You somehow manage to get that special something in your images, no matter what gear you use. Simply put, your personal style comes through and always inspires me to take more photos. Thanks for that.
I’m not sure if you have done it already, but would like to watch a video around manually focusing at your weddings (techniques, tips, etc.) and if you ever had an issue with images coming up more blurry than you would like to.
I just want to tell you that I've been inspired by you more than anyone else this past few weeks. I appreciate your dedication to these videos and I will always look up to you. Thanks and I wish one day I could work a wedding with you as your backup lol.
Hi, I am a wedding photographer and I useLeica M11, M9 Monchrom, Nikon Z9 and Leica SL2S. It’s useful to have a reliable autofocus system like Z9 while do a bit of magic with M when it’s right. Sometimes when it is too tiring I just use SL2S for the Leica look alongside Z9. What is interesting is your choice of GFX50. Especially when you use it with a MF Len’s Can you do a video on that.
My background is video, photo is a hobby and I hated the handling of it. Super bulky, focus in reverse (Nikon style). I would highly suggest you to try it out before. Didn't liked it personaly. Sharpness wide open is okayish but not crazy, and once you stop down a little you loose the interest of that lens. Since the lens show some vignette (no hard vignette) I think there are better some better solutions.
I love the spread of your cameras and looks. I use my Sony A7iv for basically anything work-related. Nothing has been as reliable and performance-centric as my Sonys over the past 7(?) years now. For fun, I use my XE4. I hold Sony in the highest regard of all the brands I own/or have used -- especially when I'm able to use my array of cool vintage lenses.
That's an amazing kit. I won't lie, sometimes I wish I had gone with Sony instead of Canon, but too late now haha. Love your photos! Especially the city ones, they really speak to me. Please share more of these!
What a kit! Very cool to see someone actually using manual focus for weddings. Camera Systems like Fuji get a lot of bashing for not having "sony level eye-af"...and you just shoot Fuji GFX with an 1.4 lens which propably creates a focus plane as thin as a sheet of paper - wow! I belive i've already commented it somewhere on one of your videos but the summilux 50mm 1.4 is kind of the holy grail of 50mm to me. I'd love to get in the future, adapted to Fuji or even with the TechArt AF Adapter to Sony.
I can understand your lens decisions. My favorite base kit for weddings on the A7IV are the FE28f2 and the FE55f1.8 (complemented by a Voigtländer 15f4.5 for ultrawide and a FE85f1.8 on the tele end (can really recommend it over the Zeiss Batis for my taste!). Just recently I bougtht the FE20f18 and the FE35f18 to test diffrent focal length. Generally I really prefer to work only with light primes on a wedding day! (could survive with just the 28 and 55 - my single island lens would be the FE28, even I tested the 24GM for one year, but sold and came back to the 28 again!)
What an eclectic collection, love it. You know, people complain about Sony skin, and skin tones, and I have found them to be totally fine for photography, with raw files, for the simple headshots that I do. I find skin in video much harder to get right. How have you felt about the Sony skin tones for photography?
I have always had two identical Cameras, now my Cameras are two Sony A7RIV, I never use zoom lenses, but I have a bunch of prime Lenses that I combine in different ways. My Lenses are Sony 14mm 1.8 GM, Zeiss Loxia Distagon 21mm 2.8, Sony 24mm 1.4 GM, Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 35mm 2.0 Aspherical, Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar 35mm 2.8 ZA, Sony Zeiss Sonnar 55mm 1.8 ZA, Voigtländer Macro APO-Lanthar 65mm 2.0 Aspherical, Zeiss Batis Sonnar 85mm 1.8, Voigtländer Macro APO-Lanthar 110mm 2.5 and Sony 135mm 1.8 GM, I can recommend each of these.
Back in the day when I shot weddings I loved my Zeiss/Contax 35mm-70mm 3.5 and 85mm 1.4 etc. (35mm film days) and when I switched to Sony the 24-70 f4 16-35 f4 and 85 1.8 Zeiss lenses were the first items in my bag. (I’m kind of a Zeiss lens nut.) Have you ever tried the two f4 Zeiss zooms for the Sony?
