When we travel for a wedding shooting we try to travel light. But 'light' is relative, especially for airlines. We want to take the gear we will reasonably need with us and we want to remain mobile and flexible.
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
Cameras/Accessories
Nikon D800
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
Two of them. Both in use for video and photos. Two cameras gives us backup in case of failure and otherwise i.e. the option for creative multi-angle shots. Always use the identical model in parallel for easier post processing, especially for video. Synch the settings (at least the time!) between both cameras before the shooting.
On the D800 itself not much to say: part of our family. Our choice for wedding photography, great portrait camera, big resolution, beautiful colors and details, great in dark churches without flash, robust, lot of useful features and great usability.
EN-EL15 Battery
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
4x Nikon EN-EL15 with 2x charger for both cameras. Charge one battery while you use the other one. Usually 2 batteries lasts for wedding preparation , church and portrait (mixed mode, movie and photo) and latest at the party you will find a socket for the chargers.
We don't use the battery grip anymore. Too heavy and chunky, it does not add enough value and the D800 Body is already build for big hands.
FANTEC BeastVision HD Motorsport Edition
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
Used for the boat trip (underwater), other times it is attached at the wedding car (in- & outside) or for timelapse videos. Don't expect too much from these little beasts iro image quality but they are usable in situations where you don't want to risk your more expensive equipment just for some fun.
Why beastcam and not Gopro/Rollei/ActionPro? At the time it was the best choice for the money and delivered with a lot of optionals are included (rear display, 2nd battery pack, Grips , underwater case, plane lens, standard mount usable on gorillapod etc without need to buy aditional adapters etc.).
Unlimited trust in the suction mount is not always appropriate; camera crashed down 6m from 1th floor after vibrations from the music at the party loose the suction. Luckily it missed the party guests. Top Display broken and camera case was destorted. Beside of that: Still working smoothly.
Memory Cards - SanDisk Extreme SDHC
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
Six of them. 32 GB, Class 10, 45MB/s. We always shoot them, They’ve always been dependable and fast. I prefer 32GB to the bigger ones. Less damage in case of card failure and with this size we do more often and faster backups throughout the day.
Don't use class 10 with 30MB/s: I experienced long 'freeze' of the camera after a few sequential shots (in RAW) due to the slower writing speed and occasional video abortion in movie mode.
RFN-4s Wireless Remote Shutter Release
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
Used for the photo booth. Reliable and easy to use.
We made bad experience with the "cable edition": Drunk people or kids need a lot of space and you need a new one every month...if the connector in the camera survived.
Lenses/Accessories
Walimex Pro AE Fish-Eye 8mm 3,5
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
Manual-focus only lens (no problem for fisheyes), DX and not the best choice for a FX like the D800 but it is sharp (enough) and it doesn't make sense for us to spend much money on a fish eye. This one is small and light, so we pack it always in our kit bag even if we don't over use it. Most of the time we just mount it to show the impressive architecture of a church from a great perspective or for some 360° panoramic images. In the age of selfies no one ever will ordered a print of a large Fish-Eye architecture shot without his face on it....and for portrait we use other lenses. In case you do portratit with this one: Put people on the edges only if they should hate you...and why should people hate you?
Nikon AF NIKKOR 20mm 2,8D
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
Nikon's smallest and lightest ultrawide lens. Mostly used for wide angle shots on movies and slides.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm 1,8G
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
You always need a 50mm lens and if you use 2 cameras in parallel sometimes you will need two of them. This 50mm f/1.8 G is super sharp, focuses perfectly, and it is one of Nikon's best lenses and also one of their least expensive. Most of the time it stays as backup in the bag as we use the 1,4 instead. I feel guilty to ignore this lens so often.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm 1,4G
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
This lens is the best choice for use in low light. Autofocus is very accurate and fast. Bokeh is very good.
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm 2.8G ED Wide Angle Zoom
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
Our workhorse. Nikon's best mid-range zoom, super sharp and fast. This lens never stays at home. Right zoom range to cover most of the actions during a wedding without the need to change lenses all the time.
Nikon AF-d Nikkor 80-200mm 2.8D ED Zoom Lens
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
You don't want to spend the money for a new 70-200/2.8 VR II, which takes the same pictures but costs a lot more? Then take this one. It is is about as sharp and on the D800 focus is fast enough for Wedding, its even fast enough for the soccer tournaments of my little boy. And we own the old one with the Push-pull zoom and the 'slow' autofocus (build between 1993-1997). It's optically magnificent and we got it used and refurbished for ~440€. You still want to spend 2000€ for the new 70-200? Lucky you!
Great lens for portraits and to capture emotions without beeing noticed. A great advantagce against the 24-70mm.
Haida Slim PRO II Digital MC Neutral ND Filter Set
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
3x set of ND8, ND64, ND1000 for 77mm, 62mm and 52mm Lenses. Try to shoot portrait in between the beautifull white houses of Santorini at high noon bright sun and you know why you need them. Also great to transform the waves at the black beach in romantic fog.
Speedlight Video Light/Accessories
Speedlight SB-900
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
Creates the best balanced and powerfull light of the three Speedlights. It is big, heavy and it is overheating fast. If you have to shoot a lot of pictures using indirect flash this falsh will ask to cool down after 5 minutes. Critical in vcertain wedding situations. Better considering the SB-910 now that has solved the overheat issue.
