This "bigger is more professional" idea isn't limited to video. I know too many still shooters who specialize in weddings who, back when film was the norm, insisted they had to shoot med format. The idea was that if the pro shot with a 35mm camera no bigger than the bride's Uncle Ed owned, how good could his images be?

My take -- it's the carpenter and not the hammer, and I also say -- when's the last time you ate in a restaurant and insisted on knowing what brand/size/type stove the chef cooked with?

Follow-up "The CLient Responds"
 

Just finished up the project for the client that originally mentioned and brought forth the camera size. After viewing his project he mentioned that he thought the video looked much nicer than he expected. Actually he then commented on how rich the video looked. Very nice. I must admit I used Nattress Plugin to help tweak alittle. I used some rather gorilla jib moves with my tripod to add movement and the feeling of a jib.

Once again I appreciate everyones feedback and great list of quotes.

I'll be waiting for the opportunity to use Giroud Francois quote;

"tell them that if size matter, they will feel more comfortable with the bill."

Classic!

Great that your client was happy in the end with the material.

It doesn't surprise me one bit that clients make these rather naive pre-judgments about how good/serious/professional people are based on the size/appearance of their camera ! I think it's because almost everyone has a little camcorder in their family that they use, and also that they have always seen TV broadcast camera-men with huge cameras and they just expect anyone who shoots professionally to have a huge camera and a massive blimp with fuzzy windshield etc.etc.

- So they equate small cameras with their own cheap consumer equipment.

That's a great idea. May google for pix of cell phones and find on of the old ones. Then print it actual size on cardboard and cut it out.

Be sure you have one of the new tiny cell phones. :)

That's a concern of mine. I'm thinking my work will speak for itself and overcome any concerns about the size of my camera.

Remember the phone Michael Douglas' character, Gordon Gecko, used when he called Bud Fox from the beach? It was as big as Agent 99's shoe.

Crap.

I knew size mattered.

Bryon <><

Lol.. yup... I saw an episode of X-Files on the other day that did a flash back to when Mulder met his geeky buddy's at a tech trade show and he broke out a phone just as big!