What’s a good budget camera to use with a Canon 70D for a wedding video?

[Bill Bruner]

Hi Trent – to minimize headaches with camera compatibility, you may want to consider renting another 70D from Borrowlenses for a weekend for $95.66 (shipping included), or, if you are comfortable learning a new camera, and you want something that can sit on a tripod at the back of the ceremony and run for a couple of hours, rent a Panasonic GH3 for $101.66 and buy a $50 adapter for your Canon lenses. Make sure to shoot in .MOV so your Canon and Panasonic files are compatible.

Another option, that could be helpful if this turns out to be the first of many weddings, is to buy a Canon EOS M body on closeout for $249 and a $60 EF to EF-M lens adapter.

With this combination, you’ll own your own “B” camera and save money, in the long term, over renting.

Hope this is helpful and good luck with your first wedding!!

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

[Trent Slabaugh]

I looked into the EOS-M a bit and I’m already liking what I see so far (in regards to a “B” cam, that is). I’m going to do a bit more research, but it’s looking like this could be a saving grace to go with my gear. The only downside I see right now is that I wouldn’t be able to mount too much on top of it, so I’ll need to rethink my setup for my audio gear. I was planning on buying a recorder-most likely an H6 or H4n, and renting a Sennheiser G3 lav mic along with possibly a couple Rode VideoMic (one shotgun, one stereo). If you don’t mind me asking, what are your thoughts on how to set this up-or if this is a good set of gear to have in the first place?

[Bill Bruner]

Hi Trent – glad I could help. On your audio questions, you may want to look into buying the Tascam DR-60D instead of the H4 or the H6. It has physical knobs instead of software menus (like the H4) and you can mount it under the camera to avoid putting a strain on the hotshoe or the necessity of buying a cage, bracket or rail, unlike the Zooms. Plug the recorder into your camera with a $27 Sescom LN2MIC-TASDR100 line attenuating cable and you’ll be able to record an amplified backup track to the camera (in addition to the high quality track on the recorder).

If you decide to get one of the Zooms, you can mount it atop the EOS M with a $30 Kamerar hot shoe extension.

Here’s how I mounted my recorder, top handle and mic on the Kamerar hot shoe extension on top of my Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3Ytw_NFmjcQ/UlC1Nx4Ph1I/AAAAAAAAIKY/j3PXIU0U9oQ/w724-h543-no/P1060006.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9_t8uBbGOn0/UlC1PKtqykI/AAAAAAAAIKg/0x0RNQohL6E/w724-h543-no/P1060005.JPG

As far as mics go, the G3 is a good wireless – but when you’re considering shotguns, you may want to avoid the Rode prosumer mic with its unbalanced 3.5mm output. If you ever plan to put your mic on a boom and get it closer to your subject, you will need a pro mic with balanced XLR out to reduce the possibility of RFI resulting from the longer cable run. If you can rent a Sennheiser MKH-416, the industry standard, you’ll have a much better mic than the Videomic.

Hope that’s helpful,

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

[Stu Dwyer]

Lumix GH3 is a solid in-expensive option. – we use 3 to shoot our weddings and the results are great.

Just on the Lav mic – you might consider using the Rode Smart Lav mic, in conjunction with your iPhone and the Rode app. – just put your phone on aeroplane mode, pop the lav on the groom with the phone in his inside pocket and hit record. I find the vows come out just as good if not better than the wireless system and you don’t have any issues with wireless interference which can sometimes happen with some churches who use similar wireless systems. Of course you’ll have to sync it up in post.

Cheers
Stu

Ps. Always record multiple audio sources to cover your ass!