The SL (Typ 601) For Wedding Photography

[AliensExist]

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Hello everyone.  I am sure this may have been discussed previously, but I would like to know if at this time anyone would recommend the Typ 601 for wedding photography.  I know the SL2 and SL2-S are available, but I feel the current pricing on preowned SLs are perfect.  Instead of buying the latest Fuji, I could grab this camera. 
 

If anyone has had experience using this camera in this capacity, any feedback is greatly appreciated.  Thank you. 

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[Photoworks]

Are you serious about wedding photography? Just get a fuji. with the SL 601 you are going to need 4-6 battery for one camera on a wedding, battery alone is going to be $1200

I you are getting paid for it, I would suggest something you can afford. the camera is not everything, you need lenses, batteries, flashes.
If you are serious I hope you have enough to bring a full back up system so that anything doesn't work you can still deliver the commissioned job.

A wedding is an important memorie for many people and should not be taken lightly.

That said the Sl 601 is an ok still camera, image quality is quite nice. Speed and responsive  is lacking in the AF.

[AliensExist]

3 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

Are you serious about wedding photography? Just get a fuji. with the SL 601 you are going to need 4-6 battery for one camera on a wedding, battery alone is going to be $1200

I you are getting paid for it, I would suggest something you can afford. the camera is not everything, you need lenses, batteries, flashes.
If you are serious I hope you have enough to bring a full back up system so that anything doesn't work you can still deliver the commissioned job.

A wedding is an important memorie for many people and should not be taken lightly.

That said the Sl 601 is an ok still camera, image quality is quite nice. Speed and responsive  is lacking in the AF.

I am a FujiFilm shooter and have been shooting professionally for a number of years, so I am set in that area.  I’m looking to change to Leica for my professional work and my question was for anyone who really had experience using the SL for a wedding from start to finish (all aspects from engagement to reception).  Thank you.  

[Olaf_ZG]

I don’t have experience with the SL on weddings, but do have experience with weddings and the SL.

Personally, I could do it, but I always prefocused. If you rely on quick AF, it might not be wise.

Regarding high iso, I used flash on weddings a lot, so iso limitations are not my limits for weddings.

The comment regarding batteries is true, you will need some, at least if you use AF lenses.

[douglas fry]

Yup I shoot with an SL2-S for weddings, always with M lenses and always for low light work or longer lenses.

During the day I shoot on M cameras then switch to either the 90mm or 50 0.95 for the darker venues/lighting scenarios. I dont use flash and the results are great

Personally I find it works extremely well, I happily go to 12500 ISO and the files are superb.

[frame-it]

5 hours ago, Photoworks said:

with the SL 601 you are going to need 4-6 battery for one camera on a wedding

maybe with the huge SL Lenses

But if using M lenses > NOT at all

ive shot a full wedding with the SL601 and 50 summilux-M using about one and a half batteries

[LocalHero1953]

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I have photographed one wedding in my life (turned down other requests - it's not something I wish to do as an amateur). I used the SL with the CL as back-up. I did no shooting of the bride getting ready at home, but otherwise I was working continuously from early afternoon till late at night, except when travelling from church to reception venue and waiting for guests to arrive. No video. I used only SL lenses (mainly 24-90 and 90-280).

No problem at all with AFs. Although I had four batteries, I only got to the third later in the evening (I was shooting with a pop-up studio for guests as they dropped out of dancing). At the reception venue I was able to recharge batteries, but didn't need them.

You might want to do a search on the forum - there are a number of people who use the SL for weddings. Note that the SL2 and SL2-S are more battery intensive.

Edited October 25, 2022 by LocalHero1953

[LocalHero1953]

5 hours ago, Photoworks said:

Just get a fuji.

No 3 daughter's wedding was photographed by a pro with a fuji APSC and I found his images disappointing in IQ, although competent in other respects. My own M240 shots, taken in between duties as father of the bride, were technically much better.

As the father of three daughters, I have good experience of wedding photography from the paymaster's perspective.

[Boojay]

39 minutes ago, LocalHero1953 said:

No 3 daughter's wedding was photographed by a pro with a fuji APSC and I found his images disappointing in IQ, although competent in other respects. My own M240 shots, taken in between duties as father of the bride, were technically much better.

As the father of three daughters, I have good experience of wedding photography from the paymaster's perspective.

As parents of one daughter ( two weddings😏 )  feeling your pain.  😀

 

Edited October 25, 2022 by Boojay

[AliensExist]

5 hours ago, douglas fry said:

Yup I shoot with an SL2-S for weddings, always with M lenses and always for low light work or longer lenses.

During the day I shoot on M cameras then switch to either the 90mm or 50 0.95 for the darker venues/lighting scenarios. I dont use flash and the results are great

Personally I find it works extremely well, I happily go to 12500 ISO and the files are superb.

