Shooting a wedding. Comments please.

[raytoei]

hi,

need advice from experienced folks here.

I am going to be a reportage-shooter this saturday for a friend's wedding.

I am still trying to figure out what to bring, and what iso film to bring.

here is my current thoughts, please give me your comments:

Main shooter: Contax G1 with 28/45/90 lens

Backup: Fuji GA645 with 60mm lens in 120 format (in 35mm it is around 35mm)

Day film is 400 iso tri-x, nite film is 1600 tri-x or 3200 Tmax.

Only serious issue is that the Contax G1 has a finicky focus mechanism. My recent test shorts had a high 30% out of focus. I am practicing this week to narrow it down. I think the problem is especially acute for night shots.

I will most likely bring my M2 frankenstein with the canon 1.4f as well.

Your comments please ?

 

[Speedsun]

hi,

need advice from experienced folks here.

I am going to be a reportage-shooter this saturday for a friend's wedding.

I am still trying to figure out what to bring, and what iso film to bring.

here is my current thoughts, please give me your comments:

Main shooter: Contax G1 with 28/45/90 lens

Backup: Fuji GA645 with 60mm lens in 120 format (in 35mm it is around 35mm)

Day film is 400 iso tri-x, nite film is 1600 tri-x or 3200 Tmax.

Only serious issue is that the Contax G1 has a finicky focus mechanism. My recent test shorts had a high 30% out of focus. I am practicing this week to narrow it down. I think the problem is especially acute for night shots.

I will most likely bring my M2 frankenstein with the canon 1.4f as well.

Your comments please ?

you use more of AF or MF on yr G1 ??

 

[sjackal]

Reportage would be more suited for wide angle, 28 is sweet and the greater DOF from WA would probably make extra tolerances for the finickly focusing of your G1. Anyway most places in Singapore are quite tight.

Night time indoors Ilford Delta 3200 if you can find!

 

[chua beng]

good to have a SLR with a wide angle like 24/2.8 or 28/2.8 or 35/2 to shoot CLOSEUPS of details, as well as candid upfront portraits.

if you wanna skip closeup of details altogether, a RF with a 28 or 35 for "hip shots" or "zone-focused" spontaneous shots will be good.

another camera can be a RF with a 50 or 75 for a more telephoto angle of ppl's expressions.

TRI-X is also my favourite as it allows pushing to 1600/3200 with rodinal, beautiful tonality.

Delta 3200 is good with DD-X. Other than DD-X, I wouldn't recommend delta 3200. Neopan 1600 is much better in my opinion. Or I'll just stick to Tri-X only, using it at 400 and 1600/3200. Pushing it at 3200 for medium format films is beautiful!!!

As for the G1, the AF might frustrate you (it did to me). So, using its' MF (zone-focusing) might be a better choice for "Fast" moments, but for those shots which I had time to compose, I was ok with it's AF mechanism. But, I'll skip the 90mm, the AF isn't accurate 1/2 the time. I only used the 45 and 28 with the G1.

Ur M2 would be a trustworthy choice!

Cheers!

 

[yqt]

hi,

need advice from experienced folks here.

I am going to be a reportage-shooter this saturday for a friend's wedding.

I am still trying to figure out what to bring, and what iso film to bring.

here is my current thoughts, please give me your comments:

Main shooter: Contax G1 with 28/45/90 lens

Backup: Fuji GA645 with 60mm lens in 120 format (in 35mm it is around 35mm)

Day film is 400 iso tri-x, nite film is 1600 tri-x or 3200 Tmax.

Only serious issue is that the Contax G1 has a finicky focus mechanism. My recent test shorts had a high 30% out of focus. I am practicing this week to narrow it down. I think the problem is especially acute for night shots.

I will most likely bring my M2 frankenstein with the canon 1.4f as well.

Your comments please ?

As you have mention that you're:
1) still fig.ing what to bring
2) the shoot is this Saturday
3) you're not too sure how to handle the Contax G1

Suggest you use your usual camera as there're lots happening during a wedding and there may not be time to try to fig out what to do with your cam.

 

[LowLights]

M2 frankenstein with a 35mm

1600 for both day and night

unless day is mainly outdoor then 400 is more ideal

Bring the Canon for backup

Bring a 50mm for close ups and bokeh shots

 

[artspraken]

i'm doing one next week with 21mm, 35mm, 50mm

amateur stress...

