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Thread: Pro Photographers--What they are using

  1. #1
    Super Moderator Kayaker72's Avatar
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    Pro Photographers--What they are using

    This is just general information, but I do find it interesting "what the pros use." Exactly how relevant this information is to my gear is minimal, as I've learned long ago that some pros go for the best/latest gear and others go for the most minimal gear needed to get the job done with, perhaps, longevity a bit more important to them than 0.5 stops of extra DR (for example).

    But, I attended the third wedding in three weekends last night. What I saw was:
    • Wedding 1
      • Stills: 5DIV with 70-200 f/2.8 II for most of the ceremony, switched to the 5DIV with a 24-70 II. Used some sort of 430 ex flash.
      • Video: Sony A7 something. I didn't make out which iteration. Lenses also looked to be Sony, and they must have been a bit of a wide angle lens as they kept getting very close to the bride/groom. Heavy use of a monopod.

    • Wedding 2 This ceremony was "unplugged" for guests. But the pros-
      • Stills: Dual cameras. First it look like a 7D (I, II ??) with 70-200 f/2.8 II, and a 5DIV with what I am pretty sure was the Sigma 24-35 f/2. The 70-200 II was mostly used at the outside ceremony and the Sigma for the indoor reception. 600 ex rt flashes.
      • Video: Panasonic Lumix, probably the GH5, but could have been the 4. Interestingly, Canon EF 24-105 Mk 1 lens all on a handheld gimbal.

    • Wedding 3
      • Stills: Dual shooter. The lead pro using dual bodies, one mounted with the 17-55 f/2.8 and then other with what looked like a 70-200 f/4 non-IS (looking at my video, the foot looks like a 70-200 f/2.8 non-IS, but I thought it was smaller than my 70-200 f/2.8 II). The second, younger shooter, was using Nikon. One larger camera and one smaller. The larger of the cameras seemed D800-D850ish mounted with a wide angle while the smaller was more of a crop sensor with a telephoto. All the flashes were Yonguo. This group of pros went with a combination of on and off camera flashes for the reception (2-3 off camera stationed around the reception hall. They would move as needed).
      • Video...me. I gave a friend of the bride some pictures and impromptu videos from a wedding last year where I noticed they didn't have a videographer. Apparently, they liked the video enough the bride asked me to do video here. I'd have been more comfortable with stills, but whatever, I checked that they'd be happy with "better than nothing" and after being assured, agreed to do it. Used the 5DIV with 70-200 II mounted on a tripod with a gimbal for the ceremony and took random videos of the key events with the M3 (mix of 22/2 and 18-55) similar to last year.


    Another observation, all the still pros were sporting these leather harnesses. Each was slightly different, but pretty elaborate stuff. I was impressed.

    Anyways, I am always interested in how others work, what is actually being used, etc. I did find it interesting that for stills, 3 of 4 pros were using Canon. For video, it was the Sony and Panasonics.
    Last edited by Kayaker72; 09-15-2018 at 07:14 PM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Dave Throgmartin's Avatar
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    I expect a lot of pros would be envious of the gear used on the site For them it's what will make money.

    Dave

  3. #3
    Super Moderator Kayaker72's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Throgmartin View Post
    I expect a lot of pros would be envious of the gear used on the site For them it's what will make money.

    Dave
    Ha...yeah. I suspect they would be.

    Big difference in hobbies and something you have to make a profit on.....

    A pro I know is still using Nikon D300s as his workhorse bodies. And yet, he easily spends more on golf than I do on photography....

  4. #4
    Senior Member Dave Throgmartin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kayaker72 View Post
    Ha...yeah. I suspect they would be.

    Big difference in hobbies and something you have to make a profit on.....

    A pro I know is still using Nikon D300s as his workhorse bodies. And yet, he easily spends more on golf than I do on photography....
    At least photography stuff holds its value. Golf equipment is a losing proposition.

    Dave

  5. #5
    Senior Member clemmb's Avatar
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    I was a part time pro wedding photographer for several years. I gave it up a couple of years ago.
    I never did video. I have never liked it.
    I used two bodies. a 1DsIII & a 1DIII. I felt the dual memory cards was a must. I once had a card fail and fortunately had the backup. That was about 1,000 images saved. I also felt it a MUST that both bodies were identical so the operation was the same. No missed motion figuring out which body I was using.
    My wife as second photographer used a 5D. I had a wireless flash trigger with a 580EX on top of it and more on light stands set around by my wife.
    Lenses; Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM, Tamron 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD & Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM

    Now I enjoy this equipment for my personal use
    Mark
    https://www.facebook.com/pg/Mark-Cle...os/?tab=albums
    Mark

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    (Another late to the game post for me) I don't do much in the way of events these days, but I believe in either backups or multiple lenses at the ready, so I'm always showing up with (at least) two cameras. After living a life of mixed crop factors (1.3x and 1.6x in the beginning, moving to 1.0x/1.3x/1.6x and 1.0x/1.3x), we're now (essentially) all-FF and I find that to be so essential to my sanity. Having mixed crop factors means lens changes take a lot of thinking, and sometimes become more complex than they should be.

    These days we have two 1Dx, a 5DsR, 5D4, and a 5D3. The 5D3 spends most of its life at my parents house with our 100-400 in case there's some wildlife my dad wants to capture. For my studio work, it's the 5DsR first with the 5D4 as a decently-capable backup. In bad weather, it's the 1Dx bodies. Otherwise, the 1Dx bodies kinda collect dust unless I need the responsiveness (I'm not a high-frame-rate shooter but respect that these are so freaking responsive) or the spot metering with a non-center focus point; otherwise, it's the 5DsR and/or 5D4.
    We're a Canon/Profoto family: five cameras, sixteen lenses, fifteen Profoto lights, too many modifiers.

  7. #7
    Super Moderator Kayaker72's Avatar
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    Hey Pete....How's the studio work going?

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