Help: Will be shooting a wedding for the first time with a ff

Hello my friends,
I will be shooting a wedding this Friday for the first time using a full frame camera (5d3) that I will be renting. I personally own a t1i which I feel pretty comfortable using and have a actually shot a few weddings with.

The lenses that I will have access to for the wedding include the Canon 24-70, L135 f2, and the 70-200 f2.8IS II. Back up bodies include my friends 60d and my T1i (17-55 2.8 IS).

The camera should arrive on Wed, and on Thurs I get a full day to practice with it before the wedding. My question to you guys is (especially those that own or have tried the 5d3) what are things I should try to learn or what is the biggest adjustment I will have to make coming from a rebel shooter. Any advice is appreciated.

edit: I have never shot with the 24-70 and the 135, so any advice on that I appreciate as well!

I haven't used a 5D3, but I've used a lot of Canon cameras. The main things to watch are the beep noise, the AF setup, and the file quality (ie set it to raw). Otherwise they're all pretty similar.

If you plan to use anything other than one shot centre point focus I suggest you practice, especially things like ai servo in low light.

The main difference you'll notice is better image quality, sharper images, better color, and narrower DOF.

Start reading the manual on how to change the settings (AF, exposure, ISO, Exp compensation). Check also the focusing of the lenses, you might need some MA.

And make sure it's set to not trip the shutter without a memory card in the camera.

I have to ask - why couldn't this question be asked earlier? It's really too late to do anything meaningful
Great idea from moonshadow about reading the manual right now online

The biggest change coming from Rebel would be the AF system. Start practicing with it right away. There are a couple of custom functions that come really handy for weddings such as using the DOF preview button for switching between AI servo and one shot AF, and also setting the joystick button to directly change the focus point.

Also check all the other custom functions to make sure they are not set to something you are not used to.

Thank you my friends. I appreciate each and one of you for your responses.

If anyone has any suggestions on using MA (a fav link or something) I would welcome that. If not I can google it.

@smorter- I didn't ask earlier because I wasn't sure to pull the trigger on buying the 5d3 (I would have to buy a lens with that as well) or not. After seeing how much I owe for school... eessshhhh. I figured I think I'm going to wait a little and see what Canon has in store this year. I've heard they are coming out with an entry level FF camera. We shall see. But anyways, I just placed an order to rent the 5d3 recently and that is why I started this thread like 2 days after.

Try to rent the 5D3 before the wedding, so you have it in your hands and know how to use it! Don't want to be fiddling around with it on the day of the shoot. Read up on the manual online and get familiar with what you will have to change etc.

Read up as much as you can as moonshadow says and actually try to learn it. I got to try out the 5D3 launch demo body and the focus system was a WTF moment after coming from a 5D2. It is out of this world in comparison,but also very complex, so you will need to know the basics before you get to the wedding.

Joelh085 wrote in post #14631719
Thank you my friends. I appreciate each and one of you for your responses.

If anyone has any suggestions on using MA (a fav link or something) I would welcome that. If not I can google it.

@smorter- I didn't ask earlier because I wasn't sure to pull the trigger on buying the 5d3 (I would have to buy a lens with that as well) or not. After seeing how much I owe for school... eessshhhh. I figured I think I'm going to wait a little and see what Canon has in store this year. I've heard they are coming out with an entry level FF camera. We shall see. But anyways, I just placed an order to rent the 5d3 recently and that is why I started this thread like 2 days after.

Fair enough, you'll enjoy the camera! (I haven't opened mine yet )

Just keep it simple, the basic functions are the same, just don't fiddle with the crazy stuff like the built in levelling function etc. and customising AF too much till you're used to it!

Quick first impressions so far:
Like:
• Joystick for focusing. I've set it up that I don't have to press the initial AF point selection button. This is nice and fast for the kind of shooting I do
• auto ISO and the ability to add min ISO, max ISO and min shutter speed
• obviously image quality, high ISO abilities

Don't like:
• Where the Playback buttons are located. So much easier and faster with a rebel and 60d IMO (all I have to use is my right hand). I wish the AE lock button and AF point selection buttons were to zoom in and out on an image instead of pressing the playback button and then the magnifying glass button with my left hand. I've set the "set" button to image playback but this doesn't really help
• Swivel screen would be nice
• HDR mode doesn't line up my photos correctly

Overall I like it! I need to look into more on the AF. Too many options.

Smorter, why haven't you used that new toy?

Be aware of your DOF. You may find it way smaller than you did on your Rebel and you don't want to miss shots because of it.

+1 Smorter, why haven't you used that new toy?

If you have not use the 24-70mm as your main lens for wedding before, be ready to hold a brick for long hours. It's big, it's heavy and it's is awesome (IMO). I like the combo of 24-70 and 70-200 a lot.

From what I read, most Folks here use either 135 or 70-200 but not both so think hard about it before you carry both with you. Wedding with long hours on your feet + extra weight from lens and accessories = PITB (Pain in the Back) on the day after.

Agree

scobols wrote in post #14643708
Be aware of your DOF. You may find it way smaller than you did on your Rebel and you don't want to miss shots because of it.