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Wedding with D300

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Laura Kudelska

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Wales, UK
Ok I know there are a million threads on weddings and thats why I am getting even more confused, my current kit is:

D300 & D50

50mm 1.4 nikon
70-300mm G
18-55mm DX
105 Macro sigma

I am buying a peice of kit a month with the view of getting a SB600, a standard mid range but I am not sure what 18 - 135mm, 18-200mm? and another wide angle lens...... Allthough my heart lies in wildlife and landscapes I am doing some weddings to, I have done one with the kit I have (freebee) and they came out well, the compersition as much as the kit achived that. from reading previous threads the 17-55 seems to be a favouraite, 20-35 AF D f2.8 and the 24-70 f2.8 Tamron as a mid range or above something like a 18-200. Help!!! I do not want to spend big bucks. So my questions are:

Wider lens?
mid range lens?
Will a SB600 be good enogh?

Thank you in advance

--
lola
 
I have shot weddings with an SB400 so the SB600 should be fine.

Invest in the 17-55 f/2.8 or the cheaper Tamron version as speed is very important. That and the 50 f/1.4 could be enough, though I have used the 70-200 VR on a second (full frame) body.

Forget consumer zooms, they won't really hack it. Keep the shutter speed up at all times - I think most clients are more likely to recognise and dislike blur than noise.

Charge something next time even if it's not much.

--
Alex
 
Yes you really need a faster standard wide angle lens to replace your 18-55mm. I have the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8. Great optical quality for a bargain price. I also used the more expensive Nikkor 17-55 it's better built but optically just as good as the Tamron.
--
Practice makes perfect, but obsession makes even better!
 
The SB-600 is a great flash unit for the money by the way, and introduces a whole new world of photography. Good luck!
--
Practice makes perfect, but obsession makes even better!
 
You would want a 2.8 mid range zoom to replace the 18-55. You choices are:

Nikkor 17-55/2.8 AF-S
Nikkor 24-70/2.8 AF-S
Sigma 18-50/2.8
Sigma 24-70/2.8
Tamron 17-50/2.8

You can pick up a used Sigma 24-70 for about £200/225 and the Tamron gets good reviews (buy used too) about the same price. Coupling either of those with an SB600 will give you decent flexibility. Be prepared for AF hunting in low light and slightly noisey lens motors, but I don't think you can go wrong for the price. Make sure you test it on your body's before you buy as sample variation is higher in third party lenses.

Sigma also have a 24-70/2.8 HSM (similar to AF-S) which is quiet and will cost less than the 17-55 or 24-70 Nikkors, but it's only just beinbg released and there are no reviews, so perhaps you could wait two months or so to see what that offers you.

Cheers

Bruce

--
'The value of something is the price someone is willing to pay for it'

D50, 18-70/3.5-4.5, 50/1.8, 80-200/2.8, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, SB400
 
If you are shooting weddings, you need the BEST equipment you can afford! It is the most important event for the couple! NEVER forget this!

I used a Nikon D300 with a Nikon 17-55 2.8 DX lens for a lot of weddings. It is a GREAT combination. Find a good used Nikon 17-55 and you are set. Get the SB-800 if you can. Use it as a main flash on camera and get a SB-600 as a second flash. You will want to do double light sources when you can, and these 2 flashes work well together and do not require any special equipment to trigger them.

Shoot RAW at weddings! Do not go above ISO 1600 with the D300. I shot mostly at ISO800 with the D300. If you do not have Aperture or Lightroom, they are worth the money! They really help with lots of wedding images.

Do not take too much equipment to a wedding. You need to work fast! You will shot 90% of the images with the 17-55.

Kevin
 
Wildlife vs. weddings are totally different animals.

Invest in good flash (SB900). You can do very good with consumer lens, the problem is not aperture, but AF speed. I did some nice jobs with my 18-200 and Sigma 10-20. Sigma gives VERY creative look, consider it.
rEGARDS
--
http://www.pbase.com/andrzejmakal/galleries
D300::D50::ZEISS25/2.8::N24-70::N18-200VR::S10-20::S150Macro::N50/1.8::SB600
 
Lots of advice, thanks. I wish I could warrent the 17-55mm as I know ultimatly thats what I will end up with. with regards to the Flash I am aware that the more I spend the better the kit, however I have never used a flash before and I am very exited as I have been looking into the affects they can create. It will open a whole new world to me. Just when you think your getting the hang of things theres so much more to learn! I was going to buy the SB900 but I am conserned that the SB900 may be to advanced for me to pick up straight away? How complicated is it to use? Is the SB600 interface more simple? I am keen to advance as quickly as I can I will need two when I can warrent it..... oh the lottery.

Thanks
--
lola
 
Kevin E Hawkins said:
If you are shooting weddings, you need the BEST equipment you can
afford! It is the most important event for the couple! NEVER forget
this!

I used a Nikon D300 with a Nikon 17-55 2.8 DX lens for a lot of
weddings. It is a GREAT combination. Find a good used Nikon 17-55
and you are set. Get the SB-800 if you can. Use it as a main flash
on camera and get a SB-600 as a second flash. You will want to do
double light sources when you can, and these 2 flashes work well
together and do not require any special equipment to trigger them.

Shoot RAW at weddings! Do not go above ISO 1600 with the D300. I
shot mostly at ISO800 with the D300. If you do not have Aperture or
Lightroom, they are worth the money! They really help with lots of
wedding images.