New to your channel, so I haven't seen all of you videos, but have you tried the Tamron 35-150 f2-2.8? It's a chonker of a lens both in weight and in size, but ever since I got it, it hasn't left my camera body (A7IV). I used to rock the Sigma 24-70 f2.8 which was pretty heavy too, but noting like compared to the Tamron.
If Fuji brings at a new 50mp GFX camera with a back sided illuminated sensor with an updated focusing system and the new processor (making it as fast as the XH2), would you consider making the purchase?
I feel that want for a 135. I had the Sigma art 1.8 for a couple months but it was like the size of a football and weighed as much as our old Land Rover so ended up selling it. Hoping some smaller 135 solution comes along someday.
Roasting is silly and I just don't get why some people need to go there. Use what you like. It's your art. I personally use a similar mix of Leica and Canon for similar reasons. Happy creating! Great video.
All fantastic photos and equipment! I do have to say out of all of those cameras though, there's really something magical about the Leica pics. There's just a certain 'realness' to them. The subject in focus seems to just pop out a bit more and looks natural than how I see with the others. Those aren't 'flat' looking but they just don't seem to have the immersion, if you will, like the M10's and lenses. That aside, again, all of the photos are amazing regardless of what you're shooting with. Definitely skilled! I float between my Leica TL2 and Pentax k1ll. As much as I love the Pentax, I just find myself using the TL2 more often. The size, the weight, and its simplicity just makes it much easier for me to grab and go. If it's going to be dark or lowlight though, it's hands down for the K1ll. I've been in scenarios of pretty much pitch black areas with barely a trace of light visible...clear and noise-free handheld photos were totally possible. Still blows me away the camera is capable of such sorcery.
Youll find the A7R5 low light significantly worse than the A74 bro, if your using lights it wont matter obviously but yeah the images fall apart pretty fast after 6400iso, mostly colour noise
I see that you chose the 20mm G as your wide lens for weddings. I am still debating between the 24 and the 20 (I also own the 35GM like you). Do you ever feel that the distortion on the 20mm can be distracting?
I was in the same situation recently and decided to go for the 20. My reasoning was this: both the 24 and the 20 come with distortion, so why not go all in and capitalise on the option to go really wide and use it to your advantage with the 20. If you need something more neutral, there’s the 35 to fall back on.
Love this so much! Rocking a wedding kit of R5 w/28-70 F2, Contax G2 w/45 F2, and then Leica M10-R with 35 F2 Cron Asph v2 (just picked up a m-rokkor 40, thinking of selling 35 cron for cash and 28 5.6 summaron).
Hey Benj, I've always been curious about this but how do you deal with the Leica M10s not having a second card slot? Do you shoot on smaller SD cards, only shoot them for candids, or just yolo it?
Here's a question: We all think about situational use cases and we all fall for the "if" and the "this is for and that is for" when we want to convince ourselves that a purchase is vital. As a professional, how much of a fortune did you spend on all this gorgeous gear and do you think that just buying 2 of your preferred cameras and lenses + a video backup with a zoom (video and RUclips) would have been enough as an investment for years to come. I mean one's must think about profitability right?
Two things. I like how you basically have a single lens for most of your bodies and only the Sony functions as a system. More and more I find myself doing this in pseudo reportage style photography. Conceptually the Leica Ms are your 28-80 zoom (I always find that I am at 28 or 50 when using a normal zoom anyways) but with all the benefits of prime lens design. Small bodies afford you this advantage.
Having so many cameras available on a wedding (even if they are sitting in a car) gives you a piece of mind if one or more cameras breaks durning the shoot. Happened to me and it is not pretty...
The offering for Sony Mount Lenses is too crazy. But i like to see the gfx and Leica 😍. 3 weeks ago i shot an entire wedding in Austria on my 50s II with the Mitakon and 35-70. The pictures are amazing still with the 35-70. Would love to see a review about that beautiful mitakon. There is something Special about this lens :). Forgive me this ugly Sony comment last time 😂😂😂 but i have to say you can match all 3 systems very well together.
