Weddings- Digital or Film???

I have been a wedding photographer (using a Mamiya C330) for the past 15 years. I am now considering expanding into the digital world of photography. Is it too early to begin using this format to shoot weddings? Will I or more importantly my customers be dissappointed with the results? I have been looking at the Nikon D1x.

I would appreciate any input. Thank you.

--
Jim Marks

Here's my 2 cents. I went completly digital this year. I use the D1X with the SB80DX and have a D100 and SB28DX as backup.

I am very pleased and so are all my clients. I just did a wedding for a young man who works for the film industry. He told me before the wedding that he went to college for photography and video and was interested in my switch to digital. I gave them thier proofs yesterday and got a call before I made it home, he wants some of my bussiness cards to pass out he was so pleased with the results.

The only place you may miss a MF camera is in large group shots. I dont believe digital has quite the detail in the large groups,but this is under a loupe and not really noticable till you go past 16x20 (and how many group shots do you sell at that size?) The formal portraits I think are better than MF.

The only other area I bring up is work flow. You will find you spend more time after the shoot prepping the the shots for printing. I do all the work myself (which I prefere) and I print at a lab with a Fugi printer. At my Lab 4x6 are .20, 8x10-$1.99, 16x20-$23
Good Luck, Reno

I'm planning on shooting a wedding digital in November but only because I'm very familiar and comfortable with the camera and even then only with backup equipment. Primary camera will be a Dimage 7 with my film Nikons as backup or the bride's (she's a photojournalist) D1h and F4.

In order to make sure the results will be okay I'm going to get some sample prints made through Kodak. So far I've just been doing 8x10 inkjet prints myself but that won't cut it. I'm confident that 11x14s will be fine but still questioning 16x20s but that's a moot point as I consider 35mm to be marginal for that size.

You're shooting medium format so you have a different basis for comparison. Why not consider a hybrid approach? Shoot the critical portraits with the C330 and use digital for other shots that won't be candidates for extreme enlargements. I may do the same shoot the formal portaits in 6x7 with a back on my crown or a borrowed Mamiya press.

Jim Marks said:

I have been a wedding photographer (using a Mamiya C330) for the
past 15 years. I am now considering expanding into the digital
world of photography. Is it too early to begin using this format to
shoot weddings? Will I or more importantly my customers be
dissappointed with the results? I have been looking at the Nikon
D1x.

I would appreciate any input. Thank you.

--
Jim Marks

Click to expand...

http://www.pbase.com/deshawn
click on inbox or s2 wedding

(some shoots have over-exposures
but no fault on the camera-i was
rushed like rush hour so i didn't
have time to get the exposure just right)

i am perlexed at the pro's who havent
tried to see the benefits that digital
has to offer.

here's my workflow

just because its digital i still try to
shoot like i have a film camera

i try to white balance every
different lighting situation
with the custom setting

i copy all original images and
use them to batch process
all images to pop the colors
a bit, and remove color cast

a then have an option of
batch processing those images
to sepia , and black and white

so now, i can delivery to a customer
all images in 3 different folders:
color, black and white, and sepia
all on 1 CD
(i dont always do this, but it's
a selling leverage tool)

it's all about making your workflow
comfortable and more portfitable

to get started, do what i do,
i shoot both at weddings
film and digital

i process the film, and even
process some of the digital ones
at the lab, and as always the client
says "the digital is just as good as film"

explore the possibilities

Jim Marks said:

I have been a wedding photographer (using a Mamiya C330) for the
past 15 years. I am now considering expanding into the digital
world of photography. Is it too early to begin using this format to
shoot weddings? Will I or more importantly my customers be
dissappointed with the results? I have been looking at the Nikon
D1x.

I would appreciate any input. Thank you.

--
Jim Marks

Click to expand...

Just as a reference for my wedding next year I was searching for a photographer that would give me the negatives. I found a good one and when he told me he only shoots digital now for the same price I asked if he could shoot both digital and film. Film for the formal shots and digital for everything else. I chose this because since I'm getting the negatives it will be less expensive for me to get photos from negatives then it will from digital. I still am excited about the digital because then I know I'll get all of the shots plus more that I want. I've been looking into digital myself and have seen several great photos from the new digital SLRs that are out there. I think it's a great idea but I wouldn't give up film either.

Cherri

Jim Marks said:

I have been a wedding photographer (using a Mamiya C330) for the
past 15 years. I am now considering expanding into the digital
world of photography. Is it too early to begin using this format to
shoot weddings? Will I or more importantly my customers be
dissappointed with the results? I have been looking at the Nikon
D1x.

