M9 Weddings

[JamesBarry]

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Hello, I've had my M9 for just over a year now together with 35 Cron and 50 Lux, no great issues and all well and love using. My genre is portraiture and am getting into weddings now and to this end, use my 5dII wit 135L lense for longer shots. I'm just wanting to know if anyone can advise on similar but possibly better combinations without too many lens changes...no zoom lenses for the Canon please!

 

www.jamesbarryphotography.com

[IWC Doppel]

A nice article in one of the current phot mags of Brett from Leica Mayfair who shoots weddings with one kit, an M9 and the Noctilux, wonderful pictures I saw at the Leica day.

 

Stunning

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[jaapv]

I wouldn't presume to tell you what to do, but it might be that a 28-50 combo could add some flexibility.

[BeerNutta]

I shot a wedding with the 50mm summilux. =P

 

But as a wedding photographer, I wouldn't really recommend it!

 

FREMANTLE (WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA) | SPRING LOVE WEDDING | wedding photographer melbourne | MOVING PIXELS | photography | glamour | events

[Clook]

I've shot quite a few with a 28 and a 50 using an M8 and M8.2. I would have thought that using two M9s one would have to move each lens up a notch to 35 and something longer than 50mm. Just a thought.

[haroldp]

I wouldn't presume to tell you what to do, but it might be that a 28-50 combo could add some flexibility.

 

If you are using flash and don't need the speed, a 28-35-50 MATE is an excellent wedding lens. It is sharp at F4.

 

Add a 90 Elmarit-M for portraits and you are complete. While Leica 135's are excellent, for longer than 90 I usually go to an SLR .

 

Regards ... H

[Rick]

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I'd get the Canon 85mm/1.2... you can make the ugliest bride look beautiful with that thing. Seriously.

[Mauribix]

It depends on which kind of wedding photographer you are and you want to be.

 

I shoot wedding with just a 50mm lens (usually the noctilux f:1).

No flash (just in case, fwiw), sometimes I add a 35mm (cron or lux), but that's all man.

It just up to you.

IMHO, I don't need anything wider than 35, nor longer than 50 for a wedding.

Many colleagues think and do exactly the same.

A wedding shot with a RF camera is far away from a wedding shot with an SLR.

 

YMMV

[Guest Ornello]

It depends on which kind of wedding photographer you are and you want to be.

 

I shoot wedding with just a 50mm lens (usually the noctilux f:1).

No flash (just in case, fwiw), sometimes I add a 35mm (cron or lux), but that's all man.

It just up to you.

IMHO, I don't need anything wider than 35, nor longer than 50 for a wedding.

Many colleagues think and do exactly the same.

A wedding shot with a RF camera is far away from a wedding shot with an SLR.

 

YMMV

 

Have to agree here.

[zlatkob]

I'm just wanting to know if anyone can advise on similar but possibly better combinations without too many lens changes...no zoom lenses for the Canon please!

With a 35, 50 and 135, it seems you have all of the lenses you need. Anything "similar but better" depends on your own preferences. But I would suggest having another camera and lens, just in case either camera goes down. If, for example, the M9 stops working, then you only have the 5DII with the 135, which is too long for many wedding photos.

[haroldp]

I have shot many weddings where cramped quarters made a wider lens than 35mm handy, and I was glad for a 28 (or 24). I Could have gotten by with 35 & 50, but they would have been different shots.

 

Most wedding 'portraits' are actually full length or group shots, but it is also handy to have a 'tele' to get in close.

 

An enterprising photographer can certainly use more limited focal lengths and compensate by moving around or composing differently, but I prefer to use the versatility of tools available to me today.

 

A long time ago (in a galaxy far far away) I shot well over A thousand weddings (over 7-8 years) using a Mamiya 2 1/4 X 2 3/4 camera with a fixed lens (90 mm I recall) very successfully, but it was much harder, and I think today's results are better.

 

We each however must understand our own style and comfort zones and equip accordingly.

