Lightweight wedding camera kit - 650d

Stuart-M

Just throwing this idea out there, see what people think:

I always saw the semi-pro type cameras (40D etc.) as a minimum spec when it came to a main camera body to shoot a wedding. But the new 650D has some interesting features:

5FPS
Improved high ISO
AF similar to 5D2
In camera HDRs similar to 5D3

Also, the new 18-135 lens is apparently very sharp, so if combined with maybe a 50 1.4 and 100 2.0, a spare body and a couple of 430EX2s, it could be a really capable kit. Especially suitable for people with smaller hands/RSI etc. who do not like the larger cameras.

ziggy53

I believe that the Canon dRebel T4i/650D has an AF section improved to the level of the Canon 40D/50D/60D series; 9 - cross type AF points, dual-cross-f2.8 center point. (The Canon 5D MKII is just a single cross center AF point with some hidden "helper" AF points which only engage during AI-Servo.)

The only real detriment of the dRebel T4i/650D over the xxD series is the continued use of the cheaper shutter, with 1/200 x-sync and relatively short rated actuations durability. Like the 60D there is also no pc flash connector, which I often use to trigger external manual flash (although there are work-a-rounds for this deficiency).

Edit: Shutter lag is better than previous dRebel cameras, but still slower than the Dxx series.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EOS-Rebel-T4i-650D-Digital-SLR-Camera-Review.aspx

Brett1000

ziggy53 wrote: »

I believe that the Canon dRebel T4i/650D has an AF section improved to the level of the Canon 40D/50D/60D series; 9 - cross type AF points, dual-cross-f2.8 center point. (The Canon 5D MKII is just a single cross center AF point with some hidden "helper" AF points which only engage during AI-Servo.)

The only real detriment of the dRebel T4i/650D over the xxD series is the continued use of the cheaper shutter, with 1/200 x-sync and relatively short rated actuations durability. Like the 60D there is also no pc flash connector, which I often use to trigger external manual flash (although there are work-a-rounds for this deficiency).

Edit: Shutter lag is better than previous dRebel cameras, but still slower than the Dxx series.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EOS-Rebel-T4i-650D-Digital-SLR-Camera-Review.aspx

actually the shutter life on recent Rebel models has been the same as XXD models but
it does look like Canon beefed up the 650D with a higher FPS and some other features

ziggy53

Brett1000 wrote: »

actually the shutter life on recent Rebel models has been the same as XXD models ...

Good catch.

Matthew Saville

Stuart-M wrote: »

Just throwing this idea out there, see what people think:

I always saw the semi-pro type cameras (40D etc.) as a minimum spec when it came to a main camera body to shoot a wedding. But the new 650D has some interesting features:

5FPS
Improved high ISO
AF similar to 5D2
In camera HDRs similar to 5D3

Also, the new 18-135 lens is apparently very sharp, so if combined with maybe a 50 1.4 and 100 2.0, a spare body and a couple of 430EX2s, it could be a really capable kit. Especially suitable for people with smaller hands/RSI etc. who do not like the larger cameras.

That sounds like a great "uncle bob" kit, or an emergency backup for a working professional, when it comes to weddings. I'm absolutely positive that I could rock a wedding with that kit, if I had to.

However it would still be a compromise that, day-in and day-out, I'd rather not take. I guess it comes down to the fact that I'd rather have a high-end body, but not so much a concern about lenses. I'm just spoiled by the AF precision of the likes of the 5D mk3 / Nikon D700, and of course the low-light ISO flexibility that allows me to shoot with almost any lens I want.

I'm all in favor of shaving pounds off a kit; which is why I hope I never have to shoot on a camera with a vertical grip, and I'd much rather have a couple decent primes and an f/4 zoom or two, instead of "the trinity" of heavy f/2.8 zooms and top-tier f/1.4 & f/1.2 primes... And this is an area where a crop sensor can excel; since a 100 f/2 is almost like a 160mm f/2 when used on a 650D. Couple that with a 28 f/1.8 and/or a 50 f/1.4, and any sharp kit lens could get me through the day for sure...

=Matt=