Pentax Weddings - who's doin'em?

[coloseu]

I have searched many possibilities and prices towards diferent photgraphers and realised we couldn´t afford none for my baby daughter´s baptism in October. Hell, I couldn´t even afford half a day. Those prices are killers!

So the only solution is to shoot it myself (not professionaly of course) with the help of my brother. I´m really dead! I just don´t know what to do. Is either this or no shots at all. You can see my equipment... just primes. It is going to be hell, especially with my lack of knowlege and skills. I´m so screwed... but I don´t see any alternatives.

--

K20D; 21 f/3.2 Limited; 31 f/1.8 Limited; 43 f/1.9 Limited; M 50 f/1.7; Noktor 58 f/1.4; 77 f/1.7 Limited; Apo Lanthars 90 f/3.5 and 180 f/4

[little laker]

coloseu,
You'll do fine. Just bring a range of your best fast lenses, and a flash.
Plus a spare memory card, and a spare set of fresh batteries.
Personally I find that the hardest thing is dealing with the pre-event stress.

[DanLoc78]

My entire kit is/will be as follows:

K10D
K100DS
AF540FGZ
FA 50 f/1.4
DA 18-55 (don't plan on using it)
DA 50-200 (also don't plan on using this)
DA* 16-50 (rent)
DA* 50-135 (rent)
DA 10-17 fisheye (rent)
AF540FGZ (rent for backup body)
1 Transcend 8GB Class 6
3 2GB cards (have a fourth somewhere but can't find it)
Sunpak tripod

The wedding will be very casual, at their home with tents set up and such. I know the bride and groom personally, and she has told me several times she wants everything, including the photography to be low key. So i think with that kit I should be able to get the job done well.

First questions are for Pete Zack:

Flash photography. What is the benefit of the flash bracket? Is it because the flash is always vertical? How much is a decent flash bracket and are they universal like tripods?

When using the omnibounce diffuser on the 540FGZ will I really need to be twice as close to the subject as the instructions indicate?

How do you like the Sigma 28mm? I was thinking of selling off my kit lenses to get one of those.

Little laker...what do you mean by the memory card capping out? Do you mean reaching capacity? I do as i mention above here have 3 other 2GB cards, and plan on getting 1 more 8GB card to use as a primary in my backup body.

Thanks again guys, all the advice is great. I'm also going to be shadowing and carrying bags for a professional photographer at two weddings, one of which is this Saturday. So I fully intend on picking her brain every chance I get.

[DanLoc78]

Originally Posted by coloseu

K20D; 21 f/3.2 Limited; 31 f/1.8 Limited; 43 f/1.9 Limited; M 50 f/1.7; Noktor 58 f/1.4; 77 f/1.7 Limited; Apo Lanthars 90 f/3.5 and 180 f/4

With that lineup...what are you afraid of??? I realize it takes more than just good equipment to get great captures, but man I can't say I'm not envious of that list. I would think for a baptism (although I've never shot one either) the 31 and the 43 would be your go to lenses. But I'm a relative beginner too, so I can't be sure.

[Peter Zack]

Originally Posted by coloseu

I have searched many possibilities and prices towards diferent photgraphers and realised we couldn´t afford none for my baby daughter´s baptism in October. Hell, I couldn´t even afford half a day. Those prices are killers!

So the only solution is to shoot it myself (not professionaly of course) with the help of my brother. I´m really dead! I just don´t know what to do. Is either this or no shots at all. You can see my equipment... just primes. It is going to be hell, especially with my lack of knowlege and skills. I´m so screwed... but I don´t see any alternatives.

--

K20D; 21 f/3.2 Limited; 31 f/1.8 Limited; 43 f/1.9 Limited; M 50 f/1.7; Noktor 58 f/1.4; 77 f/1.7 Limited; Apo Lanthars 90 f/3.5 and 180 f/4

I'm going to make an assumption that you will have the one camera and it will be shared between you and your brother. With that, I'll contradict some of what Stu just said (Sorry Stu). I'd recommend you get a good fast zoom (DA*16-50 or Tamron 28-75) and take your 43mm. Get a flash and between now and the big day do some practice shooting at home doing portraits. It's really much easier than it seems with practice. But I would suggest keeping the lens selection as simple as possible. You are only taking the 43 in case you need something faster. But shoot it all with one lens and the Tamron is about as perfect for this as you could ask for. Sharp and fast.

Get a reflector for the flash and you have what you need for a simple and basic setup. If you have specific questions, post back and we'll offer whatever help we can.

