A Question For The Pros

There's a lot of talk that goes on about how you MUST have the best gear when photographing weddings, I wan't to know what gear you all had when you photographed your FIRST wedding as the official photoG

Did you have a bag full of L primes and a few 1 series bodies?

My first contracted wedding.... which was also my first wedding was shot with a 40D and a 350D. For lenses, I used a 17-55mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8. I also had a 430EX flash too. The equipment was more than adequate to get the job done, and my technical expertise was there... I just wasn't used to being a problem solver and a people pleaser at the time.

Also, this is the wrong forum for this subject.

I moved this thread to TALK since you don't have photos to SHARE.

I hope to get more responses for you here.

5D Mark II with 24-70 2.8L and 70-200 2.8L II, with a 580EXII flash and an OCF trigger.

I shot my first wedding on Feb 21, 2009, this isn't all my gear at the time, but this is the gear I actually used to shoot the wedding.
Canon 1Ds Mark II
Canon 1D Mark III
Canon 50D
Canon 16-35L
Canon 24-70L
Canon 70-200L
Sigma 150mm 2.8 Macro
Sigma 300mm 2.8 (Put on a tripod, used as a remote with the 50D for the ceremony)

Always a news shooter, but I did weddings now and then. My first shoot was with a 2 1/4 Rollei, 75mm twin lens--loooong time ago.

Recently I have seen new wedding and event photographers using both amateur cameras and lens, like Rebel series and EFS or Tokina/Sigma/Tamron lenses. No reason not to use them. It's the talent not the equipment.

I shot my first wedding in 1982 with a canon A1 with a 50 1.8, vivitar 28mm lens, and a vivitar flash.

I did my first wedding with a T2i and 24-105.

Thankfully is was an outdoor affair and the pictures turned out great.

My first wedding was with a 20D and a 17-85 but I was a 2nd shooter and literally had no responsibility for anything. I highly recommend doing this before jumping in as a primary with no experience.

My first solo wedding was with a 20D/40D combo, 17-55 f/2.8L IS, 70-200 f/2.8L IS MkI, 50mm f/1.4, 580EX x 2....roughly. I might have had the 100mm Macro as well then. Regardless it's not about having 1D bodies or the BEST gear possible. I think the xxD series (minus 60D) is still good enough provided you have backup gear and good lenses. The lenses and the photographer are the most important IMO. Though I wouldn't recommend weddings with a Rebel.

2 Hassellblads, 50mm 80mm and a 150mm. Norman 200 flashes, canon AE1 with 50mm, 24mm and a mid range zoom that I don't remember much about.
When I started the conversion to digital I shot everything on film until I got to the reception where I used a Canon 30D and a 28-135.
My first full digital weddings where started with the 5D classic and the 30D using a 17-40, 85, 50 and 24-105.

Interesting thread that will most likely confuse the OP with all the variety. When you think about how well pros were covering weddings during the film era, it's amazing how obsessed some of us get with our gear.

My first wedding was with one 5Dii, 24-70 and 70-200 (I just started last season)

Milutiche wrote in post #15686462
There's a lot of talk that goes on about how you MUST have the best gear when photographing weddings, I wan't to know what gear you all had when you photographed your FIRST wedding as the official photoG

Did you have a bag full of L primes and a few 1 series bodies?

You don't necessarily need the best gear, but you need proper gear...

I spent roughly 2 years being a 2nd, and I shot with a 40D/20D/30D/XTi during those years
my own wedding was shot with a 10D, and pretty much any current camera will destroy that one's capabilities...
having shot weddings with everything from a Rebel, xxD to a 7D to a 5D/5D2, I can easily tell you that the better bodies do perform better, and there are bells and whistles that make the job easier, and others that just get in the way...
24-70 and 70-200 f4 IS were the 2 I've pretty much always had... 50 1.4 and 85 1.8 are 2 more that I had most of my 2nd shooter days...

when I made the step to be on my own, better bodies and better glass and better light was picked up...

Thanks SuzyView
Interesting responses, I should add, im not asking this because I want to go out and buy the best gear (I couldn't afford it if I wanted to anyway)
I've shot at least half a dozzen weddings as a guest using moddest gear and had realy good feedback, most of the brides found my "capturing of the moments" better than that of the official PhotoG

This Sunday I take the bull by the horns and am shooting my first contracted wedding, I don't want to loose my natural style by trying to "pose" the couple too much.

Milutiche wrote in post #15687905
Thanks SuzyView
Interesting responses, I should add, im not asking this because I want to go out and buy the best gear (I couldn't afford it if I wanted to anyway)
I've shot at least half a dozzen weddings as a guest using moddest gear and had realy good feedback, most of the brides found my "capturing of the moments" better than that of the official PhotoG

This Sunday I take the bull by the horns and am shooting my first contracted wedding, I don't want to loose my natural style by trying to "pose" the couple too much.

Please tell us you have a backup body and flash available to you.

gonzogolf wrote in post #15687919
Please tell us you have a backup body and flash available to you.

Yes to both