What controls to leave automatic for weddings? at DVinfo.net

Joe Riggs · March 21st, 2009, 12:25 PM

Whenever I have filmed a wedding so far, I use the camera in full manual mode. Obviously, I am constantly switching buttons, pulling focus, etc.. I was curious what controls others leave in automatic mode and why?

Thanks

Stephen J. Williams · March 21st, 2009, 12:47 PM

Iris is the only thing i leave in auto... gain and shutter are easy enough to control on the DVX100... I keep my focus in auto as well, but I keep a good eye to see if it starts to hunt...

Robert Bec · March 21st, 2009, 02:30 PM

I guess it comes down to which model of camera you use. I use the Z7 and it is in 100% manual mode i love being in control

Louis Maddalena · March 21st, 2009, 02:52 PM

Manual except for focus, although will switch to manual if the situation requires.

Vito DeFilippo · March 21st, 2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen J. Williams

Iris is the only thing i leave in auto...

Sorry, but I would NEVER leave iris on auto. Nothing looks more amateur to me then the look of the iris opening and closing automatically as you pan across windows or other changing light sources. And any backlit shots will be ruined with auto iris.

In running around, auto focus can be useful as modern cameras tend to do very well with it. But usually, I'm on complete manual control.

Nicholas de Kock · March 21st, 2009, 04:52 PM

Depends on situation, I usually shoot full manual except for focus with exceptions of course however when something happens very fast that requires quick thinking I turn to full automatic, either that or I lose the shot. Sometimes when I get tired I of monitoring audio I set my audio on automatic, in most cases my XHA1 does a good job.

Stephen J. Williams · March 21st, 2009, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vito DeFilippo

Sorry, but I would NEVER leave iris on auto. Nothing looks more amateur to me then the look of the iris opening and closing automatically as you pan across windows or other changing light sources. And any backlit shots will be ruined with auto iris.

In running around, auto focus can be useful as modern cameras tend to do very well with it. But usually, I'm on complete manual control.

I agree... thats why when I pan I quickly swap it over to manual. I guess I spend a little bit of time going back and forth between the two. But I would say a majority of the time it's left on auto.
For backlighting I have a user button that allows me to drop the aperture by 2 stops and expose for the subject.

Jason Magbanua · March 21st, 2009, 11:30 PM

full manual here except for the occasional auto WB.

Oleg Kalyan · March 21st, 2009, 11:34 PM

I keep Iris wide open most of the time, that would be AV..
exposure auto with manual lock, exposure compensation..

SiuChung Leung · March 22nd, 2009, 12:07 AM

Focus - mostly manual/ auto while on steadicam
iris - Manual indoor, auto outdoor
WB - Auto

Travis Cossel · March 22nd, 2009, 01:16 AM

I use full manual controls ... even when I'm on the steadicam usually. If I set anything to auto it's usually only focus and iris for specific steadicam shots.

Jason Robinson · March 22nd, 2009, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Riggs

Whenever I have filmed a wedding so far, I use the camera in full manual mode. Obviously, I am constantly switching buttons, pulling focus, etc.. I was curious what controls others leave in automatic mode and why?

Thanks

When I gliding across the room on the glidecam, then I have to be hands off, so I put it in auto BUT only if I'll be changing lighting situations drastically. If I'm facing away from the major light source the whole time, then I'll fix it into manual mode.

For cams on stationary tripods, I keep things in manual. When using my .3 semi-fish-eye I have to manually fix the focus or else my GL2 will hunt a bit.

Asvaldur Kristjansson · March 22nd, 2009, 06:22 AM

I shoot full manual almost all the time. Sometimes, before hitting the record, I set the iris to auto just to test what the camera is suggesting is right and then I go back to manual. I use the Z1 WB on manual with the assign buttons stepping +/- depending on the light in the current frame. I use this WB shift to compensate against the blue tone when people are sitting near a window.

Michael Ojjeh · March 22nd, 2009, 09:16 AM

Full manual mode except when I am using the Glidecam I use the auto focus mode, even with that sometimes I use manual focus with the Glidecam if I keep the same distance to my subject so I can be off center with out going out of focus.

Franklin Bencosme · March 22nd, 2009, 09:23 AM

Focus auto,and audio(depends) some time at my Z5

March 21st, 2009, 12:25 PM	#1
Joe Riggs Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 189	What controls to leave automatic for weddings? Whenever I have filmed a wedding so far, I use the camera in full manual mode. Obviously, I am constantly switching buttons, pulling focus, etc.. I was curious what controls others leave in automatic mode and why? Thanks

March 22nd, 2009, 12:07 AM	#10
SiuChung Leung Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 231	Focus - mostly manual/ auto while on steadicam iris - Manual indoor, auto outdoor WB - Auto __________________ S.O.D.E Wedding Video(NZ): www.sode.co.nz

March 22nd, 2009, 01:16 AM	#11
Travis Cossel Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 2,933	I use full manual controls ... even when I'm on the steadicam usually. If I set anything to auto it's usually only focus and iris for specific steadicam shots. __________________ Black Label Films www.blacklabelweddingfilms.com

March 22nd, 2009, 09:16 AM	#14
Michael Ojjeh Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 338	Full manual mode except when I am using the Glidecam I use the auto focus mode, even with that sometimes I use manual focus with the Glidecam if I keep the same distance to my subject so I can be off center with out going out of focus. __________________ Dragonfly Production http://www.dragonflyproduction.net/ http://www.vimeo.com/user432181

March 21st, 2009, 12:47 PM	#2
Stephen J. Williams Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 768	Iris is the only thing i leave in auto... gain and shutter are easy enough to control on the DVX100... I keep my focus in auto as well, but I keep a good eye to see if it starts to hunt...

March 21st, 2009, 02:30 PM	#3
Robert Bec Major Player Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 358	I guess it comes down to which model of camera you use. I use the Z7 and it is in 100% manual mode i love being in control

March 21st, 2009, 02:52 PM	#4
Louis Maddalena Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: NYC Area. Posts: 550	Manual except for focus, although will switch to manual if the situation requires.

March 21st, 2009, 04:52 PM	#6
Nicholas de Kock Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: KLD, South Africa Posts: 983	Depends on situation, I usually shoot full manual except for focus with exceptions of course however when something happens very fast that requires quick thinking I turn to full automatic, either that or I lose the shot. Sometimes when I get tired I of monitoring audio I set my audio on automatic, in most cases my XHA1 does a good job.

March 21st, 2009, 11:30 PM	#8
Jason Magbanua Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Manila Posts: 317	full manual here except for the occasional auto WB.

March 21st, 2009, 11:34 PM	#9
Oleg Kalyan Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: MOSCOW Posts: 860	I keep Iris wide open most of the time, that would be AV.. exposure auto with manual lock, exposure compensation..

March 22nd, 2009, 06:22 AM	#13
Asvaldur Kristjansson Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Reykjavik, Iceland Posts: 95	I shoot full manual almost all the time. Sometimes, before hitting the record, I set the iris to auto just to test what the camera is suggesting is right and then I go back to manual. I use the Z1 WB on manual with the assign buttons stepping +/- depending on the light in the current frame. I use this WB shift to compensate against the blue tone when people are sitting near a window.

March 22nd, 2009, 09:23 AM	#15
Franklin Bencosme Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Dominican Republic Posts: 135	Focus auto,and audio(depends) some time at my Z5