AD wedding/Event: 2 cam or change lens?

[shinken]

Another call for advice

I have found shooting with one lens to be limiting for events, in particular weddings. If I use wide-angle zoom, I lose reach. If I use mid-focal range/tele zoom, I can't take group shots, which couples desire.

As I fumbled with changing lenses, I either lost moments of candids which I can capture with a mid focal range zoom, and when I have a mid-range zoom mounted, I get people coming up asking for group shots.

If I use wide-angle telezoom (18-200 etc), I lose optics.

I'm contemplating 2 bodies. But I hardly see anyone do that. And there must be a reason. Why?

Anyone with a similar dilemma at any point? Can share your solution?

 

[Xing]

Why not? Using two bodies myself, can also set it to B&W mode for shooting those close-ups and intimate moments.

 

[nightwolf75]

Another call for advice

I have found shooting with one lens to be limiting for events, in particular weddings. If I use wide-angle zoom, I lose reach. If I use mid-focal range/tele zoom, I can't take group shots, which couples desire.

As I fumbled with changing lenses, I either lost moments of candids which I can capture with a mid focal range zoom, and when I have a mid-range zoom mounted, I get people coming up asking for group shots.

If I use wide-angle telezoom (18-200 etc), I lose optics.

I'm contemplating 2 bodies. But I hardly see anyone do that. And there must be a reason. Why?

Anyone with a similar dilemma at any point? Can share your solution?

harlo! how are u doing??

i had the chance to occassionally help out pros who go ard with 2 cams - 1 SLR and 1 DSLR, or 2 DSLRs. and there are some who i know who shot with 1 cam for the whole day. those who goes ard with 2 cams follow ur logic - 1 cam mounted with a WA and the other with a mid-tele. however, most complain of the weight ard the neck. in fact, i observed most of them dun necessarily carry both cams at the same time. like my wedding photog. when he was shooting at my plc and later in church, he usually left one of the cams lying somewhere in plain sight of him.

those i know who shoot with 1 cam the whole day usually make use of one of those ultra-zoom lenses. hehe... invariably, they are almost all DSLR users. one of them told me dat he's willing to sacrifice the occasional shot in order not to miss the other 99. besides, he likes to run ard unencumbered.

 

[catchlights]

It depends on your shooting style.


I use 17~55 all the way, hardly use or change to a longer lens, even I have another camera body with me.


Another photographer friend of mine, using 12~24 as prime, another body with 28~70, but according to him, the shots are 85% using 12~24.

 

[shinken]

Why not? Using two bodies myself, can also set it to B&W mode for shooting those close-ups and intimate moments.

Weight? Restriction of movement? I don't know, haven't spoken to enough photographers to know why. But it's reassuring to hear otherwise.

 

[shinken]

harlo! how are u doing??

i had the chance to occassionally help out pros who go ard with 2 cams - 1 SLR and 1 DSLR, or 2 DSLRs. and there are some who i know who shot with 1 cam for the whole day. those who goes ard with 2 cams follow ur logic - 1 cam mounted with a WA and the other with a mid-tele. however, most complain of the weight ard the neck. in fact, i observed most of them dun necessarily carry both cams at the same time. like my wedding photog. when he was shooting at my plc and later in church, he usually left one of the cams lying somewhere in plain sight of him.

those i know who shoot with 1 cam the whole day usually make use of one of those ultra-zoom lenses. hehe... invariably, they are almost all DSLR users. one of them told me dat he's willing to sacrifice the occasional shot in order not to miss the other 99. besides, he likes to run ard unencumbered.

Hi Sam

Thanks. I was a tad worried about the weight of 2 cams, and how they potentially restrict movement.

 

[shinken]

It depends on your shooting style.


I use 17~55 all the way, hardly use or change to a longer lens, even I have another camera body with me.
Another photographer friend of mine, using 12~24 as prime, another body with 28~70, but according to him, the shots are 85% using 12~24.

Problem is I'm using a Canon system, where my options lie with my 17-40 for wide zoom (16-35 would almost definitely need a change of lens, unless I do lots of cropping). 40 on a 1.6x seems to have insufficient reach (which again, requires cropping). In any case, to capture mood and candid expression, I prefer to use natural light, which F4 is a tad challenging for me.