[Peter Zack]

Originally Posted by DanLoc78

First questions are for Pete Zack:

Flash photography. What is the benefit of the flash bracket? Is it because the flash is always vertical? How much is a decent flash bracket and are they universal like tripods?

When using the omnibounce diffuser on the 540FGZ will I really need to be twice as close to the subject as the instructions indicate?

How do you like the Sigma 28mm? I was thinking of selling off my kit lenses to get one of those.

The flash bracket just helps direct the light and reduce red eye. The brackets are fairly universal and all have a cold shoe on them. You can use the flash wirelessly on/off the bracket. It's not essential but it can help. make sure you don't short the flash contacts on the bracket's shoe. Some shoes are made from metal and I just put some electrical tape (or paint it with enamel paint) on the shoe. Otherwise the flash won't fire.

Yes the diffuser will greatly diminish the flash power range. You need to get close. Bouncing will also reduce the power as well but not as much.

I like the Sigma 28mm Super fast and a very good length. When things are dimly lit, I find it and the 50 to be critical. I'll put the zooms away and one lens on each camera so I don't have to keep switching lenses. It makes things faster and prevents dust getting inside the camera.

[LaRee]

Originally Posted by Peter Zack

I'm going to make an assumption that you will have the one camera and it will be shared between you and your brother. With that, I'll contradict some of what Stu just said (Sorry Stu). I'd recommend you get a good fast zoom (DA*16-50 or Tamron 28-75) and take your 43mm. Get a flash and between now and the big day do some practice shooting at home doing portraits. It's really much easier than it seems with practice. But I would suggest keeping the lens selection as simple as possible. You are only taking the 43 in case you need something faster. But shoot it all with one lens and the Tamron is about as perfect for this as you could ask for. Sharp and fast.

Get a reflector for the flash and you have what you need for a simple and basic setup. If you have specific questions, post back and we'll offer whatever help we can.

Good advice here Peter. Funny that everyone who has seen the photos I took of my son's wedding, liked them better than the ones taken by the guy who helped me out with his canon 5D at the ceremony. He is a paid wedding photographer (the son of a good friend) and he came by for an hour or so and helped at the ceremony. I used the Sigma 17-70 and the Tamron 28-75 (mostly the tamron), I threw on the 43 ltd for a few shots too. I used the onboard flash as controller and held the 540 in my left hand out to my side and over my head, mostly with the flash pointing straight up and the reflector card pulled up. I was beat by the end of the wedding and reception, but I did get images that the friends and family are quite pleased with. I still can't figure out why the k10d images looked better than most of the 5D images? He did absolutely nail a few shots though. He was shooting iso 800 in the church and I was shooting iso 400, we were both using flash but his shots were really noisy. Probably won't be an issue in print though? We'll see soon.
I highly recommend visiting the church and reception area if possible and take some practice shots at the same time of day that the wedding will be. It will go a long way toward making you more confident and comfortable on the actual event day!

Oh, and I am NOT complaining about the 5D shooter. I am really grateful he was there as he set the shots up for the bird seed throw that I wouldn't have got otherwise.

[LaRee]

Originally Posted by little laker

coloseu,
You'll do fine. Just bring a range of your best fast lenses, and a flash.
Plus a spare memory card, and a spare set of fresh batteries.
Personally I find that the hardest thing is dealing with the pre-event stress.

The pre-event stress is KILLER. Especially when it is a member of your own family getting married!

[little laker]

Originally Posted by Peter Zack

I'll contradict some of what Stu just said (Sorry Stu). I'd recommend you get a good fast zoom (DA*16-50 or Tamron 28-75) and take your 43mm. Get a flash and between now and the big day do some practice shooting at home doing portraits.

Nothing to be sorry about Peter,
The truth is that I'd use my Sigma 24 - 70 f2.8 for this event, along with a remote flash if they'd let me get away with it.

However if I didn't have the 24 - 70 I wouldn't hesitate shooting it with a prime.
The reason why I suggested the range of quality fast primes is that way he can just choose the right one depending upon where he's sitting.
I imagine that coloseu will be in one of the first couple of rows, but you never know until your there.

For the price of a decent fast zoom coloseu would probably be able to hire someone who has done a few already.
Which is why I feel he doesn't have the cash flow for the lens, although I may be wrong.

[DJey]

K20D + FA 31 Ltd or 43 LTd + Flash and you're good to go..
But pls don't forget the 21mm for group shots

[JJJPhoto]

Originally Posted by ksignorini

So? Who's shooting weddings with Pentax gear?

