The client will not be impressed with Panasonic 953, no matter how good the picture is. The talent will not be impressed either. Can't someone come up with a shoulder mount camera with the 953 specs, but so monstrously large that it will also need a special body harness to support it? They always look into the lens of the biggest camera and think that you're the one that matters most. :)

Actually, 2 weddings ago I used 2 small GR-DVL9500U cams, mingled in with bozos with big cams. When everything was done and finished, the couple threw all the videos in the garbage, except for mine. They even wanted more copies, NTSC and PAL. At another wedding, this "pro" used a XL1s. Yup, he got paid alright. He wanted the money up front. However, once they received the 2-hour video, they wanted to kill him. Instead, the settled for 80% of their money back.

"The client will not be impressed with Panasonic 953, no matter how good the picture is."

Keep dreaming.

Hey Frank, how about the ones you mentioned you like to shoot with your camera the most, don't thay claim that size matters? :)

I'm well endowed (with cam gear), never any complaints---but I could always use more, like a Beachtek, Senn 66, another cam (such as the poor man's DVX100), and perhaps a small monitor. And you?

My favorite one is a small one -- Sony Ruvi which I take on vacations -- very small.

You da man, Joseph. A Sony man, I might add. :)

<<<-- Originally posted by Frank Granovski : . At another wedding, this "pro" used a XL1s. Yup, he got paid alright. He wanted the money up front. However, once they received the 2-hour video, they wanted to kill him. Instead, the settled for 80% of their money back.
-->>>

What happened?

Footage of feet, the floor (like a lot of it), camera was always crooked---30 degress or more, lightning fast zooms, pans and tilts, wrong subjects, auto focus/white balance, tripod sitting naked while the cam was being "hand-held," so it was very shacky, poor positioning of subjects in back of subjects---no correction. Should I go on? Everyone who saw it couldn't believe how trashy it was. I mean, people were angry that it was so bad.

One good thing was that the XL1 colors were amazing---just out of focus a lot!

makes you wonder...

people's perceptions of "professional" seem to stem from the camera you use...NOT what you do with it.

on top of that, most of the work is actually done in post...which is where a lot of videographers here in Oz fail...(big time)
There have been many times where i have re-worked an old wedding and gave it a new fresh look...its part of what i do.

I actaully use the MX500's size as a selling tool, so i don't really have that many issues with their ideas on size...once they figure out how much the cam is actually worth in $$ (here in Oz anyways) they think twice....

One thing i do wish, is that it was BLACK!

a more pro look is to get a shoulder mount kit.

<<<-- Originally posted by Frank Granovski : Footage of feet, the floor (like a lot of it), camera was always crooked---30 degress or more, lightning fast zooms, pans and tilts, wrong subjects, auto focus/white balance, tripod sitting naked while the cam was being "hand-held," so it was very shacky, poor positioning of subjects in back of subjects---no correction. Should I go on? Everyone who saw it couldn't believe how trashy it was. I mean, people were angry that it was so bad.

One good thing was that the XL1 colors were amazing---just out of focus a lot! -->>>

Again, more proof that the camera is just a paintbrush, and is the smallest factor in the overall result. Sad that had to happen though.

On the other hand, it points out that a big impressive camera will also get you jobs, even if you are a chimp.

"On the other hand, it points out that a big impressive camera will also get you jobs, even if you are a chimp."

Actually, the camera operator was a young English man---younger than me, any way!

The chimp with the big camera will only get the job once. This thread lends it's self to the obvious statement - "It's not the tool it's the craftsman".

Steve

"On the other hand, it points out that a big impressive camera will also get you jobs, even if you are a chimp."

Actually, the camera operator was a young English man---younger than me, any way! "

I hope your not calling us Englishmen chimps?!...hahaha.

Well anyhow if you go to Hartlepool, England. They actually (true story) hung a monkey, dressed in human clothes, that was shipwreck and landed on shore for being a French Spy! So if your a Chimp with a camera, dont go there cos they'll hang you!!

Nope I just said:

the camera operator was a young English man---younger than me, any way

It was the other fellow who wrote that he was a chimp. :)

There's a young English man working in the coffee shop around the corner from where I live. His name is, George W. Bush. I'm not kidding. My wife met him today and she cracked up. :)