GH3 My best wedding film until now.

S

Stab

Well-known member
I wanted to share a link with you of my latest wedding film which turned out to be the best thing that I've created until now I think. Of course it helps when you have a lovely, beautiful couple and location as it was the case luckily. It would be great to hear your opinion about it! Things that you like or don't like?

We are a wedding cinematography company based in the Netherlands. We always shoot with 2 videographers (including myself). Camera's used are the GH3 and G6. I still like the GH3 a lot. I feel like it hasn't 'aged' and barely doesn't limit me in any way.

Remarks / questions? I would love to hear them.

The video:

Also a YouTube link for the people who don't see the embedded video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogbeB1ly1Mk
 
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Looks fantastic!

The very first crane-down shot is wonderful but it cuts hard into the second view - then after that they crossfade smoothly - the first shot should definitely crossfade into the second.

Very cinematic look. Really nice.
Care to share your methods? Shooting tools and techniques? Lenses used? Post grading methods?

Thanks.
 
Looks nice. I've shot as a second camera for some weddings. Will start doing my own in August.
I have 2 GH4s but am really considering "downgrading" to GH3s as they do still look very good at less than half the price of a GH4.
So how is the slow motion and moire on the GH3? Looks like its not too bad in low light.
I have only used the GH1, GH2 and GH4.
 
Well done. You really were able to pull the best out of your cameras! Those were really nice images, good framing and some nice movement as well. Keep up the good work!
 
What resolution were you shooting? Did you just add the cinematic black bars in post?
 
Looks better than every wedding film I've seen done with a GH4. LMAO
Great work! Very nice color grading with beatiful skintones and an organic feeling to it! :)

Would love to see what you're able to pull out of a GH4/G7. :D
 
Link for those that can't watch the embedded version.

@Stab This looks great! I usually glance over wedding stuff posted here and there, but this was definitely worth a watch all the way through. Technically speaking, the cinematography was on point! I would let up on the warp stabilizer if possible, but it's hardly noticeable to the average viewer. If I could add anything else, it would be to work on shaping a more narrow storyline. Maybe it's my own misunderstanding because I don't speak the native language in this film, but it appeared to not follow a linear timeline. I was only able to interpret it as a montage with some repeating moments. Not trying to be overly critical, just constructive. Again, amazing work dude!! :)
 
Thanks for the comments!

@ DPSteward. Yea maybe you are right that there should have been a cross dissolve. After watching it so many times it doesn't feel like a 'hard cut' to me anymore but probably you are right. Thanks for the comments.

I use the Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 and a Nikon 50mm f1.8 a lot. My colleague uses the Panasonic 12-35 f2.8 and the 35-100 f2.8. He shot the footage of the groom during the preperation. Most of the other shots are mine so you can see the difference between the native Panasonic glass and adapted glass. I use a Speed Booster to adapt the Sigma and the Nikkor on the GH3.

@ npm. We shoot at 1080 / 50fps. The black bars are indeed added in post.

@ Deezid. Thanks! I still really like the GH3. I feel the world has moved on to newer camera's including the GH4, but to be honest the GH4 doesn't do much for me. I find the 4K 'harsh' and way to sharp. It's really 'in your face sharp'. Not to say you cannot shoot beautiful images with it because you certainly can, but I feel it isn't for weddings. When I make a close up of a bride I want nice skin tones, a nice blurry background and simply a good rendition of her face. The GH3 is already plenty sharp in that regard. As a matter of fact, most people are amazed with the 'sharpness' of our footage and they even watch the crappy compressed Vimeo version.

@ Daniel Brown. Thanks for your nice comments. Warp stabilizer is used often and indeed sometimes visible, but I have the feeling I never 'overdo' it. I doubt the average viewer would even see it when concentrated at the subject. And indeed, the they storyline isn't linear. I've made 30 wedding films until now and I want to keep if fresh once in a while. All the other companies follow the same pattern in their films. I want to give every film another unique aspect or storyline. For some folks it might not 'work' as good as for others. If you want a 'regular' wedding film, maybe you should book someone else. That's our vision.

Thanks again everyone.
 
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Bern Caughey said:
DVXuser's embedded videos are not visible when using Safari in iOS.

A workaround is to hit the Quote tab, at which point they are visible, then copy & paste.
Click to expand...

I forgot about that. But I added a 'real link' under the embedded video already for folks who use Safari / iOS / mobile.
 
