DSLR Weddings
 

I'm going to DSLR this year and have two Canon 60D's. For my third camera should I get a conventional video camera like a Canon Vixia HF S20 or another 60D?

Hi Geoffrey,

Do you shoot alone or do you have help? Do you plan on delivering short-form or long-form programs?

60D, hands down. The quality will not match and you will notice it and I think your couples will too. We shoot on two 7D's and are getting a third to make our vids that much better.

Down paddle backwards getting a video cam. Embrace the change and go full steam ahead.

I was thinking the same thing, adding a version of the Panny 700 to GH models. I got one from Amazon, did one test clip of my dining room at nighttime and sent it back the next day. Part of the clip's quality seemed pretty darn close, and then I got to where the cam blew out the white woodwork which was completely unacceptable. If you decide to try the Vixia, get it from somewhere that has a liberal return policy. Try it out on the worst scenario and then see what you think of it.

It depends a bit on the product you deliver, but I'm guessing you deliver or have the option to deliver the full ceremony, toasts, etc? If that's the case, then I would make that 3rd camera a continuous-record variation to make your life waaayyy easier. We use one strictly for wide angle shots and cutaways for the documentary edits and it's totally worthwhile. Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you won't be able to match the footage to your 60D footage. We match to 7D's all the time and I guarantee you that no bride (or videographer for that matter) would ever know.

Weddings are live, one-shot-to-get it events and it's really useful to have at least one continuous-record camera in operation. Just my opinion.

I also match 5d2 footage with my XLH1 HDV and no couple has noticed. I notice that it's a little softer.

It's so nice to be able to run multiple XLR audio sources in, not have to worry about sync (or pushing record on a separate recorder).

Geoffrey, a lot depends on how you are shooting, but my advice would be to make sure you have at least one continuously recording camera.

Are you shooting alone or do you have assistants? DSLR's are almost useless as unattended cameras because of the 4bg limit. Normally my wide camera is recording for 12 minutes before the bride even arrives, and it is often in a location that I cannot reach easily or quickly during a ceremony. Even if you have 3 shooters, consider that you'll need to be able to communicate clearly and effectively (but also silently) during the ceremony to make sure you stagger your recordings correctly.

I have one shooting assistant and one assistant who would rather not mess with a camera. My product is short-form, cinema style, but in the past, I've offered to put the whole ceremony (and speeches sometimes) as a menu item on their DVD. Some brides liked to have this option.

I already bought the Canon video camera but was thinking about exchanging it for another 60D body. I was thinking after the ceremony it would be nice to have one body dedicated to the Blackbird steady-cam and that would still leave two cameras to cover the reception.

I don't know. More undecided than ever.

I shoot DSLR all by myself and use 2-3 camera's during the ceremony. I have no problem with the 12 minute limit and don't understand all the hysteria surrounding it.

Hi Travis,

Exactly my opinion. I'm able to match up an Canon HV30 very closely. It actually matches my T2i's better than it matched my XHA1. I don't run it at receptions, but instead as a catch-all angle for the ceremony. I sell a full-doc version so its important to get it all. If I just offered short-form or had an assistant I wouldn't need it.

Hi Geoffrey,

Three DSLR's is a good option if you want to get moving camera shots during the ceremony. I have an HV30 running on wide, two static T2i with 80-200 2.8 MF lenses that I reposition throughout the ceremony and one T2i that I use for the processional on a monopod, for creative moving shots during the ceremony and a then for a glidecam exit.

I'm a fan of your work. Would you mind giving a rough idea how you'd cover a typical 20 min ceremony plus seating of parents and processional?? I'm trying to wrap my head around keeping 3 cameras going plus moving a couple of them.

Thanks!

hey Geoffrey. Thanks for the compliment. I have 2 cams locked on tripods and one roaming for slider/reaction shots. No big secrets here..sorry. For a 20 minute ceremony, the B&G pretty much stand in the same place the entire time so a closeups are easy to do from an unmanned tripod shot. Have one center aisle and one locked on the bride. I have more difficulty solo when the ceremony is only a few minutes long. Not enough time to get creative. In my opinion, I find that filming weddings are too much work for one person, but not enough work for 2 people.

Especially given how cheap you can get a small continuous-record camera for. To me it seems like a no-brainer to have one if you plan on delivering any sort of documentary edits. You probably already know this but you can use compressor in FCS to convert the footage to match the 24p frame-rate of the 7D or T2i. Not sure that everyone does this and that can make the footage look different.

Hey Travis,

I do - mostly because you couldn't use the HV30 clips with the XHA1's footage in a multicam sequence unless the frame rates match up - though the HV30 is shooting 24p its wrapped in a 60i container. The HV40 fixed that.

For a better looking conversion (fewer edge artifacts) I use JES:

Home Page of JES

But the workflow isn't a smooth. Below is a comparison of Compressor (on the left) and JES at 400%.

I also I have a Compressor droplet linked below if anyone needs it - converts 24p/60i to native 24p via Reverse Telecine.

http://tinyurl.com/45akmx3