Photo Fusion: A Wedding Photographers Guide to Mixing Digital Photography and Video

Part 2. The Equipment

Gear ... it is the most exciting part of our job for some of us, and the least exciting for others. Some photographers have conversations so technically oriented that the rest of us are left wondering what exactly they were talking about. Others just want a camera that works.

Put two photographers in a room and the talk will eventually turn to gear: cameras, computer systems, monitors, video cards, Wacom tablets, and more. Of course, we talk about photographs too – and the people who make them, but the topic of gear always seems to come to the fore.

And why not? There are a lot of choices, sometimes an overwhelming number of choices. Wading through the morass of stuff and determining what we really need, versus what we really want, is time consuming and confusing. In our studio, we go through phases where we just know that a new piece of equipment will make a difference, and phases when we simply shake our heads at all the options.

Whatever your placement on the "tech-geek" or "gearhead" scale, this section is for you. We will take you through everything you need to know gear-wise, and give you an honest assessment about whether you need it, or it is just nice to have.