WEDDING & EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT FOR BEGINNERS & PROS

The perfect marriage of the right gear makes all the difference.

There’s a lot of similarity when it comes to the gear you need for capturing photos and videos of weddings and events. Close-up portraits, wide shots of the crowd, group shots of the bride and groom’s family or of the band – each requires the right lens and the best camera, lighting, and video support to catch the moment. There are no second chances, so backup cameras and accessories are a must.

Cameras for low light and fast action

The bigger the sensor, the better the image, especially in low-lit situations like concert halls and wedding venues. Go full-frame for the full picture. These cameras are great options for shooting both stills and video:

Backup Cameras

Pros need to be prepared for anything – a spill, a drop, misguided fairy godmothers. Nothing can prevent you from capturing images that your client will cherish for the rest of their life. You need a good, solid, high-quality backup camera you can rely on when the day doesn’t go according to plan. These options are also great to consider for your primary camera if you’re a beginner looking to get into professional wedding or event photography. Make sure you’re covered with Henry’s Extended Life Plan for all of your main gear, too.

Best Picks for Wedding Photography: Cameras

Nikon Z 6III

The Nikon Z 6III is a great photo or video camera for weddings. This camera has speed, serious video specs, a great shooting experience and an affordable price. The camera can shoot 14fps in photo mode, 120fps in 4K video mode and 240fps in HD. The Z6 III also has killer autofocus and tracks a variety of subjects really well, like humans and animals. If the ring bearer is a furry friend, you’ll have no problem tracking the fur baby running down the aisle to the owner.

The Z6 III can shoot 6K N-RAW as well, giving you the ultimate flexibility. Having N-RAW in a Nikon camera comes from Nikon’s strategic move to purchase the cinema camera company RED back in 2024. This benefits Nikon shooters going forward by enabling them to choose a number of settings in post, such as white balance and much more. It’s like having a RAW photo, but for video. You can make so many changes or save so many video clips after the fact. So, when it really counts, you might want to shoot N-RAW video.

Nikon also has amazing viewfinders that are bright and well saturated. It’s like looking at a beautiful flat screen TV within the viewfinder of Nikon Z cameras. As of right now, 2025, no camera has a better viewfinder than what’s in the Nikon Z6iii.

And then there’s the price: For about 3K (under 3K when on sale), you get a great camera, fast burst rates, slow motion recording, and a well-built camera that would be more than suitable for someone who is shooting photo or video. Fantastic value in the Z6 III.

Looking for an Alternative? Consider the Fujifilm X-T5

The Fujifilm X-T5 (especially when paired with some of the smaller F2.8 prime lenses) makes for a fairly small, but very powerful wedding set up.

The camera received a boost in megapixels up to 40 MP, compared to the previous version (X-T4) which was 26 MP. The video quality on the X-T5 is fantastic. Plus, you can take advantage of the Fujifilm Film Simulations and shoot beautiful looking JPGs straight out of the camera.

Photographer Anthony Jackson says, “I shot my sister-in-law’s wedding on a Fujifilm camera in JPG and it took a whole 25 minutes to edit the entire wedding. I went through and assigned a Star to some of my favourite JPGs throughout the day of the wedding, which also helped when I got back to the computer. That was an amazing experience. The time saved editing meant I could charge far less for the shoot but not feel like I was being underpaid for a long shoot day.”

He continues, “The video quality is excellent and because of the boost in megapixels the camera can shoot 6K, all recorded to affordable SD cards. The camera has IBIS to smooth out some of the small bumps in the video footage and help shooters get slower shutter speeds even when hand holding the camera. This is an excellent pick for a photo or video shooter and what makes it even better is the price. Someone looking to get a serious camera but not break the bank should look into this model for sure.”

Tips for Getting Started

Will the difference between a full frame camera and crop sensor camera really make THAT big of a difference?

No. A great photograph taken on a crop sensor camera will be nearly indistinguishable between the same photo taken on a full frame camera. What matters most is composition, lenses, and light.

The Best Lenses that Won’t Break the Bank

For a long time, Anthony Jackson only used two lenses when shooting weddings: A 24-70 F2.8 and an 85mm F1.4. The 24-70mm gives you some versatility while the 85mm is a more specialized lens that can really blur the background when photographing a couple or a single person. These two focal lengths can take you a long way. After that, he recommends a 70-200mm F2.8 when you’re ready to expand your kit. But for getting started, two lenses are enough to start making yourself some cash!

Do lens picks differ if you are using a crop sensor vs. full frame?

