Two 5D or one 5D and one 40D for wedding?

If you were to shoot a wedding and had the following TWO options, which would you choose?

Assumptions:
- Cost of the bodies is irrelevant
- You can pick two bodies from either 5D or 40D
- You have the following lenses: 24-105, 85L, 16-35, 100 macro, 70-200 2.8 IS

I'd go two 5D's for consistent low light performance on both bodies, unless you had a really large venue and you wanted to pair the 40D with 70-200 for the reach.

Well, I figure there are advantages to having one 40D:
- Highlight priority. Not sure how big a deal this is.
- Higher FPS for bouquet toss, garter toss.

As much of a fan I am NOT of the 5D, I'd rather use two of those than a 5D and a 40D, assuming you're buying them for me. Having a 1.3x and a 1.6x, I naturally put the longer lens on the 1.6x, but I'd rather they were both 1.3x or FF.

Hope that makes sense.

SunTsu wrote in post #5091345
Well, I figure there are advantages to having one 40D:
- Highlight priority. Not sure how big a deal this is.
- Higher FPS for bouquet toss, garter toss.

-My understanding is HTP is only applied to JPEGs and it limits the camera in functional ways (I don't recall everything but I believe one of them is ISO range).


-You'll have to have awesome lighting, because otherwise you'll be using a flash that cannot recycle at 6.5FPS unless it's barely putting out any power. Depending on your shooting position, you'll probably want a wide angle of view anyway.

cdifoto wrote in post #5091352
As much of a fan I am NOT of the 5D, I'd rather use two of those than a 5D and a 40D, assuming you're buying them for me. Having a 1.3x and a 1.6x, I naturally put the longer lens on the 1.6x, but I'd rather they were both 1.3x or FF.

Hope that makes sense.

Well, I was originally going to get the 1D Mark III as a 2nd body, but I got scared away by the AF issues. I just checked and the 40D can be had for about $1000 so I figured it wouldn't hurt too bad if I was to use that with one of my 5D bodies. I don't think I'll need the reach, but the FPS might come in handy.

Given the choices, I'd go with two 5Ds. Just so you don't have to think much about crop factors and which lens to go on which. I've never found the FPS to be that important in weddings. Usually, it is better to anticipate the action. I rarely use continuous shot mode. I just use the single shot mode, but firing a few shots per focus.

Money being no object and if weddings are all you shoot, I'd pick two 5D's. If you do stuff other than weddings, you may want the 1.6 crop factor and speed. I shoot weddings and nature so I use a 30D and now a 40D for more versatility since I can't have 'just' wedding cams set apart.

2 5D's. IQ is better from the 5D and the difference in button placement on the bodies could be enough to slow you don't at times. The ONLY advantage that the 40D would have IMO would be the AF, but I don't think its enough of a difference to really matter. This is coming from someone who owns both.

Definately 2 5D's. If you want something fast to back it up then look at a 1dmk2 over the 40D?

I chose one of each so you could have higher FPS for certain situations. As you mention, Highlight Tome Priority may benefit with bridal gowns as well.

Rellik wrote in post #5091585
Given the choices, I'd go with two 5Ds. Just so you don't have to think much about crop factors and which lens to go on which. I've never found the FPS to be that important in weddings. Usually, it is better to anticipate the action. I rarely use continuous shot mode. I just use the single shot mode, but firing a few shots per focus.

Do you think the whole crop factor thing will mess with my mind a bit when switching FF and crop bodies? I've never shot with a crop, so I have almost no experience with it.

I think I'm convinced that I don't need high FPS, so the only advantage I can think that the 40D has now is highlight priority.

I was planning the following for lens selection:
Bride getting ready:
- 85mm f/1.2L II
- 24-105mm f/4L

Pre-ceremony. This is at the same venue as the reception as there will not be a traditional Church service. I'll be doing all the venue and set-up shots.
- 16-35mm f/2.8L II
- 100mm macro

Ceremony:
- 70-200mm f/2.8L IS
- 24-105mm f/4L IS

Reception:
- 85mm f/1.2L II
- 24-105mm f/4 and/or 70-200

I'd be interested to hear others' opinions on my lens selection.

