Re: Anyone using 3axis brushless gimbal rigs for weddings?
 

I'm hiring a friend who has one to shoot a wedding with me in Oct. Curious to see how well it works.

He'll be the third shooter, and will be getting all the creative stuff with that mostly.

Re: Anyone using 3axis brushless gimbal rigs for weddings?
 

Waste of money unless you have a big team in my opinion. Just more things to take care off.

Re: Anyone using 3axis brushless gimbal rigs for weddings?
 

It is one more thing to take care off, but you could say that about anything you purchase for weddings. My team is only two people.

I've been using a DJI Ronin for the last five weddings and there are definite pros and cons.

It definitely helps me keep my (for lack of a better term) steadicam work very polished. I was using the blackbird before and I could get great shots with it, but my skill level was very hit or miss. I would sometimes get that swaying motion that's hard to get rid of once it starts.

At the reception it's easily accessible and quick to set up. For dancing footage it doesn't take a lot for me to switch from a mono pod to the Ronin. I put a quick release plate on it so I can interchange quickly.

The Ronin has an inverted mode so I can flip it upside down and get shots way above the crows that are still stabilized (typically used for dancing)

The downside is that you can't just place it anywhere, you have to have the stand with you all the time, so it's cumbersome to move between locations. The Ronin is about 10 pounds, which isn't super heavy, but once you have held it for a while my arms start to go. It also has to be put together, so I usually spend an extra 5-10 minutes when I first get somewhere to set it up.

Overall, I really enjoy using and have no intention of moving away from it.

Re: Anyone using 3axis brushless gimbal rigs for weddings?
 

Tangential thought... I'm yet to use a gimbal at a wedding, but we've been playing with a Phantom Vision 2 lately, and there's an unexpected benefit -- grooms and groomsmen might hate posing for photographs, but you can get them to be interested in tech toys.

So, quadcopters, gimbals, even GoPros -- I think they can help to get the males chatty and relaxed around you, on board with what you're doing...

Re: Anyone using 3axis brushless gimbal rigs for weddings?
 

there is also the option of combining a glidecam style stabilizer with a gimbal


that's only a 2 axis but it certainly would improve footage from the glidecam

Re: Anyone using 3axis brushless gimbal rigs for weddings?
 

Don't you feel as if we are bleeding ourselves dry buying all this new tech to provide the "perfect" film for couples but yet only like 10 years ago they would of still paid the same prices as a tog/vog are just REQUIRED at a wedding ...

This industry isn't a good one any more in my opinion. I'm not saying it because I can't afford it, I mean I shoot weddings with a FS700 (my FS100 sufficed). I'm saying it because I feel as if we are giving too much for the money we charge. And if we up our prices, we don't necessarily get enough clients to pay our bills.