Best for the job starting out

[Geoffc]

I don't want to rain on you parade Wendy, however I wouldn't contemplate doing a wedding as the main photographer until you have spent a year or so learning how it all works.

Yes an artistic eye is the most desirable ingredient in photography, but you need to know your gear like second nature. This is non more so than a wedding where things are happening fast.

Just my two pence worth.

 

[Eye-level]

I wouldn't contemplate doing a wedding as the main photographer until you have spent a year or so learning how it all works.

I have spent countless hours studying this subject, untold days shooting my gear to get to know it better, and I actually got to use my cameras at a wedding a few years ago (before I had my digital) all told probably about 3 or 4 years of thinking about it and practicing it.

I wouldn't contemplate doing one as the main photographer. Now if they insisted I probably still wouldn't do it but maybe if they fully understood that I was giving them no guarantee.

I'm definitely on the same page as you on this one Geoff.

 

[KWJams]

Wendy, do I have some great advice for you.

Do like I did a few years ago when I just bought my D5000 a month before my son got married at some wedding venue west of Loveland.

I cheated

They already hired a pro photographer to shoot the event and I barely knew how to turn the camera on at that time so I just stalked the pro and took pictures in auto-mode over his shoulder. He would get folks all posed up and smiling and I just kept clicking away.
Example: Notice how well posed and ready for their pictures to be taken they are.

 

[JDFlood]

I did my first wedding as backup photographer recently. Did all before work, and over the shoulder during. You really want to know your equipment, you can't have you focus off by a foot for any of the dozen different settings you'll be shooting. Also, much of the job is directing people and coordinating the little "mini-shoots". Nothing like tagging along with a pro at least once. I loved it, if I was the primary, it would have been terrifying. JD

 

[JDFlood]

Oh yes. This is your chance to start with decent equipment. An FX, will give you MUCH more exposure flexibility. You can make up for errors in exposure in post production much easier than DX. D600.

 

[Eye-level]

FX does not give you more exposure flexibility than DX. Exposure is just exposure. The picture is correctly exposed, over exposed, or under exposed.

 

[§am]

I did a wedding shoot at my cousin's wedding - he didn't ask me to or anything, just wanted to have a good play with the lens I hired (18-200mm) and a D3100 body I borrowed.

Indian weddings are a nightmare to do, especially when you do the extended family shots with like 50 people in them including kids and OAPs all looking everywhere but towards you

There was a pro guy there, and I tended to setup behind him, a) out of professional courtesy so as not to ruin his shots and b) because like him, having the biggest 'baddest' camera gave you the choice of where to stand (most of the P&S people had to suffice with side on shots!!).

I'd love to do more, but would certainly need to up my game, and 101% do a few as a dedicated 2nd photographer.

 

[JDFlood]

FX does not give you more exposure flexibility than DX. Exposure is just exposure. The picture is correctly exposed, over exposed, or under exposed.

Yes it does. I have three APS-C and three FX, I can correct exposure (or pull about twice the detail) from the shadows with the FX. So, I can be off with expose much more and still bring it back in before noice starts to kick up. Put differently, you have much more flexibility in low light conditions. So shots with ambient are more doable... just much greater flexibility. JD

 

[Eye-level]

So you have much more flexibility due to dynamic range which makes sense because the FX sensor is recording more reflected light than a DX. A person can still make a helluva good snap with DX too however. FX (and big MP) is going to require you to be a more knowledgeable photographer and PP worker. Kind of reminds me of exposure latitude using film...regular old C41 color film gives you a lot of room to be off in your exposure. Slide film on the other hand you have to be precise with the exposure.

Here in a couple of months I am going to have a DX camera that pulls details out of shadows and highlights like no other...and it is only 6 + 6 MP too!

 

[JDFlood]

So you have much more flexibility due to dynamic range which makes sense because the FX sensor is recording more reflected light than a DX. A person can still make a helluva good snap with DX too however. FX (and big MP) is going to require you to be a more knowledgeable photographer and PP worker. Kind of reminds me of exposure latitude using film...regular old C41 color film gives you a lot of room to be off in your exposure. Slide film on the other hand you have to be precise with the exposure.

Here in a couple of months I am going to have a DX camera that pulls details out of shadows and highlights like no other...and it is only 6 + 6 MP too!

You are right. You can get fantastic photos with a DX (or smaller for that matter), but you got to be closer to the ideal exposure (the smaller the sensor the more right on you have to be, in general), and have pretty good conditions, something hard to do when you are in a hurry. Also, conditions matter I do lots of landscapes, puffy white clouds and lots of dark rock or forest make for the need to pull a lot of stuff out of the shadows. So the stuff I can do with my D800 is just jawdropping (to me)... I remember the C41 / Ektachrome trade offs.. I can pull 4 fstops out of the shadows without resorting to any special tricks. Nothing like the old chemical days. Life is great!


JD

 

[Eye-level]

I can't afford any of the FX Nikon's without eating a lot of bologna for a long time that is why I am going to have to settle for the Fuji. It is probably the only DX that is able to recover the details similar to the D800. The D7000 is good I just don't know if you could use it like the Fuji...it does have more DR I think so maybe you can.

I think the 800 is probably the camera to own for the camera person nowadays but you have to know how to use it.

Well I guess we have probably entirely confused Wendy now but she is a trooper!

Wendy I will say that the 5000 has a great sensor it makes wonderful exposures and great colors. I really like mine a whole lot.

 

[JDFlood]

Your right about confusing her. If she can't afford an FX, how about this: go to B&H photo and buy the best Nikon X000 with kit zoom lens she can afford. Use that until she either decides she is not cut out for the high end of photography or is and then buys a D600 or D800 (fX) camera. B&H has some great deals on intermediate Nikons now. JD