Equipment, technique question for my 1st Wedding shoot

Robert Lee · May 12th, 2012, 12:12 AM

Sam & David, thanks so much for your feedback.

I went to Video Expo held by the Camera Co, yesterday and picked up at a great bargain the ika ILed 312 kit, in which they even threw in the 312 stand.

As I was practicing to shoot with the light on top of the camera, I notice a couple of things, one the head kinda wiggles, and 2, with the added weight of the light to the camera, it's a little heavy.

My question is.

1) In instance where I need to remove the camera from the tripod to do a hand held shoot,
what device to you recommend to support the weight?

2) other than playing with the shoe mount, to insure it's on securely, what other things
I can do to make sure it doesn't wiggle, or minimize the wiggling.

3) What audio adjustments on the nx5u, you recommend to ensure I don't pick up the audio
of the wiggleness?

Thanks!

Robert

David Chien · July 23rd, 2012, 02:38 PM

Weight - that's something you have to learn to deal with. Pick up some 10lbs weights and start exercising! =D

Pretty much what most videographers have to deal with - a 10lbs rock on their shoulders/arms for hours.

Short of stamina, there's not much you can do except off-load it to a monopod, your body, or something else you can rest on.

(we're assuming a full Steadcam-like outfit isn't in your budget, either =P

---

That said, neck strap for the camera/camcorder. When you remove the camera from tripod, strap goes around your neck immediately. Last thing you want is to accidentally drop that camera!

Also, you can use it to help stabilize the camera.

If you adjust the length correctly, you can support the camera in different ways. eg. you can have the camera out in front, neck strap tight, and elbow in belly. Lean back a touch and you've got some of that weight down on your belly so your arm doesn't have to hold up the entire camera weight.

---

SHOE MOUNT for the light/etc SHOULD NEVER WIGGLE or else it's not made right! Talk to vendor!!

Pretty much should lock in tight once you've screwed it in right and no wiggles! Otherwise, you risk both wobbles and the light falling off later.

If you must, piece of thin rubber cut to fit under so that there's no motion and less chance of the light sliding off.

--

As for audio picking up wiggles, look above!!! A light should NEVER wiggle, wobble, move, etc. once locked down into the shoe!!!! If you don't fix that, there's nothing you can do about the audio (short of having an off-board microphone).

Chris Harding · July 25th, 2012, 01:05 AM

Hi Robert

Both the early LED lights used to wobble badly cos the mounting foot was very poorly made!! What I did with those is buy myself a mini ball head that had a cold shoe foot on it and then un-bolted the light's foot and drilled a hole in the case and bolted on the mini ball head. It worked very well.

Luckily all my new lights have decent foot mounts that don't wobble!!

Chris

Peter Rush · July 25th, 2012, 01:40 AM

Get a good monopod for the ceremony - I found that using a tripod caused problems where space was v. tight and was just not as flexible - I bought the Manfrotto 561BHDV-1 and it's by far the most useful thing I've bought - pick it up and set it down in seconds without any levelling - sure it takes a while to get good with it and it'll never match up in terms of silky smooth pans and tilts but well worth the tradeoff! - I still use a tripod for the speeches though

Get on the good side of the officiant beforehand, assuring them that you won't be obtrusive/running around during the ceremony etc. Ask about any readings beforehand and where they will happen - you may need to get a mic close to the reader - or better still get a lav on them

Be prepared for the unexpected!

Nigel Barker · July 25th, 2012, 02:24 AM

No matter how steady you hold a monopod it is impossible to avoid some swaying & weaving so if there is room for a tripod then I always use that over a monopod. Monopods are great for quickly movin from place to place & when your subjects are moving so any untoward camera motion isn't obvious. For speeches & ceremony we always use a tripod if at all possible. We now use these really lightweight Giottos carbon fibre tripods with a simple video head.
Giottos MTL8251B Pro Carbon 3 Section Tripod (MTL8251B) - Wex Photographic
Giottos VH6011-658D 2-Way Video / Birding Head (GTVH6011-658D) - Wex Photographic

Chris Harding · July 25th, 2012, 05:20 AM

Hi Nigel

Ditto!! I always have the main camera on tripod the entire ceremony and for all the speeches..I'm running with a second cam on my shoulder so a monopod doesn't work for me at all. If I know the second camera will have to do a fairly long handheld shot then additional to it being a shoulder mount camera I also use a sprung rod that supports the front end and goes to a pocket in a waist strap..They call them ENG rigs and they work great especially if you are doing stuff like the first dance where you are shooting a 4 or 5 minute clip!!

I tried a monopod and found it to be un-inspiring...it resists your movement compared to handheld and it you stay dead still then a lightweight tripod is better!!

