HVX For Weddings.

[perfect_blue]

Right now i am looking for a camera to buy. i have been reading and researching way too much and thought it would be great for some info.

I have a chance to get a new hvx at a great price but have heard bad things about it for weddings. I like the options it offers for future projects but for now mainly a wedding cam. I have been looking at the canon xha1, sony hvr z1 and the hvx. Currently i am using a vx2100 but have enough experience to move on now.

Btw i should look it up but can you shoot 4:3 with the hvx?

[manglerBMX]

i shot a wedding last weekend with the hvx and a firestore. the camera is great for most things but i would not consider weddings to be one of them. most interior weddings are somewhat low light, which the hvx is not the best with. if it was a full on exterior wedding during the day, yeah it would be perfect. but with weddings you pretty much never fully know what you're going to get. part of that wedding i used an A1 for a 3rd cam during the ceremony, i would suggest using the A1 for weddings over the hvx, but that all depends if you are ok with hdv. for me, its not one of my most enjoyed codecs.

and with using the hvx for long form recording such as a wedding you're going to want to have either a firestore or quite a few p2 cards and someone dedicated to offloading the cards.

you can only shoot 4x3 in SD mode. HD is always 16x9, but you can use on screen guides that are setup for 4x3 if you want to crop in post.

[reem12]

Hey, I was told the hvx shoots native 16x9 in standard def to. can someone else please chime in.

[David Jimerson]

It shoots native 16:9 in standard def, if you want to.

[reem12]

is sqeez node in sd on the hvx the 16x9 mode?

[David Jimerson]

Yes. It shouldn't be called that, but it is.

[Morpheus_23]

Actually, most of the HD/V cameras are not good for low light events. Some are worse than others for sure. Clearly, HD/V likes well lit settings. I've used quite a few cameras in low light settings and had the best experiences with Canon. The XHA1 and HV10 specifically. HV10 did very well.
But I use the SD mode of the HVX for most low lit shots.

[perfect_blue]

If the camera shoots that much better in low light shooting in SD that is fine. People really are not that fussy most don't know much about cams etc. In your experiences does it help in SD?

[ProfessorU]

Not really... I don't think any HD cam has enough low-light performace to be acceptable for most receptions. Consider shooting the ceremony in HD and everything dark with a different camera (like a DVX100 or something else relatively cheap).

[puredrifting]

Not really... I don't think any HD cam has enough low-light performace to be acceptable for most receptions. Consider shooting the ceremony in HD and everything dark with a different camera (like a DVX100 or something else relatively cheap).

Or buy an HPX-500. ;-) It's 2/3" sensors do pretty well on low light. Most wedding videographers don't use a camera that expensive though.

Dan

[TheRealMe]

Don't most wedding videographers shoot in HD now? Reading this thread is a bit confusing for someone looking for an HD cam for wedding.

HPX-500?! Yeah right! :)

[jinks]

I recently shot a wedding with the hvx and the church ceromony was a bit ok but still noisy given that the church was dimly lit. I was able to wow the couple with the outdoor footage where they had their photo shoot and that's where the hvx really shines with noiseless vibrant colors and glass smooth slo-mo's. Then came the reception which was almost as dark as a night club and once again it struggled there even with a powerful onboard light and shutter at 1/24. Any camera in these conditions is going to be noisy, even my old trusty dvc60 which perfoms pretty well in low light was noisy. Bottom line, most hd cameras will struggle in low light but you can make up for it with a reel of highlights of the well lit/outdoor shots. Atleast that's what I did for my clients and they were very happy with the end result.

[puredrifting]

I recently shot a wedding with the hvx and the church ceromony was a bit ok but still noisy given that the church was dimly lit. I was able to wow the couple with the outdoor footage where they had their photo shoot and that's where the hvx really shines with noiseless vibrant colors and glass smooth slo-mo's. Then came the reception which was almost as dark as a night club and once again it struggled there even with a powerful onboard light and shutter at 1/24. Any camera in these conditions is going to be noisy, even my old trusty dvc60 which perfoms pretty well in low light was noisy. Bottom line, most hd cameras will struggle in low light but you can make up for it with a reel of highlights of the well lit/outdoor shots. Atleast that's what I did for my clients and they were very happy with the end result.

I was the photographer at my brothers wedding (man, I really didn't want to do it, but he was young, broke and begged me) and it seems like a contractual obligation that all wedding reception halls are dark caves. I have yet to attend one that was even barely adequately lit. If I was videotaping weddings/receptions, I would spring for an assistant to help me setup some big lights and just bounce them up into the corners of the room. Perhaps 4-6 1ks, making sure that each was on it's own circuit and sandbagged and a potted tree or plant put in front of it. Nobody would complain about the lights because the beams would just be bouncing off of the walls/ceiling to raise the overall ambient light level in the room. Buy used, buy cheap, even Home Depot worklights would do fine for this.

Raising up the ambient light level along with an on-camera LED would probably do the trick to help out the HVX.

But it takes time and money to do that.

Dan

[David Saraceno]

We shot an indoor Hall of Fame presentation in, of all things, a church hall. Talked with the client endlessly about getting more ambient light, but in the long run we got a little noisy and grainy footage

Then we went outside and shot the awardees in good light.

Client liked the indoor shots, but when he saw the out door stuff, his jaw dropped.

All I can say is atleast an on cam light.

[ProjX v2.0]

Don't most wedding videographers shoot in HD now?

Yes, most of the good ones do. You can see for yourself at http://www.wedfact.tv

As an HVX user, I would not recommend the HVX for shooting weddings unless you are very well educated and experienced with what that camera can and can't do.