I would appreciate any input. Thank you.

--
Jim Marks

Click to expand...

Jim Marks said:

I have been a wedding photographer (using a Mamiya C330) for the
past 15 years. I am now considering expanding into the digital
world of photography. Is it too early to begin using this format to
shoot weddings? Will I or more importantly my customers be
dissappointed with the results? I have been looking at the Nikon
D1x.

I would appreciate any input. Thank you.

--
Jim Marks

Click to expand...

I was shooting with a Mamiya 645 pro before I decided to go digital. Having shot digital for about a month now I would never go back to film. The options available to you as a creative professional are unparalleled. Yes I agree with some of the others that you definitely do spend more time post processing your images than you would with negs but your results are awesome... YOU get what YOU want, not what the lab thinks you want. As for the time spent post processing I usually group or batch my files into similar sorts of lighting and locations and then batch process all of them using NC 3... awesome program. From there I batch all of the files into smaller file sizes for presentation. This makes it easier to show customers the images and some of the techniques you can use to create their images.

As for starting in the digital world I played it safe... I first did some family portraits in film and digital.... processed my digital images and saw they were all great so I didn't even bother to process the film. After a couple of families I tried a couple of shots at a wedding again backing up all shots with film.... once I felt confident with what I was able to get from digital I didn't use film at all. After a month in the digital world now I have'nt shot film in about 3 weeks. Still keeping my Mamiya 645 as a back up to my digital should I ever have a problem ... but I would switch to digital again in an instant... it's awesome.

My digital camera is a D100, 28-70 f/2.8, 80-200 f/2.8 and 20mm f/2.8 along with a newly aquired SB-80DX.

--
Steve Hiebert
http://www.personalexpressions.ca

Cherri Zaske said:

Just as a reference for my wedding next year I was searching for a
photographer that would give me the negatives. I found a good one
and when he told me he only shoots digital now for the same price I
asked if he could shoot both digital and film. Film for the formal
shots and digital for everything else. I chose this because since
I'm getting the negatives it will be less expensive for me to get
photos from negatives then it will from digital.

Click to expand...

The negatives will have to be scanned to digital for printing (unless you use a wet darkroom). That will cost something (and the wet darkroom won't be cheap).

If it's all digital you can plug it into your computer, edit as you see fit, upload to a printer.

--
bob
http://www.pbase.com/bobtrips
pictures from Thailand, Myanmar(Burma), and Nepal

BobTrips said:

Cherri Zaske said:

Just as a reference for my wedding next year I was searching for a
photographer that would give me the negatives. I found a good one
and when he told me he only shoots digital now for the same price I
asked if he could shoot both digital and film. Film for the formal
shots and digital for everything else. I chose this because since
I'm getting the negatives it will be less expensive for me to get
photos from negatives then it will from digital.

Click to expand...

The negatives will have to be scanned to digital for printing
(unless you use a wet darkroom). That will cost something (and the
wet darkroom won't be cheap).

If it's all digital you can plug it into your computer, edit as you
see fit, upload to a printer.

--
bob
http://www.pbase.com/bobtrips
pictures from Thailand, Myanmar(Burma), and Nepal

Click to expand...

Not to sound rude... but there are still places out there that will print from negatives... the whole world doesn't revolve around digital... be nice if it did but it doesn't I'm sure she'll get the negs printed at a lab.
--
Steve Hiebert
http://www.personalexpressions.ca

Steve is correct I will go to a lab. There is a lab here that will do custom 8x10s for $5.00 Digital 8x10s will cost me $17.00. I have been a Art Director/Photographers assistant for 5 years so just knowing is my forte.

Cherri

Steve62429 said:

Steve62429 said:

If it's all digital you can plug it into your computer, edit as you
see fit, upload to a printer.

--
bob
http://www.pbase.com/bobtrips
pictures from Thailand, Myanmar(Burma), and Nepal

Click to expand...

Not to sound rude... but there are still places out there that will
print from negatives... the whole world doesn't revolve around
digital... be nice if it did but it doesn't I'm sure she'll
get the negs printed at a lab.
--
Steve Hiebert
http://www.personalexpressions.ca

Click to expand...

Cherri Zaske said:

Steve is correct I will go to a lab. There is a lab here that will
do custom 8x10s for $5.00 Digital 8x10s will cost me $17.00. I
have been a Art Director/Photographers assistant for 5 years so
just knowing is my forte.

