What do you think of a photographer who uses D70 for weddings?

[catchlights]

yes, bro shifu.
but cannot relax,
tomo shooting some event thats very important,
thats why still can't sleep.

Ok, Ok, important event must rest well,
btw you very popular now har. very good! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

 

[LazerLordz]

I've been paid to shoot weddings & events using prosumer digicams and low-end film SLRs. Granted, these were mostly for people I personally knew, but they were satisfied with the results. From the pics, who can tell what camera took the shots?

HOWEVER, I will agree that people will always judge you based on the gear you own. I think I would've gotten more contracts if I simply had a bigger camera because one of the first questions potential clients like to ask is, "what camera are you using?"

I have done the same.I dare say the quality and composition are good enough to match any DSLR.It's about how you really push the envelope of your camera system and the knowledge of lighting, PS etc that brings you to a level playing field.

 

[xxxger]

Just curious, will you get someone who use D70 for your own wedding?

On my wedding .... i will ONLY get someone who is using film, best if using a F4 or F5 or F6 ... :lovegrin:
Well, i cannot imagine, some TSD who using a D70s or D2H .... shoot more than 1500 raw files / images and go back select 300 for me .... you call this professional???
So get a D70s or D2h is not very important, important is to get a very BIG memory card, can allow you to store in 1500 raw files lor ...
Cos you took 1500 photo, of course can find 300 good photo, which look nicer than some1 who using a D2x who shot only 400 photo lor ... :lovegrin:

 

[LazerLordz]

yeah man . . . i also dia a wedding wif a Fuji S5000 , No complains also .

da couple satisfied too . wat a way to look only @ da equiptment.


cheers mate

Hey, that's good!What accessories did you use?Ext grip?

 

[r32]

okie.. after so many have said and done.. i suppose that may of us have done it been there .. much to my content now that i am going to spill my beans out to all.
Equipemnt wise .. i felt that it must be up to a certain standards considering the event proper.. of course the better one tends to stand out moore andlast longer in the industry..


Like i said .. i have recently jsut cover my best friends wedding as a backup. i am doing it with my D100 and MD-100.. Sb80 DX and a 8DA.. Lexa memory card and a 19-35 tokina lens in the main ball room with 45 table to cover ..
Guess what the main photograher came with.. D70 anda SB800. . sigma 18-50 F 2.8.. bounces his flash at 90 deg all the time . use landscape to do portrait shots with people and keep within the F2.8 for everything that he fires at. ... and he tell me that he dun dare to go below 1/60 when the lighting go dark .. whuich in this case i am shooting at 1/30 in the dark mostly .. nothing wrong with the picture after i check on my monitor ..

Again .. i felt , thast taking protiart in a landscape mode is a no no for me cause pple look small if you are taking fuill body and there are too much dead space on both side.. okii .. whatever.. since he is the 'pro' which doesnt really seem to me like one.. i din tell him that and let him continue anyway .. all the best to him.. my friend will know anyway also that ..

In these case of my friends wedding, the person behind the camera is most important.. i must agree.. and i can tell that he doesnt know his equipment well engh, especially when he ask me why do i need the 8DA for ?????? and even so he tell me thgat the ball room is very difficult to take under the different lightling .. """ my goodness"" He is a 'wedding photograher' and he tell me that it difficultt.. hehehe...

So you're feeling pretty chuffed that you think you know more than the hired photographer, huh? You're judging the way he shoots and to a lesser extent his equipment knowledge too aren't you?

To be fair, I did that before too. I attended a friend's wedding purely as a guest, and the other friends at my table wondered why I didn't bring my big-ass DSLR but well I was there as a guest. So......

The main photographer used a EOS 3 film body, 24/28-70mm L lens, and what seemed like a 540EZ/550EX flash with booster, and he left it in direct flash mode (ie no bouncing off a ceiling or bounce card). But the middle-aged guy worked like he knew what he was doing, and as a wedding photographer communication and crowd control is a part of the job, so it piqued my interest how his direct flashed photos would turn out.

I half expected the subjects to be well-lit and the background to be too dark but the end results were very good. And so that laid to rest whether he knew his stuff or not.

Keep looking at the portfolios. The alternatives aren't as reliable.

 

[serendipity]

Haha. My wedding was taken by my photography instructor. Using a FM2 on MD-12, and SB28 without external battery pack. And he used direct flash most of the time, i asked him why, he said save battery. And the best part is he only use ISO200 normal fuji film. And i thought die liao. Dinner background sure dark dark and people sure over expose one. But end up the pictures are nice! :thumbsup: And some more manual focus leh!!! So i am really convince and impressed. Salute to those who use the same setup.

And r32 is right crowd control and anticipate what's happening is really important. And for film user, keep track of how many frames leave, and knowing when to change a new roll, is not easy. This is something digital SLR user don't feel. As just pluck in a 1G card, and can shoot until "song". So again, salute to film user. Don't believe for people who never use film before one, go and try lar. Can't preview, have to be one shot one kill. Some more manual focus if you are using manual body. See how you sweat. :sweat: hahahaha!

