Best HD camera for weddings?
 

Thinking about jumping to a HD camera in the next year. . .

Which one is the best for wedding videography, but not limited to just that?
Which one is the best in low light situations i.e receptions?

I currently use a DVX100a.

I use a Canon XH-A1 and it gets really good low light stuff as long as you know how to set it up. -3db gain, with the VIVID RGB preset. Samples here:

http://www.vimeo.com/861675

For under $10K your best low-light choice is the Sony EX1, but many wedding videographers are going for the Z7U instead for practical reasons. You can also get decent results with the Canon XH-A1 or Sony FX1/Z1U, but the latest Sony cameras are the popular ones for low-light situations.

@ Jimmy: It's nice to see to sample footage of the XH-A1 in not so good circumstances, what type of extra light have you used during these darker recordings?

I'm planning to switch to hd as well by the end of this year and I had the xh-a1 on my mind, but with panasonic coming with the tapeless AG-HMC150 I"ll wait long enough to see how it performs and what the price will be. Untill know cameras that recorded to memory cards were a bit above my budget but from what I read the AG-HMC150 will be in the price range of the XH-A1. Ofcourse you need to consider the price of the memorycards but using no tape anymore will be a huge advantage well worth the extra investment.

Hey Jimmy,
Explain what post production you are doing there at -3db etc. In that situation I woul dhave been at 12db gain and 1/30 shutter on the A1. That looks nice and clean. Also, what NLE?
Bill

I have a couple of V1us, a Z1u, and a G2. I use the sony's for weddings, and with proper light they do fine. I say that because a lot of emphasis in this forum is on low light capability. As I tell me clients, if you turn the lights out, your video will be dark, or have that spotted deer effect at least. So with any camera you buy, get a good light to go along with it.

Steven,

Thanks for the info.

We tell all of our clients "if you turn the lights out, your video will be dark". So I'm with you there. Howverm in this market, the photographers are the ones passing the word around about videography. The photographers hate the video lights on cameras. That's why we don't use any.

I know HD needs some light. Now the delicate balance of making great videos and getting work. Unfortunately in this market, getting the work is tough enough. Upsetting the large population of photogs would be detrimental. Now the search for the best low light capable, affordable HD camera.

Wow. I don't like photographer flashes in my cameras lenses, but that's just the way things are. I feel for you dude. Asking me to turn my light off is like asking the photog not to use his/her flash.

I honestly can't see video lights used descretely as a problem. What's fair is fair.

Ok I'm off my soapbox now.

I've never had a photographer tell me that they hate my lights whe used.

Funny thing is that they actually like ti when I use my lights, as then they can actually see what they are focusing on when the lights go out. A flash does a photographer no good as he can't see if he's in focus when he/she takes the picture.

I find it funny that everyone keeps asking what is the best camera for low light. When video needs light to begin with.

I used to shoot with Sony PD170's (the king of prosumer low light 1 lux).
It was great that the camera could almost see in the dark. But when the lights went out and I cranked up the gain and exposure the picture turned to grainy mush. Add a small on board light and the picture and color instantly comes back.

Now I shot with Sony FX1's, and although they cameras don't have as good a lux rating like the PD170's, the picture is better in low light (comparatively speaking). As I can go to 15-18 DB and the backs hold, while on a PD170 the picture would start to grain at 12db. Add a small on board light and the color can be stunning. Or you could setup a portable light like the Reception light (http://receptionlight.com/index.html) or two by the dance floor by the DJ stand or stage and get just enough light to not need a camera light. And get a better balanced shot to boot, due to the even lighting.

So in y opinion HD video doesn't need light...
Video as well as Photography needs light.

I've seen some photographers bring their own video lights for the reception.

Yeah, we experienced this in April. It was terrible. Photographer was moving it around like a large search light. It wouldn't have been so bad if they would have left them in one place.

There is one videographer that uses small LED lights on his cameras. He says they don't effect the photographer at all.