Thank you for your input. This is what I’m looking for. I don’t want to solely depend on the SL for the entire wedding, but I just want to be able to use it when the need arises. 

[AliensExist]

5 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

I have photographed one wedding in my life (turned down other requests - it's not something I wish to do as an amateur). I used the SL with the CL as back-up. I did no shooting of the bride getting ready at home, but otherwise I was working continuously from early afternoon till late at night, except when travelling from church to reception venue and waiting for guests to arrive. No video. I used only SL lenses (mainly 24-90 and 90-280).

No problem at all with AFs. Although I had four batteries, I only got to the third later in the evening (I was shooting with a pop-up studio for guests as they dropped out of dancing). At the reception venue I was able to recharge batteries, but didn't need them.

You might want to do a search on the forum - there are a number of people who use the SL for weddings. Note that the SL2 and SL2-S are more battery intensive.

This is the feedback I am looking for.  While everyone has a different experience, I see you have had a practical run with this camera. I am a huge advocate on having plenty of spare batteries in my gear case, it is refreshing to hear it really isn’t an unnecessary energy vampire. 

[AliensExist]

5 hours ago, LocalHero1953 said:

No 3 daughter's wedding was photographed by a pro with a fuji APSC and I found his images disappointing in IQ, although competent in other respects. My own M240 shots, taken in between duties as father of the bride, were technically much better.

As the father of three daughters, I have good experience of wedding photography from the paymaster's perspective.

It’s a shame that the photographer didn’t live up to expectations with the Fuji. I have seen and created some wonderful work on Fuji APSC, so it also boils down to the photographer and possibly their post processing.  
 

I don’t intend to leave FujiFilm entirely and I do have a feel for their color science; to which their and Leica’s both have their own voice.  I want to incorporate the Leica into my workflow and offer something different (with a very high quality) to my client. Whether it be wedding or corporate headshots, I feel Leica would be a perfect fit for me.  Thank you for your input. It has been very helpful. 

[Photoworks]

5 hours ago, frame-it said:

maybe with the huge SL Lenses

But if using M lenses > NOT at all

ive shot a full wedding with the SL601 and 50 summilux-M using about one and a half batteries

can I ask how many image you do in that day?

50MM  sounds like an intimate wedding, only few guests!

[earleygallery]

Having shot a number of weddings in the past the key thing IMHO is using a camera that you know inside out - and as you should have at least one spare body, they should be the same.

 

[Photoworks]

1 minute ago, AliensExist said:

It’s a shame that the photographer didn’t live up to expectations with the Fuji. I have seen and created some wonderful work on Fuji APSC, so it also boils down to the photographer and possibly their post processing.  
 

I don’t intend to leave FujiFilm entirely and I do have a feel for their color science; to which their and Leica’s both have their own voice.  I want to incorporate the Leica into my workflow and offer something different (with a very high quality) to my client. Whether it be wedding or corporate headshots, I feel Leica would be a perfect fit for me.  Thank you for your input. It has been very helpful. 

I have see many people do Wonderfull jobs with the Fuji. there are a few of them that move to Leica, and they did great work before too. At the end it comes to what makes it better and easy to you.

[frame-it]

5 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

can I ask how many image you do in that day?

50MM  sounds like an intimate wedding, only few guests!

around 250 guests, over 900 shots

the SL's eat less battery with M/R lenses

Edited October 25, 2022 by frame-it

[Photoworks]

59 minutes ago, frame-it said:

around 250 guests, over 900 shots

the SL's eat less battery with M/R lenses

that makes sense, I take 4000-5000 with the SL2 cameras and have 12 batteries and use probably 8-10

[frame-it]

9 minutes ago, Photoworks said:

that makes sense, I take 4000-5000 with the SL2 cameras and have 12 batteries and use probably 8-10

nice, of course i had 2 cameras, the SL with 50 summilux-M and fuji GFX50R with GF63, the GFX had around 1000 shots

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[AliensExist]

1 hour ago, earleygallery said:

Having shot a number of weddings in the past the key thing IMHO is using a camera that you know inside out - and as you should have at least one spare body, they should be the same.

 

This is absolutely crucial to live by in the industry.  Redundancy of gear is a lifesaver!!  

[AliensExist]

11 minutes ago, frame-it said:

nice, of course i had 2 cameras, the SL with 50 summilux-M and fuji GFX50R with GF63, the GFX had around 1000 shots

Interesting that you are using the SL with a Medium Format Fujifilm.  I love the GFX series and was thinking about getting one, and then my lust for Leica happened again.  Do you feel that the quality put out from both these cameras when shooting weddings is just overwhelming for your clients?  I mean, for those who can see the quality, is it something that they just are in love with?