C100: Weddings with the C100

M

Matt Turner

Well-known member
Hi all, I have been approached to team up with a wedding photographer to offer a photo + video package. I am in two minds about doing it but I know the C100 should handle everything at a wedding with no problem. I have only helped out on one wedding video shoot before so was wondering if anyone had any tips from a Canon C100 (or C300) perspective before I give it a try.

I have a C100, 24-104 F4L, 35 F1.4L, monopod, miller tripod, wireless mic, NTG3 shotgun, plenty of batteries and cards etc, Ninja 2, LED lights. Probably shoot in Wide DR and do post production in FCPX with judicious use of Magic Bullet Looks, Cosmo, etc for quick turnaround.

I can get easy access to 24 F1.4L, 50 F1.2L, 100 macro lenses, but I find the 24-105 works well in a lot of situations. Would you find a lack of something like a 70-200 to be a problem for most venues and receptions? I have been eyeing the F4, the F2.8 is probably out of my budget at the moment.

Any other items like rigs and stabilisers I would pick up later, relying on the monopod initially, though I notice a lot of wedding videos use things like a Glidecam or a Merlin. The C100 is at the top end of the Merlin 2 weight range. If anyone has used any of these with a C100 how did you find it?
 
I used to shoot weddings a lot early in my career and I rarely used anything longer than 100mm, so I think you'll find the 24-105mm versatile enough to cover most of what you want to do. Of course, a lot of wedding shooting comes down to style, and I'm the type of cameraman who likes to get close to the subject because I feel like I get a better sense of the emotional tone of the action. I know people who like to operate on long lenses and kind of take that fly on a wall perspective, but for me personally I think a big part of weddings is the details so I like to get up close and personal and shoot lots of different creative shots and pull the story together in the edit, instead of relying on big sweeping camera moves and intricate camera work to impress visually. Here's an example of some wedding work I did last year that I think exemplifies my style of wedding filmmaking.

 
I don't know how you would film a wedding with just one camera. We shoot weddings with DSLRs (5D2 & 5D3) & use a minimum of three cameras for set pieces like ceremony, speeches & first dance. This year we have also been using a C300 which is a fantastic camera with superb resolution & wonderful dynamic range. The problem is that the images from that are so great that it makes the images from all the other cameras look poor in comparison. The footage shot with the C300 stands out like a sore thumb so the option is either to shoot with all 5Ds or all C300 & the latter option is just too expensive for what couples in our market are prepared to pay. Two C100s might be just enough angles if intercut with some trick shots from a GoPro but I think that next season we are probably going to shoot with all 5D3s or just possibly all GH3s as operating unmanned cameras remotely via an iPhone is built in & for the price of one more 5D3 I can almost buy three GH3s.

Here's a sample. Spot the C300 footage. This version compressed for the web may not seem to bad but when the Blu-ray is viewed on a 60" plasma the differences between the cameras is all too apparent

http://www.alicebarkerimages.com/video/VickyNeil/
 
Finnegan said:
I used to shoot weddings a lot early in my career and I rarely used anything longer than 100mm, so I think you'll find the 24-105mm versatile enough to cover most of what you want to do. Of course, a lot of wedding shooting comes down to style, and I'm the type of cameraman who likes to get close to the subject because I feel like I get a better sense of the emotional tone of the action. I know people who like to operate on long lenses and kind of take that fly on a wall perspective, but for me personally I think a big part of weddings is the details so I like to get up close and personal and shoot lots of different creative shots and pull the story together in the edit, instead of relying on big sweeping camera moves and intricate camera work to impress visually. Here's an example of some wedding work I did last year that I think exemplifies my style of wedding filmmaking.


But yeah, based on the gear you've listed I think you're pretty good to go. Just make sure you get quality sound so that voice over can really drive your film.
Click to expand...


