03/03/2026 9:44 am
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I just blew my entire budget on the Z6 II body and the 24-70 f4 for a wedding im shooting in Seattle next month and now im realizing how much the extras cost. Its honestly so annoying how extra everything is. Im torn between buying two official Nikon EN-EL15c batteries or just getting a 2-pack of SmallRig ones since they're literally half the price but i dont want the camera to die mid-ceremony. Also for cards do i actually need the ProGrade Cobalt or is the Lexar Silver fast enough for video? I cant afford the top shelf stuff right now but i dont want to regret it later. Which one would you prioritize if you only had like 200 bucks left?
3 Answers
3
03/03/2026 10:30 am
Yep been there done that. Can confirm everything said above is spot on.
2
04/03/2026 12:15 am
Just saw this thread and honestly, you can totally make that 200 bucks work if you're smart about it. Quick question tho... are you planning on shooting the whole thing in 4K 60p or just sticking to 24/30? That makes a huge difference for the card speed you actually need. I've been really satisfied with the SmallRig EN-EL15c USB-C Rechargeable Camera Battery lately. They've been super reliable for me and no complaints about the life so far. It's much easier to justify the price than the official Nikon EN-EL15c Li-ion Rechargeable Battery when you're on a budget. For the card, the Lexar Professional Silver Series CFexpress Type B is definitely fast enough for standard 4K video. I use them all the time and they work well, never had a dropped frame. Ngl, the ProGrade Cobalt is overkill unless you're doing high-end cinema stuff or super long bursts. Grab the SmallRig batteries and the Lexar card and you should be good to go for Seattle.
1
05/03/2026 4:45 am
Regarding what #2 said about how you can totally make that 200 bucks work if you're smart about it... he's spot on. You really don't need to go broke buying Nikon-branded gear for every little thing, especially starting out. In my experience, you can get way more value by looking at other brands:
- For cards, just go with SanDisk. Their storage has always been my go-to for reliability and you don't need the top-tier speeds for most wedding work.
- Grab some batteries from Wasabi. I've used their packs for years and they've never let me down on a shoot.
- Maybe get a generic dual charger too so you can keep everything topped off. Tbh, you're better off having a few extra budget batteries than one expensive Nikon one that leaves you hanging mid-reception. Seattle is a great spot to shoot tho, you're gonna love the Z6 II there... the low light performance is gonna save you during the ceremony.