If you are working on a crop sensor, you may want to lean towards slightly wider lenses. Instead of an 85mm, choose a 50mm. Instead of a 35mm, lean towards a 24mm.
Fujifilm is a brand that takes the sensor size into consideration when making their lenses. Instead of a 24-70mm lens, they make a 16-55mm lens. This allows for the crop factor of the sensor to match the more common focal lengths found in the full-frame world. Just one of the many features that make Fujifilm cameras a great pick if you are thinking full frame might not be necessary or within your budget. A completely reasonable thought!

Compare the Specs

Model	Canon R5 II	Nikon Z 6III	Sony A1II	Fujifilm X-T5	Panasonic S1R Mk II
Megapixels	45MP	24.5MP	50.5MP	40.2MP	45.9MP
Sensor Type/Size	CMOS / 36 x 24 mm / 1.42 x 0.94 in	CMOS / 35.9 x 23.9 mm / 1.41 x 0.94 in	CMOS / 35.9 x 24.0 mm / 1.41 x 0.94 in	CMOS / 23.5 x 15.7 mm \| 0.92 x 0.62 in	CMOS / 35.8 x 23.9 mm
Frames per second	Up to 30 fps	DIGIC X	Up to 30 fps	Up to 20 fps	Up to 40 fps
Max. Video Resolution	8K RAW at 59.94/50.00 fps, and LOG 2	5.4K, 4K, FHD	8K, 4K, FHD	6.2K, 4K UHD, FHD	8.1K, 8K, 6.4K, 5.8K, C4K, 4K, FHD
Memory Card Format	CFexpress, SD/SDHC/SDXC	SD/SDHC/SDXC, CFexpress, XQD	SD/SDHC/SDXC; CFexpress Type A	SD/SDHC/SDXC	CFexpress Type B; SD/SDHC/SDXC

Lenses for All Situations

A pro wedding or event photographer needs a good range of lenses. Capture the perfect shot with the best lens for the moment. There are fantastic options from all the major brands – Canon, Nikon, Sony, etc. – but also from third-party manufacturers like Sigma and Tamron.

Macro Lenses for Portraiture

Soft backgrounds and fine details to help the stars of the show stand out

Shop All Macro Lenses

Wide shots to embrace the moment

Great for group shots and setting the scene

Browse wide-angle lenses

Going the Distance

Mid to telephoto zoom lenses to get up close and personal without getting in the way

Browse telephoto lenses

Commercial Pricing Available

Run your own business? Talk to us about special pricing for commercial customers. Stop by any Henry’s store location to find out more.

Lighting Tools

Mastering light is a must for wedding photographers.

Should You Use Flash or LED Lighting?

Flashes give you much more power and will last longer if you are relying on a battery to power the unit. Sometimes you are literally out in a field, nowhere near an outlet and that’s where something like the Godox AD400 would be great to have in your kit. The battery is built into the unit and provides a lot of power if you are trying to light the subject with the sun behind them. A flash will fire a very short burst of light and therefore won't get hot and won’t continuously suck the power from your batteries.

Video shooters don’t have a choice: LED lights are the only way. Photographers only need to capture fractions of a second and sometimes, like when shooting against the sun, you will need a lot of power, and that’s what flashes do best. Flashes will throw a lot of light onto a subject in a short period of time, making for amazing looking photographs. Remember... 2 is 1... 1 is none. Especially when you are getting paid to complete the job!

Best Pick for Beginners: Godox TT350

Lighting is everything when it comes to making great wedding photographs that people want to pay for. Natural light photographers can get by, but there are certain times of the day where you won’t want to rely on just the natural light. Adding in a small flash can make a big difference and the Godox TT350 is as small as they come.
Video shooters don’t have a choice: LED lights are the only way. Photographers only need to capture fractions of a second and sometimes, like when shooting against the sun, you will need a lot of power, and that’s what flashes do best. Flashes will throw a lot of light onto a subject in a short period of time, making for amazing looking photographs. Remember... 2 is 1... 1 is none. Especially when you are getting paid to complete the job!

best-pick-lighting-wedding-godox-tt350-flash-march2025 (1).jpg

SHOP GODOX TT350

Accessories

Lighting Accessories

Handy tools to keep in your kit for shaping and adding additional light

Audio for Video

Substandard audio can ruin a good video. Capture great sound with these mics and accessories:

Other Accessories

Easy to carry backpacks and bags to hold your cameras and lenses, memory cards, filters and other items to make your pro shoot a success. Remember backup batteries for your camera, too!