Paul Pagano wrote in post #5091879
Money being no object and if weddings are all you shoot, I'd pick two 5D's. If you do stuff other than weddings, you may want the 1.6 crop factor and speed. I shoot weddings and nature so I use a 30D and now a 40D for more versatility since I can't have 'just' wedding cams set apart.

At this point, money isn't important because I already have two 5d bodies. I've been wanting a crop body like the Mark III, but opted out because of potential AF issues. At some point, I'll want a crop again, but I'm choosing mostly for a specific wedding date at this point.

SunTsu wrote in post #5093523
Do you think the whole crop factor thing will mess with my mind a bit when switching FF and crop bodies? I've never shot with a crop, so I have almost no experience with it.

I think I'm convinced that I don't need high FPS, so the only advantage I can think that the 40D has now is highlight priority.

Highlight Tone Priority would be helpful if you're shooting in Jpeg. From what I've seen, HTP works by lowering the ISO by a stop (e.g. from the 200 baseline to 100) and then, in processing, applies a curve to boost the darker tones up a stop but not boost the highlights.

If you're shooting in RAW, the HTP function passes a flag to a RAW processor to apply the curve to the (1 stop underexposed) RAW data, but your RAW converter may handle this in different ways.

If you're shooting in RAW, you may be best served by leaving HTP off and setting up your exposure to handle highlights properly before the shoot. You'll be able to process the image in your RAW software to get the same or better results as HTP gives.

If your shooting RAW+Jpeg, turning it on would give the benefit of an instant jpeg for viewing at the event, while in your RAW converter you can still fine-tune the image to taste.

SunTsu wrote in post #5093523
Do you think the whole crop factor thing will mess with my mind a bit when switching FF and crop bodies? I've never shot with a crop, so I have almost no experience with it.

I think I'm convinced that I don't need high FPS, so the only advantage I can think that the 40D has now is highlight priority.

I was planning the following for lens selection:
Bride getting ready:
- 85mm f/1.2L II
- 24-105mm f/4L

Pre-ceremony. This is at the same venue as the reception as there will not be a traditional Church service. I'll be doing all the venue and set-up shots.
- 16-35mm f/2.8L II
- 100mm macro

Ceremony:
- 70-200mm f/2.8L IS
- 24-105mm f/4L IS

Reception:
- 85mm f/1.2L II
- 24-105mm f/4 and/or 70-200

I'd be interested to hear others' opinions on my lens selection.


At this point, money isn't important because I already have two 5d bodies. I've been wanting a crop body like the Mark III, but opted out because of potential AF issues. At some point, I'll want a crop again, but I'm choosing mostly for a specific wedding date at this point.

You're overthinking it. You can't really plan the day out lens-wise that far ahead. You're going to have to assess the situation when you get there and then choose the right optic for the task at hand. Unless, of course, you've already been to the locations and seen the lighting exactly as it'll be on the day.

As far as mixing crops, it's not a big deal. You put your longer lens on the camera with the most crop factor, and your wider lens on the camera with no or less crop factor. Then you grab and shoot with the one you need for a given shot.

SunTsu wrote in post #5093523
Do you think the whole crop factor thing will mess with my mind a bit when switching FF and crop bodies? I've never shot with a crop, so I have almost no experience with it.

I think I'm convinced that I don't need high FPS, so the only advantage I can think that the 40D has now is highlight priority.

I was planning the following for lens selection:
Bride getting ready:
- 85mm f/1.2L II
- 24-105mm f/4L

Pre-ceremony. This is at the same venue as the reception as there will not be a traditional Church service. I'll be doing all the venue and set-up shots.
- 16-35mm f/2.8L II
- 100mm macro

Ceremony:
- 70-200mm f/2.8L IS
- 24-105mm f/4L IS

Reception:
- 85mm f/1.2L II
- 24-105mm f/4 and/or 70-200

I'd be interested to hear others' opinions on my lens selection.


At this point, money isn't important because I already have two 5d bodies. I've been wanting a crop body like the Mark III, but opted out because of potential AF issues. At some point, I'll want a crop again, but I'm choosing mostly for a specific wedding date at this point.

That sounds like a lot of work. You might find yourself rethinking all of that lens changing after the first wedding....to keep it simple, the 85 and the 16-35 would be best mounted on a 5D (each) and the 70-200 in a shoot-sack (or whatever you carry) if you decide its needed. Not sure you'd really need more.