GH1 For Wedding & Event Video - Pros & Cons after 5 Weddings

swyzlstyx said:
Leaving the camera in autofocus while recording is a really bad idea...on any video camera!

But unlike regular video camera, autofocus on the GH1 is EXCEPTIONAL in comparison...if you "fake" AF-S with it...and lock focus before recording. If you leave the camera in AFC while recording, it will simply hunt continuously like all video cameras do.

Of course, if you need to change focus during the middle of a scene (footage that you will use) you'll need some kind of follow focus setup. The GH1 fits my shooting style pretty well, since I shoot all tripod/stationary shots, and leave all of the movement to the subjects. I use the laser-beam focus assist to instantly nail focus with my Lumix M4/3 lenses, then start recording. (I'm surprised I haven't ripped the focus knob off the camera.) During the middle of a wedding ceremony, I won't stop recording so that PluralEyes will have an easier time syncing to the stationary balcony camera and my 3 audio recorders, so focus without the laser beam is slower...but still faster and more accurate than I can do it manually on a prosumer camcorder.

I've been shooting weddings full time for a year or so on the GH1, full time. The biggest problem is the zoom range of the 14-140 and 45-200 Lumix lenses in combination with the fact they are so pitifully slow. It is NOT a good church ceremony camera. For receptions, I love the 20mm f1.7, but close-ups during the formal dances are not possible...which makes them boring. But, it all pays the same. :D For everything else at the reception, the 20mm rules, and the 45mm Leica-Lumix macro f2.8 is great for "detail" shots.

I'd still like to pick up an HMC40 for the church weddings (which I try to weed out). The HMC150 is still a little short when it comes to the zoom range...not to mention to expensive for shooting cheap wedding videos...when you can get another GH1 for so dirt cheap in comparison.
Click to expand...


I agree with you on the focus - that is pretty much the we handle it as well.

As for the low-light close-ups, that is for sure the biggest disadvantage, and the main reason we're looking now into the EX1. The majority of our ceremonies are filmed right at sunset, so even though the 20mm pulls a nice medium shot, we totally lose the ability to get any closeups under the canopy from the main camera. The EX1 1/2" 3CMOS sensors are pretty amazing in low light, and used models with very little hours (not that hours are a big deal on digital media), are selling now around $4,000.

We tyically have one camera on a mono-pod, and the other on a DVTEC Multi-Rig, which is by far the most amazing & versatile shoulder mount/stabilizer I have ever used.
 
Gweilo66 said:
Is anyone doing online zooms? If so, how?
Click to expand...

Not really possible, at least not with the kit lens, becuase as you zoom it "ratchets" the iris down throughout the zoom range (from f4 to f5.5), and it is very noticeable.

It's also not a smooth turning zoom ring. However, if you're already shooting stopped down past f5.5, than you can try to do slight zooms manually, but you will still catch the iris ratcheting slightly as you pass each point.
 
There's a guy in this forum (I forgot the link) that uses semi-expensive (I think he got his cheap on Ebay) ENG lens on his GH-1. It has incredible zoom capability and the iris stays wide open at every length. He also has a resource to custom build the adapter for you. This might be a nice option for weddings etc.

**That's the great thing about these GH-1 cameras....their ability to adapt to many types of lenses.
 
Hmmm...someone mentioned Redrock coming out with something to help with zooms..but how much will it help with the iris issue...which...being a video only guy..not sure why that happens.
If anyone can remember the ENG zoom guy's name or info, that would be great.
I wonder how he powers it, if he does?
 
Camera flashes going off, while taking video. (GH1)

Camera flashes going off, while taking video. (GH1)

I have a question about the GH1. Have been using it for a few weddings now, and I've noticed some problems with the photographers flash going off, it creates some weirdness.

One is, at times it makes the whole image really blurry and pixelated for a split second, and other times the flash will light up only half of the screen.

