Setting-up a friend...

...in his *own* business as a wedding photographer and providing him with the following gear:

1. 2 x 40D and 1 vertical grip.
   
2. 2 x 580EXII and 1 battery pack.
   
3. 17-40L-F4
   
4. 70-200L-F4
   
5. 35L

Psychic1 wrote in post #3954886
...in his *own* business as a wedding photographer and providing him with the following gear:

1. 2 x 40D and 1 vertical grip.
   
2. 2 x 580EXII and 1 battery pack.
   
3. 17-40L-F4
   
4. 70-200L-F4
   
5. 35L

Is this a good basic setup? Suggestions welcome, Please.

A lot of cash there initially! Why not spring for the 70-200 2.8 IS, and a 17-55 IS instead of the f/4's? Drop the 35L and put the money toward those instead... Later, just pick up a sigma 30mm 1.4... if really needed.

I'm actually selling my 35L, really don't use it enough to justify it's cost (awesome lens, though.)

JMHO

I agree, in a church with no light and no flash you are going to be in trouble.

*Bill wrote in post #3954909
A lot of cash there initially! Why not spring for the 70-200 2.8 IS, and a 17-55 IS instead of the f/4's? Drop the 35L and put the money toward those instead... Later, just pick up a sigma 30mm 1.4... if really needed.

I'm actually selling my 35L, really don't use it enough to justify it's cost (awesome lens, though.)

JMHO

Bill:
The 17-40L, 70-200L and 35L will come from my collection, as they are less than a year old and he always shoots with a flash (M - F8 - 1/60 - iso200).
Thank you

Must be a good friend. Get him a 17-55 F2.8 IS, sure he'd have to buy it but it's very, very useful. Sell the 35L if you have to.

tim wrote in post #3955212
Must be a good friend. Get him a 17-55 F2.8 IS, sure he'd have to buy it but it's very, very useful. Sell the 35L if you have to.

ditto!

You say he uses flash all the time....that's nice...but I promise he will encounter a church that does not allow flash during the ceremony. And you know...even if they do, there is just something about capturing the ceremony as is...I love the soft ambient light..I want the guest to enjoy the wedding and not be distracted by my flash..

just something to think about. He really need a lens faster than f4.

Psychic1 wrote in post #3954956
Bill:
The 17-40L, 70-200L and 35L will come from my collection, as they are less than a year old and he always shoots with a flash (M - F8 - 1/60 - iso200).
Thank you

Old school film shooter? Gota learn some new tricks to keep up with the times. Then again maybe he's brilliant.

Grace wrote in post #3955306
ditto!

You say he uses flash all the time....that's nice...but I promise he will encounter a church that does not allow flash during the ceremony. And you know...even if they do, there is just something about capturing the ceremony as is...I love the soft ambient light..I want the guest to enjoy the wedding and not be distracted by my flash..

just something to think about. He really need a lens faster than f4.

I agree as stated, at least get a 50mm 1.8 or 1.4, not that much.

Grace wrote in post #3955306
ditto!

You say he uses flash all the time....that's nice...but I promise he will encounter a church that does not allow flash during the ceremony. And you know...even if they do, there is just something about capturing the ceremony as is...I love the soft ambient light..I want the guest to enjoy the wedding and not be distracted by my flash..

just something to think about. He really need a lens faster than f4.

Actually, me and/or my 5D/85L are usually available for the natural light shots.

Psychic1 wrote in post #3955497
Actually, me and/or my 5D/85L are usually available for the natural light shots.

85 will do beautifully in natural light....I still think you may need a shorter focal length...but hey - its doable

tim wrote in post #3955330
Old school film shooter? Gota learn some new tricks to keep up with the times. Then again maybe he's brilliant.

Ditto to this.

f/2.8 is critical to my wedding shooting. Why? In order of priority:

• available light options (your friend WILL need them sometime)
  
• creative control (f/4 doesn't give very shallow DOF on 1.6 crop cameras)
  
• focussing speed and accuracy (having used both f/4 and f/2.8 L glass, I can assure you this is tangibly different in low-ish light)

linarms wrote in post #3955616
Ditto to this.

f/2.8 is critical to my wedding shooting. Why? In order of priority:

• available light options (your friend WILL need them sometime)
  
• creative control (f/4 doesn't give very shallow DOF on 1.6 crop cameras)
  
• focussing speed and accuracy (having used both f/4 and f/2.8 L glass, I can assure you this is tangibly different in low-ish light)

Not all of these might matter to your friend (yet), but I reckon some of them will.

17-55/2.8IS all the way.

I've never considered EF-S glass because I have never owned a body that can use it, but your points are extremely valid.
Would the 16-35L be too short?

BTW - my friend has 2 daughters in West Point and a 16 year old son, $$$ are tight and he is shooting a Nikon D70 & Sigma 18-200, his major asset is his patients with clients.

I hardly use my 16-35 during ceremony unless I want to get some wide shots to include the guest. But I do use flash and 16-35 2.8 when they signing papers. My primary len is 70-200 2.8 IS. I dont use flash most of the time even they allow me to.
If money is tight then sigma 70-200 2.8 and a 30 1.4 might be a good options IMO.
But seriously 17-55 2.8 IS is a super awesome len. I dont own one but my 2nd shooter do.

EF-S glass is KILLER!!! Three of them are known to be among canon's SHARPEST and most amazing lenses. I have them and am not disappointed in the least.... and I can't even use them on all my cameras. If you are setting him up with two 40D's, then it would make sense to use EF-S.... I mean, those lenses are OPTIMIZED for that camera format. You won't find better lenses. I would pay more for a 17-55 over a 16-35 any day.

The 17-55 2.8 is the gold standard in crop body wedding lenses, so you need to build the kit around that. It has "L" quality with the same price tag, but worth it.

So get the 17-55 first, then maybe an 85 1.8 or 100 2.0 for the longer available light work & candid shots.

I'd forget the 35L and also the F4 lenses as they are too slow .. if you want a longer zoom then the 70-200 2.8 IS.

And also a 10-22 for the wider angle stuff.

I'd also question the value in 2 40D's but that's another story .. here in Canada I can buy 6 XT's for the price of 2 40D's and can't tell the difference between the files.
Mike