards - I took 14GB to yesterdays wedding and shot 10GB (I overshot really).

oh - interesting we have a difference of opinion..... you think the 24-105 on the 5D. and what, keep the rebel as backup only? My advice is theory based only...
I now have to bow before your greater knowledge, Tim, but wouldn't you use bodies to their full advantage like I suggested?

[tim]

Well I get by fine with 17mm on a 30D, that's 27mm on a 5D so 24mm should be plenty. 105mm is great too, would save using the 17-55/70-200 combo. 17mm on a 5D is like 10-11mm on a 30D, which is way too wide for shooting people IMHO - way too much distortion. Plus the photographer who works for me leaves his 24-105 on the 5D permanently - lucky he has an interchangeable lens SLR eh? :p

[Time Thief]

The 24-105 on the 5D is wider than the 17 on the rebel. If you take into account the 1.6 crop factor of the rebel the 17 becomes a 27. Keep the 24-105 on the 5D and use the rebel only as backup if the 5 fails. This body lens combo should be all you need. I would try and pick up at least one 2GB card if you can. This will limit your expenses but also be beneficial to you afterwards as you now have a 2GB card in your bag. As soon as you fill it switch to the 1GB card and have your buddy start downloading the 2GB immediately! He should be back before you fill the 1GB card and all will be well. If not shove the other 1GB in and keep going. with this being such a small wedding you should be fine.

Just remember that your 5D will take pics better than a P&S in its sleep. Leave the review on but make it for only like 2 seconds. Grab a quick glance every now and then to make sure you are exposing properly or at least real close to it. Shoot the whole thing in RAW only, no need for jpeg, if you need those, which you will, convert the RAWs. So much easier to fix exposure problems with RAW. To keep you focused, shoot auto WB, if its not right you can change it later with the RAWs, so you don't have to worry about that. If you have never used RAW or the DPP software that came with your 5D just look at my sig line and have fun watching the videos for about 30 min or so. Easy to follow and explains everything.

Leave the tripod and monopod at home, no need for them. I might throw one of the 1.8's in my pocket as a backup. If its that small of a church the 70-300 will be useless. I don't think I would bother with that weight either. Always act like you know what you are doing even if you don't. That is half the battle right there. Have fun and use this as a learning experience. Just remember if you don't do this then they will have crap from P&S's. This is their wedding day so remind them to smile and act like they like each other. There is plenty of time to hate each other in a couple of years.

[Time Thief]

And a great big crash into Tim's post. Call the ambulance!

[Philco]

I second the 24-105 on the 5D - it's a very common combo for weddings. For most of the day, this would be my main choice. (I have friends that live by this combo, even though I like the 24-70) For the ceremony, I'd consider putting the 85mm on the crop body, since it's effectively a 135 F1.8 at that point, and I'd carry both cameras. I'd be surprised if you needed to get much tighter than that for such a small ceremony. (not having seen the space myself, of course)

I average about 230+ RAW shots in the 5D on a 4 gig card. It's worth having another one or two so that even if you're backing up your files as you go, you'll still have the written cards themselves should your harddrive become compromised sometime during the day or before you back up the files at home.

My two cents,

Philip

[dsc_1972]

17mm on a 5D is like 10-11mm on a 30D, which is way too wide for shooting people IMHO - way too much distortion.

Yeah Tim I see where you're coming from. I was trying to cover all the angles. Not necessarily a good thing. Point taken!

So yes, I would agree, 24-105 on the 5D. Plenty wide.

[Time Thief]

Also, remember that you can't have too many pics but you can have too few. If you have too many you can just throw the extras away later. What did it cost you but some space on your hard drive for a little while.

Get there early and take as many pics before hand as possible. Get a pic of just her bouquet, that can be used as a background later. Cake alone before everyone is in there, ring shot or ten. Different perspectives for it, have the rings touching. Just some more sporadic thoughts.

[LoriKelso]

Thanks so much for all your input. It looks like I'll be investing in a 4 gig card, and leaving the cameras on auto WB. The 24-105 has actually only left the 5D once or twice, so it's actually the lens I feel the most comfortable with.

[Robert16]

I would go with the 24-105 on the 5d. Keep your fifty close to hand. I bought a tripod with pistolgrip head and a monopod in preperation for my first wedding and haven't used either. I would practice with the flash Lori! There is a really good thread here from a couple of days age titled FEC? Oh! And yes, definately, at least 4gb

[Robert16]

And good luck:D

[Tony Spires]

One more thing, make sure that you put a FRESH formatted CF card in your camera (minimum 2gb) prefer 4 GB right before the ceremony starts. You DO NOT want to have to change cards during the ceremony. It will fluster you since it's your first wedding and don't forget when you fill one up and hand it to your friend and he hands you the other one, it's not as simple as snapping it in and continuing to shoot. You have to reformat the card and then you can shoot. This takes valuable time. So you want a empty card ready at the beginning of the ceremony. Good luck.

[LoriKelso]

Gotta tell the pro's here, I always had great respect for you, but after shooting the wedding it has increased 100%. Let's just say, I got a few good shots, but have a long way to go before I'll ever agree to do that "please help us out" favor for anyone ever again. Lighting was horrible, and my ISO wasn't set high enough. I feel like a total failure! At least there will be a few nice shots for them, though, which is better than nothing...

[dsc_1972]

A few shots are better than NO SHOTS! You did this for free for your friends... you're probably being a bit overly critical on yourself too.
So good on you for doing that for them - and yes maybe a lesson learned on the way.
You;re still here to tell the tale!