Yep been there. Had a photographer bring a softbox that he drug around the entire day. The thing was 4x3 feet and looked like a big glowing now-a-later. Needless today, it was annoying because it only glowed when a picture was taken, so it looked like 'someone' was dimming the lights on and off.

Have you considered a budget number yet? That would help focus our recommendations dramatically.

To be honest, I don't even know where the range would be. I have a DVX-100a and I've looked at the HVX-200a. So let's say $6K.

Isn't it better to go with something that can do tapeless at this stage of the game?

My wife brings me and my video light <VBG>. Even asks me to shadow her while we shoot side by side!

Seriously though, I'm using the Sony 10/20W light with a diffuser and a bracket to get it up and away from the camera, and it's plenty adequate - the diffusion helps keep the subject "happy" and softens the "hot spot" so things turn out looking pretty decent.

"Low light" is a problem for ANY imaging device other than IR... and solving it is a dark art of its own. I've got several hundred $ worth of brackets/diffusers/flashes/lights to get the best image under nearly any circumstance for stills and video. It's part of the "package", not sure there' s a single "best" solution for every situation!

Obviously though, small and unobtrusive is preferable in many live situations!! I'm not lugging a full light kit around thanks!

Tapeless.. That is a double edged sword..

I've gone tapeless but its not for everyone. If you are doing events and don't have the need for long term archiving of RAW video then tapeless makes very good sense. If you want to keep the video around for a while tapeless is not as appealing until less expensive archiving methods are mainstream.

Your budget puts you into a HDV or AVCHD Prosumer class of camera and takes the EX1 out of play. The EX1 is about the best camera for the money out there. To get an one you need to push your budget up to about $9k for the camera and accessories.

With the existing HDV cameras you can get a FireStore or nNovia DVR and go tapeless at any time. I personally use a V1U and DR60 combo and those two work seamlessly together. My only reservation with recommending the V1 is its short on low light ability (compared to the EX1). In full light the picture is very good.

Do you have any thoughts for size or weight? Do you want to use the camera with a stabilizer rig?

More questions.. Sorry. I only ask because I've been going down this road for the last couple of years. I ask myself a lot of questions.

Noa and Bill,

I have a camera light in my kit but I avoid using it at all costs. I tell the client up front that low light is going to look bad and anything important needs to happen where there is strong light, even a floodlight. If they have a wedding planner work with them so they set up the mood with plenty of lights.

I use Final Cut Pro, but all that footage was untouched by color correction. I used shutter priority mode, set it at 1/48, made sure to disable auto gain compensation and set it in the menu so I had -3db gain. Then I used the VIVID RGB preset from Stephen Dempsey.... I think its on the Canon Thread on this forum. Its good stuff. I think his setting removes noise in the blacks a bit and crushes them too. I would have to look again to be sure.

Well for my .02, I would choose the Panasonics. We are leaning towards the AG-HPX170 and a AG-HMC150, with the 170 being the main camera. Then supplementing this with cheaper consumer cameras. In any event, We like the 170 (and the 200a) because they are NOT long GOP captures (the 150 is). And, the captured material is 4:2:2 as opposed to 4:2:0. And, they use CCDs instead of CMOS. We are just starting to play with Color in FCP and I would love to see what 4:2:2 looks like!

Mike

Re: Best HD camera for weddings?
 

I also have an Xha1 and I really like it. That was some terrific footage of the wedding. I haven't shot much in low light yet, mainly outdoor stuff, but so far I like the camera. Marc Trainor.

Re: Best HD camera for weddings?
 

Wow, nice to see these posts from 2008 getting resurrected :)

Re: Best HD camera for weddings?
 

Really interesting! I like the way the story was told in the Vimeo link and was really surprised that the video was still available to view! The cake moment was funny and it was just a nice highlights film... compare it to one from today, and the wedding industry has surpassed expectations by a vast amount - if this was your typical wedding film of yesteryear.