Photo Equipment
Listening to a photographer drone on about camera equipment is a pretty boring thing if you’re not someone who’s at all interested. For those of you who are interested I offer this page describing the equipment I use.
Cameras
I always carry three cameras around my neck…or in my camera bag. Each DSLR has a different focal length lens which speeds up my reactionary time and grants me a full quality backup. I also have a compact affixed lens camera for candids or behind the scenes photos. In case you’re wondering, 99% of the time I am using manual mode (usually labelled “M” on the dial).
Canon EOS 6D Mark II
The flagship “A” camera in my arsenal, the 135 format (“full frame”) Canon EOS 6D Mark II has a 26.2 megapixel CMOS sensor, is capable of an ISO sensitivity range from 100 to 40,000 (expandable to 50 – 102,400), and can fire off up to 6.5 frames per second, full raster. It offers a DIGIC 7 Image Processor, Dual Pixel CMOS auto focus, and a Vari-angle Touch Screen LCD. It also a GPS for some reason. The Mark II will accept all my awesome EF mount lenses, including my cine lenses with a PL–EF adapter. This camera will also record decent 1080p video. Its full raster image size is 6240 x 4160 pixels.
Canon EOS 6D
Once my primary camera for several years, the Canon EOS 6D is a 135 format (“full frame”) stills camera offering a 20.2 megapixel sensor, with DIGIC 5+ Image Processor, delivering ISO sensitivities from 100 to 25600 (expandable to 50–102,400), and can shoot at up to 4.5 full readout frames per second. This is my “B” camera, and, like it’s successor, accepts all my EF mount lenses. Its full raster image size is 5472 x 3648 pixel.
Fujifilm X100F
The “C” camera is the compact Fujifilm X100F, featuring a 24.3MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS III sensor and X-Processor Pro image processor, with expandable sensitivity to ISO 51,200. A built-in Fujinon 23mm f/2 prime lens approximates the human eye’s field of view and gives me the ability to quickly and stealthily grab candid shots in various lighting (or emotional) situations, without being obtrusive, noisy, or conspicuous.
Lenses
I have a nice little collection of Canon EF mount photo lenses I carry with me in my camera bag to ensure I can cover most any situation that arrises.
Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
My prime photo lenses are fast, small, lightweight, and normal (or close to normal) to approximate human vision. My prime lenses are the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, and Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM.
Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM
The zoom lenses are larger and heavier than the primes, but they come in handy in certain situations. My versatile Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM for 90% of situations I am required to handle. I also own the wide but slow Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM for when I have ample light and need to put a lot in the frame but don’t have a lot of physical space, and the telephoto Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM for situations where I need to get really close but can’t get over there physically.
Lighting
Where possible I prefer to use available light. Available light is a documentary photographer’s best friend. It is usually regarded in two categories: natural light and practical light. Natural light generally refers to the sun, and practical light generally means whatever light fixtures are at the location where the photography is happening. Capturing images in available light will preserve the look of the location and retain the spirit of the event . This helps my clients remember the event correctly.
However, a lot of the time the available light is insufficient to enable me to record the emotion of the event. Therefore, I may choose to augment the available lighting with my own equipment so the camera can not only see what’s happening, but create an image that isn’t dirty with too much digital noise. Who cares how good the camera and lens are if they can’t see anything?
Sometimes guests complain about the flashing or strobing created by my lights. It’s just something they’ll have to roll with if I am to create clean images in the venue’s super dark reception hall.
Canon 430EX III-RT
Canon 430EX
I use a Canon 430EX III-RT and a 430EX. These are on-camera flashes called “speedlights” that electronically “talk” to the camera and are able to magically provide the appropriate amount of light into a situation to give the camera the correct exposure. Also, I can adjust the speedlights manually to create all kinds of creative effects. Because they are stuck to the camera, guests can’t trip over them.
Interfit Honey Badger (x3)
I may also use my Interfit Honey Badger 320Ws monolights for big spaces, usually for a wedding reception. These lights are larger and more powerful than speedlights, but they are also more flexible in that they can accept all kinds of modifiers easily such as softboxes, umbrellas, and gels. They can be either battery operated or be plugged in to mains power for prolonged use. These are the lights I use in my studio. I have three of them but I tend to not use them at weddings or events as they tend to blind guests and generally just get in the way of the fun.
Video Equipment
When I’m hired to create an event video, depending on the project (read: client’s budget) I may elect to use one or any combination of video cameras.
Sony PXW-FS7 Mark II
My primary camera is the 4K Sony PXW-FS7 Mark II which I can rig up from an 8-lb handheld docu-rig up to a 23-lb monster cinema rig complete with wireless FIZ and video village. With the push of a few buttons, my FS7M2 can transform from a video camera to a full-on cinema camera. This is my baby. If I’m hired to only capture a wedding video, or I’ve been hired to create an event docu-film, this is the camera I will personally use.
RED Komodo
A 6K cinema camera, Komodo is what I use for high-end projects such as films, music videos and commercials.
Sony a6400
My little B camera, the a6400 gets to glide around my subjects on a motorized gimbal capturing epic, ultra-smooth footage that looks great for weddings, films, and commercials.
Panasonic AJ-DVX200
Next up is my 4K Panasonic AJ-DVX200. A hand-held video camera, it has an affixed zoom lens, and is generally smaller and more lightweight than my FS7M2. If I’m photographing an event, this would be the camera I hand off to a second shooter as it’s generally easier to understand and operate since everything is built-in and it uses smaller batteries.
My digital photo cameras are all capable of recording decent HD video and I will use them in a pinch when necessary, or for acquiring additional footage to use append what the main video camera is recording. That’s called B-roll.
I deliver finished event videos in Full HD (1080p), but I like to record in 4K, or use cameras with 4K sensors, because the quality of the Full HD image is always better when your source footage comes from a resolution higher than regular HD.
As far as sound is concerned, having bad sound bothers me immensely as I understand that bad sound will render even the prettiest images ugly. So I have a nice collection of dynamic condenser mics, wired and wireless omni lavaliers, and lots of accessories to make them all work correctly. The sound is recorded directly into the cameras so syncing is not a problem. This tremendously cuts down on the time, and eases the difficult production process. Also, I have several mics so we don’t have to stop the event to switch out a mic. We also don’t have to stop the event to change out batteries as I only use professional, industry-standard, rechargeable Eneloops.
Final Cut Pro
Event videos are edited using my bleeding edge post suite featuring the latest version of Final Cut Pro, which runs on my awesome iMac, which is always sporting the latest version of MacOS, with all the latest firmware and most recent apps.