What Camera Should I Buy?
Hello!
Welcome to post #2 in my Small Business Series: Photography Gear Recommendations.
You can check out the first post here:
Also, if you are looking to Take Better Photos, make sure you join the Take Better Photos Facebook Group to learn more tips about how to take photos like a pro.
Photography Gear List Recommendations: Digital Camera & Lenses
I’m back today with an exciting and highly requested post. Today I’m sharing, not only what is in my personal camera bag to photograph weddings, but also what I recommend for anyone looking to Take Better Photos.
You are always asking me, what’s in my camera bag? And also, what camera/lens should I get to take better pictures of my kids/family/work etc. So, not only am I sharing my wedding photography gear recommendations for anyone looking to up level or turn pro, but I’m also sharing my favorite gear (Nikon, of course!) for anyone looking to get started.
What’s in My Gear Bag: Camera Body + Recommendations for Beginners
As regular readers will know, I am a Nikon girl through and through. I started my personal photography journey with a Nikon d5200 that my Dad gifted me shortly after my son was born. I actually even photographed my first few weddings with that camera! Its a great starter DSRL camera, but it is a crop sensor camera, meaning it is not a professional model. The focusing system is good but not as good as the pro gear. So, about 3 years later, I upgraded to the Nikon D750 and never looked back. I currently have 2 of the 750 bodies. I shoot on 2 cameras for most of the wedding day, plus it’s necessary to have a reliable back up camera when you are photographing weddings.
In this post I’m sharing the beginner gear I started with and then what I upgraded to as I started second shooting and eventually lead shooting weddings.
Photography Gear: Prime Lenses
First, a quick note on prime lenses before we dive into specifics. I use almost exclusively prime lenses. A prime lens is one that does not zoom in or out. In order to change the crop or framing of a photo, you have to back up or move closer to your subject with your feet. It can take some getting used to when you are first starting out. I encourage you to try prime lenses and to stick with it! There are many benefits to using a prime lens, including- the ability to shoot “wide open” or at low apertures. Shooting at a low aperture allows you to let more light in, which means they are easier to use in doors or in low light settings. Also, this is what allows you to get that blurry background look. That is harder to do using a zoom lens. For more on this, make sure you check out my post on how to shoot in manual mode. Another bonus to using prime lenses is that they are sharper.
Canon Vs. Nikon
Another topic I want to discuss its the age old Canon vs. Nikon debate. Personally, I am a Nikon girl through and through but they are both great, quality companies. Sony is also getting really popular and I’m hearing great things! From what I’ve seen, Canon seems cheaper for beginner models but is much more expensive than Nikon for the professional gear. You can’t go wrong with either one, but I am recommending mostly Nikon gear in this post because I use it and love it.
Where to Shop
One of the things I love about the gear that I own is that it is so accessible. Most of the links I am sharing today are to Amazon (can’t get easier than that, right?) But In case you like to shop in store, here’s a list of other ways you can get your hands on some brand new photography gear.
You can also rent gear through Borrow Lenses if you want to test it out before investing! I’ve found that the actual rental prices aren’t bad, but they do get you with shipping!
Full Frame vs. Crop Sensor
You may be wondering what makes photography gear professional or novice. The main thing you need to know before investing in any of these photography gear recommendations is the difference between full frame and crop sensor camera bodies.
A full frame camera is a professional model. It is a higher end camera with a better focusing system, the ability to increase the ISO without seeing grain in your photos and generally produces a higher quality photo. Full frame refers to the sensor size which in these cameras is the standard size of a 35 mm (film) camera.
A crop sensor model has a smaller sensor size. While crop sensor cameras may produce slightly lower quality images, there are benefits to using one. First of all, crop sensor or entry level DSRL cameras are smaller, lighter and cheaper than their full frame counter parts. Also, while the quality may be lower, it is still much bigger than even the best iPhone.
This chart from Tokina USA explains the differences really well:
Best Camera & Lenses for Beginner Photographers
Wondering what DSRL or digital camera you should buy? Here are my personal thoughts on the best place to start whether you are a mom looking to take better pictures of your kids or a wedding professional wanting better photos of your work. Everybody starts somewhere so don’t be afraid to pick up an entry level DSRL and get shooting right away!
Best Camera Body for Beginners
Nikon D 5000 Series Crop Sensor Camera <– This is a great price and body only which I love!
This camera has a special place in my heart because this is how it all started for me! I have been meaning to do a post about how I got started in wedding photography and how I went full time. But the short story is, my dad gifted me the Nikon D5200 shortly after my son was born. He actually gave it to me to take videos of my son but I never used it for video! I started out using it in Auto mode, then aperture priority. I played with the different settings like shutter priority and ISO priority. Often stores will sell this lens in a kit, meaning with an 18-55 lens. I don’t love the kit lenses so I always recommend trying to find the camera body only and pick the lens that works for you. (I prefer prime lenses, as I mentioned above)
Best Lenses for Crop Sensor Cameras
35 mm 1.8
I highly reccomend starting with a 35 mm lens when you purchase a crop sensor camera because it can be challenging to get used to using prime lenses and anything tighter will be difficult to use indoors in small spaces. I love the 35 for a couple of reasons. It works well in tight spaces- especially with beginner DSRL cameras like the 5000 series. This lens also most closely resembles what the human eye sees, creating true to life photos. Expect to pay about $200 for this lens and its perfectly compatible with your entry level DSRL.