Pls take note that i am not trying to challenge anyone here (big exp DSLR user, or cheap, old fashion manual slr user). But what i am trying to say is - as long as one know his equipment well and can use it to it's full potential, then he is a good photographer - judge by result.

Thanks for reading.

 

[fotoudavid]

ridiculous thread, let the man behind the camera control, not the equipment.

also, i used to use eos630, 540ez, 24 to 85mm f3.5 to 4.5 to cover wedding, wats the problem?

ppl use to stare at my setup, and asking why no digital?

i told them: at least i am versatile in both film and digital, not some who noes digital only, so why worries.........

 

[fotoudavid]

by the way, digital is a trend only, wanna test skills, use film..........

 

[catchlights]

ridiculous thread, let the man behind the camera control, not the equipment.

also, i used to use eos630, 540ez, 24 to 85mm f3.5 to 4.5 to cover wedding, wats the problem?

ppl use to stare at my setup, and asking why no digital?

i told them: at least i am versatile in both film and digital, not some who noes digital only, so why worries.........

I know with this set up you also charge $800+++, i pitty my another friend using 1V, L lens charge $500.00 only :bsmilie: :bsmilie:

 

[Harry Potter]

:cry: :cry: :cry: I am sorry!!!

 

[espn]

Are u guys jeering at him or what? :dunno:
Personally i felt it will be very hard not to notice heavy firearms when they appear hehee :bsmilie: :sweat:

I'm jeering at his conciousness to conceal his equipment rather than focusing on what he should be doing. So what if a 500 f/4 walks past me whilst I'm shooting with a CoolPix 5700? Why be so concious?

 

[catchlights]

:cry: :cry: :cry: I am sorry!!!

Don't need to say until so pitty like that lar, ok, now you have learn something, go and shoot some photos now. :bsmilie:

 

[espn]

On my wedding .... i will ONLY get someone who is using film, best if using a F4 or F5 or F6 ... :lovegrin:
Well, i cannot imagine, some TSD who using a D70s or D2H .... shoot more than 1500 raw files / images and go back select 300 for me .... you call this professional???
So get a D70s or D2h is not very important, important is to get a very BIG memory card, can allow you to store in 1500 raw files lor ...
Cos you took 1500 photo, of course can find 300 good photo, which look nicer than some1 who using a D2x who shot only 400 photo lor ... :lovegrin:

Being professional is not how you define it this way. With film, there are only so many moment shots you can grab. With Digital, there's a wider choice, how many they shoot is ultimately up to the ADP's discretion, you should be worried about their output, NOT their style of working.

If I'm the ADP, I'd be pissed if my clients tell me what to use for their wedding and how to shoot. Geddit?

Regarding memory, no worries man...personally I have a 40GB HDD. D2X compressed RAW is 10MB, so I can easily store up to 4000 shots (provided you aren't tired by then).

So how? Want to hire me to do your wedding?

 

[nightwolf75]

I am sorry!!!

do us a favour - close this thread, and think b4 posting next time?

 

[espn]

Haha. My wedding was taken by my photography instructor. Using a FM2 on MD-12, and SB28 without external battery pack. And he used direct flash most of the time, i asked him why, he said save battery. And the best part is he only use ISO200 normal fuji film. And i thought die liao. Dinner background sure dark dark and people sure over expose one. But end up the pictures are nice! :thumbsup: And some more manual focus leh!!! So i am really convince and impressed. Salute to those who use the same setup.

That's why I said.. LOOK BEYOND THE EQUIPMENT.

And r32 is right crowd control and anticipate what's happening is really important. And for film user, keep track of how many frames leave, and knowing when to change a new roll, is not easy. This is something digital SLR user don't feel. As just pluck in a 1G card, and can shoot until "song". So again, salute to film user. Don't believe for people who never use film before one, go and try lar. Can't preview, have to be one shot one kill. Some more manual focus if you are using manual body. See how you sweat. :sweat: hahahaha!

You're right and wrong. In events/weddings where got time to ChImP?? ;p Tracking of 'film' left is everybody's duty, just that for digital, we have the flexibility of removing a 95% filled card and switch for a new one at the crux of shooting we know would take more than the 5%, try that for film. As for shoot until song, like my sister, she would take the same shot, several different sides/angles. It's called safety shot, and I don't think anything's wrong. Different angles give you different results. As for whatever else you mentioned, if the ADP is doing it (ChImP etc) then that ADP is confirmed inexperienced ;p

Pls take note that i am not trying to challenge anyone here (big exp DSLR user, or cheap, old fashion manual slr user). But what i am trying to say is - as long as one know his equipment well and can use it to it's full potential, then he is a good photographer - judge by result.

Thanks for reading.

That's what I've been saying in the past few posts. Cheers!

 

[espn]

ridiculous thread, let the man behind the camera control, not the equipment.

also, i used to use eos630, 540ez, 24 to 85mm f3.5 to 4.5 to cover wedding, wats the problem?

ppl use to stare at my setup, and asking why no digital?

i told them: at least i am versatile in both film and digital, not some who noes digital only, so why worries.........

