For Wedding Pros, What Camera do you use?

Ok, I'm most likely one of the last ones to hold out on going totally digital. Love my Hasselblads for all my formal shots, sort of fire and forget with them and film, but I'm looking at switching. I'm at a point that I'm very torn about this. I really started to think about this as I have heard of labs either not, or thinking about not, working with film any longer.

OK, my background,

I have been using Digital capture since 93 for my commercial work. I have worked with most medium format / view camera backs on the market. I have set up studios with digital equipment from 1 camera to over 200K worth of equipment. What I'm looking at is what would be the best way to go for my weddings. Don't need to be concerned for the commercial work as I'm a day shooter and don't need to use my own equipment. The quality of the commercial equipment needs to be at it's highest that it can be. I'm concerned that I might be holding my standards from the commercial equipment to what I want from the wedding DSLRs.

For the last 3-4 years I have been shooting my candids with my digital systems (10D, 20D, 40D with L glass) and finally feeling that a total switch would be good.

My concerns are this. My eyesight is not as good as it once was, so the AF must be on as I can't quickly manually focus in the DSLR. I have used a 1D MarkIIN, and a 1Ds Mark II on a few weddings testing the waters. A few things I encountered were inconsistent fill flash with both camers and either my 550 or 580 on manual, TV, and yes Program. Flash comp was +1/3 or 2/3 and looks good and the next image under and it was not a recycling problem. I have two friends who have Mark IIn's and have almost admitted to some of the same problems, but they deal with it. Maybe I'm trying to be a perfectionist but I don't wish to be concerned with changes in exposure once set even when in manual. And I do not want to spend more time in PP the raw images.

I'm interested in what people here who are shooting weddings (30 - 40 per year) are using camera wise and what what they wish was better about the camera.

For a camera, I'm thinking of the 1Ds Mark III, (big 14bit files) or a new 1Ds Mark II (not as big 12 bit files), but I don't know if it will be overkill, and I'm not concerned with weight as my Hassy rig is about 9.5 lbs.

The 1D Mark III, is the cost savings worth it? (not FF and 14 bit files)

5D Which I'm not to sure about. I hear that many have compared the 40D files to the 5D except when it comes to higher ISO settings.


Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks, Pete

I think a 5D and a 1DIII or 40D are a killer, killer wedding combo.

i use a 5D and i used a 20D to complement it but i've replaced that with a 1D.

I would much rather have two bodies the same - it's so much easier to switch from one to the other intuitively. I use 2 5Ds, both with battery grips and 580EX2s.

John Mottershaw wrote in post #4936238
I would much rather have two bodies the same - it's so much easier to switch from one to the other intuitively.

Absoluty!

I understand what you mean about the Hasselblad. I've seen a pro with all that stuff and I just am green with envy. Practical, though, it is not.

I shoot with a 5D with 24-70 attached, and a 40D with the 70-200 2.8 IS or 85 1.8. I carry both cameras and keep the lenses on most of the day. If I feel the need, I will put the 85 on the 5D and walk around for close up candids. I love the 5D and would actually welcome 2 5D's in the future.

What about shooting with the 40D and a 17-50 2.8 Tamron on the Sigma 24-60 2.8? I'm picking up a 1dMKII used and I think the 24-60 2.8 and my 70-200 2.8 L are a good start.

Moments wrote in post #4935709
The 1D Mark III, is the cost savings worth it? (not FF and 12 bit files)

i don't shoot weddings so i can help you with that but the 1DmkIII is also 14 bit....

5D and 40D all the way. Best of both worlds

blonde wrote in post #4938431
i don't shoot weddings so i can help you with that but the 1DmkIII is also 14 bit....

Sorry, typo, I knew that it is 14 bit. Corrected it in the OP.

14 bit is something that I have really been waiting for to make my decision to switch. Again, I don't know if I'm comparing this too much to what I see with Phaseone and Sinar backs I'm used to in the commercial world.

I see that many here are using the 5D. Have you done so due to cost or weight as your main reason for getting a 5D? Any problems or things you wish it did better? I used one a few months ago while helping a friend shoot a commercial job. It seemed ok with what we were shooting.

One thing that I do not wish to worry about is making 16x20 prints from a cropped digital image. One of the main reasons I never used a 35mm and used a Hassy.

I also have had low light AF problems when I tested the Mark IIN and the 1Ds Mark II, with the 24-105 F4 IS lens at two different events. I got so aggravated, I went back to the 20D with my 16 -35. I do think it could have been the lens being a f4 and not F2.8. I did not have the 20–70 F2.8 with me on those jobs do to not having room in my case for extra equipment, so I could not switch to check it.

Thanks again for any input

Moments wrote in post #4938768
One thing that I do not wish to worry about is making 16x20 prints from a cropped digital image. One of the main reasons I never used a 35mm and used a Hassy.

This I understand. As I have said before, I have never seen a digital photo that would stand up to the 6x7 I used to shoot with my Mamiya. I use a pretty decent DSLR as far as digital IQ goes. And, I have printed up to 13" x 17" photos (not severely croped) with it that are very nice for most all of my current shooting styles and subjects. But , no, if you want the very best in a 16" x 20" or 20" x 24" portrait you need a MF or LF film camera (at this time, that is).

Moments wrote in post #4938768
I also have had low light AF problems when I tested the Mark IIN and the 1Ds Mark II, with the 24-105 F4 IS lens at two different events. I got so aggravated, I went back to the 20D with my 16 -35. I do think it could have been the lens being a f4 and not F2.8.

At some point the difference between f/2.8 and f/4 will, and does, make a difference. Not only because there is a twice the amount of light factor in and of itself, but some of the cameras best AF mode require f/2.8 or larger.

5D and a crop body is more than sufficient. 2 x 5D's would be perfect.

used to shoot a 5D with another 1.6 crop cam (like a 30D or 40D)
FF will have a 24-70 2.8 while e other will have a 70-200 2.8 lens
but just switched, nw having 5D with 1Dmk2

Currently a 5D, 24-70 and 70-200. I'm adding a MKIII very soon ... (wife already pre-approved, so it's a done deal)

have you try to use the external power source for your flash? I've use both Quantum 5td and Metz 76 MZ-5 with 1ds mark II and never have problem like you mention.

5D or 1ds mk II are the 2 perfect choice for wedding gear.