In any case, thanks for raising the issue of style. I guess it boils down to the fact that I have yet to develop my own sense and style to know exactly what I need. Definitely need more practice and reflections. Thanks again

 

[jOhO]

i have tried using 2 bodies.. too tough for me.. i got a batt pack slung, and if two cams, that's like 3 straps around me... talk about bondage.

so for me it's: change lens!

 

[dawgbyte77]

I bought a small beltbag with a water bottle slot, then removed that slot. So far I have timed my changing of lens to approximately 10 secs. Need to practice a lot at home. 2 bodies means your filenames will jump up and down.

 

[Virgo]

I hold a backup body, but this is only purely as a backup. Change lens with my working body. So far, it worked fine.

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

It depends on your shooting style.


I use 17~55 all the way, hardly use or change to a longer lens, even I have another camera body with me.


Another photographer friend of mine, using 12~24 as prime, another body with 28~70, but according to him, the shots are 85% using 12~24.

digital or film?

 

[nightwolf75]

Hi Sam

Thanks. I was a tad worried about the weight of 2 cams, and how they potentially restrict movement.

well, joHo has spoken, and he shld know best! :bsmilie:

actually, i tried once to be geh kiang and hang 2 cams on me.. lasted only 5mins b4 i gave up. ;p so, nowadays i just consigned myself to always swap lens.

 

[jOhO]

well, joHo has spoken, and he shld know best! :bsmilie:

actually, i tried once to be geh kiang and hang 2 cams on me.. lasted only 5mins b4 i gave up. ;p so, nowadays i just consigned myself to always swap lens.

yeah lor.. cannot lar.. i knock into pple or little kids or furniture nevermind.. my lens and body i mind!!! :bheart: :embrass:

at best, like u mentioned above.. the second cam is stand by down there put on corner.. if need just run there grab. :thumbsup:

 

[yangbeng]

normally i go in with 2...one with 17-40, one with 70-200. can increase hit rate more by say 10%...

but majority of the photos are taken with the wide lens...just occasionally when something candid sparks my eyes then i will pop up the 70-200. changing lens may result in losing the candid moment.

 

[catchlights]

digital or film?

When I shoot film, I shoot a F90X with grip, another F80 with grip also hang on me, not a problem, but this is mostly done for church weddings.

When I shoot digital, also can shoot with two bodies, one with 17~55, another with 90mm or 50mm, done that before not a problem also, but this is not my usual style.
File names from two bodies it is not a issue, can easily solve, do a search, has many discussion in CS, photo.net and many other forums before.

If you need to sling two bodies, the simplest way is make it one with longer stripe, another one with shorter stripe.

 

[KNIGHT ONG]

Hmmm .... 10 years ago I used to shoot with 2 bodies and it was FULL manual focus ie F3 and FA ... :sweatsm:

5 years ago .. shag liso onli shoot with F100 + 28-70mm lens, with backup body ... :sweat:

NOW ... I shoot with D2h + 17-35mmf/2.8 + battery pack all the way, hardly change lens ....:devil:

 

[shinken]

Sigh, read the various shooters sharing intently, still back to the same dilemma. Will practice changing lens and anticipating the flow of events. Too newbie to invest in another cam without assurance of its usage anyway. Thanks for the responses.

 

[NMSS_2]

most situations in weddings or events are planned for, just take note of them and anticipate the flow. i take about five seconds to change lens in a belt system.

during a recent open air church wedding , i was instructed not to obstruct the view of the audience. thus rapid changing of lenses is essential. i have changed more than thirty times during the span of 40 minutes!:sweat: lucky i dont have dust in ccd problem due to my camera function.

 

[JediForce4ever]

most situations in weddings or events are planned for, just take note of them and anticipate the flow. i take about five seconds to change lens in a belt system.

during a recent open air church wedding , i was instructed not to obstruct the view of the audience. thus rapid changing of lenses is essential. i have changed more than thirty times during the span of 40 minutes!:sweat: lucky i dont have dust in ccd problem due to my camera function.

wah....thats like once per minute.......so fast.....lucky you not using film or not your hands will be so full.....changing lens and film.....siao liao....

 

[Xing]

Sigh, read the various shooters sharing intently, still back to the same dilemma. Will practice changing lens and anticipating the flow of events. Too newbie to invest in another cam without assurance of its usage anyway. Thanks for the responses.

Aiyo since dont have the "luxury" of 2 camera, better stick to what works best for you . When shooting wedding, we dont have the "luxury" trying too many things, it tends to screw things up. AD weddings require speed, agility and flexibility, so a zoom lens should be the way to go ;p .