Would this be from the auto focus and frame rate of the camera? I am using a manual lens in these shots, so I am pretty sure it's not auto focus. Anyone have any suggestions to fix this. These are quick grabs:

http://flickr.com/gp/fruittreestudios/966f33

http://flickr.com/gp/fruittreestudios/4V5o03
 
The first one looks like mud. The second looks like an effect of the rolling shutter. The flash duration is shorter than the time it takes the sensor to scan, so only part of the image is exposed to the flash.
 
I just did a live play with 2 GH1s and set the first in the mid row of a fairly small theater (maybe 80 seats) with the 20mm pancake. had them show me the light cues, locked the focus and iris of the pancake which is just awesome it gets such good light I could shoot at 160 or 200 iso where as on the other gh1 I was running around like a stealth ninja getting a variety of medium and close up shots.. but I had to be at about 400 or 800 iso with the kit lens...

anyway it came our pretty darn fantastic.... I made a quick $700.00 for a half hour shoot and it took me a couple hours to edit and the client couldn't believe it he said it looked like an hbo special.

it did look like i had a lot more than two cameras going... every time I moved and re-framed with the kit lens I of course just went to the wide master shot of the A cam.

These are both hacked cams so I made sure to have class 10 cards in both... would have been a nightmare if the pancake lens locked but there wasn't too much detail so I wasn't too concerned.. just a one man 30 min show on a fairly bare stage with red curtains in the background.
 
pianoboy said:
The first one looks like mud. The second looks like an effect of the rolling shutter. The flash duration is shorter than the time it takes the sensor to scan, so only part of the image is exposed to the flash.
Click to expand...

Do you know if there is a possible work around for either of these? Anyone have experience with a flash causing mud on the gh1?

Jim
 
jimmiesner said:
Do you know if there is a possible work around for either of these? Anyone have experience with a flash causing mud on the gh1?

Jim
Click to expand...


It's just like pianoboy says.

Photog flashes totally blow the video into the mud...big time. You can try the hack to minimize mud...but then I wouldn't dare shoot a wedding with it. ;)
 
jimmiesner said:
I have a question about the GH1. Have been using it for a few weddings now, and I've noticed some problems with the photographers flash going off, it creates some weirdness.

One is, at times it makes the whole image really blurry and pixelated for a split second, and other times the flash will light up only half of the screen.

Would this be from the auto focus and frame rate of the camera? I am using a manual lens in these shots, so I am pretty sure it's not auto focus. Anyone have any suggestions to fix this. These are quick grabs:

http://flickr.com/gp/fruittreestudios/966f33

http://flickr.com/gp/fruittreestudios/4V5o03
Click to expand...

Yes, that happens all the time when a flash goes off. More the 2nd image you posted, the 1/2 frame effect, which is from the rolling shutter of the GH1 (the flash "caught" the shutter 1/2 way and froze the image for a split second).

No one has ever really noticed, since in playback just looks like a flash, which is of course what everyone expects at weddings.
 
Thanks I understand the rolling shutter issue with only half of the flash being visible at a time. But I don't understand how this would cause the jello in the first image.
 
I think the mud in the first image is caused because there is an instantaneous change in detail for the entire frame (flash on, then flash off). It's too much detail for the codec to handle so it turns into mud.

Hacking it will probably be a massive improvement when dealing with flashes.
 
pianoboy said:
I think the mud in the first image is caused because there is an instantaneous change in detail for the entire frame (flash on, then flash off). It's too much detail for the codec to handle so it turns into mud.

Hacking it will probably be a massive improvement when dealing with flashes.
Click to expand...

I agree - it's worse when the photog uses double flash - I'm hoping the hack will impove it but for now I just shoot again if I notice a flash (where possible)
 
every time I moved and re-framed with the kit lens I of course just went to the wide master shot of the A cam.
Click to expand...
Assuming this is for standard def DVD, you can vary that wide shot by cropping without loss of effective (DVD) resolution. That way it doesn't show so much that you are going back to the same shot every time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top