Chris

May 12th, 2012, 12:12 AM	#16
Robert Lee Major Player Join Date: May 2011 Location: W. Roxbury, MA Posts: 206	Re: Equipment, technique question for my 1st Wedding shoot Sam & David, thanks so much for your feedback. I went to Video Expo held by the Camera Co, yesterday and picked up at a great bargain the ika ILed 312 kit, in which they even threw in the 312 stand. As I was practicing to shoot with the light on top of the camera, I notice a couple of things, one the head kinda wiggles, and 2, with the added weight of the light to the camera, it's a little heavy. My question is. 1) In instance where I need to remove the camera from the tripod to do a hand held shoot, what device to you recommend to support the weight? 2) other than playing with the shoe mount, to insure it's on securely, what other things I can do to make sure it doesn't wiggle, or minimize the wiggling. 3) What audio adjustments on the nx5u, you recommend to ensure I don't pick up the audio of the wiggleness? Thanks! Robert

July 23rd, 2012, 02:38 PM	#17
David Chien Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: LA, CA Posts: 43	Re: Equipment, technique question for my 1st Wedding shoot Weight - that's something you have to learn to deal with. Pick up some 10lbs weights and start exercising! =D Pretty much what most videographers have to deal with - a 10lbs rock on their shoulders/arms for hours. Short of stamina, there's not much you can do except off-load it to a monopod, your body, or something else you can rest on. (we're assuming a full Steadcam-like outfit isn't in your budget, either =P --- That said, neck strap for the camera/camcorder. When you remove the camera from tripod, strap goes around your neck immediately. Last thing you want is to accidentally drop that camera! Also, you can use it to help stabilize the camera. If you adjust the length correctly, you can support the camera in different ways. eg. you can have the camera out in front, neck strap tight, and elbow in belly. Lean back a touch and you've got some of that weight down on your belly so your arm doesn't have to hold up the entire camera weight. --- SHOE MOUNT for the light/etc SHOULD NEVER WIGGLE or else it's not made right! Talk to vendor!! Pretty much should lock in tight once you've screwed it in right and no wiggles! Otherwise, you risk both wobbles and the light falling off later. If you must, piece of thin rubber cut to fit under so that there's no motion and less chance of the light sliding off. -- As for audio picking up wiggles, look above!!! A light should NEVER wiggle, wobble, move, etc. once locked down into the shoe!!!! If you don't fix that, there's nothing you can do about the audio (short of having an off-board microphone).

July 25th, 2012, 01:05 AM	#18
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Equipment, technique question for my 1st Wedding shoot Hi Robert Both the early LED lights used to wobble badly cos the mounting foot was very poorly made!! What I did with those is buy myself a mini ball head that had a cold shoe foot on it and then un-bolted the light's foot and drilled a hole in the case and bolted on the mini ball head. It worked very well. Luckily all my new lights have decent foot mounts that don't wobble!! Chris

July 25th, 2012, 01:40 AM	#19
Peter Rush Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: UK/Yorkshire Posts: 2,069	Re: Equipment, technique question for my 1st Wedding shoot Get a good monopod for the ceremony - I found that using a tripod caused problems where space was v. tight and was just not as flexible - I bought the Manfrotto 561BHDV-1 and it's by far the most useful thing I've bought - pick it up and set it down in seconds without any levelling - sure it takes a while to get good with it and it'll never match up in terms of silky smooth pans and tilts but well worth the tradeoff! - I still use a tripod for the speeches though Get on the good side of the officiant beforehand, assuring them that you won't be obtrusive/running around during the ceremony etc. Ask about any readings beforehand and where they will happen - you may need to get a mic close to the reader - or better still get a lav on them Be prepared for the unexpected!

July 25th, 2012, 02:24 AM	#20
Nigel Barker Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Posts: 3,531	Re: Equipment, technique question for my 1st Wedding shoot No matter how steady you hold a monopod it is impossible to avoid some swaying & weaving so if there is room for a tripod then I always use that over a monopod. Monopods are great for quickly movin from place to place & when your subjects are moving so any untoward camera motion isn't obvious. For speeches & ceremony we always use a tripod if at all possible. We now use these really lightweight Giottos carbon fibre tripods with a simple video head. Giottos MTL8251B Pro Carbon 3 Section Tripod (MTL8251B) - Wex Photographic Giottos VH6011-658D 2-Way Video / Birding Head (GTVH6011-658D) - Wex Photographic

July 25th, 2012, 05:20 AM	#21
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Equipment, technique question for my 1st Wedding shoot Hi Nigel Ditto!! I always have the main camera on tripod the entire ceremony and for all the speeches..I'm running with a second cam on my shoulder so a monopod doesn't work for me at all. If I know the second camera will have to do a fairly long handheld shot then additional to it being a shoulder mount camera I also use a sprung rod that supports the front end and goes to a pocket in a waist strap..They call them ENG rigs and they work great especially if you are doing stuff like the first dance where you are shooting a 4 or 5 minute clip!! I tried a monopod and found it to be un-inspiring...it resists your movement compared to handheld and it you stay dead still then a lightweight tripod is better!! Chris