Speedlight SB-700
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
replaced the last broken SB-600 and does a good job. Way better controls as the SB-700, lighter than the SB-900 and light is somewhere in between.
Speedlight SB-600
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
It the last SB-600 that is still working. it does a good Job in the Softbox and as additional Light with remote triggering but I don't use it anymore as main flash on the camera hot shoe. His results are not comparable to the SB-900.
Video light Yongnuo YN-600
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
3200k-5500k Color Temperature Adjustable LED Video Light. 600 LEDs, 4680 Lux. Digital display screen that allow you easily to view the power output. included with Remote control, Hand Grip, 2 x CT filters (White and Orange). The light can run on A/C power or battery power using Sony-compatible NP-F series batteries. Holds for hours on battery, never needed the A/C Power until now. Gives good light for Video at the party (first dance, cake...) and can be used for indirect lightning if rooms are to dark (preparation).
Lightpanels MicroPro LED
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
got replaced by the YN-600 as the light panel is too small for video. Especially if you shoot wide angle, the small light spot is more disturbing than helping. Left it at home. Anybody interested?
Walimex Pro Easy Octagon Softbox
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
Ø90cm, Bowens. Combined with Kacey Speedlight Bracket™ DBL Speedlight & Softbox Ring allows to mount 2 Speedlights. Used most of the time for protrait outdoor. Proven and good working solution. Usable also as photo booth.
Pocketwizards
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
2x Pocketwizard Flex TT5 Transceiver & 1x MiniTT1 Transmitter , used in combination with the Softbox and 2 speedlights gives full flexibility and enough performance to shoot portrait on weddings. Just concentrate on the scene and the wedding couple. They have other things in mind then wait for the photographer to adjust flash configuration.
Eneloop AA 2100
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
~50 of them. Charge it and forget it. They remain charged.
Ansmann Energy 8 Plus Charger
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
Comes with us most of the time.
Tripods/Accessories
We made good experience using the monopods for film and photography. you can move faster than with a Tripod and filming freehand in full HD: forget it. With the big resolution of the D800 its also a good approach to shoot the pictures with the monopod. if you turn them upside down you can use them also as "Glidecam".
We have also a Glidecam HD-2000 (stays at home covered in dust. Was too limiting: New calibration needed if you change the lens, just for shots in movement, too heavy without west)
Manfrotto Video Fluid Monopod
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
The fluid cartridge in the base of the monopod allows smooth, jump-free panning and the three pivoting, retractable feet ensure a firm footing.
Aluminium, maximum capacity 8kg; maximum height193cm; weight 0,62kg.
Giottos GTMML3290B Professional Monopod
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
second Monopod in use (left at home for Santorini, see SIRUI M-3004X).
Aluminium, maximum capacity 12kg; maximum height 184cm; weight 0,62kg.
Manfrotto 055XPROB Tripod Pro
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
(left at home for Santorini, see SIRUI M-3004X)
maximum capacity 7kg; maximum height 178,5cm
SIRUI M-3004X Master Tripod/Monopod
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
I don't like the twist locks (my hand caught twice in between the sections) and prefer the quick locks of the manfrotto but beside of that: Great Tripod for travel. Small if folded and you can remove one leg and reuse it as Monopod.
Aluminium, maximum capacity 18kg; maximum height 179cm; folded: 51,5cm weight 2.3kg.
Manfrotto MVH502AH Pro Fluid Video Head
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
used on the tripod or monopods for filming. allows smooth, jump-free panning
Manfrotto 322RC2 Joystick Head Short
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
used on the tripod or monopods for filming. Unblock, move, position and lock your camera with one hand in one position. Great for quick repositioning of the camera and smaller and lighter than the big Manfrotto MVH502AH but forget it to use the grip for smooth panning on movies.
Sirui G-10 G10X G Series Ball Head
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
used to mount the camera on the Kessler slider.
(Alu, height: 88mm, weight: 0.3kg,maximum capacity: 18kg)
Sirui Aluminium Tilt Head L-10
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
used to mount the Kessler Video Slider with the Kessler Kwik Release Utility Plate to the tripod. Strong enough to fix videoslider, camera and head and still small and light.
(Alu, height: 79mm, weight: 0.33kg,maximum capacity: 15kg)
Kessler Crane V2 Pocket Dolly Philip Bloom Kit
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
small enough to get packed into the Luggage and you can operate it on one single tripod. Long enough to produce smooth slides for 5-10 seconds. We use it for the video slides in combination with a Black & Decker Gyro Driver BDCS36G for perfect steady slides. The B&D is the only small screwdriver with speed regulation. Perfect for travel.
Misc
Olympus LS-5/LS-14 Linear PCM Digital Voice Recorder
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
We tried with several mics attached to the camera (Rode Stereo-VideoMic K, nikon Me-1...) but these Recordes gives you clear sound and way more configuration options you will need and you can place them somewhere near the audio source and move and shoot with you camera without paying attention on the sound recording.
No reason to switch from the LS-5 to the LS-14 beside that it "vanished" on our last shooting.
others
Bild(er)/Album nicht gefunden.
- no-name light stands
- extension cord/power strip
- Notebook + external Disk for onlocation backups
- Canon Selphy Printer
- Manfrotto Lino Pro Vest
- various grips
- variouse Reflectors
- Camera Bags/Grip Cases
