3 Beginner’s Guide to Wedding Photography Equipment.
If you’re just starting out as a wedding photographer and need advice on what equipment to buy, you’ve come to the right place. Our team has put together this comprehensive guide that covers all of the equipment and tools you’ll need to be well-prepared for your first wedding.
This isn’t your uncle’s camera equipment. The cameras, lenses, and flashes listed below are professional-grade items used and adored by other photographers.
While equipment does not make the photographer, having high-quality equipment will help you provide the best service and product to your couples. It will also leave you better prepared for any situation or circumstance that may arise during a wedding. We hope that this list of wedding photography equipment for beginners serves as a starting point for you.
1.Camera Models:
Owning at least one camera body is a simple-but-essential piece of equipment. Your body type can either help or hinder your ability to grow as an artist and business owner. As a professional wedding photographer, you’ll need a body that works well in low-light situations and has a fast shutter speed. We’ve compiled a list of camera bodies from Canon, Nikon, and Sony that would make excellent additions to your photographer starter kit.
Canon Camera Bodies
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Full Frame Digital SLR Camera Body
Canon EOS R6 Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera
Nikon Camera Bodies
Nikon D850 FX-Format Digital SLR Camera Body
Nikon D780 Camera Body
Sony Camera Bodies
Sony a7 III ILCE7M3/B Full-Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera
Sony Alpha 7R IV Full Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera
Camera Lenses
There are various camera lenses that differ in terms of glass quality, aperture range, and mechanics. Sharper images are possible with higher-quality glass and mechanics, and the aperture range influences the amount of bokeh and focus in the image.
We’ve compiled a well-rounded, high-rated list of industry favourites. Professionals’ opinions on what lenses you need as a wedding photographer will differ. So, when you have the opportunity, try out different lenses. It is ultimately up to you how many and which lenses you will require to successfully capture weddings.
Primary Lenses
Prime lenses have a fixed focal length. This means that prime lenses cannot be zoomed in and out. Because prime lenses are fixed in distance, they can have a wide f-stop range.
If you remember one thing about prime lenses, it’s that they make excellent portrait lenses. And prime lenses are an excellent way to teach you not to rely on a zoom lens to get closer to your subject, but to move around to get a variety of shots. Although zoom lenses have their uses (which we’ll discuss shortly), relying on them too much can result in a lazy photographer. Prime lenses are also faster and easier to use than zoom lenses.
Canon Prime Lenses
Canon RF35mm F1.8 IS Macro STM Lens
Canon RF50mm F1.8 STM Lens
Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM Lens
Nikon Prime Lenses
Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.8 S Wide Angle Fast Prime Lens
Nikon Nikkor Z 50MM F/1.8 S Full Size Lens
Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S Portrait Fast Prime Lens
Sony Prime Lenses
Sony FE 35mm F1.4 GM Full-Frame Large-Aperture Wide Angle G Master Lens
Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM Full-Frame Large-Aperture G Master Lens
Sony SEL85F18 85mm F/1.8-22 Medium-Telephoto Fixed Prime Camera Lens
Sigma Prime Lenses
Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art DG HSM Lens
Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens
Zoom Lenses
Zoom lenses perform exactly as you would expect. With a lens twist from left to right, they move closer and further away from the subject. These lenses are especially useful for photographing large wedding ceremonies, church ceremonies with strict photography rules, and receptions.
Canon Zoom Lenses
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Standard Zoom Lens
Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM
Nikon Zoom Lenses
Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8E ED Vibration Reduction Zoom Lens
Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED VR Lens
Sony Zoom Lenses
Sony SEL2470GM E-Mount Camera Lens: FE 24-70 mm F2.8 G Master Full Frame Standard Zoom Lens
Sony FE 70-300mm SEL70300G F4.5-5.6 G OSS Lens
Sigma Zoom Lenses
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Art Lens for Canon
Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 Sports DG OS HSM for Canon
2.Camera Flashes and Stands:
Natural light will not always be an option for the various weddings you photograph. Indoor lighting can be unpredictable, and important events can take place outside at night, such as send-offs or outdoor receptions. Having said that, rather than relying solely on your camera and resulting in grainy and blurry images, invest in flashes and light stands to control your lighting situation.
Having flashes that can communicate wirelessly allows your flashes to “talk” to one another. For example, when you need an extra light boost, you can set up flashes around the dance floor that flash at the same time.
Bringing your own lighting will help you avoid taking photos that are unusable due to excessive blur, grain, or light loss. Canon, Nikon, and Sony all make their own flashes, but there are other brands that make flashes that fit a variety of body types. Just make sure the flash you buy is compatible with your camera!
Flashes
Yongnuo YN560 IV Speedlite Flash
Canon Speedlite 430EX III-RT Flash
Neewer TT560 Flash Speedlite
Godox T600 Camera Flash Speedlite
Light Stands
Amazon Basics Aluminum Light Photography Tripod Stand with Case
Neewer 2 Packs 9 feet/260 centimeters Photo Studio Light Stands
Memory Sticks
Memory cards may not have crossed your mind when it comes to wedding photography equipment for beginners, but trust us when we say that having the right cards is critical.
Memory cards are not all created equal. Now go back and reread that. While you may be tempted to save money by selecting a lower-cost card, you may end up paying the price later.
Memory cards with higher mb/s rates copy images faster than those with lower mb/s rates. What does this imply? You’ll be clicking away trying to capture every moment, whether it’s the couple’s first kiss or the father of the bride’s tearful speech. If your memory card isn’t up to speed (literally), it could be slowing you down and failing to copy every time you “click.”
Pro tip: date your memory cards and replace them once a year. It will assist you in keeping track of which cards are newer and which may need to be retired.
SD Cards
SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I Card
Lexar Professional 1667x 128GB SDXC UHS-II Card
CF Cards
SanDisk 128GB Extreme CompactFlash Memory Card
Lexar Professional 1066x 32GB VPG-65 CompactFlash card
Batteries and chargers
Weddings and dead batteries do not go together. If you keep extra batteries and chargers in your bag, you’ll never be sorry. You can bring extra batteries and chargers to a wedding if necessary.
Canon Camera Battery
Artman 2-Pack LP-E17 Batteries and Rapid Dual USB Charger for Canon
Nikon Camera Battery
BM Premium 2 Pack of EN-EL15B Batteries and Dual Battery Charger for Niko
Sony Camera Battery
Powerextra 2 Pack Replacement Sony NP-FW50 Battery & Smart LCD Display Dual Channel Charger
3.Camera Bags:
Now that you have the best wedding photography equipment for beginners, it’s time to find a durable and versatile bag to store everything in. Depending on your preferences, needs, and typical shooting location, you will need either a camera backpack or a messenger bag. Explore our top picks below.
TARION Camera Backpack
BAGSMAR DSLR Camera Bag Backpack
CADeN Camera Messenger Bag
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