Guy, it's not my gear, it's going to belong to the organisation, it wouldn't be honest (or intelligent as if it breaks then I'm dead dead dead!) to take it and use it at a wedding.
Studio use, on a copy stand 100% of the time, I don't think that the clutch thing is that big a deal to be honest.
Why the latest 120 Macro? I'm trying to work this out, people talk about the C1 corrections but a highly corrected macro lens, one of the most highly thought of macro's period, does it really need that much software correction? The AF confirm thing is important though.
I'm buying the gear new, I want full coverage from the dealer, if anything goes wrong, if a lens so much as gives me a dirty look, I want the dealer there on their knees handing me sacks of gold as an apology and giving me replacements and stuff!
, seriously though, yesterday the organisation told me they want things to move fast, very fast. I don't want problems that will cost money and time to solve, especially as they don't want me coming back to them during the course of the year asking for more and more money. A typical corporate situation where the accountants are trying to tell photographers how fast they can work and with what kind of budget but it is the reality here and I'm writing a paper to go with this quote which will spell out the realities of this kind of project to them. I want to be covered for the future so I can say 'I told you that you were'nt being realistic!'.
Something that only just occurred to me in bed last night, we're going to be shooting approx a million pages in two years. I've got to factor in new shutters! Is an LS rated for longer than the camera body, should that be a consideration? How much is a shutter replacement? Hmmmm.