 

Regards ... Harold

[MaxJ1961]

I was a second shooter with an M9 and a 50 Summilux. Photos converted to B&W. No pressure though because I simply volunteered to take candida of the guests.

[swamiji]

Or a 75 Lux... Excellent for portraits.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

I shot two this weekend with my M9. I used a 21, 35, 50 and 90 plus a tele zoom and macro on the DSLR. It sure is nice to have everything you need in a single Billingham Hadley Pro.

 

Gordon

[mmazzi]

As a wedding photographer in Venice, Italy, I use two bodies M9 with 35 Lux, 50 Lux and 75 Summicron. Unfortunately sometimes I have to use Flash, but just very little. I am very pleased with the results (and not just me). And do not be surprised, in Gondola I often use the 16-18-21mm f / 4 Tri-Elmar ASPH, with excellent results.

Best

Mario

Wedding Photographer & Photography Workshop in Venice, Italy|

[JamesBarry]

Thank you all, very interesting. Gordon, you must be permenantly changing lenses on your if using four M lenses..?

[IkarusJohn]

It depends what your role is.

 

If you're the primary photographer (the guy annoying everyone else - take the hint, the wedding is not about you), then I can see the benefit of a wider lens option. I would probably go for a 28 or 35 & 75 or 90 combination. You need to be able to do group shots and portraits, so a wide and mild tele with 2 bodies would be the way to go.

 

As someone who takes his camera when attending weddings, I have taken a wide, and rarely used it. I have had the most success with the 50 (Noct) or 75 (Lux). Not both.

 

Cheers

John

[mardag]

Hi james,

Lovely pictures in your portfolio!

I shoot weddings with both a 5DII and the M9. We are usually two people shooting altering full set of L-primes(24-135). I(if main shooter) usually carry a bag with M9 + Noctilux and 5DII with 35L, 50L and 85L. The other shooter uses a 24L, 50L and 135L(100ZE macro for ring /detail shoots). I would be perfectly comfortable shooting a wedding alone with 35,50 and 85L and M9 as backup/compliment. I love shooting preparations and portrait session with the M9 + 50 but I also alter with the canon 85L and 50L depending on how hectic the situation is. As Harold pointed out, shooting in cramped quarters the 35L and 24L is perfect. The 35L is also perfect for party and dance pictures with a geled(yellow0.5CTO) flash set to rear sync. Although I love the 135L I could live without it. My suggestion is that you get a 35L and maybe a 50L/85L(see Ricks comment:)). For the leica ad a 21mm SEM for overview shoots. Regarding lens changes I think one needs to read the situation and put suitable lens on(there will be many lens changes shooting only primes). Here´s some M9 images:

LEICA M9 NOCTILUX-M 50mm F/0.95 ASPH – DESTINATION WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

 

Mixed images(50mm until couple walk out of church - 35L-> portraitsession85L and rest 35L):

BEN AND KATHERINE NEW YORK – DESTINATION WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

 

Best of luck in your decisions

 

Markus

Edited March 11, 2012 by mardag

[FlashGordonPhotography]

Thank you all, very interesting. Gordon, you must be permenantly changing lenses on your if using four M lenses..?

 

Not really. Different weddings call for different lenses. On Friday I used the 50 most of the time (beach wedding-lots of space) with the 90 on occasion. On Saturday I used the 35 mostly as we were in the city and the 90 and 21 got some air time. The other lenses get used but you don't change as often as you think.

 

I do have two bodies as well, but it's difficult to have both running and an SLR in the mix. It's too many cameras for me. I'll eventually get a 135 and drop the SLR, I think.

 

Gordon

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[lars_bergquist]

Brett Prestidge I understand covers entire weddings with just a M9 and one 50mm lens. Instead of changing lenses, he interacts with the people. Interaction beats zooming.

 

Last autumn I had a late holiday away from home and in the end I used only two lenses. It was all very simple: 35mm inside, 50mm outside. I never felt any need for anything else because I knew the people I was with.

 

LB