 

[Benji77]

I vote for the M2 + XPan with your favourite lenses and film. Your comfort is more important

 

[Royale With Cheese]

I would say M2 with 35mm F1.4, all set to go.

Film - Tri-X 400 for day, night, push to 1600 (bring loads!)

Honestly, thats all you need. Any more cameras or lenses, you would just be spending more time which lens/body to use next

Maybe a nice Ricoh GR for back up as well

 

[raytoei]

hi...i think you guys are right, perhaps I am thinking of this wrongly: The primary lens should be the M2 with Canon 1.4f. I wished I have a 35/1.8 but the only 35mm lens I have is the canon 35/3.5f slow lens, which is still in CLA. The manual focus will be key because scale focusing will be more useful in spur of the moment situation whereas manual focusing will take too long.

Backup lens could be the a. Fuji GA645 b. Contax 28mm or even the Minilux

Now for film. Day or Night. Out Door / Indoor.
in my stash, I currently have:
30 x Tri-x 400
20 x Plus-x 100
10 x neopan 1600
10 x tmax p3200 (expired!)
20-30 rolls of Medium format.

i think 400/1600 is a good combination for day/night. Also, adding a Tmax p3200 in the backups cameras could work as well.

cheers!

 

[chiif]

hmmm.... I'm trying my Hexar AF with Agfa APX 400 film tonight. Will post some result tomorrow. See whether it could be a combination for your consideration.

 

[chiif]

Didn't have any 800 film. So, used the Agfa APX 400, set it +1 stop and double the development time on D76 to 15min. Scanned as positive and invert in GIMP, retained the sepia look, as I felt the B&W is too blue for my liking...

I really like the Hexar AF.

 

[raytoei]

+1 Chiif, Nice. I like the look of APX400 but found it impossible to push beyond a stop. Glad this worked well for you.

 

[Bravia]

Didn't have any 800 film. So, used the Agfa APX 400, set it +1 stop and double the development time on D76 to 15min. Scanned as positive and invert in GIMP, retained the sepia look, as I felt the B&W is too blue for my liking...

I really like the Hexar AF.

Nice~! Time to get mine out of the dry cab and give it a run!

 

[ZoomP]

Di

QUOTE]

Bro, got portable reflector with u is it? haha!

 

[chiif]

Di

QUOTE]

Bro, got portable reflector with u is it? haha!

U are almost correct. Was too dark, so used the iPhone flash light apps

 

[raytoei]

today is the day. i am glad i am the backup photographer, it is certainly less stressful.

In the morning, at the bride-to-be's house as well as the tea ceremony, I used the M2 with Canon 50/1.4 and the GA645 Medium format. I decided to take advice and shoot all the 35mm film at 1600 iso. For the GA645, I used Ultrafine Plus 400 film but pushed to 800 iso.

In the evening, Solemnization, reception and dinner, I used the Yashicamat 124G and the Contax G1 with 28mm lens.

All in all, I used around 7 35mm film and 5 120mm format film.

Here's a couple of observations:

* I found myself in a few situations where 1 body ran out of film, and the other body was needed to complete the shot.

* without a detachable back, the YM124G was the most limiting as each 120 roll could only take 12 shots vs 15 on the ga645. 220 film aren't available though it is an option on the YM124.

*I used fast film but found myself experimenting with Flash for the night shot.

* I found the GA645 easiest use. THe contax G1 the most uncertain. I guess after I develop the photo, can i comment further on the focusing and IQ.

Will send in to fotohub tomorrow to be developed in D76. I will work out the development time for Fotohub so as to minimize the guesswork.

cheers!

 

[Bravia]

Tks for sharing Ray. Look forward to seeing the results.

 

[raytoei]

as promised, the wedding photos from last saturday.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=252133&id=703791450&l=2d55cb7f1b

Gear used:
Morning: Leica M2 with Canon 50/1.4 + Fuji GA645 Medium format
Evening: Contax G1 28/2.8 + YashicaMat 124G.

Film used was mainly Tri-x pushed to 1600 and Delta 3200 in 120 format.

this is my first attempt. so i welcome comments as part of the learning process.

raytoei

 

[gommy]

All very nice! :thumbsup:
Thanks for sharing.