What Kind of Camera Should My Wedding Photographer Use?

If you are in the process of looking for a weddingduring processing.. Many photographers that shoot
photographer, chances are you will soon here thefilm are now having the negatives scanned so that
terms: medium format, 35mm, and digital. Those arethe files become a digital file.
the three primary types of camera systems currentlyDigital
used by wedding photographers. We, the weddingProfessional digital wedding photography has been a
photographers, have argued amongst ourselves forviable option since about the year 2000 (although
years as to which camera system is best. The goalsome would argue that date). The quality of digital
of this article is to share information about thesecameras has now reached a point where many
types of camera systems and the possible impactphotographers feel the quality rivals, or even beats,
they may have on your wedding photographermedium format negatives. In fact, many digital
decision.wedding photographers used to shoot medium
Medium Formatformat.
For many years medium format has been thePrimary digital advantages: instant review of images
absolute best option. A medium format camera useson the back of the camera; no film and processing
film that is 3 times the size of a 35mm negative--costs (although the savings is offset by the additional
resulting in higher resolution images and beautifulcomputer time required to process the digital
enlargements, however, the cameras and processingimages); more control over the images (i.e., a slight
costs are very expensive.rotation or cropping of an image is quick and easy
Primary advantages: high resolution negatives.with digital but requires a custom print from 35mm or
Previously, the fact that a person owned a Mediummedium format).
Format camera was almost, in and of itself, a signDisadvantages: technology changes rapidly over time
that they were a true "wedding photographer" (dueand cameras soon are outdated (although this
to the expense of the system).doesn't necessarily effect you, as the consumer).
Disadvantages: expensive to operate (film costs areMemory cards are easier to lose than rolls of film (if
so high that some wedding photography booksyour wedding photographer uses a digital camera, ask
encourage medium format photographers to limit thethem how they make sure the photos arrive safely
photos they take); film can be lost or damagedback at the studio).
during processing; slower to focus and operate.In summary:
35mmNo matter what you have been told - all three
For many years 35mm has had a bad reputation forformats can be a viable method for wedding
providing poor quality enlargements -- especially whenphotography. Some might be more expensive than
compared to medium format. However, over theothers, but they all can produce good results. Many
past 10 years the quality of 35mm film has improvedphotographers use several of the camera systems.
tremendously. It is now a common format used bySome might use medium format for the formals but
many professional photographers, especially those35mm for the reception and ceremony coverage.
who use the photojournalistic style and shoot closeOthers will primarily shoot digital, but might bring film
to a thousand or more images on a wedding day.cameras as backup equipment.
Primary advantages to 35mm: fast (easy to quicklyMy advice to prospective brides: before signing a
focus and shoot during), much improved quality ofcontract with a photographer, ask to see sample
enlargements (many people would have a hard timeenlargements that were taken with the same
telling the difference between a 35mm and mediumequipment that would be used at your wedding. If
format 8x10 enlargement).you like the quality and color of the images, it doesn't
Disadvantages: processing film is becoming more andreally matter whether 35mm, digital, or a medium
more expensive, and film can be damaged or lossformat camera was used to record the image!