M Shooting - Ya Ya.. I know we've all heard it before . . .

dcsang

dcsang

Canadian & Not A Dentist
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I just spent the last 12-13 hours at a wedding.

As per my previous thread here:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89364&page=2

I've been considering shooting and offering an all film wedding that I can shoot with my M7 (possibly 2 of them).

Well, for today's wedding I brought the M7 with my D700's. I use one D700 and have one as a backup. I can't shoot with two D700's; not if both bodies have grips and one body has the 24-70 and the other has the 70-200. I may have years of weightlifting and physical fitness behind me but my back would break with that stuff.. seriously.

Anyway, what I noticed was I could EASILY carry 2 M7's each with a decent lens and it would STILL weigh less than the D700 with the 70-200 on it.

I really think, as well, I could really shoot a wedding with an M - I tried it today and definitely for the "getting readys" and potentially for the reception as well. I'm eager to see if I'm metering correctly ( I believe I am but .. ya know.. I always have doubts.. typical I guess) :)

Anyway.. I'm tired and punchy and maybe that's why I thought I'd post this.. :)

Cheers,
Dave
 
Are there enough wedding clients these days that prefer photographs done with film, and that would choose to have there weddings done with film?
 
If you send the rolls to a professional lab and ask for high resolution scans back, why not?

But then, not very many would understand that this takes time...

Dave, how many rolls of what did you burn?
 
Brian,

I doubt it - this would be a "niche" market at best in my neck of the woods BUT I don't know if there are many other wedding photographers doing it (and that could be for good reason). Don't get me wrong.. I wouldn't give up my digital gear, I'd just offer a film package.. and it would have to be special clientele that would take it.

Francisco,
I burned 2x24 Tri-X @ 400 and one Tmax 3200 @ 1600 - not many but I was using the M to "supplement" my digital to see if I could actually use it effectively. The shooting is completely different than with my D700's imho. And, of course, I expect the results to be different. Not worse.. not necessarily better.. just different :)

Cheers,
Dave
 
I live with this dilemma, too. Check out Riccis, he is a fantastic wedding photographer who (I think) uses an M2!! to shoot weddings with.
 
Dave. Im sure your film shots will be stellar and will be cherished by the family. Film has such a distinct look that Im willing to bet the happy couple would have wanted more film. It's funny these days I back up my film images with digital. I shot my share of weddings:eek: using both film and digital and the no one has ever complained "why didnt you shot that in Digital:p. If possible post some of the results , I would to see them


Gregory
 
When I did weddings, not so long ago, it was all film. 35mm colour neg and 120 B+W. The last few weddings were with a RF 35mm (Hexar RF) while up until then the 35mm was shot with Nikon F4. The B+W was done with Fuji 6x7 II wereas previously it was with Hasselblad. You can see my shift from SLR to RF.
 
It's amazing to think that there was a time when weddings were only shot on film. So I'm sure it can be done, and that you'll do a good job of it.

~Joe
 
Heck, there was a time when ALL photographs were shot on film! Can you believe that? :eek:

Sorry, couldn't resist... and didn't resist the temptation. ;)
 
I know guys.. don't get me wrong.. it's not like the D700 is slouch.. it's just a HEAVY slouch.. :)

Cheers
Dave.
 

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My SO has that long zoom for his Nikon and it is a blunderbuss!! I've shot with that rig and Dave, I feel your pain!
 
A PJ with three Leica bodies is the coolest thing to ever walk the planet. Jim Marshall had at least that many hanging off him at all times. I'm just sayin'.
 
Nearly all prints are now made digitally, and negatives are easily converted to digital files. The results are much the same, so it is the act of photographing that is important.
 
Since you are not going to leave the digital behind there are no real dilemma here. Get the second M body, show the 2 different packages and ask the bride what she wants.
 


Shot taken with the Nikkor 14-24 2.8 ED on D3


For some time I have been saying how these Leica M camera are a perfect fit to go along side of the DSLR. And I agree, it's so so great to not worry about exposer so much anymore. When there is any doubt I shoot it first with my D3 and chimp:p. While get the fact that not everyone want to carry so gear and lighter is often better. I for one enjoy the being able to shoot with one body with color film another with B+W and yes a Digital camera or two as well. I also agree if the final out put is digital the act of photographing and of course the images are the most important thing. It really don't matter how you get there. I must say however that getting there with a Leica M is a whole lot of fun. Even people reaction to the Leica's is so different than when they see the huge D3 . But like I said in my world there is room for both.

Gregory


Gregory
 
I rarely shoot weddings, but when someone asks, I tell them that I shoot film only, either color or b/w. (I don't do this as a primary source of income, so I can afford to be somewhat more choosy.) the last two weddings I shot were with my two-body Hexar kit, 90% b/w (Ilford XP-2), and everyone loved the results.

And, yes, my back and shoulders loved being liberated from years of big-ass SLR- and zoom-slinging. I do feel the results from both shoots were better as a result. All the post-shoot work was digital, so in fact turnaround time only took a minor hit versus an all-digital workflow (it helps that I only require my lab to soup the film, then hand it over, uncut...basically in-and-out work for them).

I think the niche is definitely there.


- Barrett
 
I shot a wedding in March with an M8.2. 2 lens setup: 28/2 and the 50/2. Used an M6ttl as a backup with a 21 SA.

http://www.oncewed.com/27180/wedding-blog/real-weddings/a-bohemian-diy-wedding-iii/

results speak for themselves!

I would do it again, my only concern is the ceremony--I was using the 28/2 and I was getting really close to people and I can see where it might make someone uncomfortable. It would be here that I'd want a 70-210 on a nikon/canon body. The rest of the wedding is cake.
 
SolaresLarrave said:
.....
Dave, how many rolls of what did you burn?
Click to expand...
I´m not Dave, but...
I know of one professional photographer here in the Copenhagen area who takes pride in photographing only with film, and who gets wedding jobs (as well as all kind of other jobs, of course), exactly because of that.
Then again, as I said, I know of only this one person in an area inhabited by a little more than 1 million people.
 
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