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| One of my favourite capture the moment type shots. |
As a mainly retired wedding photographer I used to think that cameras and other accessories did not necessarily have to be high end to do wedding photography.
I think that was more so true in film photography days than in the digital now.
In film days camera performance was mainly based around lenses and the type of film you were using and how good your film lab was.
A medium format camera such as a 6x4.5 set up was always a step up in quality if not in operating speed.
Using a tripod was important at times in a shoot but not always.
It was a good discipline to use it particularly when shooting medium format.
Even though I rarely photograph weddings now I follow the industry closely via the internet.
Youtube and web sites such as F stoppers, DP Review and online teachers such as Jason Lanier. and others.
They give much insight in what can be captured and done with well specified equipment.
A great on camera or off camera flash set up is I believe still an important part of a wedding photographer's armoury but the use of high ISO ratings with reduced "noise" and also continuous lighting like LED lights are very useful.
So if I were seriously starting out now as a photographer I would certainly start off with good quality APSC Digital Slr's but having mastered that technology as quickly as I could I would look to Full Frame Digital SLR's as soon as I can afford it.
To start a Wedding Photography business is still relatively cheap to set yourself up with the right tools for the job.
Canon and Nikon were usually and mostly still are the choice of professionals for weddings, although other brands such as Sony are now very good.
The new Pentax K1 full frame digital slr may be a great camera for weddings.
If I were doing weddings today for a living my ideal set up is something like below.
Having started off with Pentax but using Canon and Nikon digital cameras as well, I would if I could afford it have a Pentax 645z medium format camera and the Pentax K1 as my wedding kit.
That is presuming the K1 meets the expectations.
You should always have 2 top of the line cameras,one as a back up on the wedding day.
Also you should have back up lighting equipment and plenty of cards and charged up batteries.
In short you really need back up for everything.
I have never had a lot of joy with pentax brand flash equipment.
Nikon and Canon have produced in my opinion much better products in that regard.
I would certainly be investigating the type of portable lighting that Jason Lainier demonstrates on his youtube videos.
Cameras used in weddings must be quick to operate and work well in low light and have a high dynamic range.
In film days your negative films had a great "dynamic range" or exposure latitude.
Some specialist films were also a lot finer grained, (sharper and less noisy), than some.
Even if you did not have your exposure spot on the negatives were still able to give you a good print.
A high dynamic range and shooting RAW can now take the place of film characteristics.
You need a camera that will give you detail in highlights and shadows.
As far as lenses the faster (very large maximum apertures) and better quality the better.
Below are some names of wedding photographers whose work I think is really good and a quality to aspire to and not only are they great photographers but their knowledge of how to " work" a wedding and relate to their customers is brilliant.
Cliff Mautner
http://www.cmphotography.com/
http://www.cmphotography.com/
Jason Lanier
http://www.jasonlanier.com/weddingsinfo
http://www.jasonlanier.com/weddingsinfo
Joe Buissink
http://www.joebuissink.com/
http://www.joebuissink.com/
If you are just staring in wedding photography or photography in general there are lots of wedding photography training posts on this blog. There may also be other photography posts that are not on here on my other blogs.
To access my other blogs click on view my complete profile below about me on the right hand margin.
