Being made redundant lots of advice please

[JSW]

Am being made redundant and after much deliberation have decided I will return to Wedding photography.

Previously all my wedding photography was done with medium format kit but with the advances in 35mm digital I think I will take this route.

Shopping list is:

Canon EOS 5d with BG-E4
Metz 58 AF-1 Digital

Converter 1.4x EF II
EF 16-35mm f2.8L USM II
EF24-70mm f2.8L USM
EF70-200 f2.8L IS USM
EF100mm f2.8 USM Macro
EF400mm f5.6L USM (just because i want one)

Want a backpack type bag but which ?

Crumpler Zoomiverse (XL)
Crumpler Brian's Hot tub
Lowepro Nature Trekker AW II
Lowepro Slingshot 300AW
Tamrac Expedition 5

Will need to do a website but havn't done any in a while so any help would be much appreciated.

Havn't worked for myself for quite a while so all help appreciated here on starting up.

Many thanks
JSW

[tryingtimes]

I can't really help you on the equipment front as I'm a newbie.
But I just wanted to say that I've been made redundant 3 times now! (all from company closures) and each time it's ended up being a positive experience however hard it was at the time (especially once I had my first son). The first time I ended up with more money and a great learning experience, the second time I ended up with a much nicer buch of people to work with and the third time I ended up going freelance and ended up with more time to do things like mountain biking and photography and spending time with the family.

So good luck to you and I'm absolutely sure this will turn out to be a good thing.

Cheers
tt

[inkinoo]

If you can stretch to it, get a 2nd body. Always handy so you can just pick up a camera rather than having to swap lenses.

[senu]

Why not just PM Radiohead ( Guy)
Hes is in the Know

Then share your summarised thoughts here if you wish

Your formidable wish list doesn't seem to have a 50 or 85mm ( for FF) for portraits

and a Backup camera..... (or second body albeit "lovingly previously used)

[Peakoverload]

I can't fault the bulk of your lens choice but I would question the need for the 100mm macro and the 400mm for weddings. What I would definitely say though is buy a second body and a second speedlite! This is for two reasons.

1. If your camera fails then you are REALLY in trouble and looking at the wrong end of a law suit.

2. With all those lenses you are going to be changing lenses all the time and will just end up missing shots.

Other kit to consider, which you may already own.

1. A good tripod with a geared center column and a good ball head. A geared column will allow you to adjust the height of the camera quickly, accurately and quietly

2. Reflectors. If you arent going to have an assistant than buy the Lastolite ones with the handle so that you can hold it with one hand and the camera in the other.

3. Don't buy a rucksack! Well that's my opinion anyway. Rucksacks are great for walking but pretty crap for when you often need to get gear out of it. I shot a couple of weddings with a rucksack and never again. I now use a shoulder bag and the difference is significant, I can leave it open without gear falling out, I don't have to take it off to get at my gear and I can hold a lot more gear in my Magnum AW than I can in my Slingshot 300 AW.

4. Buy a cable release for group shots. Chuck the camera on a tripod, compose the scene and then use the cable release. This way you can engage everyone in the group, see more clearly where everyone is looking and also people won't be aware of when you take the photo so you won't get as many forced smiles etc.

5. Some kind of digital wallet to download your cards to. You should always take enough cards to shoot an entire wedding without the need to download them but for security I would always make a copy of them just in case you loose a card or a card dies on you.

6. Other than equipment make sure you get professional indemnity and public liability insurance as well as camera insurance.

HTH

[Radiohead]

I can't argue with your primary choices aside from echoing what peak says above me.

The 100/2.8 isn't the fastest in use and I'd opt for either the 85/1.8 or 100/2 in preference for weddings. I'd probably opt for a 50/1.4 and 100/2 or a 35/1.4 and 85/1.8 combination. What style are you shooting? If it's reportage/PJ then the 35 on FF is worth a look.

You will certainly need a second body (or rent another 5D as and when) and speedlite and I'd go for 580EXII's now.

Look for something like the Stealth Reporter 500 or Magnum AW rather than a rucksack. Much more versatile during a shoot.

Any questions at all, please ask (and not trying to teach you to suck eggs here!).

[senu]

Now.... that makes 2 men ( in a row) who know what they are talking about

Thanks for that

[JSW]

Thanks

The Macro and 400 are for personal use not weddings.

May have to get 2 bags then as would prefer a rucksack one when am not doing weddings.

2 bodies it is then.

are 50 1.4 and 85 1.8 really essential was going for the zooms to keep lenses down.

Cheers
JSW

[Radiohead]

If you are going for zooms then stick with f2.8's to maximise your light-gathering ability. I'd always want at least one prime to take advantage of low-light shots without using flash which can kill the atmosphere, and for those ceremonies where you can't use flash.

50 and 85 are close. Go either 35/85 or 50/100.

EF 16-35mm f2.8L USM II
EF24-70mm f2.8L USM
EF70-200 f2.8L IS USM

plus

35/1.4L
85/1.8 or 1.2L

would be my choices, and they are.