Nikon SB-910 If you have the money, you will not regret buying Nikon's SB-910 speedlight. The flash has more features than you will ever be able to use, tons of power, and very fast recycle time. When it comes to weddings, having the flagship will save you on many occasions, and it is nice having all the extra functions when you are in a bind. Just remember, if you want to do Patrick's "departure trick" you will need a pair of Nikon's older SB-800s in order for everything to work.
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Canon 600EX-RT Canon's top-of-the-line speed light, the 600EX-RT is TTL, E-TTL II and A-TTL compatible with 18 custom functions, fast recycle rate and exceptional power. The 600EX-RT offers radio controlled, two-way wireless transmission up to 98.4 feet, among up to 5 groups with a total of 15 individual speed lights. Communicating on 2.4 GHz frequencies, it doesn't have the same directional limitations of traditional wireless optical transmitters. That means you can get around corners, up in alcoves, and out of the way to keep the flashes out from under foot without worrying about misfiring.
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Canon 580EX II If you are a Canon shooter looking for the top of the line on camera flash look no further. Here at Fstoppers we are not Canon users but we have plenty of friends that are. The 580EX II has all of the bells and whistles including the all important PC sync slot for hooking pocket wizards to your flash.
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Litepanels Micro LED On-Camera Light At most of our weddings, we find ourselves with almost no light to film video footage of the reception. Using one of these with the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 lens, we're able to get great video footage to use later in the slideshow. Our main goal is always great still images but sometimes if you need video of a key moment and the light is nonexistent then it is definitely nice having one of these in your bag.
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Photoflex NXT Medium Softbox Lee and Patrick do most of their portrait lighting with a medium softbox. The Photoflex Silverdome is a good option because if you ever do video down the road it can handle the extra heat given off by constant lights. If you get too small a softbox the light won't be that different from a barebulb speedlight but if the box is too big then it's going to be cumbersome and slow to build/breakdown.
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Manfrotto 680B Compact Monopod We needed a lighting setup that was quick and easy. Combined with the Chimera Dual Speedring, and the Manfrotto 026 Swivel Umbrella Adapter, a softbox and a flash, this is the lighting setup you see us using throughout the entire Wedding DVD. In addition to having 4 height increasing sections, this monopod only weighs about 2 lbs making it easier on your assistant.
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Chimera Dual Speedring for Strobes In order to use most of these modifiers you are going to need a speed ring that holds the softbox open and lets it mount to your flash. Patrick and Lee have tried most of these multi flash setups and every single one of them either breaks or has pieces that eventually get lost. This Chimera Dual Speedring is built like a tank and can mount most softboxes for easily on location shooting. This one will save you a lot of headaches and give you plenty of power during portrait sessions.
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Manfrotto 026 Swivel Umbrella Adapter In order to use most of these modifiers you are going to need a this umbrella adapter. This will fit most any monopod or light stand. We use this on our monopod and it allows us to direct the light at any angle.
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Photoflex Multidisc Kit Both Patrick and Lee have one of these in their bags but it's very rare they ever use one. If you are a natural light shooter and want a little extra fill, then these reflectors are great. More often than not, these are actually used to block light from hitting a subject more than reflecting light into a subject. Many wedding photographers rely on bouncing sunlight so definitely play around with one of these at some point.
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Manfrotto Air Cushioned Stands I used to think light stands were just light stands but once you buy a bunch and they break you realize they can be a real liability. Both Lee and Patrick are big fans of the Manfrotto Air Cushioned stands because they are built really well and they won't fall and smash your fingers or worse, break your equipment. We recommend either the 3 pack of 7.75' stands or the 12' riser ones for the most versatility.
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