Should I have left my 5DII at home?

YMMV.
I took my 5D2 & 85L to my coworker's wedding and occasionally snapped some images from my seat for my own enjoyment. Now I strategically chose my seats for the ceremony & dinner no doubt but I never stepped on the toes of the 'Hired' or gained attention to create photos outta respect. Besides, the main purpose of going was to have a good time, photography was only secondary.
In the end, all the images were candids that I enjoyed as well as my coworker(the bride). Once I tagged her on FB, all her friends that were at the wedding thought I was the main photog, so after I cleared that up, two parties still booked me to shoot their weddings this year.

*Knowledge* wrote in post #11940201
YMMV.
I took my 5D2 & 85L to my coworker's wedding and occasionally snapped some images from my seat for my own enjoyment. Now I strategically chose my seats for the ceremony & dinner no doubt but I never stepped on the toes of the 'Hired' or gained attention to create photos outta respect. Besides, the main purpose of going was to have a good time, photography was only secondary.
In the end, all the images were candids that I enjoyed as well as my coworker(the bride). Once I tagged her on FB, all her friends that were at the wedding thought I was the main photog, so after I cleared that up, two parties still booked me to shoot their weddings this year.

That's my feeling on situations like these. If I'm going as a guest, I want to have a good time. I'll bring some gear if I want my own personal photos (usually just the 50mm).

what is it your problem? I'm sure they got what they paid for.

and by that I don't mean anything negative about people using lesser gear... if the photog was a "bad" photog with cheap gear, chances are, they paid him accordingly.

Thanks for the responses. Just curious to poll some other shooters' experiences.
I had a great time hanging with my kids, wife and family. Just a bummer for the couple if they were expecting high quality pics.

Does it hurt to throw the camera bag in the trunk - just in case?

They hired the other guy for reasons beyond this discussion plus I think you are being a bit of a gear snob. There will always be someone who has better gear, experience or prices that fits a couple's needs. Personally, I prefer to bring a P&S when I attend weddings as a guest. Knowing what kind of stress the hired gun is under, I'd rather study their technique more than take pictures anyway.

You should bring it. I did to my husbands cousins wedding and their photographer was absolutely awful and they are so grateful that I was there to take pics as those are the only ones they use now.

jerrybsmith wrote in post #11944566
They hired the other guy for reasons beyond this discussion plus I think you are being a bit of a gear snob. There will always be someone who has better gear, experience or prices that fits a couple's needs. Personally, I prefer to bring a P&S when I attend weddings as a guest. Knowing what kind of stress the hired gun is under, I'd rather study their technique more than take pictures anyway.

I think using a pop-up flash pushes it beyond being a gear snob to be honest.

When I see someone using a pop-up flash*, or a kit lens in a church, or auto mode, they automatically lose quite a bit of credibility. Im not saying they are a bad person, or they cant take good photos, but if they arent prepared or know enough about their camera, they shouldnt be paid.

*I know there are instances when a pop up flash can be utilized in a professional manner, but if they are using a 75-300 outdoors far enough away and the pop up flash is going on, there isnt much fill happening.

A while back a friend of my fiance's was getting married. They asked me to shoot their wedding but I turned them down. My fiance had talked to them and they were only wanting to spend about $500. I haven't done weddings and didn't want the responsibility, especially for $500. They hired a photographer (which I found out later they paid $2500) for. My fiance was a bridesmaid so I had to be there. I took my camera and was up on a balcony above the ceremony and took a few shots. After the ceremony they were doing posed shots with the family so i walked over to observe. It was near sunset and I was stunned to see that the "pro" was using a Rebel (not sure of the model). It wasn't the fact that she was shooting with a Rebel but rather the fact that it was almost sunset and she was shooting with the pop-up flash. I had my 5dM2 with 580Ex2 on it so I took shots of the family as the pro was through with them. Later in the reception hall which was pretty dark, I decided to just take pictures as I was fairly certain that they wouldn't get very nice images from their "pro". Weeks after the wedding the photographer was extremely hard to get ahold of. They finally got their pictures but I think my shots were the only ones that they really liked. The others were blurred and noisy beyond belief.

offcamber wrote in post #11946653
They hired a photographer (which I found out later they paid $2500) for.
<snip>
I was stunned to see that the "pro" was using a Rebel (not sure of the model). It wasn't the fact that she was shooting with a Rebel but rather the fact that it was almost sunset and she was shooting with the pop-up flash.
<snip>
The others were blurred and noisy beyond belief.

Prior to handing over $2500 and booking this "photographer", had they seen samples of their work?

I have been on both sides of this coin. I shot a wedding where one of the guests was an Sports Illustrated staff photographer and was there with a 1D Mark II (been a few years), a 24-70 2.8 L and a 580. He approached me and asked it was ok if he took a few shots but that he would stay out of my way and his shots were only going to be for him. I told him that it was fine and I appreciated his professional courtesy. I will tell you that it did make me a bit nervous though!

I have also been a guest and I brought my camera. I don't own a point and shoot so I'm stuck carrying my big gear. I did the same thing the other photog did for me. I approached the hired photographer, told them I was only shooting for myself and that I would stay out of their way. They had no problem with it. The funny thing is that I had some serious gear envy with them (2 shooter team), they were shooting all L primes, quantum strobes, 1Ds bodies and Hasslebald with a phase one back! I thought, wow, theses guys must be great. When I looked at the proofs I was stunned, everything was at least 2 stops under exposed and out of focus. Goes to show that the gear does not make the photographer!

It amazes me how people can charge $2500 and still shoot with a Rebel and pop-up flash. If you're getting paid that much get some decent gear at least. I don't really mind it when the $500 photographer shows up with the Rebel camera and kit lens... you get what you pay for. But when you're paying $2500, IMO, you're paying for more capable gear. Not that people can't rock shots with a Rebel, but when you're in a low light church and nighttime reception no matter how good you are the Rebel kit and pop-up flash just ain't gonna cut it.

I'd love to shoot a wedding with just one camera and one lens, maybe a flash, plus backup gear in the car just in case. I'd probably do it for free, since I couldn't say it'd be up to my usual standard. I'd still be better than most photographers though.

There are "pro" guys all over China with little plastic cameras. Maybe the D3000 and kit lens is what the wedding could pay for. I'm sure the quality is fine for the relatives.

Should have left your flash at home, but brought a simple body and lens. With the ISO performance of a 5D2 and the light-sucking of the 85L -- you're done without looking lke the photographers better rival. It didn't need to be a full-time job.

I'm sorry there is some snobbery here we shoot weddings and my partner shoots with a Rebel or in the UK a 550D and it's a bloddy cracking camera the images from it are JUST the same as the ones out of my 7D the main reason she uses it?

For her it's lighter to use and carry (she's 8 stone dripping wet) and finds a 7D too heavy. When on your feet all day with a busy shooting day.

As for popup flash never in a million years would we use one at weddings if we use flash it's 580 EXII's or 430 EX II's