The Canon A1 is a better bet with it's improved lowlight performance. You can see for yourself by checking out this Canon promo that incorporates real wedding footage shot with an A1:
http://stillmotionblog.com/?p=258

[mcvideo]

I recently shot a wedding with the hvx and the church ceromony was a bit ok but still noisy given that the church was dimly lit. I was able to wow the couple with the outdoor footage where they had their photo shoot and that's where the hvx really shines with noiseless vibrant colors and glass smooth slo-mo's. Then came the reception which was almost as dark as a night club and once again it struggled there even with a powerful onboard light and shutter at 1/24. Any camera in these conditions is going to be noisy, even my old trusty dvc60 which perfoms pretty well in low light was noisy. Bottom line, most hd cameras will struggle in low light but you can make up for it with a reel of highlights of the well lit/outdoor shots. Atleast that's what I did for my clients and they were very happy with the end result.


do you have any small clips of the ceremony and reception (low light parts) that you dont mind posting so we can see? Ah a clip of the reception with your light to see how it performed would be grreat! Did your client complain about the grain etc? Or did you warn them about the performance in low light in advance?

[dolph2000]

only use HVX with enough gigs on cards to shoot without dumping.
In my opinion the lowlight problem in weddings isn't a big problem. the audience watching this film is not the audience which sees grain/noise at all or mind if so (in general).
I did a lot of weddings with my HVX and did this on a dvrigpro. The HVX is heavier than let's say the sony HDV camcorder so the rig will be your back best friend especially with light.

I film weddings more in a documetary style. often use longer lens (no camlight, because that only makes sense when youre standing within 3 meters) and I don't camlight like lit faces, I rather like ambient lit faces, but that's taste. I also hate people talking into the camera and tell stories wich are even less intersting then a bag of chips you;re probably will get from the kitchen because all the BS stories are to boring.
I try to make a intimite story by using longer lens, ambient light and sound. try to make the story you want to put on youre reel. a story that 'you' made instead of the wedding couple. that will make the difference in shooting and the next time people wants something different. But this is ofcourse my opinion

[drdimento]

Or buy an HPX-500. ;-) It's 2/3" sensors do pretty well on low light. Most wedding videographers don't use a camera that expensive though.

Dan

Let alone that's a wallop to pack at a wedding. We use both the HVX200 and DVX100 in different ways and we've not had a problem with either until the reception gets really really dark. Then I just bump the HVX200 to the +18 if I have too (by setting it to the #3 hot button) OR (as I usually do) go find where the light controls are and turn the lights up myself OR tell someone to do it because the picture is starting to suck and these folks are paying for this. I also always carry a 100W variable control light with me and a dual battery belt pak . . just in case . . after all the photographer does.

[perfect_blue]

Don't most wedding videographers shoot in HD now? Reading this thread is a bit confusing for someone looking for an HD cam for wedding.

HPX-500?! Yeah right! :)

My first wedding was in september last year and the vx was my first camera(kicks ass in low light) but as i now need a second camera and am getting very busy am now getting into HD to start competing with the big boys.

We all have to start somewhere.

[jinks]

do you have any small clips of the ceremony and reception (low light parts) that you dont mind posting so we can see? Ah a clip of the reception with your light to see how it performed would be grreat! Did your client complain about the grain etc? Or did you warn them about the performance in low light in advance?

Mcvideo I will find some clips and put them up for you, as for the client complaining about grain... it's funny becoz they didn't even notice it. They're my friends so we watched the video together, I was quite nervous in the begning as to what they were going to say when the noisy clips came on but they didn't even notice anything at all. As a matter of fact, I tried explaining to them about the noise and they were like what the f*@# are you talking about? this vidoe looks so damn GOOD! I just shut my mouth up and smiled inside my heart.
I did another video for a client in a dark hall and fore-warned him about the noise but he just wouldn't let me set up any lights period. When he saw the video, he was like... man you rock. And he went on tell me how he's had several functions in the same hall and none of the video before ever looked as good as mine. When personally I watch the video it's crap, but he loves it. I think we videographers sometimes spend so much time worrying about the techinicalities rather than being creative with our work. The average person doesn't know what noise is until you point it out to them, my strategy is to always shoot, edit and narrate the story in a way that the client didn't expect or is not used to seing. That way, the simple draw backs like noise blah blah blah are a non factor.

I like puredrifting's idea of 4 1k's in corners bouncing off the ceiling especially if you have the manpower to help you set them up.

[mjdorris]

I got a little confused here--someone seemed to suggest that shooting in SD will help out with the noise? If so could you get away with shooting in squeeze, up rezzing, and then shooting the well lit stuff in HD? (ie sacrifice hd grain for sd low qual)

Somewhat relatedly--how does the HVX perform for taping plays or low light performances?

Thanks,
M

[ericcosh]

Hi All:

Just like to add my 2 cents to this whole post. Shooting HD weddings using the HVX200 has been a real problem until recently with regard to P2 cards and their prices. As you know, that has changed now.

I shoot all my wedding ceremonies using two HVX200's in HD 720 24PN. I also use two SD1's (AVCHD) as stationary cameras and then convert them in post. At this time, I"m still shooting my receptions using SD (16x9 24PA) unless I have really good lighting.

With regard to lighting, there are several things that we as videographers can do. What I do is have the client inform the coordinator or banquet captain that I will need to have the lights turned up for the grand entrance. As for the toasts, I follow the Inverse Square Rule of light, which is in essence, if you double the distance from the source, you either get 4 times as much light or 4 times less light. Example. If you stand say 16 feet away from a subject with your light and camera and it's too dark, if you move to 8 feet away, you receive 4 times (2 full F stops) more light.

Unless you have HMI's you're just not going to light an entire ballroom with just one light. For that reason, I use two cameras and two lights for all shoots and in most cases, always have enough light just by getting closer to the subject.