RD-1 for Wedding's ...

[IGMeanwell]

I have done a few weddings with my DSLR and film SLRs always leaving the client satisfied... however I will have one coming up in May, I am thinking that I want to go a different direction.

I was thinking of getting an Epson RD1, a 35mm and 50mm to become my "ceremony camera" ... to keep distractions to a minimum and get the available light shots without having to worry about forgetting to turn off my flash during the ceremony.

Plus the rangefinder for my typical family shooting seems very enticing.

My other option is getting a 2nd DSLR, just going to the back part of the church and take grab shots with the good ole telephoto. With the problem being I really don't do enough wedding work at this time to warrant owning another DSLR.


So here we go

Those of you who have wedding experience with the RD-1 please share your stories and provide images if you prefer.

If you want, convince me this would be the tool to best get that memorable ceremony shot rather than the 2nd DSLR hanging off my neck

Believe me I do know the many advantages of getting that 2nd DSLR; but I want to see the RD1 wedding goers unite! 😀

 

[B&W Norway]

http://www.still-photo.net/still-photo/index.htm

 

[mikebrice@mac.c]

I have an RD-1 and a 35/2 and a 50/2 that I take to every wedding. It fits great in the fanny pack and is an excellent back up. I have not really used it for the ceremony, but I have used it for getting ready shots when I didn't want to be so out there with a couple dSLR hanging from the neck. I know there are a few photographers I know who do just what you are suggesting, use the Rd-1 in situations where the ceremony doesn't allow for flash, but this season Ihave been very lucky and either had enough light for the 70-200 VR or could use lights or flash.

 

[Terao]

I have done a few weddings with my DSLR and film SLRs always leaving the client satisfied... however I will have one coming up in May, I am thinking that I want to go a different direction.

I was thinking of getting an Epson RD1, a 35mm and 50mm to become my "ceremony camera" ... to keep distractions to a minimum and get the available light shots without having to worry about forgetting to turn off my flash during the ceremony.

Plus the rangefinder for my typical family shooting seems very enticing.

My other option is getting a 2nd DSLR, just going to the back part of the church and take grab shots with the good ole telephoto. With the problem being I really don't do enough wedding work at this time to warrant owning another DSLR.


So here we go

Those of you who have wedding experience with the RD-1 please share your stories and provide images if you prefer.

If you want, convince me this would be the tool to best get that memorable ceremony shot rather than the 2nd DSLR hanging off my neck

Believe me I do know the many advantages of getting that 2nd DSLR; but I want to see the RD1 wedding goers unite! 😀

Not a pro but just shot my cousin's wedding with my R-D1. Almost exclusively used my Nokton 40mm wide open @ f/1.4 due to extreme lighting conditions (or should I say absence of lighting 🙄 ). Check my Flickr gallery linked below.

Advantages to my eye:

precision of control (focus, aperture/speed/exposure)

no flash = natural images

great for candids, people don't notice it because its not the size of a tank and you're not shooting at arms length like you do with a digital compact

the lenses (fast, sharp, well-built, cheapish if you go for the excellent Voigtlander lenses)

great black and white straight out of the camera (including digital contrast filters)

variable ISO via an analogue control. Some of the exterior shots were taken @ ISO1600 because it was half an hour past sunset

great noise control straight out of the camera at high ISO

nice and light

looks cool

aperture-priority with dialled in exposure compensation

is a talking point when one of the cute single bridesmaids happens to be a photography student 🙄 *

*this may be a one-off, YMMV 😀

Downsides:

Build quality
Manual focus, can you handle it?
Battery life (100 shots RAW)
It didn't convince the cute single bridesmaid to model for me 🙁

 

[IGMeanwell]

all good stuff

I need more ... more I say!!!!

I am a glutton for information

 

[Sailor Ted]

I have never shot a wedding however... I have noticed a magenta shift on black fabric on some of my shots in Hong Kong so... you'll need an IR cut filter for wedding work IMO.

On the bright side you'll be able to find the best filter for the job from the M8 users who have done the research for us.

 

[Toby]

I've never done a wedding but I'm looking to branch out into them soon. I think the number one priority for any wedding camera would have to be reliability and for that reason alone I would instantly reject the RD 1.

 

[Sailor Ted]

Or buy a second body. Personally I cannot take good shots with an SLR so it's an R-D1s or M8 (none available and well...) or film or nothing.

 

[IGMeanwell]

Well one thing I will say for my DSLR ... its damn reliable

I am just looking for other alternatives to achieve what I want

sometimes I feel pinched in the digital world; but because of the pace at which wedding photography seems to go in this day and age... digital is many times the only way to go

There is a apart of me who wants to have the capabilities, blazing speed of the D2Hs and the image quality of the Fuji S3 (or the S5 when released)

however part of me wants to take my time compose, get caught up in the romance and do it in a way that won't detract from the ceremony ... which like it or not that mirror slap always turns at least two or three heads no matter where you are standing

of course the other option is go film, by a Leica (or Bessa 🙂 ) and just slow the work flow down by a day or two for processing

but... its not really the path I am going

 

[Sailor Ted]

I'm with you on film. After a good session with my R-D1s I doubt I'll be shooting very much film anymore. I wish I could interface with an SLR sucessfully if for no other reason then I am not certain we will have a DRF option in five years time (or perhaps as soon as two depending). I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a digital Zeiss.

 

[indianavince]

If you can afford a RD-1 (even at $1550 refurb price) you can afford another DSLR. For me the camera can set the mood how I shoot yet my business card has the quote "it's not the camera it's the eye".

About the speed on the Fuji S3... no problem here I even shoot some sports, the image quality is outstanding with the Nikor 70-200mm AF-S VR.