Do not take too much equipment to a wedding. You need to work fast!
You will shot 90% of the images with the 17-55.

Kevin
Click to expand...
This is probably the first time I've ever quoted a post in its entirety. Every bit of it is right on and is worth heeding.

The statement earlier to avoid consumer zooms is also good advice, with tamrons and sigmas included as consumer junk.

As for the flash, the faster recycle of the sb800 would be welcome over the 600 but it is also that slightly much more to carry for hours on end. And a diffuser is essential.
 
Are you Ken Rockwell in disguise?

No seriously, if he cannot afford the 17-55, he can not afford it, so you have to look at the choices. I agree that the lense is the perfect lens for the DX format, but given that it seems it's not a choice right now, what would be best? Opting for something like a 16-85/3.5-5.6 or going down your consumer junk route of say a Tamron 17-50/2.8?

Agree with the diffuser, it's a must!
digitalnoise said:
Kevin E Hawkins said:
If you are shooting weddings, you need the BEST equipment you can
afford! It is the most important event for the couple! NEVER forget
this!

I used a Nikon D300 with a Nikon 17-55 2.8 DX lens for a lot of
weddings. It is a GREAT combination. Find a good used Nikon 17-55
and you are set. Get the SB-800 if you can. Use it as a main flash
on camera and get a SB-600 as a second flash. You will want to do
double light sources when you can, and these 2 flashes work well
together and do not require any special equipment to trigger them.

Shoot RAW at weddings! Do not go above ISO 1600 with the D300. I
shot mostly at ISO800 with the D300. If you do not have Aperture or
Lightroom, they are worth the money! They really help with lots of
wedding images.

Do not take too much equipment to a wedding. You need to work fast!
You will shot 90% of the images with the 17-55.

Kevin
Click to expand...
This is probably the first time I've ever quoted a post in its
entirety. Every bit of it is right on and is worth heeding.

The statement earlier to avoid consumer zooms is also good advice,
with tamrons and sigmas included as consumer junk.

As for the flash, the faster recycle of the sb800 would be welcome
over the 600 but it is also that slightly much more to carry for
hours on end. And a diffuser is essential.
Click to expand...
--
'The value of something is the price someone is willing to pay for it'

D50, 18-70/3.5-4.5, 50/1.8, 80-200/2.8, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, SB400
 
I'm surprised that no one said to get a flash bracket. Getting the flash off of the camera will help also. Most decent brackets aren't very expensive either.

BTW, the SB-600 is a very good flash if you can't afford a SB-900. Also look into power units for whatever flash you get. And if you're getting paid, you might want a back up unit as you probably don't want a flash to fail on a paying job.
 
Lardinio said:
No seriously, if he [sic?] cannot afford the 17-55, he [sic?] can not afford it, so
you have to look at the choices.
Click to expand...
That choice would have to extend to not taking on a task that can't be done properly.

Regardless, there is a reference by the op to "warrent"ing the purchase, no outright statement of unaffordability.

At some point one has to come to terms with what one can properly do. Does one have the skills to properly photograph a wedding? Does one have sufficient equipment and the means to obtain it? Aiming for quality was what I perceived to be the purpose of the inquiry, not how to cut corners or how to waste money on substandard equipment and botch recording a significant event.

As for the sb900, it has been praised for having a clearer control system than the sb800.
 
digitalnoise said:
Lardinio said:
No seriously, if he [sic?] cannot afford the 17-55, he [sic?] can not afford it, so
you have to look at the choices.
Click to expand...
That choice would have to extend to not taking on a task that can't
be done properly.

Regardless, there is a reference by the op to "warrent"ing the
purchase, no outright statement of unaffordability.

At some point one has to come to terms with what one can properly do.
Does one have the skills to properly photograph a wedding? Does one
have sufficient equipment and the means to obtain it? Aiming for
quality was what I perceived to be the purpose of the inquiry, not
how to cut corners or how to waste money on substandard equipment and
botch recording a significant event.
Click to expand...
Hear, hear -- well said and pretty much mirrors my own thoughts. If you are Uncle Harry taking a few snaps at your niece's wedding is one thing but if you are the prime shooter at what is (for most) a single life event, you owe it to the couple to be well prepared -- equipment and skills.

Phil
 
What kind of weddings are you shooting? Recommendations would vary based on whether you're shooting beach weddings vs. indoor no-flash ceremonies.

I've used both the SB-800 and SB-900 and find the controls on the later much easier to understand. I'm not sure how the SB-600 compares to the SB-800/900 in terms of recycle time.

Cheers,

Andreas

--
http://yank.to/
 
If you 'heart isn't in weddings' then get out now... don't even start. You HAVE to have a passion for it to be successful.

I know some really great photogs that do their wedding work with D300's. Shoot, I use them quite often.

SB600 will be good to start, though if you have long-term plans you might want to look at the 800. Don't buy something you'll need to 'upgrade' later.

Ditton on your lenses. Don't get something that replicates what you can already do. Get good, fast, glass and don't look back. You're going to realize those 18-whatever 3.5 variable consumer lenses just won't cut it and you are going to end up buying faster/better glass anyway. Again, don't buy something you'll need to re-upgrade later.

I'd suggest getting FF glass, as that's the body you'll go to as you get more serious about it.

--
JOE FEDERER
Websites:
Misc personal stuff: http://www.joefederer.com
Minneapolis / St. Paul Wedding photography @ http://www.federerphotography.com
 
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