@@benjhaisch thanks how about color since canon has always great colors ? Did you see color difference? The menu is it friendly use like canon am a canon user for the past 20 years
Yeah, I was similar. Color & menus Canon still gets the nod, but pretty much if you can get over both, I’ve been really happy with the switch. All depends on your needs though, obviously.
Really resonate with your approach. I'd love adding a Leica to my solid R5 kit just for fun. As you said for personal stuff and times during weddings when you can get creative and have fun. While still having the solid auto focus machine when I need it.
My mainstay wedding kit is the Fujifilm XT-5 with 16-55 F2.8 and 33 F1.4 (and JJC macro tubes for details), paired with a Ricoh GR (mostly for dance party shots & cocktail hour) and a Leica M3 with Voigtlander 50 F1.2 (for the film shots, obviously). So, I actually don't have two cameras of the same brand or even the same style. I like it that way.
I think the other option to replace the sony which is possible now is the release of the new light weight 35 50 on sl,there are only 370g each and much cheaper.Also the 28-70 has l mount version.Sigma and panasonic also has 18 20 24 to complement.
@@benjhaisch sweet! I’ve been shooting my A7IV’s and can’t find anything new to spice things up because Sony’s too perfect so I’m curious what you’re shooting on
It’s sort of hard to explain, but honestly there is just a feel and look that is very subtle but still noticeable to me in the images but mostly that it forces my brain to think a lot differently. Having both gives me options to use the best AF in the game with some amazing lenses when needed, but also to have the feel and experience of using a manual camera other times.
I take a lot of pictures and enjoy my photography a lot. It is my opinion that China, Russia and America are going to war, as a matter of fact we are already at war with them in many ways. If you don’t believe this then why have so many companies already been going through cyber attacks and many have been put out of business completely. So I have to ask the question why are so many Americans still buying Chinese goods and products daily? Why are so many Chinese products promoted on Facebook and other social media outlets. Why do I see all kinds of Photography gear and Lens from China promoted on RUclips? Why do I see so many folks bragging about their new Chinese lens on all the photography forums? Obviously we are now living with generations of people who never watched the death tolls each night from Vietnam! Obviously we are living with people that haven’t a clue how many lives were lost at Pearl Harbor and World War Two. Do you have to see blood and bodies out in the street before you get it people. Wake Up! 
You somehow manage to get that special something in your images, no matter what gear you use. Simply put, your personal style comes through and always inspires me to take more photos. Thanks for that.
Oh I can't wait to see the clown that roasts you for your kit. As always beautiful work Benj.
First wedding photographer of whom I know that shoots on Leica and on primes, to boot. Hats off to you.
I’m not sure if you have done it already, but would like to watch a video around manually focusing at your weddings (techniques, tips, etc.) and if you ever had an issue with images coming up more blurry than you would like to.
I just want to tell you that I've been inspired by you more than anyone else this past few weeks. I appreciate your dedication to these videos and I will always look up to you. Thanks and I wish one day I could work a wedding with you as your backup lol.
Hi, I am a wedding photographer and I useLeica M11, M9 Monchrom, Nikon Z9 and Leica SL2S. It’s useful to have a reliable autofocus system like Z9 while do a bit of magic with M when it’s right. Sometimes when it is too tiring I just use SL2S for the Leica look alongside Z9. What is interesting is your choice of GFX50. Especially when you use it with a MF Len’s Can you do a video on that.
The GFX with the Mitakon is an unreal combo, super tempting.
My background is video, photo is a hobby and I hated the handling of it. Super bulky, focus in reverse (Nikon style). I would highly suggest you to try it out before. Didn't liked it personaly. Sharpness wide open is okayish but not crazy, and once you stop down a little you loose the interest of that lens. Since the lens show some vignette (no hard vignette) I think there are better some better solutions.