Click to expand...

Glad that you know. Now please educate me a bit.

I assume you're paying $12 for a scan? Or what is it that you get for that extra expense?

What 'custom' work is included for the $2-3 extra over what others are paying for an 8x10?

--
bob
http://www.pbase.com/bobtrips
pictures from Thailand, Myanmar(Burma), and Nepal

I've done two weddings since I switced to digital. I took several months to get familiar with my new D60, and the first wedding was still not as good as I would like. The saving grace is the ability to do my own photo editing. The first was shot in a church with mustard yellow stained glass windows. No added light. Lots of microphones hanging everywhere.

The beauty of digital is that I can balance out all the extra yellow and remove any distractions like the microphones or tape on the floor. Yes, post processing takes quite a while compared to film, but you get what you want, not what someone at the lab thinks you want.

--

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maybe my D60 meters correctly and it is me that is overexposed???

Jim Marks said:

I have been a wedding photographer (using a Mamiya C330) for the
past 15 years. I am now considering expanding into the digital
world of photography. Is it too early to begin using this format to
shoot weddings? Will I or more importantly my customers be
dissappointed with the results? I have been looking at the Nikon
D1x.

I would appreciate any input. Thank you.

--
Jim Marks

Click to expand...

Jim,

I also used medium format for weddings, Bronica etrsi and some 35mm candids f100 & f3. I made the switch to digital , D1x this year. I went slowly at first, not quite ready to turn lose of my big negs.

The switch is now more or less complete and I have no regrets, recently shot 700 images at a wedding and edited down to the BEST 400, it's great! Cant't say what you might get into with your lab. We set up our own (gretag Netprinter) at the same time I started doing digital weddings,
this also been a plus.
I am using sb28dx flashes but have been told the new sb80 is better.
Guess i'll have to get one soon and try it
My advice is go for it .......slowly! Don't hock the c330 yet. Good luck.

Jeff

Reno61264 said:

Reno wrote:
At my Lab 4x6 are .20, 8x10-$1.99,
16x20-$23

Click to expand...

Reno, which lab do you use and do they have a webpage?
Dennis D

your C330 is a wonderfull camera, and 15years with it you have it down,
and are comfortable with it, the style you shoot with it, like a hasselblad,
6x6, is your current style, keep on going.
a D1x is a complete different style, SLR, 35mm style.
to get into digital without being a computer geek, shoot your C330,
and start working with a digital lab (local) , get the proof and CD,
that way you are not forced to be in a crunch with all the editing,

start useing the CD material as a bonus/selling tool, start editing and expanding, till you order only your edits, upgrade your computer and computer skills, get the workflow straight, see how much work it is, and where you benefit. in a 1/2 year , the first 12MP will be out, don't forget the glass,... my buddy, shoots a hasselblad, 4-5 rolls per wedding, and does not even have a computer,.... what keeps him going without digital, hmm

you could say , he can't afford it, no, not the factor, it's his style, quality, experience, .
cheers, Robert Schultz
--
http://www.RobsPhoto.com

It is a taff one, but I did it and I don't regrat it.
It might be difficoult for you since you are use to medium format.

I have done all my weddings this year with my D1h and I haven't toutch my hassy yet.

You can check out my web and see what you can do with digital,

by the way I'm still lorning Photo Shop which I have been useing only for a year.

Sorry for my cheap looking web but, it was done by my Little brother and hi is still very new with this.

http://www.katanaphoto.com

Derek Kataniak said:

It is a taff one, but I did it and I don't regrat it.
It might be difficoult for you since you are use to medium format.
I have done all my weddings this year with my D1h and I haven't
toutch my hassy yet.

You can check out my web and see what you can do with digital,
by the way I'm still lorning Photo Shop which I have been useing
only for a year.

Sorry for my cheap looking web but, it was done by my Little
brother and hi is still very new with this.

http://www.katanaphoto.com

Click to expand...

I don't know if its your website or my computer, but all I get is a black screen with my cursor in the middle, and have to cont/alt/del to get out of it.

BobTrips said:

Cherri Zaske said:

Steve is correct I will go to a lab. There is a lab here that will
do custom 8x10s for $5.00 Digital 8x10s will cost me $17.00. I
have been a Art Director/Photographers assistant for 5 years so
just knowing is my forte.

Click to expand...

Glad that you know. Now please educate me a bit.

I assume you're paying $12 for a scan? Or what is it that you get
for that extra expense?

