[Silkzone]

Hi: I'm attending my nephews wedding next month. As I normally take pics of scenery. I plan on taking pics of all the guests as they arrive. I'm not sure what the setting is going to be like? Not sure which lens to use with my Pentax K5IIs. I'll only have one chance at this! I have a variety of lenses but not sure which one to use? If I have to I will buy one. Pics will be from head to toe. Any suggestion's would be welcome. Thanks

[C_Jones]

If you have a flash you may want to use it for fill light (filling in shadows) if needed. A wide angle lens for the head to toe (16 or 18 at short end of zoom or fixed) would cover the guest arrival shots. The use of a flash if you do anything inside a building would be helpful also.

For example, I have a K-5IIS also and I have a Pentax 16-85 lens on it. If I put my AF360FGZ on it, and was going to do something similar to what you mentioned, I would be all set.

[Tonytee]

Hi: I'm attending my nephews wedding next month. As I normally take pics of scenery. I plan on taking pics of all the guests as they arrive. I'm not sure what the setting is going to be like? Not sure which lens to use with my Pentax K5IIs. I'll only have one chance at this! I have a variety of lenses but not sure which one to use? If I have to I will buy one. Pics will be from head to toe. Any suggestion's would be welcome. Thanks

Hi, I did some snooping around to get some information that I will be needing as well. Here is a link that I believe will be very helpful in many ways.

Re: Pentax for Weddings: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Regards,
Tonytee

[Paul the Sunman]

I shot a wedding for a friend a few weeks ago, outdoors. I used the K3 with the DA 16-85, DA 55-300, DA 70 Limited, and Sigma 35mm Art. Those lenses covered everything I needed, though I certainly would have used the DA 200 or D FA 70-200 too if I had them.

I also used a Metz 52 AF-1 flash with Flashbender Rogue lightbox, mostly held in my left hand off-camera.

The bride and groom were delighted with the results. Send me a PM if you would like to see some of the pictures. It may help you visualise what would work for you.

[howieb101]

Hi.

I've shot two weddings recently with the K3 and K5.

For the general people group shots you will be fine with a general standard zoom. Shoot at F5.6 - 8 to get most people in focus.

A flash and/or modifier will be useful too.

A tip for less formal shots is too get them to wave or jump or do anything really other than stand stoically. Unfortunately, people end up rather static and stoic in these shots if you are not careful.

Also, if you are not using flash use as fast continuous shooting as you can. People tend to smile or look in different directions all the time. If you take 3-4 shots of any group you should get one keeper.

I personally find my K5 a bit enemic for wedding photography. I hope the K5 II is fast enough for you.

Best of luck.

[reeftool]

I shot 4 weddings last year. Most of my shots were with my K5 with a Sigma 17-70C along with a Metz 48 flash. You really don't have time to change lenses so a second camera body is quite useful. For just getting shots of arriving guests, a zoom and a flash is all you will need and if it turns out you don't need the flash, leave it off. I would use my 17-70 but if you have a zoom with a little longer reach such as the 18-135 or 16-85, they will also do fine. Actually, the 18-55 kit lens would work. Most important, make sure you are in focus and have a fast enough shutter speed so your shots don't have motion blur and try to position yourself to avoid distracting backgrounds.

Take a lot of shots! If you can use burst mode, by all means use it because it will help reduce the closed eyes, open mouths, and other unflattering expressions you will inevitably end up capturing. Shoot in Raw and you will have the best chance of correcting mistakes in PP. Check your shots and pay attention to the histogram from time to time as light never remains the same except in a studio.

[sarge]

We just shot our first wedding with Pentax gear this past weekend. I shot with my K-3 II and my wife used her K-S2.
The lenses we used were a Sigma 17-50 2.8 on my camera and my wife shot with the 55-300 DA HD from the back on a tripod.
I had my AF360GFZ II on my camera most of the wedding. We did use some off camera flash for some of the formals. The couple were very happy with the photos. I was happy with them as well.

[slip]

If you can, have a second shooter as insurance in case you miss some shots or they turn out blurry. Like you said, you only get one shot at it!

PS don't forget to have a couple of drinks to help you relax as weddings can be stressful

Good luck

Randy

[Paul the Sunman]

I was back-up shooter at a friend's wedding a couple of months ago, shooting with K3 + DA 16-85, 55-300, 70, Sigma 35 Art. She was absolutely delighted with the results ... which is a good thing as the professional photographer still hasn't delivered the goods! I had all mine processed within two days (with continuing fine tuning for a few weeks).

What do you think is a reasonable time for a pro wedding photographer to take before delivering? Two months seems excessive to me.

[sarge]

I was back-up shooter at a friend's wedding a couple of months ago, shooting with K3 + DA 16-85, 55-300, 70, Sigma 35 Art. She was absolutely delighted with the results ... which is a good thing as the professional photographer still hasn't delivered the goods! I had all mine processed within two days (with continuing fine tuning for a few weeks).
What do you think is a reasonable time for a pro wedding photographer to take before delivering? Two months seems excessive to me.

I try to have my initial edits done within a week. I will then meet with the couple and see if there are any special edits they want done. I will do those within a week and get the images off to the lab for prints or make a disk if that is how the contract was negotiated. If albums are involved that takes a bit more time. I will give myself up to a month for an album.

[skierd]

The DA*50-135 was literally made for this, and I absolutely love mine for weddings and any sort of portrait work.

If you are a fan of primes, the DA21mm Ltd makes a good wide option. If not, the HD DA20-40mm Ltd or DA*16-50 works for the wide stuff too.

The first two weddings I shot was with the 18-135. Did great outside, mediocre indoors. It's worth it to rent buy or borrow fast glass.

[Paul the Sunman]

The DA*50-135 was literally made for this, and I absolutely love mine for weddings and any sort of portrait work.

If you are a fan of primes, the DA21mm Ltd makes a good wide option. If not, the HD DA20-40mm Ltd or DA*16-50 works for the wide stuff too.

The first two weddings I shot was with the 18-135. Did great outside, mediocre indoors. It's worth it to rent buy or borrow fast glass.

The 16-85 was great outdoors!

[skierd]

I'm sure it is, but the image quality difference between my old 18-135 and the DA*50-135 is massive and easily noticed, even on the cameras back screen. My guess is that while the 16-85 is an improvement over the 18-135, the DA* is still the winner overall. Wouldn't be a bad choice for an outdoor wedding though.

I tried mostly using primes and for me, at least during the ceremony and reception, things just moved too fast. A 70 or 77 could work but I like the reach I get from the 50-135 so I can be less in the way of the guests.

I think the 43ltd or DA*55 would be great for portrait work, personally the 70 was too tight. I love using the 20-40 because I found myself constantly switching between my 21 and 40 during the reception, for headshots vs group shots, so having both on one lens was great. I'd like to pick up either the 15ltd or the 14 2.8 for wide work as most of the time I find 20mm to be wide enough.

If I had a K1? The three FA limiteds and the DFA*70-200, at least until the equivalent DFA limited zoom appears.

[slip]

I second the advice on the *50-135 2.8. exceptional sharpness and very flexible for singles or couples shots. I would borrow another body if possible and mount a focal length of around 17-50 2.8 or 28-75 2.8 for groups.

Good luck

Randy