That GFX paired with the Mitakon looks dreamy. Where do you get those circular stickers for your Leicas?
I love the spread of your cameras and looks. I use my Sony A7iv for basically anything work-related. Nothing has been as reliable and performance-centric as my Sonys over the past 7(?) years now. For fun, I use my XE4. I hold Sony in the highest regard of all the brands I own/or have used -- especially when I'm able to use my array of cool vintage lenses.
That's an amazing kit. I won't lie, sometimes I wish I had gone with Sony instead of Canon, but too late now haha.
Love your photos! Especially the city ones, they really speak to me. Please share more of these!
For an 85mm, check out the Sigma 85 1.4 - great lens.
What a kit! Very cool to see someone actually using manual focus for weddings. Camera Systems like Fuji get a lot of bashing for not having "sony level eye-af"...and you just shoot Fuji GFX with an 1.4 lens which propably creates a focus plane as thin as a sheet of paper - wow! I belive i've already commented it somewhere on one of your videos but the summilux 50mm 1.4 is kind of the holy grail of 50mm to me. I'd love to get in the future, adapted to Fuji or even with the TechArt AF Adapter to Sony.
I can understand your lens decisions. My favorite base kit for weddings on the A7IV are the FE28f2 and the FE55f1.8 (complemented by a Voigtländer 15f4.5 for ultrawide and a FE85f1.8 on the tele end (can really recommend it over the Zeiss Batis for my taste!). Just recently I bougtht the FE20f18 and the FE35f18 to test diffrent focal length. Generally I really prefer to work only with light primes on a wedding day! (could survive with just the 28 and 55 - my single island lens would be the FE28, even I tested the 24GM for one year, but sold and came back to the 28 again!)
What an eclectic collection, love it. You know, people complain about Sony skin, and skin tones, and I have found them to be totally fine for photography, with raw files, for the simple headshots that I do. I find skin in video much harder to get right. How have you felt about the Sony skin tones for photography?
To people who use presets, the camera does not matter. Every modern wedding photographer has the same photos and colors.
I have always had two identical Cameras, now my Cameras are two Sony A7RIV, I never use zoom lenses, but I have a bunch of prime Lenses that I combine in different ways. My Lenses are Sony 14mm 1.8 GM, Zeiss Loxia Distagon 21mm 2.8, Sony 24mm 1.4 GM, Voigtländer APO-Lanthar 35mm 2.0 Aspherical, Sony Carl Zeiss Sonnar 35mm 2.8 ZA, Sony Zeiss Sonnar 55mm 1.8 ZA, Voigtländer Macro APO-Lanthar 65mm 2.0 Aspherical, Zeiss Batis Sonnar 85mm 1.8, Voigtländer Macro APO-Lanthar 110mm 2.5 and Sony 135mm 1.8 GM, I can recommend each of these.
Back in the day when I shot weddings I loved my Zeiss/Contax 35mm-70mm 3.5 and 85mm 1.4 etc. (35mm film days) and when I switched to Sony the 24-70 f4 16-35 f4 and 85 1.8 Zeiss lenses were the first items in my bag. (I’m kind of a Zeiss lens nut.) Have you ever tried the two f4 Zeiss zooms for the Sony?
Are you using on camera flash during reception/dancing? If so, can you specify on which camera and what flash. I am guessing it would be on the Sony.
I am interested in a review from you of the Mitakon 65. Thanks!
What a set up 👀
New to your channel, so I haven't seen all of you videos, but have you tried the Tamron 35-150 f2-2.8? It's a chonker of a lens both in weight and in size, but ever since I got it, it hasn't left my camera body (A7IV). I used to rock the Sigma 24-70 f2.8 which was pretty heavy too, but noting like compared to the Tamron.
That photo at 4:01 looks so neat
If Fuji brings at a new 50mp GFX camera with a back sided illuminated sensor with an updated focusing system and the new processor (making it as fast as the XH2), would you consider making the purchase?
I think the combination of M10 and a Sony Body like the A7III or IV is amazing.