The 50 mm lens is affectionately called the fifty nifty. Its super versatile and inexpensive at about $200. Also, it’s a great lens for shooting outdoors with lots of space, and in low lighting situation because you can set the aperture pretty low. Its great for taking portraits of one or more people and a great lens to start with if you are interested in getting into wedding photography.
Memory Cards
My photography gear recommendations would not be complete without including memory cards. These are the only Memory Cards I will use. They are pretty large, fast and inexpensive.
My Wedding Photography Gear List
Nikon D750
I have 2 of these as its necessary to have a backup and I also shoot most of the wedding day with 2 camera bodies (Thanks to this baby). This is the best camera body I’ve ever owned and even better- its NOT the most expensive one I’ve ever owned! Its a true workhorse- easy to use, produces great colors and has amazing focusing power.
Photography Gear : The Lenses
I actually started my photography journey with a crop sensor camera and a 35 mm lens. A lot of my friends love tighter lenses light the 50 or 85 mm and don’t get me wrong- they are beautiful lenses. But I’m kind of partial to the 35. I love it for a few reasons. First of all, the 35 produces a photo closest to what the human eye sees. So, its a very practical and authentic and true to life lens. Its also wide enough to work in tight spaces and fit larger groups of people without distorting anything in the photo. With this lens, I love to put my subjects in the center of the frame.
The Nifty Fifty
50 mm 1.4
Whenever anyone asks me for photography gear recommendations, I always suggest picking up a 50 mm lens. If you are just starting out, go for the 50 mm 1.8. Its a really inexpensive and versatile lens. The 50 mm lens is great for outdoor portraits of one or more people and its also my go to lens for indoor photos when the room isn’t too small. For tighter spaces, you will want the 35 mm lens (listed below).
A Great Portrait Lens
Ahh the 85. I could not wait to buy this lens when I first started shooting weddings! It’s my mentor’s favorite lens and I can see why she loves it. Its a beautiful lens for close up portraits and it creates the most gorgeous bokeh or blurry background. There are a few things to note about this lens. Many professional photographers have the 1.4 version of this lens. It’s very expensive and one of the rare exceptions where the lower F Stop does not equal a better lens. The 1.4 version does not focus as well as the 1.8. So, I decided to stick with the 1.8 and I love it. I rarely ever shoot below 1.8 anyway so this was a good fit for me. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, make sure you check out my post on How to Shoot in Manual Mode.
The Epic Wide Shot
I love my 24 mm lens. I know lots of photographers who prefer the beautiful bokeh that tight lenses provide. So do I! But, I also love a truly epic wide shot and the 24 allows me to get that. Its also really great in tight spaces, although, some people say it can distort arms/legs and make them look longer than they really are. I use this lens sometimes during bridal prep for the bridesmaids in robes confetti shot or popping the champagne. It works well when I need to fit a big group shot in a small space.
When I started shooting weddings, I knew I wanted to invest in a Macro lens. These lenses are great for shooting small details (like the wedding rings!) They are an investment, so I started in wedding photography using macro attachments. And I would highly recommend them! I eventually invested in a true macro lens. To save a little bit of money, I opted for the Sigma version and I love it!
The Zoom Lens
Lastly for lenses, and the only zoom lens I own is the 70-200. I really only use this lens for church ceremonies when I can’t get too close to the altar. I also used it quite a bit when I was second shooting and wasn’t as close to the couple as the lead shooter. Its heavy (and expensive!) but a true workhorse lens. This is another example where I opted for the Tamron version over the Nikon to save some money. The Tamron lens will run you about $1200 but you can expect to pay at least 2k for the Nikon counterpart.
On my shoppable gear list I also included lighting and flash/OCF & stand recommendations, but I’m not listing them out here. You can access the entire list here if you are interested in all of that.
The Full Photography Gear List
Click here to shop the full list. The great thing is that all this gear can literally be purchased on Amazon. It can literally be at your house in 2 days! Sure, there are times when I drive 45 minutes to my favorite camera store when I have questions or need to trade in gear. But for the most part, if I know exactly what I need, Amazon is the cheapest and most convenient place to pick it up. I love how accessible everything is these days. When I first got started, I would have been totally overwhelmed walking into a professional camera store and not knowing what the heck I was doing or looking at. That’s why I’ve done all that leg work for you!
Also- one other note, I always buy my camera bodies and lenses separately. I know you can get kits, and that may work better in the beginning but definitely when you are upgrading it makes sense to by each piece individually, specific to your exact needs!
Thanks for Reading!
And that’s it! Thank you so much for reading. I tried to share everything I’ve learned since my journey into wedding photography 5 years ago. I did make purchases I would not recommend, so I did not list them here. If you have any questions, feel free to email me! I do list out more specifics in my full gear list, found on Amazon. But the truth is- you do not need a lot to get started! Even one camera body, a lens and a couple of memory cards will do the trick.
One final note- I recommend Nikon Gear because that is what I use. I often get asked for Canon recommendations. I am not familiar with Canon gear because I have never used it. So I stick to what I know. Canon does appear to be a bit cheaper for entry level models. After that, it does get more expensive than Nikon when you get into the more professional gear.
Take Better Photos
So there you have it! I hope this Photography Gear Recommendations post was helpful for you. If you are looking to Take Better Photos, check out this post on how to shoot in manual mode and make sure to grab my freebie- 99 Ways to Take Better Photos. Its filled with tons of tips whether you are just getting started or you are looking to take your photography to the next level. Also, don’t forget to join the Facebook Group! I’ll see you in the group!
