Wedding Shoot: Bare Minimum

[Azriel]

What do you think the bare minimum for a wedding shoot should be as far as equipment goes?

 

[blash]

I haven't shot weddings but I'd imagine the typical professional uses:

a) some professional body,
b) a backup body,
c) nice flash
d) walk-around lens for the ceremony, reception, etc. (i.e. 18-200)
e) portrait lens for formals
f) strobes in strategic locales / for formals
g) a-d for an assistant or two to try and make sure all the shots that can be taken, get taken.

Bare minimum, though, would be something like a D200 + 50 f/1.4 + SB-600.

 

[Flash Harry]

I haven't shot weddings but I'd imagine the typical professional uses:

a) some professional body,
b) a backup body,
c) nice flash
d) walk-around lens for the ceremony, reception, etc. (i.e. 18-200)
e) portrait lens for formals
f) strobes in strategic locales / for formals
g) a-d for an assistant or two to try and make sure all the shots that can be taken, get taken.

Bare minimum, though, would be something like a D200 + 50 f/1.4 + SB-600.

The 50 would be the portrait lens, its too tight at weddings. Bare minimum, two bodies,two flashes, lens from 24mm at least for groups sometimes wider but watch for distortion, really apart from a selection of lens you need two of everything plus plenty of fully charged batteries for both the cameras and flashguns. H

 

[jlykins]

This is a section for people photos. This should be moved to the general shop talk section. But since I'm here already, I am going to venture to say that you haven't shot any weddings since you are asking this question, and before anyone else gets nasty, weddings aren't something that you want to just "try out" by yourself. My bare minimum for a wedding is at least one assistant, if not a second shooter. A main body, and a backup body. 2.8 glass in the 17-55 range, as well as in the 70-200 range. On camera speedlight for pre-wedding stuff. No flash for ceremony. Multiple speedlights and stands with umbrellas for the formal stuff. Also I like to place a flash in the corner of the dance floor to illuminate it during the reception.

 

[McQueen278]

2 bodies (preferably full frame, but obviously not necessary)
Ultra Wide Zoom
Standard Zoom or 24mm, 50mm and 85mm or100mm primes
70-200mm f/2.8 preferably with IS/VR
Circular Polarizers and Neutral Density filters for all lenses.(not truly necessary)
5 batteries for cameras
3 flashes (2 for use, 1 for emergency)
2 stands w/ flash adapters
2 white shoot through umbrellas
2 silver reflective umbrellas
pack of gel filters for flash to correct for tungsten and florescent
2 sto-fen Omni Bounce diffusers
2 white bounce cards
PC cords to connect flashes to camera
40+ rechargeable AA batteries
Canned air for emergency sensor dust removal
Lens cleaning kit (solution, microfiber cloth, dust pen)
Tripod
Twice as many memory cards as you think you need
Locking Cases for all this crap

There is a lot more that is preferable, but not really necessary like a remote cable, Pocket Wizards and more flash modifiers. I probably forgot something very obvious as well.

 

[bace]

I've done 8 weddings with a 300D, 18-55m, 50mm 1.8 and a 550ex.

Just upgraded and will be taking a 450D (with 300D as backup), and HOPEFULLY a 24-70mm 2.8 to next wedding (if I can get it in time). Probably gonna be taking a strobe with stand, a shoot through umbrella and a reflector for weddings this year as well. Up the game a bit.

I never really thought about back-ups before but as I start to take on more cash for weddings, it's better to have something in case something goes wrong.

Seriously though. If you want to start doing wedding just charge VERY little and take what you have. You can't go out and buy 10k worth of stuff for your first wedding. Specially if you suck or just don't like doing it.