What 'custom' work is included for the $2-3 extra over what others
are paying for an 8x10?

Click to expand...

Nope no scanning involved. You can print things without scanning it first. Digital you obviously don't need to scan it. All I know is they do machine prints now also so it can be cheaper but it doesn't look as good as when it's hand done. Contrast is off etc. Custom just means they do it by hand.

Cherri

I have a question. A friend of mine is a pro wedding photographer he uses F100's and I have been talking to him about going digital. (As I do wedding videos and use digital which makes editing a breeze) His number 1 concern is if anything where to go wrong with the camera, would you loose all the data(photos)? He feels confident that if anything goes wrong with his cameras such as dropping it of a cliff or anything that could damage it. The film would probably still be fine. Anyone had any sort of problems that have caused the lose of photos from the camera?

Cheers Simon

Jack B. Johnson said:

Derek Kataniak said:

It is a taff one, but I did it and I don't regrat it.
It might be difficoult for you since you are use to medium format.
I have done all my weddings this year with my D1h and I haven't
toutch my hassy yet.

You can check out my web and see what you can do with digital,
by the way I'm still lorning Photo Shop which I have been useing
only for a year.

Sorry for my cheap looking web but, it was done by my Little
brother and hi is still very new with this.

http://www.katanaphoto.com

Click to expand...

I don't know if its your website or my computer, but all I get is a
black screen with my cursor in the middle, and have to cont/alt/del
to get out of it.

Click to expand...

Shortly after one pushes the shutter button the image (data file) is written to the memory card. There's not too much that the camera could do to damage already written files. I suppose that it could do a 'reformat' or 'erase' the card, but we're talking a very, very strange event happening.

Looking for the worst cases, you could loose the card, drop it in a glass of.... (no cards have been threw washing machines and been fine).

Of course one could accidently open the back of a film camera and wipe out a couple of frames.

Stuff can happen. If it can, it will. Just so unlikely that this just doesn't seem like a reason to hold back.

Some people copy their files to a portable hard drive (or two) and/or laptop as soon as the card is full.

Most people carry at least two cameras when camera failure would be a disaster. Film or digital.

There is a big digital advantage. You can flip on the LCD on the back of the camera from time to time and see it the camera is working properly. (It's paid off for me with a 'pro-sumer' camera).

Prendere.net said:

I have a question. A friend of mine is a pro wedding photographer
he uses F100's and I have been talking to him about going digital.
(As I do wedding videos and use digital which makes editing a
breeze) His number 1 concern is if anything where to go wrong with
the camera, would you loose all the data(photos)? He feels
confident that if anything goes wrong with his cameras such as
dropping it of a cliff or anything that could damage it. The film
would probably still be fine. Anyone had any sort of problems that
have caused the lose of photos from the camera?

Click to expand...

--
bob
http://www.pbase.com/bobtrips
pictures from Thailand, Myanmar(Burma), and Nepal

Prendere.net said:

I have a question. A friend of mine is a pro wedding photographer
he uses F100's and I have been talking to him about going digital.
(As I do wedding videos and use digital which makes editing a
breeze) His number 1 concern is if anything where to go wrong with
the camera, would you loose all the data(photos)? He feels
confident that if anything goes wrong with his cameras such as
dropping it of a cliff or anything that could damage it. The film
would probably still be fine. Anyone had any sort of problems that
have caused the lose of photos from the camera?

Cheers Simon

Click to expand...

I have been told about a cf card going through the washer and dryer and perhaps you saw the story about the photographer who died at the WTC.

his film cameras and film didn't survive but the card in his digital camera survived and the images were fantastic.

I do worry about card failure however, so I always split up an important job such as wedding over several cards. I think this is just common sense.

I cringe when i hear someone brag that they got a whole wedding on a gig microdrive, to many eggs in one basket for me.

Jeff

Theresimon said:

Jack B. Johnson said:

Derek Kataniak said:

It is a taff one, but I did it and I don't regrat it.
It might be difficoult for you since you are use to medium format.
I have done all my weddings this year with my D1h and I haven't
toutch my hassy yet.

You can check out my web and see what you can do with digital,
by the way I'm still lorning Photo Shop which I have been useing
only for a year.

Sorry for my cheap looking web but, it was done by my Little
brother and hi is still very new with this.

http://www.katanaphoto.com

Click to expand...

I don't know if its your website or my computer, but all I get is a
black screen with my cursor in the middle, and have to cont/alt/del
to get out of it.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...