I’ve been asking many times about my wedding photography equipment and I sure that you may want to know about some gears that rely to work on this industry. So I think it would be nice if I could share for what I’m personally use to shoot and capturing moments in this page so you can get inspired or you may drop me a comment to give me more suggestion that rely on my business.
I was remember that back in 2009 one of my friend told me that buying wedding photography equipment will extremely expensive, here we’re not only talking about hundred but also thousand of dollars gears starting from the camera, lenses, lighting, and also accessories.
In fact, great wedding photography equipment will help you as well to work, shoot, and capturing moment no matter where you are and since you gonna work in a wedding than there is no repetition for the moment. All images that you shoot will just passing on your eyes once and they will change immediately like a flash, so here holding only great photography equipment will really matters on you even somebody’s quote,
Images is depend on someone behind the gun,
Is still matters too!
My Personal Suggestion of Wedding Photography Equipment
Buying wedding photography equipment on your first day seems to be over exciting and I know how it feels because I was jumping on he store when my mom bought me my first camera. Lately I know that I must work so hard and looking for money through that camera so once I want to upgrading or there is some trouble on it than I have money to solve it.
I definitely got no idea how deep your pocket is even this is not the first parameter to buy your first photography equipment. Surely I don’t wanna suggest you to buy some ridiculous camera on your first year career, rather than doing this I will suggest you to buy any cameras and lenses that you could provide at.
Cameras
I’m not a person who interesting to try various camera brand so during past 10 years I’ve been only stumble with 2 brand, Canon for almost 7 years and in the rest with Nikon. Till now while I use Nikon D810 for shooting wedding and portrait I still could telling you that Canon 5D collection is amazing. By the way so many friends also asking about what kind of wedding photography equipment that suitable for wedding and sometimes they also asking about:
- How many megapixel camera that suit on wedding?
- DSLR or mirrorless?
- Full frame or APSC
- Do we need video feature on the camera?
- and many more….
In easiest saying I would like to telling you that,
Stumble upon about specs and camera detail will just waste your time, just use whatever that you love and make your self creative!
But one think that I know when you visiting this page than you looking for information about wedding photography equipment and you if specifically you are thinking to use Canon or Nikon than I hope I can deliver great information for you. Now I will make a lists below what kind of gears that I personally use for capturing moments on my wedding session and telling you like pros. and cons. about those gears.
Canon 5D Mark IV
I’ve been falling in love with 5D collection since its first generation till I use 5D Mark IV for shooting wedding both in Indonesia and overseas. I love for having a full frame beast like 5D because it comes with classic feature that I mostly need (not for over specification), it’s big so hug tight in my chubby hand, and surely come with insane result.
Let me show you in more further about this Mark IV specification:
- 30.4 Megapixel* full-frame CMOS
- ISO range 100-32000; expandable up to 50-102400 (equivalent ISO).
- 4K Motion JPEG video (DCI cinema-type 4096 x 2160)
- Up to 7.0 fps
PROS.
- Outstanding photo result
- Tight on hand grip
- Fulfil feature that mostly need for wedding photographer
CONS.
- Heavy for beginner
Nikon D810
I was shock when taking a shoot with Nikon D810 for the first time, it was insane and all. photos seems to be clear for the contrast, saturation, and exposure so what I’m doing is simply make a basic adjustment and I got everything done just within few minutes.
PROS.
- Outstanding for outdoor photo session
- Incredible result with cool exposure, contrast, and saturation
- Hug tight in my hand
CONS.
- Heavy
Let me give you with short camera specification below:
- 36.3 MP FX format CMOS sensor
- Shutter Speed: 1/8000 to 30 sec
- 51point AF system
- ISO 6412,800 expandable to 51,200
- Featuring a new RAW Small Size option, which produces 16MP images with much smaller file sizes
- Professional video and audio capabilities
Best Lenses for Wedding Photography
The next wedding photography equipment that you must concern is lenses, even high-end level lenses will cost of thousand of dollars but you can use it over and over again even you just upgrading your cameras. L series on Canon and VR with Nano coating on Nikon are two extreme lenses that you must concern, even though I will also share to you some cool ad affordable lens that you can use for capturing moment.
There are few things that most wedding photographer asking about lens:
- Does it come with fast focus?
