Valid setup for shooting weddings and events?

TylerTarris · Feb 10, 2011

This is the setup im saving for to shoot weddings and events, does this sound good to you guys?

Body: Nikon D3s w/lcd protector and hotshoe protector
2ndBody: Nikon D3100 w/ Battery grip and lcd/hotshoe protectors
MemoryCards: 4x 64gig extreme pro CF cards, 4x 32gig extreme SDHC cards with cases
Batteries: 4 rechargables for each
Accessories: Full set of Bodycaps, lens/rear lens caps, Filters, and hoods, as well as all cords and manuals, etc. for each camera
Flash: Nikon SB900 w/ external power source and accessories for power source, Nikon Hotshoe cable for a flash bracket, tilt flash bracket, full set of filters for the flash, two sets of rechargable back up batteries, one back up external power source
Lenses: Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 lens, Nikkor 18-200mm lens
Case: Please recommend a watertight hardcase that will house all of this

I understand the investment I am making here and wanted to know if this would cover all of my needs as a freelance wedding and event photographer, based on my research, everything should be perfect, except possibly a 16-30ish mm wide angle lens, a fish eye, a 200-400mm telephoto, and a macro lens for like 135 and 200mm's for my other various purposes. I just wanted to make sure im not forgetting anything important, atm I have photoshop cs5 and gimp 2.0 for editing.

D-B-J · Feb 10, 2011

the 18-200mm is not full frame.. the d3s is. the d3s and d3100 are such different camera's, that the d3100 is not really an appropriate backup. Thats like saying i normally drive a ferarri, but i have a unicycle in the trunk for a backup. Thats alot of card space! Definately do not need that much.. Probably going to want some sort of umbrella/softbox setup, instead of just a diffuser/filter. 50mm 1.4 is a good lens, but ideally you want a 24-70 2.8 and 70-200 2.8

Regards,
Jake

Trever1t · Feb 10, 2011

I don't know, if I had a D3s if I would want the D3100 for a backup. I'd want something totally compatible with the D3, batteries, cards, etc.

I'd rather have more memory card with less capacity, don't like all my eggs in one basket.

I've not yet run a battery down and have literally shot all day but I do carry a back up so a couple extra would be a good idea.

I'd want multiple flash units, at least 3.

I'd never want an 18-200... 50 is ok but If i just spent the $ on a D3s damn sure I'm rocking the best Nikkor has to offer.

darn, Jake types faster!!!

D-B-J · Feb 10, 2011

Trever1t said:
I don't know, if I had a D3s if I would want the D3100 for a backup. I'd want something totally compatible with the D3, batteries, cards, etc.

I'd rather have more memory card with less capacity, don't like all my eggs in one basket.

I've not yet run a battery down and have literally shot all day but I do carry a back up so a couple extra would be a good idea.

I'd want multiple flash units, at least 3.

I'd never want an 18-200... 50 is ok but If i just spent the $ on a D3s damn sure I'm rocking the best Nikkor has to offer.

darn, Jake types faster!!!

Ha! We do!:lmao:

TylerTarris · Feb 10, 2011

Well then im going to look for an older D3 for a backup, and ill take your word on the lens and plan on ordering the ones mentioned instead, I was totally unaware of the differences in lenses until you said that, so thanks for preventing me from wasting even further money

Trever1t · Feb 10, 2011

you're going to drop what 10-15 grand on equipment and have what experience? I wish I could afford a D3 with high milage.

Scatterbrained · Feb 10, 2011

Have you ever shot a wedding? Me thinks you should do some assisting/seconding for a while and see how you do and what you need first.

Sw1tchFX · Feb 11, 2011

interesting choice of tools...

This is what i would suggest if you're dropping serious money and take it as a grain of salt:

-2x D700's 1 main, 1 backup, with money left to spare compared to the cost of a single D3s.

-24-120 f/4VR, this is your zoom lens for when the light is right for it.

-Nikon 85mm f/1.4G or Sigma 85mm f/1.4, this is your formal portrait lens.

-Nikon 24mm f/1.4G (my favorite for receptions, your mileage may vary and you might want to swap this one for a 70-200 f/2.8)

-Nikon 50mm f/1.4G for when the light goes to sh*t and you want something more normal.

With that you can have one body with the 24-120 if you're outside or w/e and just want one body, or when the light goes south you can have the 24mm on one body, the 50 on the other and go ballistic at f/1.4.

-2x SB-700's, they will shoot for longer than the 900 (just Google SB-900 overheating), they cost less, are almost as powerful, smaller, and give you as much capability that you'll ever need. I say 2 so that you can have a backup, one on each body, or when you start using them off camera.

-32ish GB spread across 4 or 8GB cards. If you lose one card, at least you don't lose alot.

-A strong tripod that costs at least $300. These are great for the canned family shots where the compositions are the same, this lets you use a cable release and interact with the groups better and faster without messing with the camera.

-4-5 batteries in total will cover you for a day easy, the D700's are great for battery life.

-Hold everything in Pelican Cases if you want that type of thing. I like Tamrac cases personally. again your mileage will vary.

*Skip the D3s unless you have seriously deep pockets.
*The 18-200 is a dog sh*t lens for anything besides casual or off the cuff shooting, it's a jack of all trades, master of none.
*don't use 64GB cards, that is a disaster waiting to happen.
*you do not need a 200-400 for weddings.