Sean, this was an amazingly shot and edited. The colors came out great. Would you mind sharing the tools used here? Bodies, lens, color grading and how many cams/operators? tnx
 
I agree with the other guys. The 24-105 will be able to do everything you need to get the job done at first. But the first thing you will want is another camera angle for the ceremony, toasts and dances. You will want to get some creative shots during those times and that means moving the camera. Assuming you are delivering the full ceremony to the bride (as well as toasts and dances) this means you have to have a second angle. This could even be a locked down camera but you have to have it. As you get better at doing weddings (i.e. do more) you are naturally going to start demanding more of yourself and you will add more elements which of course will add a crew member or two and equipment (like glidecam, sliders etc.) It will not be easy, but you can get by with just yourself and two cameras at first. Depending on how many weddings you have booked, I would just borrow or rent a second camera. You mention budget constraints so you are conscious of money and that is the first advice I always give anyone...dont buy gear in anticipation of things that you might do with it. Borrow gear....not money.
Two other pieces of advice...you mentioned lights. You will most likely need them for the reception especially with the F4 lens. Dont use anything on top of your camera though. Off camera lights only. There is nothing worse than flat lighting at a reception. The other advice is to get another wireless. Have one on the groom and one on the officiant for the ceremony. Assuming now that your audio is all going into the C100 you will be left without any room noise so I would get an external recorder (Zoom, etc.) it will give you the room noise that you need for music etc and it will come in handy in many situations (I use mine to record the audio from the mixer for toasts for instance)

I know you were looking for advice on lenses...:) The 70-200 F4 is a great lens and will come in handy when you get there. Great for close ups during the ceremony, dances and those churches (like one I will be at in two weeks) that make you stay in one area that is 40 feet away from the bride and groom.
 
griplimited said:
Sean, this was an amazingly shot and edited. The colors came out great. Would you mind sharing the tools used here? Bodies, lens, color grading and how many cams/operators? tnx
Click to expand...

Thanks for the kind words. For this particular wedding I used two 5D MK IIs, a 7D, and a set of EF primes + one EF 70-200mm F4.0 but most of the footage in this video is from the 50mm F1.2 and the 85mm F1.2 primes. Footage cut in FCP and graded in Colorista.
 
Thanks for the input! Great video Sean, inspiring!

Andy, do you think the 24-105 F4 / C100 combo will not be able to handle most wedding receptions without extra lighting?

Thanks for pointing out the one shooter/one camera angle: My initial thought was I don't want to do it as a full time enterprise, keep it small and reduce costs, but the opportunity is there, so...

I have a friend who also just purchased a C100 so I could potentially hire it as a static camera which will mean one static unattended C100 and one mobile C100. I don't think I could trust a DSLR as an unattended camera. Though I think I will just hire someone and factor in the cost, I'd rather do a good job! There are a number of wedding videographers in my area whose low/middle packages are only one cameraman so I assume they just set up a second unattended camera for the extra coverage.

But your approach of buy as I need it is great, as stated above I really don't want to fork out a load of $$$ to get started, I think I have enough to get me going and borrow/hire the rest.
 
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Matt, the 24-105 and the C100 will give you a picture at most wedding receptions but I wouldn't go with just that. I use a couple of LED's (Comer 1800's) on stands and hit the dance area, toasts etc. with those. Something like that just adds depth to the lighting that otherwise is not there. Even when I have my 50mm 1.4 which can basically see in the dark, I will have lights on. The key is not to have too much and ruin the atmosphere. Most photographers love these lights too (and ask me where to buy them :)

Personally I dont think you need an additional C100 as your unmanned camera (Unless your'e not paying for it!) Do you have any other video cameras? I would just use something that can give you a decent HD picture in low light. Most brides are paying you for the creative film you are producing...that is what they will watch again and again. The ceremony itself is something that I want to get good audio from and have good coverage of but I cant tell you how many brides (and I only shoot about 10 weddings a year) will tell me that they didn't even realize that they got the ceremony too! Most dont care about it. People will disagree with me but that has been my experience. It doesn't mean I dont give them a good edit of the ceremony, I just want to focus my time and money on what they really want...the story of the day.
 
Im always amazed at the use of primes at weddings. As hard as it is to continuously re-frame, the look is always 10x better.
 
For any type of event work, a second camera with a good lock off shot can be worth its weight in gold. More often than not it will be a wide shot and not need shallow depth of field so a wide variety of cameras can easily do this role.

Even having one prime - like a 50mm or 85mm - is great for capturing detail and emotion.

I'd always go with a portable audio recorder - like a Sony or a Zoom - placed in a key location so it will get all the dialog as well as the ambience. And, you never want to be completely reliant on one wireless unit.
 
griplimited said:
Im always amazed at the use of primes at weddings. As hard as it is to continuously re-frame, the look is always 10x better.
Click to expand...

So true. Zooms are far more convenient, but I find my shots are better when I work on primes. I think it makes me consciously and actively contemplate my frame instead of relying on the zoom to make adjustments.
 
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