- Is it heavy?
- Do they provide big aperture setting?
- and many more…!
And as same as choosing your camera, searching about best lenses in wedding photography is a big business investment so let’s consider about this quote,
Your lens might costs thousand of dollars but if you use it for over than 5 years than it is still worth it to buy!
Following this part I will also will share my personal use of lenses both for Canon and Nikon which is come with various specification and also the price, let’s dig in!
Canon 16-35 mm f2.8 L
I was crazy about this super wide lens and when you put it on full frame camera than all pictures will stand out among the others. F2.8 is really important because through this Canon 16-35mm f2.8 L series lens you can shoot both for indoor and outdoor without any worries, the rest is, it has ultra fast focus on every situation.
PROS.
- Ultra wide for great journalism style
- F2.8 is the best thing on it
- Fats focus on any situation
Cons.
- Price
When you want to use this filter than please consider to have 82mm UV protection filter for covering this thousand of dollar lens.
Canon 70-200mm f2.8 L
I always have this lens on my bag because this 70-200mm f2.8 L series lens is helping me so much for shooting inside the church during ceremony and surely for the portrait scene. Having this lens on your hand seems to be a sniper with long gun and when you shoot wedding than you must be face a situation where you can not too close with your couple.
PROS.
- Ultra fast focus
- Clear and sharp image
- No worries on ceremony scene
CONS.
- Heavy
When you want to buy this lens than please consider to have 77mm UV protection filter to cover the lens, it’s cheap but worth it to buy!
Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 G
When I move into Nikon system than Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 Nano is the first lens that I’m thinking about, it is super wide lens and support me so much to shoot on super tight room. The f2.8 is no doubt on any situation, it’s sharp, clear, and fast focus no matter where I am. Surely you may thinking about distortion on the left and right but when you doing destination outdoor wedding like me than 14mm is superb and I love this lens so much.
PROS.
- Extreme wide and great for outdoor wedding
- Ultra fast focus
- Nano coating is superb
Cons.
- Aware for this convex lens, must protect it!
Nikon 24-70mm f2.8
If you thinking about shooting in a normal range than this Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 with Nano crystal coating is a must lens to buy. No matter you shoot as close as it is or you take a more further distance during the ceremony than this lens is helping you capturing glorious wedding moment for sure.
PROS.
- Best for all moment
- Sharp and clear image
- Fast focus
CONS.
- Price
Accessories
If we talk about wedding photography equipment than we also going to discuss about accessories that related to photography and also travel needs. I might be sure that wedding photographer in this 21th century is a person who must be ready to travel around the world since our services is borderless especially in this digital era. Down here I’m gonna make a list of some accessories that I seriously concern during my trip and photo session.
Dimmable LED Light
I love to use NEEWER 160 LED CN-160 continuous light during my scene and it’s because I can see the light direction right on the spot. Dimmable features is extremely useful because we can easily adjust the light power when using it both outdoor and indoor.
PROS.
- Light
- Affordable price
- Easy to use even you are not a lighting expert
CONS.
- Made with plastic
Canon Speedlite 470EX-AI
When I use Canon system than I’m a person to use the same brand for the Speedlite and this Canon Speedlite 470EX-AI is an extreme damn good flash that you can use directly on the camera body or using off-camera flash technique.
PROS.
- Light
- Support for ETTL and manual setting
- Works well with any trigger and receiver
CONS.
- Material is made from plastic
Nikon SB-700 AF
Want to know my best speedlite friend on Nikon system, yes it’s Nikon SB-700 AF! Using this cool flash is a pride and I extremely satisfy with same brand with my camera D810. No matter you use it on the head shoe body or with off-camera flash technique than this SB700 will works well for sure.
PROS.
- Light gear for traveling
- Support for ETTL and manual setting
- Easy to use
CONS.
- Made from plastic
Rolling Camera Bag
I was concern about my wedding photography equipment safety so since I know that I bought thousand of dollars gears than I want to make sure that everything that I have is safe and I could travel without worry. By the way I have a shoulder pain after using should bag and following that moment I seriously concern about Lowepro PhotoStream RL 150 Rolling Case that could be put on a cabin and bring my gears.
By using rolling bag like this than I will not worry about my shoulder pain anymore and also I could deliver great protection for my camera gears.