If you want to go cheap hipster get an F100, 35mm f/2, 85mm f/1.8, and a bunch of rolls of Fuji 400H-AWESOME combination for shooting outdoor weddings and keeping it simple. One of my favorite wedding photographers in Portland shoots with that and he'll outshoot 85% of PDX wedding photogs anyday.

TylerTarris · Feb 11, 2011

Well, ive been shooting ALOT lately, and have been contemplating starting a photography buisness to shoot weddings and events, I was looking specifically at the D3s because it will give me more freedom for other types of shooting, say paparazzi photography, its got 9-11 fps, for landscapes that full frame card is amazing, same with the view finder, however ill take your word for it and research the d700 and f100, I was looking at the f6 for a 35mm

all of this is a long time in the making, im debating on saving all the money I make until next winter, buying a junker car and an amazing photo setup, so that I can remake the money shooting weddings, etc. (some experience but not much, I am looking into following a wedding photographer to see whats up) and then have a buisness started that I can enjoy doing to make money throughout college, and possibly further then that. Well, ill look into all avenues specified, thanks ;D

o hey tyler · Feb 11, 2011

Shooting "a lot" doesn't qualify you for shooting a wedding, since you don't even know the differences between lenses. There's at least a post, if not two a day about someone who "bought a dslr and wants to start shooting weddings". It simply doesn't work like that.

For example, your info: "I recently started photography due to influence from a photography class and plan to start working professionally very soon, Im very new to this

"

Simply because you've taken a photography class does not mean that you are prepared to start working professionally. A photography class is a great place to start, but there are people that spend their entire academic tuition on photography schooling.

Yes, before you invest a lot of money in gear, follow around a wedding photographer. You're really getting way ahead of yourself. You don't just buy an expensive DSLR and shoot a wedding. There could be several legal repercussions for you if a client is not satisfied with your work, and you charged an exorbitant rate. All that money you spent on the D3s, and then it gets re-po'd.

Not trying to be hard on you, but you're jumping the gun.

gsgary · Feb 11, 2011

TylerTarris said:
Well then im going to look for an older D3 for a backup, and ill take your word on the lens and plan on ordering the ones mentioned instead, I was totally unaware of the differences in lenses until you said that, so thanks for preventing me from wasting even further money

It sounds like you will have all the gear but no idea, if your going to be shooting weddings you should know what you need and know lenses and specification inside out

Ginu · Feb 11, 2011

That's some serious cash dropped on two completely different bodies for weddings. As someone already suggested, perhaps you should shadow someone for weddings b4 shooting one by yourself.

D3 is a superb camera(I wish I could afford that) but overkill for a wedding
18-200 is a DX lens and you will lose quite a bit by using it on a FX body, might as well get the 28-300 VR instead, although still not a good lens for weddings.

My suggestion for the lens would be 28-70 2.8 G on a primary body with a 70-200 2.8 VR on a second body and with some spare 1.4 50mm or 35mm along with a super-wide lens of your choice
For camera's I would suggest 2 * D700 or wait a bit and see what the replacement will look like (might be a really feasible option depending on what Nikon has prepared). Don't get an FX body for primary and a DX body for a secondary/backup camera; the variance in between photos will be pretty noticeable not to mention lens and accessories not being compatible (batteries and memory cards).

At least two flashes is a really good option along with a tripod, backup batteries (one for each body) and smaller memory cards. As some already mentioned, losing or misplacing one of those will result in a disaster.

Derrel · Feb 11, 2011

o hey tyler said:
Shooting "a lot" doesn't qualify you for shooting a wedding, since you don't even know the differences between lenses. There's at least a post, if not two a day about someone who "bought a dslr and wants to start shooting weddings". It simply doesn't work like that.

For example, your info: "I recently started photography due to influence from a photography class and plan to start working professionally very soon, Im very new to this "

Simply because you've taken a photography class does not mean that you are prepared to start working professionally. A photography class is a great place to start, but there are people that spend their entire academic tuition on photography schooling.

Yes, before you invest a lot of money in gear, follow around a wedding photographer. You're really getting way ahead of yourself. You don't just buy an expensive DSLR and shoot a wedding. There could be several legal repercussions for you if a client is not satisfied with your work, and you charged an exorbitant rate. All that money you spent on the D3s, and then it gets re-po'd.

Not trying to be hard on you, but you're jumping the gun.

Dude, you're being such a buzz-kill, with all your reality-based observations and cold water, slap-in-the-face pragmatism. You're killin' the dream man, you're killin' the dream!

Ginu · Feb 11, 2011

Derrel said:
Dude, you're being such a buzz-kill, with all your reality-based observations and cold water, slap-in-the-face pragmatism. You're killin' the dream man, you're killin' the dream!

My best friends wedding was not long ago and they spent close to 5k on a wedding photographer with his backup man... The couple were OK with the result pictures as they gave them a DVD with some 5000 pics and a album with a few hundred pictures, but from my perspective (and I'm not the best to judge photos) they did a god awful job. Who gets the family photos with power lines in the background?

The main photographer was using a D300 and the backup guy had a D200 and both cameras with average lens (nothing professional). My friend didnt know any better which was good, but honestly, his uncle with a point and shoot camera got better pictures and made the whole family smile in a natural way. Now, friends wife saved her money for this wedding since she was 16 because her dream was to have a big and expensive wedding.

My point is, if she knew better, her most important weekend of her life would have been ruined by the two amateur photographers with some dslr's... however in this case I just kept my mouth shut.