New Camera

manderb1 · Jul 9, 2007

Hello Everyone
I am new to this forum, long time reader first time poster! I was wanting advice on a good professional camera. I recently just shot my first wedding and my camera did an okay job, but I want a camera with a higher ISO (mine only goes to 500) and has a fast shutter speed (any lens recommendations?) I mainly shot outdoor engagement and family sessions but I am trying to move more toward the weddings, what will be the best for under $1000?

Johnboy2978 · Jul 9, 2007

Generally, shooting weddings requires a nice fast lens, rather than pushing up the ISO and adding grain/noise. Since flash is generally a no-no, you are left to getting fast glass with an aperture of f/2.8 or f/1.4 to allow for faster shutter speeds and stop the action. You will probably be in the market for a f/2.8 70-200 and a f/2.8 24-70 or 17-50 or similar in addition to a nice prime lens that allows you to open up to 1.4 or 1.8.

As for the camera, for sub $1000, I would say either Canon XTi (400d), Pentak K10D, or the Nikon equivalent (whatever that is). The lenses are going to cost you another 2K+. The 70-200 will run about $850 for a Sigma and up to about $1600 for the Canon or Nikon equivalent. A 24-70mm from Sigma will run about $450 and I'm not sure what the Canon/Nikon eq will be. To that you will probably need a decent flash for when you can use it.

If you are going to be charging for these weddings, you are going to need a backup of everything you have (i.e., 2 bodies, 2 70-200, etc.) b/c if you don't and something fouls with your one and only camera, you are going to be in a liable position. Just something to think about.

manderb1 · Jul 9, 2007

Thanks Johnboy, I will do some more researching, so far I am considering the Nikon D80, does anyone know about this camera?

Big Mike · Jul 9, 2007

The D80 is a great camera. I would also recommend looking at the Canon XTi or 30D. Sony and Pentax also offer pretty good DSLR cameras.

As mentioned, wedding photography typically requires a good fast lens...which may or may not cost more than the camera. And of course, backup equipment is a must when you are the primary paid photographer.

manderb1 · Jul 9, 2007

What type of lens would be fast enough for the D80? Would the 70-200 be enough? Thanks again everyone!

manderb1 · Jul 9, 2007

sorry all, I meant the 24-70mm, not the 70 200

Sw1tchFX · Jul 10, 2007

The Nikkor 35-70 and 28-70's cover kind of an awkward focal range on digital bodies. On film, they're brilliant, but on a digital body with a cropped sensor, they become midrange to short telephoto's. The 17-55 f/2.8 DX is a more sensible approach, offering a similar angle of view (more like 25-80mm) as the 28-70 on a 35mm body. I used to have the Nikkor 35-70 f/2.8 and now have the 17-55 2.8, I almost never used the 35-70 so i sold it, now the 17-55 is my most used lens. I know a wedding shooter that uses the 17-55 on her D2x, and she told me that she could easily shoot a wedding using only the 17-55, and still get what the client wants, it's just that other lenses have different results, like the 85mm f/1.4, has really narrow depth of field, for example.

Before you spend tons of dough on the equipment though, learn how to modify light, that's more important than equipment.

manderb1 · Jul 22, 2007

where is a good place to buy the equiment? Online is typically cheaper but what is a good online store that one can trust?

DSLR noob · Jul 23, 2007

not to be mean but you sound no where near equipped to do weddings. Most wedding photographers have another digit in their budget for equipment. I don't reccomend becoming one of those people who pics up a camera and takes the job from a more qualified person. sorry to be rude but I'd hate for a client of yours to wonder why everything is dark
and you find out the hard way that you shouldn't of been the prime picture taker at the ceremony.

manderb1 · Jul 23, 2007

Actually, I have equipment now but I wanted to upgrade what I have. I need a faster lens and I am not wanting to go the local circuit city or best buy. I never bought from the internet for security reasons. And I am not "one of those people who picks up a camera" I have 5 years experience in photography, however, I am just now reaching out to do weddings. I have been more of a family/senior photographer. You have to build a name base and get general experience before you start shooting weddings and thats what I have been doing. Just wanted a little help

fotoflo · Jul 23, 2007

The equipment you use dosn't matter as much as the way you use it. For serious $10,000 wedding gigs, it may be a different story, but it seems like ManderB is early in her career and will be doing less expensive (and therefore less financially risky) weddings. $1000 should be enough to get some good equipment to start with and after a few shoots she'll have some capital to buy more gear.

I just bought a d80 (and kissed film and slide a final goodbye) and a Nikon 17-55mm f3.5-4.5 zoom lens, (and an extra battery, of course) all for just under $1000 USD. Thats the cheapest kit lens, sold with the d40. The lens is a little slow for me, but its sharp, and i can turn the ISO up to 800 without any real noticeable difference in picture quality (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond80/page18.asp see the luminance noise graphs).

With this setup alone, i can get just about any shot I want. I rarely use telephoto because it flattens images and removes you from a subject (which is the oppisite of what you want for weddings).

I think a setup like mine (I like the d80, but a $700 canon/pentax/sony + similar focal length lens) should give you the tools you need to get the job done. An additional 50mm/f1.4, a very cheap lens thats possibly the sharpest and fastest design out there, well that couldn't hurt either.

Regards,
fotoflo

manderb1 · Jul 23, 2007

thank you fotoflow, you understand where I am coming from and the equipment you have is similar to what I plan to purchase. I didn't want to spend more than 1000 on the camera b/c I still have to purchase a lens. This is why I put 1000 as my budget. does the 17-55mm get the job done well? Where is a good place to purchase the lens? Thank you

JIP · Jul 23, 2007

manderb1 said:
Hello Everyone
I am new to this forum, long time reader first time poster! I was wanting advice on a good professional camera. I recently just shot my first wedding and my camera did an okay job, but I want a camera with a higher ISO (mine only goes to 500) and has a fast shutter speed (any lens recommendations?) I mainly shot outdoor engagement and family sessions but I am trying to move more toward the weddings, what will be the best for under $1000?

This does not exist. All I know is Nikon and the D200 is in excess of $1000 for the body and that is their lowest professional camera. A good place to buy online http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/407284-REG/Nikon_25235_D200_Digital_Camera_Camera.html Thye can be trusted. I hope you are not offended by alot of the people here who are bristling at your original statement there are alot of people here (me included) who spent multiple thousands of dollars to get started in wedding photography the right way so when you come on looking for a camera for under $1000 to compete against them some get defensive.

DSLR noob · Jul 23, 2007

I'm sorry, I thought $1,000 was your overall budget including lenses, didn't realize it was a body budget. sorry.

smyth · Jul 24, 2007

JIP said:
This does not exist. All I know is Nikon and the D200 is in excess of $1000 for the body and that is their lowest professional camera. A good place to buy online http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/407284-REG/Nikon_25235_D200_Digital_Camera_Camera.html Thye can be trusted. I hope you are not offended by alot of the people here who are bristling at your original statement there are alot of people here (me included) who spent multiple thousands of dollars to get started in wedding photography the right way so when you come on looking for a camera for under $1000 to compete against them some get defensive.

*scratching head* you're telling her to buy a D200 to shoot weddings, and you have a D70s to shoot weddings. I don't mean to be a jerk, but how does that make sense?

Not to mention there are a lot of people who shoot weddings very successfully with camera's that are not considered "pro cameras" of my knowledge a 30D or a 5D are technically not the pro cameras, and neither is the D200. So to me, if you shoot a wedding with a D70s, then there's no reason she can't shoot one with a D80 is there?

(sorry in advance if you have gear that is not listed in your sig)