Bob Bernardo - LA area. 
, Jul 05, 2009; 12:15 a.m.
Seems like at every wedding lately someone, meaning a guest comes, up to me and asks me how many pixels is
that camera? Often for the heck of it I tell them I have no idea what a pixel is. Other times they ask me if thats a 5D
mark2, and I tell them no, this is a $7000 1Ds mk3. Well today some rich guest shows me his nikon D3X and
decides to say his camera is a lot better than mine and why don't I shoot with better cameras. I was stuck for an
answer, so I said maybe I'll go buy one this week, just to get him off my case.
Here's the deal, I don't want to make anyone angry so lets keep camera quality out of this. No comparing cameras,
thats not the subject.
I feel like I need a shrink! To gain advice on how to deal with some of these people. Oh, I forgot to say that the guy
with the 5D mark 2 said his camera is better because his camera can do video! In a way, he is right, his camera is
also 22 megapixels, I think thats the same as the mark3.
So here's the question - how do you deal with these folks? Some of the new pros don't have top of the line cameras
as well as very experienced pros.Frankly I feel the 1Ds mK3 is overkill. My first digital camera was a Fuji S2, 6
megapixels, and I enlarged up to 24x30, without any pixel issues. So when a guest shows up with a better camera
than yours and starts talking to you and asks you why you don't use better cameras what are your responses?
I need some good answers here to get the guests off my back! It has to be a short answer because reception rooms
always have loud music and I wasn't given a voice that projects. Anyway lets have fun with this topic, no harsh words
about camera quality, because I really believe any $300 camera can probably work for a wedding, given the fact that
a lot of phototgraphers give the clients a CD only.
Mike Dixon 
, Jul 05, 2009; 12:35 a.m.
"This camera works well for me." End of discussion.
Bob Bernardo - LA area. , Jul 05, 2009; 12:39 a.m.
Maria McManamey , Jul 05, 2009; 12:45 a.m.
Well, ok, this came from a little girl.... But the same situation still happens when we shoot VIDEO! "Does your camera take pictures?" "No, sweetie, only movies." "Well my daddy's video camera takes pictures." (She's 6ish & this is said in the "my daddy is better than your daddy tone) "And I'm sure he's very happy with it. You have fun now!"
We've been lucky enough we haven't come across too many measure-baters actually at the weddings. My initial response to "why don't you buy newer/better (that's the assumption, anyway) equipment?" would be - "Because when people can afford me, I have more work."
The other response that springs to mind - and this applies to megapixel measurers as well as "higher class" bodies... "I spend my money on extremely high-end lenses, because without the excellent glass, the camera body means nothing." Ok, I think this one ought to be the first response - mostly because very few of the guys spending $$ on their camera just because they can do NOT go beyond the kit lenses.
And I'm sure we've all been over the video camera v. SLR that can do video enough..... THAT guy actually gets my goat faster than the "I've got more megapixels, so obviously I have a better camera" kind of guy.
Can I toss in another "AAAAAARRRRRGGGGG" inducer? It's the guests w/ the point & shoot who come up and say "You're not using a flash, I am and my pictures are all black. How can yours be turning out?"
Makes me wish I had the time to sit down & educate them, but that's my personality.....
(the short answer is: Because I have complete control over my camera, and I can tell it to do things that your camera is not capable of doing.)
tobey bilek 
, Jul 05, 2009; 12:58 a.m.
How about I had one of those and it broke twice the first month. I sold it for one of these (fill in the blank.)
I have one of (name his) and this is a loaner while it is being repaired.
I am saving my money and should be able to get one next month. In case you meet with him again, use 1 or 2.
Danzel C , Jul 05, 2009; 01:05 a.m.
i have found that most guest with fancy cameras don't even know how to operate them and usually only have the pop up flash. and sometimes they are taking a photography class and are trying to get some practice in. i usually ask a technical questions to see what level they are on if they are trying to look professional. for example, "what f-stop, aperture, and iso are you shooting at?" i actually chat with some of them throughout the day if they show interest in talking and are not too bothersome. i also sometimes ask to see some of their pictures, then i show them some of mine. it's then pretty obvoius that it's not the camera, but the knowledge and skill of the person behind the camera that matters. however, i did have a wedding last year where this one guy really looked "professional". he was up all over the place with a flash bracket, battery pack, two lenses, and everything. i told him i didn't care what he did as long as he stayed out of my way and out of my shots. i asked him one question and about flash exposure compensation and knew he was a joke from that point on. i saw his website and the pictures were horrible. i'm not a great wedding photographer yet, but in my mind i'm always the best one there. i feel if there was someone there better than me there then the bride and groom would have hired them instead!
Michael Brown , Jul 05, 2009; 01:12 a.m.
I usually screw with them. "Wow, that IS a nice camera! You should get into wedding photography!" :-D
Logic and reason is pointless with the mine-is-bigger-than-yours crowd.
You'll always meet someone at a wedding who tries to out-gun you.
I shot with a Mamiya RB-67 back in the 80's and some dude showed up with a Hasselblad to a wedding I was doing. I'm dead serious. I felt like mounting an 8x10 view camera to a stroboframe just to thwart any future incidents.
But, in all honesty? Don't waste your time justifying your equipment choices. If they're so great with their D3x, why didn't they get hired to shoot the wedding?
Danzel C , Jul 05, 2009; 01:12 a.m.
i have also used this line to shut folks up who think they have a fancy camera - "they all do the same thing, some just do it easier than others"
Bob Bernardo - LA area. , Jul 05, 2009; 01:26 a.m.
Love these answers...I can't wait to use them!
Booray Perry , Jul 05, 2009; 01:36 a.m.
People who think that the latest-greatest camera will make them a better photographer are like the people who think the latest-greatest golf clubs will make them a better golfer.
