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Archive 2014 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?

  
 
cwes
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


Me and my wife shoot weddings together. 90% of the time she is shooting while I am assisting with OCF. We have 3 cameras right now. I'm wondering if we could get by with two. Thinking about selling one of them just because we never use it. In a worse case situation if we had two and one stopped working I don't think it would be a big deal. Just wanting some other opinions....


Nov 07, 2014 at 09:01 PM
danh920
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


I can only see missed shots happening with 2 shooters and 1 camera. Even if you just keep a rebel or d3xxx in the bag in case. Guess it depends what you can get and the balance of risk and reward


Nov 07, 2014 at 09:27 PM
Ziffl3
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


Well why not have just 1 camera?
You probably have a smartphone. there is your 2nd camera.



Nov 07, 2014 at 10:57 PM
Ziffl3
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


My response above is me being a smart-ass. true.

Because as a professional wedding photographer, you should be prepared for when a camera just stops working.
Say you are at a larger wedding.... you need guest shots. The wife is off with the bridal party and you are getting detail shots and candids.
You get 3 shots and the camera locks up.
You don't have a back up and the wife is 5-10 minutes away with bridal party.

Now you are down to 1 camera because you sold you never used 3rd camera.

Even say you didn't sell your 3rd camera... same scenario - yours stops working?
She is no where in site ...

To me it is part of being a professional.
At least 2 camera per shooter min.
I have 3 for myself at every wedding.

I am not paranoid. Just prepared.

just my 2 cents....

-Mark



Nov 07, 2014 at 11:04 PM
dhp_sf
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


This depends more of how your time is being billed/integrated in the packages. If she is receiving more fee from the clients to include a "second shooter" then it would be irresponsible to only have two cameras for the both of you (some may say 3 cameras for 2 photographers is also not sufficient). However, if you're included in the cost as just an assistant that occasionally will shoot a few frames when not busy doing "assisting duties" (as in, she would receive the same fee regardless of if you showed up and shot zero frames or 500 or didn't even show at all) then I don't see as much of an issue.


Nov 07, 2014 at 11:10 PM
SloPhoto
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


dhp_sf wrote:
This depends more of how your time is being billed/integrated in the packages. If she is receiving more fee from the clients to include a "second shooter" then it would be irresponsible to only have two cameras for the both of you (some may say 3 cameras for 2 photographers is also not sufficient). However, if you're included in the cost as just an assistant that occasionally will shoot a few frames when not busy doing "assisting duties" (as in, she would receive the same fee regardless of if you showed up and shot zero frames or 500 or didn't
...Show more

This

"Two is one and one is none." Have at least one backup (number of required cameras + 1). How many are "required" depends on client expectations as Duy pointed out.

I personally show up at a second shooter gig with three just for myself.



Nov 08, 2014 at 03:40 AM
jmraso
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


No it is not enough !! It is like having sex without protection !!


Nov 08, 2014 at 04:47 AM
swoop
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


I carry and use only one camera during a wedding, but I bring two. Some people like to "dual wield" to avoid changing lenses, having options, maybe one has a flash on it the other doesn't, maybe one has higher megapixels for portraits, whatever. There are a variety of reasons for carrying two cameras. But some guys only use one. But don't mistake only using one camera, for not needing a spare.

It comes down to this. It comes down to this, if a camera stops working, you're now the most useless person in the room.

Your backup doesn't need to be a full fledged copy of your primary camera. When I teach workshops people ask me all the time what can a $3000 camera do that a $1000 can't. Like why spend more; the difference is durability. Professional cameras and lenses really are made to last longer. But everything mechanical breaks at some point. And 99% of the time it will break while you're using it. So having something, ANYTHING, is better than standing around taking up space.

Just grab yourself a used 40D or D2x and you'll be fine. It's like buying a fire extinguisher, you'll never want to use but you'll be glad it's there when you're facing a potential disaster.



Nov 08, 2014 at 07:22 AM
D. Diggler
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


swoop wrote:

Just grab yourself a used 40D or D2x and you'll be fine.


There ya go!



Nov 08, 2014 at 07:45 AM
cwes
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


I'm keeping all 3 cameras. You guys made some really good points. Just for the piece of mind alone it's worth it.


Nov 08, 2014 at 07:45 AM
Gary Harfield
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


I have two main cameras 5DMKII, and two 40D


Nov 08, 2014 at 09:15 AM
Boss302
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


Factor a rental into your price. You can sell your third and rent a backup.


Nov 08, 2014 at 11:16 AM
DONIV
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


3, no brainer


Nov 08, 2014 at 05:00 PM
Tim Wild
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


I would want two cameras per photographer. Three is safe, two is risky. Stick with three if you offer your services professionally IMHO.


Nov 08, 2014 at 05:43 PM
stevez32
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


jmraso wrote:
No it is not enough !! It is like having sex without protection !!


Shoot, I have to use more than two while having sex too? I've been using condoms wrong all these years!



Nov 08, 2014 at 11:23 PM
LeeSimms
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


400+ weddings I've never had a memory card fail, but I have had a camera body fail — twice. Once during processional, and once during off-venue money shots. Nice to have another matching camera on your other shoulder.


Nov 09, 2014 at 10:04 AM
sgtbueno
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


During the ceremony I always use 2 cameras strapped to my body with BlackRapid RS DR-1 Double Strap, 70-200 on 1 camera and 35 or 16-35 on the other camera. I dont want to miss anything and regret it later. Waiting for the 5D4 to have 3 bodies total.


Nov 09, 2014 at 10:32 AM
IrishDino
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


Depends on how you shoot. I have two bodies (5D3/5D2), but only dual body it during the ceremony.

But I think it depends in large part if you're using primes or zooms.



Nov 09, 2014 at 10:34 AM
ferrerfoto
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?


Good call on keeping the 3rd.

I was on another site about having backups and there were several people that stated that they had 2 cameras fail on them during the same wedding. What are the chances of that happening? Slim to none, but it can happen. I shoot with 2 cameras right now but after reading that I might add another next year... just in case.



Nov 10, 2014 at 12:47 PM
glort
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Are two cameras enough for two photographers during a wedding?



I would definately have 3.

Look at it this way, what's the 3rd body worth? 500. 1000?
If you had a big weekend or even a big job and one fell over, would you pay someone that money to have the use of that camera there and then?

If so, your doing the right thing keeping it. If not, maybe it's worth offing it. That said, your main cameras aren't going to become more reliable with age.

I think people put far too much emphasis on having to have this or that camera. In a pinch, if you are worth any of your salt you can pick up whatever is handy and keep going with no fall off in the level of work you produce.

I was shooting cheer the other week and my main camera started jamming up. I grabbed my 600D and went with that. I looked at the images I was doing and they were no different to the main cam. If I said I was going to shoot cheer with a 600D the rabble would go off with 100 reasons why that wouldn't work and how the images would suffer etc. Maybe for some it would. For me, it didn't matter.
I did find the thing a bit slower in reaction time but that took about a minute to come to grips with and hit the button earlier and that was it. I couldn't even tell which shots were done on what cam when it was all over.

I think the reliability of cameras these days is such that having 2 backups is unessacary but I certainly would have 1.




Nov 11, 2014 at 12:13 AM
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