Flash Recommendation for Shooting Wedding with CL

[TL3]

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Against my advice, I have a good friend who has asked me to shoot his shoestring budget wedding.  This will be pro-bono work, and I have no wedding or professional experience.  He asked me not to spend money on equipment, but I feel like I should at least cover the basics.

I have CL and TL bodies and all the APS-C L mount lenses except the 23mm.  I may be able to borrow a Q2.  I do not have a flash, but because the venue will be indoors in the winter, I am thinking I will need one.  I looked through the forums a bit and seems like the SF40 and SF60 come recommended.

Interested in advice regarding which flash to buy?  I do plan to upgrade to an SL body in the medium term, so I would want the flash to work for a small indoor wedding, as well work well with any future SL I acquire.  Also interested in what lenses to bring to the wedding / which lenses to have mounted on my 2 bodies in addition to the Q2?

[ruskkyle]

I was in a very similar situation last year and shot my mate’s wedding as a gift. First time for everything right? It was all out of doors in July in Italy so very different conditions and I didn’t need a flash, so can’t help with that I’m afraid.

Lens wise though I chose to shoot everything CL on the 35/1.4 TL and my second lens was a 28mm on my film camera loaded with Ilford FP4. It made for a nice combination.

Edited July 25, 2023 by ruskkyle

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[TL3]

35/1.4 sounds like a great choice.  I guess if I get my hands on the Q2 that will be my 28 mm.  Should I mount an 18-56 or 55-135 zoom to the TL as a third body or am I just looking ridiculous at this point?

Edited July 25, 2023 by TL3

[David Cantor]

47 minutes ago, TL3 said:

35/1.4 sounds like a great choice.  I guess if I get my hands on the Q2 that will be my 28 mm.  Should I mount an 18-56 or 55-135 zoom to the TL as a third body or am I just looking ridiculous at this point?

I don't think that you are looking ridiculous but are you sliding towards too many camera/lens choices that are going to divert you from your photography?  Is it worth carrying two cameras with lens focal lengths as close as 35mm and 28mm?  If you get the 35/1.4, maybe buy it soon and practice, practice, practice, you may be surprised at its versatility.  

Good luck

[ruskkyle]

In this case it would really be a “50” and a 28 in relative terms. Not too close in my experience.

[TL3]

I own and have used the 35/1.4 for years, and it is my favourite lens for APS-C.  I just have never shot a wedding as the designated photographer before, and was just hoping to learn from others' experiences as far as set up and preparation goes.  Actually, would having the 60/2.8 macro around be useful for a shot of the ring?  I'm think I could have the 35/1.4 on the CL as my main camera, then I could leave the 60/2.8 macro on my TL and just pull it out during that part of the ceremony.

The main thing I would buy is the flash, and because I have no knowledge or experience with this, was just hoping to get some direction as to which one to purchase in the context of a wedding.

[ynp]

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Good luck with your first wedding. As far as on camera flash is concerned, the Leica SF-40 and SF-64 will work on your CL. The SF- 64 is better for bouncing off the walls. Please have some spare batteries on you. And try your setup beforehand. 

[hayrr]

was invited by a friend to do some alt/candid pics at their wedding as they had an official hired photographer too. i used CL, sigma 18-50 dcdn and SF 24D  with very nice results. obviously i didn't have the pressure of the hired photographer, just posting in case it helps you decide.

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[gfweir]

In my time I've shot close to a thousand weddings using many formats;

When I shot film I used 4 M6's - two chrome for color film, two black for B&W,  loved it,  primary lenses were 35 summilux, 50 noctilux, 75 summilux, 90mm summicron and 21mm elmarit

Canon 5D's when I switched to digital,  primary lenses 24mm 1.4, 35mm 1.4, 85mm 1.2, two spare bodies and a spare 35 and 85 lens. Plus 4 580 strobes and I barely used strobes

 

So here's my thoughts:  

1. Don't do it

2. Shoot with two bodies and two primes, ( if I were doing it I'd use the 23mm and 60mm )  You say you don't have the 23mm so maybe the 18mm

3. Make sure your camera clocks are synchronized - hint the very first shot on each camera is of a digital clock hours minutes and seconds - this will help synchronize images from multiple cameras

4. If you do buy a strobe get the one which will allow you to bounce the light, rent another as a spare

5. Take as many batteries as you can beg, borrow or steal.

6. Shoot raw, shoot raw, and in case you didn't hear shoot raw

7. I'd strongly recommend downloading a trial copy of photomechanic and use it to edit and sort your images

8. When you edit your images bring all images from both cameras into one folder and sort by capture time and then rename with file name and then image from 0001 through final one.  something like 231116_0001.psd

edit-IN, ie edit for keepers don't go looking for ones to delete - look for ones to keep

walk away for one day and edit -in again. and then rename the keepers 

These are the only images you have left, when your friend his families ask to see the outtakes you can honestly say you don't have any more to give

 

Understand that despite what your friends might say beforehand there will be some portraits required so you better brush up on your portrait skills and people management.

 

 

 

 

 

[TL3]

Thanks for the tips!  I ended up buying the 23mm after all, so I have that to choose from.

[tommonego@gmail.com]

As for a flash, I use an old Metz 45 CT1 with my CL and it works fine. It has thyristor circuitry. If you set the f stop to what the flash says the exposures are accurate, direct, reflector card or into an umbrella. I have a hot shoe to pc adapter. The potato masher also give you another handle on the camera. I almost always use a Lumiquest reflector card on the flash, spreads the light well, an umbrella gives a little more spread, both lower the glare from the flash. In a wedding a high power flash really helps. 

The 23 and 60 macro would be a good combination, but if you are doing groups inside an 11-23 may be better, it is a slow lens but with a flash there should be no problem, the other alternative would be a 15mm Voigtlander. 

Good luck!