So good, I use CoolPix 5700

 

[jsbn]

okie.. after so many have said and done.. i suppose that may of us have done it been there .. much to my content now that i am going to spill my beans out to all.
Equipemnt wise .. i felt that it must be up to a certain standards considering the event proper.. of course the better one tends to stand out moore andlast longer in the industry..


Like i said .. i have recently jsut cover my best friends wedding as a backup. i am doing it with my D100 and MD-100.. Sb80 DX and a 8DA.. Lexa memory card and a 19-35 tokina lens in the main ball room with 45 table to cover ..
Guess what the main photograher came with.. D70 anda SB800. . sigma 18-50 F 2.8.. bounces his flash at 90 deg all the time . use landscape to do portrait shots with people and keep within the F2.8 for everything that he fires at. ... and he tell me that he dun dare to go below 1/60 when the lighting go dark .. whuich in this case i am shooting at 1/30 in the dark mostly .. nothing wrong with the picture after i check on my monitor ..

Again .. i felt , thast taking protiart in a landscape mode is a no no for me cause pple look small if you are taking fuill body and there are too much dead space on both side.. okii .. whatever.. since he is the 'pro' which doesnt really seem to me like one.. i din tell him that and let him continue anyway .. all the best to him.. my friend will know anyway also that ..

In these case of my friends wedding, the person behind the camera is most important.. i must agree.. and i can tell that he doesnt know his equipment well engh, especially when he ask me why do i need the 8DA for ?????? and even so he tell me thgat the ball room is very difficult to take under the different lightling .. """ my goodness"" He is a 'wedding photograher' and he tell me that it difficultt.. hehehe...

The important thing is HOW the photos turn out.

My buddy's sister went gaga over the ROM photos I took for my buddy. I said in jest, "If u need a photographer, find me." (even though I was still using P&S with no moola for DSLR yet). Her ROM came and went and it appeared that her husband went to find someone else with a 'better camera'. I thought, "Oh well. Perhaps my skills ain't really that good..." and saw the photos...

Horrors of horrors.
1) Direct flash. You experienced guys shld know what it means when a direct flash hits a mirror. Especially in the ROM building. I consoled myself, "Ah well, at least I did try to PS out the bright spot of light."

2) Strange colours. I'm not saying that my pix were perfectly exposed. But to have tanned skin ppl appearing like Aliens who live in the Sun and had been baked to a crisp and to have fair skinned ppl with skin that's WHITE. You know what THAT means.

3) Portrait photos taken with a landscape style. I'm not against anyone showing creativity. But to do the 'bullseye rule', HALF-BODY shot with those circular blurred 'special effects'.... LANDSCAPE MODE... I don't know guys. :dunno: U'll be the judge.

I stopped at that particular picture cos I couldn't bear to look at the rest. I only said, "Erm...." and returned the photos. Nevertheless, my buddy's sister's husband wasn't too happy when he saw my anguish tortured look. For their actual wedding, they hired a 'pro' photographer (dunno which of u lucky guys though) and I became the backup. Hope everything goes well... :think:

 

[dawgbyte77]

On my wedding .... i will ONLY get someone who is using film, best if using a F4 or F5 or F6 ... :lovegrin:
Well, i cannot imagine, some TSD who using a D70s or D2H .... shoot more than 1500 raw files / images and go back select 300 for me .... you call this professional???
So get a D70s or D2h is not very important, important is to get a very BIG memory card, can allow you to store in 1500 raw files lor ...
Cos you took 1500 photo, of course can find 300 good photo, which look nicer than some1 who using a D2x who shot only 400 photo lor ... :lovegrin:

I think my priority will be on skill. An out-of-focus photo will not improve on film. And for consumers, 300 good photos is good enough. It doesn't matter if its from a batch of 1500. So I beg to differ, selecting 300 out of 1500 has nothing to do with professionalism because the latter is based on attitude. Of course, some will say bigger camera will look more professional but , in my opinion, for people who depend too much on this theory lacks the skill to be a real professional and just plain insecure.

 

[yanyewkay]

And i thought die liao. Dinner background sure dark dark and people sure over expose one. But end up the pictures are nice! :thumbsup: And some more manual focus leh!!! So i am really convince and impressed. Salute to those who use the same setup.

I'm sure you know that your background brightness doesn't depend on your flash right?

Even by bouncing the light, it would not have be powerful enough to reach the background (depending how far it is)

 

[bilalbz]

any sunday you go to sentosa (tanjong beach) and see photographers with medium format cameras to do wedding photography. and often enough you can tell the pictures are likely to be crap with an overcast no decent light, crowds all around, typical sentosa backdrop etc. etc. even a basic photography enthusiast can tell the couple is spending couple of thousand dollars *at least* on their wedding photos on photos that are not likely to turn out even decent enough. so give them a D70 or a Mamiya, if the photographer doesnt know what he's doing or doesnt *care* enough to make his pictures good, the quipment becomes meaningless. and yes I have seen far more then enough amazing pictures from D70 and 300/350D to know you can definitely produce great pictures for a wedding with the most basic DSLRs if you know what you're doing.