For better matching colors I would add the Leica SL2-S in my case
I feel that want for a 135. I had the Sigma art 1.8 for a couple months but it was like the size of a football and weighed as much as our old Land Rover so ended up selling it. Hoping some smaller 135 solution comes along someday.
rolling SL2/50cron-L, SL/85 1.4 sigma and a Q2. I leave my manual focus 50 and 35 lux at home cuz I'm not that fast wide open.
Great video as always!
What do you think about the Samyang 24-70mm 2.8 ?
Roasting is silly and I just don't get why some people need to go there. Use what you like. It's your art. I personally use a similar mix of Leica and Canon for similar reasons. Happy creating! Great video.
All fantastic photos and equipment! I do have to say out of all of those cameras though, there's really something magical about the Leica pics. There's just a certain 'realness' to them. The subject in focus seems to just pop out a bit more and looks natural than how I see with the others. Those aren't 'flat' looking but they just don't seem to have the immersion, if you will, like the M10's and lenses. That aside, again, all of the photos are amazing regardless of what you're shooting with. Definitely skilled! I float between my Leica TL2 and Pentax k1ll. As much as I love the Pentax, I just find myself using the TL2 more often. The size, the weight, and its simplicity just makes it much easier for me to grab and go. If it's going to be dark or lowlight though, it's hands down for the K1ll. I've been in scenarios of pretty much pitch black areas with barely a trace of light visible...clear and noise-free handheld photos were totally possible. Still blows me away the camera is capable of such sorcery.
Its the micro contrast haha. Something magical, ah youtube...
How did you get the stickers on the caps? I like it a lot, would help me too.
Youll find the A7R5 low light significantly worse than the A74 bro, if your using lights it wont matter obviously but yeah the images fall apart pretty fast after 6400iso, mostly colour noise
It could be interesting to compare the m10 with your 35 distagon vs the a74 and the 35 GM
I see that you chose the 20mm G as your wide lens for weddings. I am still debating between the 24 and the 20 (I also own the 35GM like you). Do you ever feel that the distortion on the 20mm can be distracting?
I was in the same situation recently and decided to go for the 20. My reasoning was this: both the 24 and the 20 come with distortion, so why not go all in and capitalise on the option to go really wide and use it to your advantage with the 20. If you need something more neutral, there’s the 35 to fall back on.
@@caveless_caveman that’s a good reasoning. And on top of that the 20mm is cheaper. Thanks 🙏
24mm 1.4 GM is such a wonderful lens. Had it twice. Now I switched to 20mm 1.8 for economical reasons.
@@AdrianNiveau would you say they’re both on the same league?
@@wayanbarre so far yes, but I shot with the 24mm about 10k photos. With the 20mm about 500 so will see on the long run.
Love this so much! Rocking a wedding kit of R5 w/28-70 F2, Contax G2 w/45 F2, and then Leica M10-R with 35 F2 Cron Asph v2 (just picked up a m-rokkor 40, thinking of selling 35 cron for cash and 28 5.6 summaron).
Hey Benj, I've always been curious about this but how do you deal with the Leica M10s not having a second card slot? Do you shoot on smaller SD cards, only shoot them for candids, or just yolo it?
One first videos ever ruclips.net/video/lklKfBPG5rE/видео.htmlsi=UvI7TWporToX--SF
can i ask where are the stickers from? on sony lenses
Here's a question:
We all think about situational use cases and we all fall for the "if" and the "this is for and that is for" when we want to convince ourselves that a purchase is vital. As a professional, how much of a fortune did you spend on all this gorgeous gear and do you think that just buying 2 of your preferred cameras and lenses + a video backup with a zoom (video and RUclips) would have been enough as an investment for years to come. I mean one's must think about profitability right?
Have you sold the ZM 35mm? That lens is boss! Big but boss!
Two things.
I like how you basically have a single lens for most of your bodies and only the Sony functions as a system. More and more I find myself doing this in pseudo reportage style photography.
