What cameras should I take to the wedding?

[David Mitchell]

Hi all,

Its my sisters wedding next weekend and I will be taking some cameras with me, I will take a few but I have limited space. I have also been roped into helping the wedding photographer as well it seems which will be interesting.

Anyway, I wanted to take some photos with my own cameras at the wedding as well but i'm not 100% sure on what I should take.

Here are my initial ideas and the reasoning behind them

Agat 18 - half frame camera, 72 shots per roll, easy to put in a pocket
Zeiss Ikon 518/16 - medium format so high resolution negatives, folding camera so pocketable, shoots square unlike the Bessa so I get more shots per roll.
NEX-3 - possibly take this camera, it would be idea if I had a pancake lens, most lenses attached make this camera unpocketable although do have a C mount lens coming soon.

I was thinking about taking the Trip 35 like David Bailey to a wedding, however I will probably be told off for taking so many cameras lol I am definatly taking the Agat 18 for its small size and large shot capacity, even though its plastic and a bit lomo.

I havn't test shot the Ikon, however it was Hamish's camera and I know that it shot well and had quite a sharp lens, I will also take a light meter with me and take a test reading before shooting. The Ikon goes up to 1/300s wheras the Bessa only shoots to 1/150 which can cause issues in certain conditions.

I will be shooting with the Agfa Vista Plus ISO 200 for 35mm and some HP5 for medium format, planning to use the Ikon during the photo shoot/beginning of the reception and then switch to the Agat during the meal/evening. The Agat doesn't have the fastest lens but there is an 'indoor' setting which I will just stick it on and fire aware with that.

From the list you see below in my signiture is there anything else that might be of use? I don't think I can really take an SLR as they are a tad bulky for what I am needing it for due to the extra lenses needed.

 

[Brian Moore]

I recommend the Zenit Photosniper.

 

[Pete Askew]

I' stick with a film P&S and use that to grab candid shots during the event. Leave the pro to get the money shots and aim at getting the more personal ones yourself. People will ignore the P&S and you should get some interesting stuff.

 

[Dan Cattermole]

You should take all of them.... Forget bulk concern.

 

[David Mitchell]

I might just take the Agat 18 and my NEX-3 then as its a point and shoot on steroids lol its currently got the M42 adaptor on it with the Cosina 55mm f1.4 attached. The glazing on the camera is heavier than the camera lol the front element is pretty massive compared to everything else I have lol

Here is a shot of it when I was at archery on Sunday - thats my mate rather than me lol you can see his arrow in the air as well.

 

[David Mitchell]

I think I will take my NEX-3 with the Cosinon 55mm f1.4 - although this would be an 82.5mm equivalent I should have enough space to take some wider shots. I think I will also pocket the Agat 18 and the Zeiss Ikon as well, I was tempted to use the M39 Jupiter 8 lens but that is quite a slow lens. Another camera and another 3-4 lenses arrived yesterday, I believe one is a Zeiss 30mm but I believe it has an issue stopping down, its in M42 mount so I am tempted to try and fix that tonight and see. I did bolt it onto my NEX last night, its a very sharp lens it seems!

I will report back with progress, not got long to go before I need to get everything packed!

 

[Dave Cawley]

Just the Nikon D3100 or NEX-3, whichever has the best zoom lens. Nothing else, just enjoy the wedding !

Dave

 

[David Mitchell]

Hmm I might just take the NEX, I don't really have an M42 zoom lens as I prefer primes, the D3100 is a bit too chunky to really take but I do have that really nice 35mm f1.8G DX lens for it. I am hoping I will be ok with the 55mm Cosinon, might just have to zoom with my feet a bit lol.

 

[Dave Cawley]

If you aren't the official photographer, you may not want to get under peoples feet. In any case to get the shot you need a zoom, the opportunity will be lost if you hesitate.

 

[Hamish Gill]

I'd take the Nikon with the zoom for general shots and the prime for indoors stuff ... Anything else and you will be spending g to much time faffing and not enough time taking photos/enjoying the day

- - - Updated - - -

... Oh, and the trip for 35mm
dont take the agat! It's useless for anything else but fun lomo snaps

 

[David Mitchell]

I'd take the Nikon with the zoom for general shots and the prime for indoors stuff ... Anything else and you will be spending g to much time faffing and not enough time taking photos/enjoying the day

- - - Updated - - -

... Oh, and the trip for 35mm
dont take the agat! It's useless for anything else but fun lomo snaps

I won't be the main photographer but I think I might be handed a random DSLR to go around and take photos (not really my thing). I think the D3100 would be a bit bulky as I won't have a bag or anything to carry it in lol

I might load the trip up and put it in my pocket but I am tempted to take the Ikon for some vintage medium format fun lol

 

[David Mitchell]

Only took the NEX-3 with a 55mm F1.4 lens, lens was good in terms of quality and shot well wide open but was a bit too long as it was a 82.5mm equilivilent, but I still got some good shots, just needed to stand waaaay back lol.

 

[Dave Cawley]

After all that advice, you didn't take a zoom ?

 

[David Mitchell]

After all that advice, you didn't take a zoom ?

I don't have a zoom lens that would work on the NEX, I would have have to have taken the D3100 with 18-55 kit lens or the fixed 35mm f1.8G. I simply don't have a zoom lens for the NEX that would have been usable, I do have an untested 70-150mm M42 lens but thats longer than the 55mm lens I took lol

 

[Brian Moore]

You didn't take the photosniper...?

 

[David Mitchell]

You didn't take the photosniper...?

Its a 300mm lens and hardly easily concealable lol my 35mm f1.7 didn't arrive in time, was hoping it would so I could have had a 50mm normal lens with fast aperture but hopefully that will arrive soon so I can try it out elsewhere.

 

[Dave Cawley]

I don't have a zoom lens that would work on the NEXl

I thought the NEX came with a zoom as standard (16-50) ?

Anyway, pictures ?

Dave

 

[Darren Bradley]

Everyone's different, but my own personal choice would be a Canon 1DX and a 24-70 f2.8 lens, along with a good flash and separate battery pack, with the flash on a bracket.

 

[David Mitchell]

I thought the NEX came with a zoom as standard (16-50) ?

Anyway, pictures ?

Dave

I bought the NEX from here, Hamish had the lens and I had the body, I have quite a few lenses which I can easily adapt to fit the NEX due to the lack of mirror and the ease to get adaptors, but none of them are wide enough for a crop sensor as there wasn't really much of a need for a 16mm lens in the 1980 and 90s as a 28mm was fine for a wide due to using 35mm film. The issue is the crop sensor really but i'm getting there. The focus peaking was really useful on the NEX as I could then get focus quickly due to the manual lens. The fact that it was ok to meter in aperture priority with a lens with no electronic coupling was impressive and the fact that it bumped up the screen brightness when the lens was stopped down was a good feature.

I will put a few photos up later when I am back home.

- - - Updated - - -

Everyone's different, but my own personal choice would be a Canon 1DX and a 24-70 f2.8 lens, along with a good flash and separate battery pack, with the flash on a bracket.

I could fit the NEX in my pocket lol I wasn't the official photographer, just someone that apparently knows about photography so I was told to go take some additional photos lol

 

[David Mitchell]

Shot through the old leaded glass above everyone outside the church:



At the reception



Cake topper