@stab Well, congrats on the output man.

Just had a question. How do you stabilize the gh3 with the non panasonic lenses you use when you walk around like in the bride preps? Just hand held or use a monopod?
 
ipcmlr said:
@stab Well, congrats on the output man.

Just had a question. How do you stabilize the gh3 with the non panasonic lenses you use when you walk around like in the bride preps? Just hand held or use a monopod?
Click to expand...

Thanks!
I use a 'camframe'. It's similar to a Manfrotto Fig Rig. It takes some practice though but it can work well.
 
Tha's something to be proud of, a well excecuted professional looking piece. I particularly like the color, skintones looked natural and the overal look and feel is the same throughout the film. Well done. About the gh4, I have owned the g6, then the gh3 and now also the gh4. I often shoot in 1080p on the gh4 as 4K is only usefull to me if I can crop the image in post, to simulate a multiple camera setup, especially for someone like me who shoots weddings solo it's something I would not want to miss anymore when I shoot ceremonies or even speeches. The GH4 is not "that" better then teh GH3, it's just a logical evolution, it is a bit cleaner at high iso's and the addition of zebra's are a welcome help to judge exposure even better. I have shot with the g6 for a while but noticed the image was softer in 50p compared to 25p, it took me a while to figure out wwhat was wrong because I could see the difference between 25p (which was equally detailled as the gh3) and 50p and since I prefer to shoot 50p where I can I decided to get the gh4 instead because it matched better at that framerate.

If you ever want to shoot handheld without a rig with a fast lens and have stable footage you definetely should buy the new 42,5 f1.7 with ois which is only 399euro, for it's price it's an awesome lens.

Do you also use a crane for the photoshoot?
 
Yea Noa the GH4's 4K mode can be great for that. However, in 1080p mode there isn't much or any difference with the GH3. And because shoot weddings in 50p (for slow motion purposes :P) there isn't any good reason to upgrade to the GH4 for me. I'll wait for the GH5 (or another brand) which will provide 4k 50p. But actually, I don't care for the extra resolution 4K brings. I would prefer the GH5 to have better dynamic range and 1-2 stops better ISO performance.

I'm sure the 42,5 1.7 is a great lens. No doubt about it. It's just that I don't like what's happening with native glass on the Lumix camera's. No matter how much you turn off all internal sharpening and effects, they camera still carries out image 'improvements' and adds sharpness, decreases distortion, etc. For me this takes all the 'character' out of the glass and gives the final image a too harsh 'digital' look.
I prefer adapted glass for that reason. The Speed Booster also gives the GH3 an effective 1.5x crop which is the 'film standard' which people are used to look at.

I always heard good things about the G6 and how it matches the resolution of the GH3 before I bought it, but the truth is that it doesn't. It's much softer and highlights clip a tad sooner. That's why we only use it to record the wide-angle during the ceremony and as a back-up camera.

I'll stick to the GH3 until another camera < €2000,00 will be released with at least similar resoltion and better dynamic range. 10 bit 4:2:2 could be nice if the file sizes stay relatively low (important for weddings)

Maybe the GH5?
 
Stab said:
I always heard good things about the G6 and how it matches the resolution of the GH3 before I bought it, but the truth is that it doesn't. It's much softer and highlights clip a tad sooner. That's why we only use it to record the wide-angle during the ceremony and as a back-up camera.
Click to expand...

I tested on a resolution chart and in 25p the g6 visually was equally detailled as the gh3, only when I switched to 50p it got noticeable softer which explained why I noticed a sharpness difference when I mixed both camera's up in post.

Your comment about native glass having a more harsher digital look is correct, personally I like that look. I used to have the full samyang set of lenses which had a softer, and to what some refer to as "cinematic" look, but I like to work more with lenses that have OIS build in and autofocus to quickly lock my focus and then leave it in manual. If I would have plenty of time to set up my shots or if I would not be working alone, then I probably would buy myself a set of non native glass, another "disadvantage" of buying m4/3 lenses is that you lock yourself into that system but I have not regretted selling my samyang glass for native panasonic and olympus glass as they fit well into my workflow.
 
Stab,

Great job, I really enjoyed watching your Wedding Film and wondered if you would be kind enough to share with us what you charged for shooting and editing it.

Thanks for your consideration,
Phil Vardalos
 
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