If you are following along, you know how much attention I put in to the gear I use. I’m constantly analyzing my equipment and making sure I’m using the best gear for the value and that every piece in my kit is essential. For a while I was trying to be a minimalist, but I’ve gotten over that idea, and have really just honed in on making sure I have everything I need to perform my job at my best, and nothing more. Let’s get into it.

THE BEST WEDDING CAMERA KIT - 2022

If you don’t like to read, you can watch the video above and see my favorites visually. If you want to dig in more, keep reading below.

THE CAMERAS

The Canon R6 is the foundation of my kit. It is such an beautiful upgrade from the Canon 5D series. The ergonimics are better, the autofocus is incredible, the files have great latitude and the low-light capabilities are impressive. Overall, I personally think it’s the best dual-slot mirrorless camera for the price you can buy. Take my recommendation with a grain of salt though as I’ve been team Canon for my entire career.

The Canon R6

You may be asking, why not the Canon R5? Well, I don’t feel like I need it. The R6 is more than enough for what I want. I’ve printed a photo 8ft tall and it looks awesome. The R5 is nice if you crop a lot or shoot video, but if you don’t do either of those things, don’t stress and just get the R6.

My other go-to camera is the Leica Q2. Now if you know anything about Leica, you know that name comes with a big price tag. However, the Leica Q2 I think is the best bang for the buck piece of gear Leica makes. At around $4400 or so currently on the used market, you can get an insane Leica 47mp body with a fixed 28mm Summilux lens. Kitting this out as a M-10R and separate 28mm Lux would cost you around $10k normally, with no autofocus. Another amazing thing the Leica has going for it besides autofocus, the most beautiful files SOOC, the insane colors, the incredible ergonomics, and on and on, is the macro feature. You can switch the lens over to macro mode and get a lot closer to your subject for some beautiful details. All in all this is my favorite one digital camera I’ve ever owned. The R6 is more practical with it’s fast AF and interchangeable lenses but my favorite digital piece to pick up in any situation is the Leica Q2.

The Leica Q2

I made an in-depth video on the Leica Q2 you can watch below:

CAMERA LENSES

Now that we’ve got the bodies out of the way, let’s dive into lenses. For me my go-to favorite portrait lens is the 50mm. You can get an insane RF 35mm 1.8 or a RF 50mm 1.8 for very cheap and they’re incredible for the price to value. However, if you can afford it, grab the RF 50mm 1.2L. It’s one of the sharpest, most beautiful and insane “digital” lenses I’ve ever used.

So if you went with a Leica Q2 you have 28mm, now you have a 35 or a 50, last is a telephoto long lens. I’ve tried a ton of options, the 85mm, 135mm, 100mm, etc. etc. I can’t ever find anything that beats the Canon 70-200 2.8L. Especially in the nice tight compact design they made for the RF version. It’s the most versatile long lens you can buy. You’ll now have 28-200mm covered and that’s more than enough for any wedding I’ve ever shot.
Canon RF 70-200 2.8L

LIGHTS/FLASHES

For flashes I like the small compact and rechargeable design of the Godox V350 for my Canon cameras. I LOVE the little Fujifilm EF-x20 flash for my Leica, but those are getting harder and harder to find.

FILM CAMERAS

So this part really depends on my mood, the wedding, the couple, everything. I have been mixing up what film cameras I’ve been using but mostly it’s been the Pentax 67, The Fuji GA645, and my Leica M6. They’re all my favorites. Just make sure to bring something and fire off at least a few rolls. It helps add so much variety and depth to a wedding gallery.

Shop KEH for Film Cameras

BAG

Lastly, but probably my most favorite part of the kit. My “bag”. After using a Chrome Niko Backpack for a few years, I decided to jump into the world of Pelican cases. I am soooo happy with this decision. The Pelican 1535 Air with Trekpack insert system is incredible. I can organize my gear depending on what kit I want to bring and it’s so protective and great to use. I LOVE IT.