What do you use?

Kent!

Most of my work nowadays is weddings and maternity portraits. I use Pentax gear now but for several years I was using Nikon and Fuji DSLRs and then switched to Canon for less than a year before finally settling down with Pentax.

My current kit includes:

2 K10D bodies
1 DL body
24-70 2.8
70-200 2.8
50mm 1.4
40mm 2.8
70mm 2.4
18-55mm
3 AF360FGZ flashes
1 AF200FG flash
two off-camera P-TTL cords
two flash brackets
tripods
softboxes
wireless flash triggers
Me and my 8+ years of experience photographing weddings.

[ksignorini]

I know it was my post, but here's what I've got in my bag (and truck for backup):

K20D
K10D backup
16-50mm DA*
50-135mm DA*
50mm Macro
18-55mm (had to use it recently because 16-50mm is out for repair)
Metz 58 AF-1 flash (only because it allows +/-3 EV...finer adjustment than AF540FGZ)
AF540FGZ backup
Lensbaby 2.0
EPSON P3000 media viewer (best backup unit EVER!!!)
8x 4GB SDHC cards (all Sandisk Extreme III or Ultra II--had two out of four Lexar Pro 4GB give errors and delete all pics on the cards within a month of each other)
Battery Grip + 2 spare batteries (I love not having to change batteries once during a day and it also balances the camera better when using the DA* lenses)
Siekonic L-358 flash meter
Polarizers for the main lenses
Omnibounce for both flashes

Second Shooter (my business partner) uses:
K10D
Tamron 17-50 f/2.8
Sigma 70-300 f/4-5.6
Metz 48 AF-1
5x various 2-4GB SDHC cards
Omnibounce for flash

We also carry (in the truck) two light stands, two Vivitar 285HV strobes, 2 white and 2 black/silver 32" umbrellas, 4 eBay triggers (good enough for "studio" setups as long as you have a few sets in case something goes wrong), 2x 8'x8'x8' Bottero super-collapsible backgrounds, 2x 5' Bottero collapsible backgrounds, a 2million candle-power flashlight with diffusion material on it (an old towel cut to fit) for nice orange highlighting, and a bunch of gels for our Viv's. We do a lot of lighting the "Strobist" way (strobist.blogspot.com)--not all of it, but lots.

I'm really looking forward to the (hopefully) new 60-250 DA* f/4. A TC for the DA*'s would also be handy (though maybe not in a dark church!).

So...from the posts above, it looks like I'm not the only one using Pentax for weddings. I was starting to feel like an island. Yay, I'm not alone! I've only been shooting weddings for money for about a year and wanted to make sure I was on the right track. We invested a lot into gear because of my past experience with Pentax (shooting film and digital for years, just not weddings and not for money). With all the Canon and Nikon out there, it's hard to remember you are doing the right thing. We love the results of our shoots, so I guess that's the "proof in the pudding" so to speak.


Those of you using a flash bracket, how much better do you find your photos using it? I can imagine it's a great way to use flash for vertical shots.

Kent!

[bigben91682]

I've really liked using the flash bracket, and it took me a couple of tries to find one I really liked. At first tried one that rotates the camera (instead of flips the flash) and found it to be to large and heavy. I went to a stroboframe quick-flip and love how light it is and SIMPLE. I use it in combination with joe demb flip it + diffuser and have had great results. I shoot a lot of portrait though, for people who stick to landscape a lot it may be a bit much.

Getting the flash higher above the lens, and being able to flip it so it over the lens in portrait really adds a nice softening effect to the light.

Another thing I've noticed at events is the people (innocent bystandards) stay out of my frame a little better when I use the bracket. It certainly has a way of saying "i'm the photographer" just a frindge benefit I suppose.

[Ash]

There's a lot of gear you could bring, and then there's the gear you actually use.
Go to gear for me: Tamron 28-75, FA 50/1.4
Sometimes gear: DA 16-45, DA 10-17 FE, FA 100/2.8 macro
Wish list: DA* 16-50, FA 77 ltd

Gear that goes without saying: flash (mine's the 540FGZ), tripod (sturdy with quick release plate), spare batteries and SD cards, and some snack bars...

[bigben91682]

+1 on snack bars...

and a couple of bottles of water (the bride will love you when you give her a bottle of water mid-formals).
and a tide pen
and a second shirt if it's a hot day.