Conceptually the Leica Ms are your 28-80 zoom (I always find that I am at 28 or 50 when using a normal zoom anyways) but with all the benefits of prime lens design. Small bodies afford you this advantage.
Weird ass combination (Leica/Sony) but a really robust and dope kit. Thanks for sharing.
Having so many cameras available on a wedding (even if they are sitting in a car) gives you a piece of mind if one or more cameras breaks durning the shoot. Happened to me and it is not pretty...
The offering for Sony Mount Lenses is too crazy. But i like to see the gfx and Leica 😍. 3 weeks ago i shot an entire wedding in Austria on my 50s II with the Mitakon and 35-70. The pictures are amazing still with the 35-70. Would love to see a review about that beautiful mitakon. There is something Special about this lens :). Forgive me this ugly Sony comment last time 😂😂😂 but i have to say you can match all 3 systems very well together.
Love your work and videos ! Why did you pick Sony and not canon ?
Turns out I have a full explanation video here :)
ruclips.net/video/QX4UBNoyawc/видео.html
@@benjhaisch thanks how about color since canon has always great colors ? Did you see color difference? The menu is it friendly use like canon am a canon user for the past 20 years
Yeah, I was similar. Color & menus Canon still gets the nod, but pretty much if you can get over both, I’ve been really happy with the switch. All depends on your needs though, obviously.
@@benjhaisch how’s the A7r5 colors comped to canon
Do you not take film cameras to weddings anymore?
Haha just wait for a future video :) it’s only the film cameras ;)
@@benjhaisch Oh hell yeah!
Really resonate with your approach. I'd love adding a Leica to my solid R5 kit just for fun. As you said for personal stuff and times during weddings when you can get creative and have fun. While still having the solid auto focus machine when I need it.
My mainstay wedding kit is the Fujifilm XT-5 with 16-55 F2.8 and 33 F1.4 (and JJC macro tubes for details), paired with a Ricoh GR (mostly for dance party shots & cocktail hour) and a Leica M3 with Voigtlander 50 F1.2 (for the film shots, obviously). So, I actually don't have two cameras of the same brand or even the same style. I like it that way.
I think the other option to replace the sony which is possible now is the release of the new light weight 35 50 on sl,there are only 370g each and much cheaper.Also the 28-70 has l mount version.Sigma and panasonic also has 18 20 24 to complement.
This, but what your bring film-wise, please!
Coming up!
@@benjhaisch yesss. here for this.
I had no idea Sony got that hate. I shopped on a budget and ended up with an a5100 years ago.
Time to do an update for 2024! :-D
Haha I was just thinking that!
@@benjhaisch sweet! I’ve been shooting my A7IV’s and can’t find anything new to spice things up because Sony’s too perfect so I’m curious what you’re shooting on
Don’t sleep on the 85 GM. My most use lens of all time
Why not just ditch the Leicas?
It’s sort of hard to explain, but honestly there is just a feel and look that is very subtle but still noticeable to me in the images but mostly that it forces my brain to think a lot differently. Having both gives me options to use the best AF in the game with some amazing lenses when needed, but also to have the feel and experience of using a manual camera other times.
I take a lot of pictures and enjoy my photography a lot.
It is my opinion that China, Russia and America are going to war, as a matter of fact we are already at war with them in many ways.
If you don’t believe this then why have so many companies already been going through cyber attacks and many have been put out of business completely.
So I have to ask the question why are so many Americans still buying Chinese goods and products daily?
Why are so many Chinese products promoted on Facebook and other social media outlets.
Why do I see all kinds of Photography gear and Lens from China promoted on RUclips?
Why do I see so many folks bragging about their new Chinese lens on all the photography forums?
Obviously we are now living with generations of people who never watched the death tolls each night from Vietnam!
Obviously we are living with people that haven’t a clue how many lives were lost at Pearl Harbor and World War Two.
Do you have to see blood and bodies out in the street before you get it people.
Wake Up!

Just being honest here. All that kit but the photos arent exactly wow. But hey to each his own.