[Vitaly Dmitriev]

Hi Bob,

Thanks for your tips! I’m going to do three cameras on the next wedding: Panasonic camcorder (static), GoPro (static), DSLR (on a rig). I’m using Zoom H4N for my main sound pickup, usually placing it next to the altar. Unfortunately most weddings here in Slovakia don’t have a soundboard to plug in, so I have to pick up a live sound, or sometimes place a camcorder closer to the speaker to pick up a backup sound source.

Regarding your point on rehearsals, it’s a great recommendation. However, most of the weddings here don’t have a rehearsal stage, yet I am nevertheless trying to attend, or at least get the detailed info, from the preliminary meetings in church/venue and/or the place of celebration. This helps a lot as you’ve said.

I’m gonna use GoPro for two purposes this time around: 1) for the static wide shot of the ceremony 2) for the steadicam shots during b-roll (I got a cheap smoothshop steadicam from eBay for my Panasonic camcorder couple of years ago, and never managed to balance it perfectly, but with a particular GoPro setup it’s as steady as I could ever imagine a steadicam to be 🙂

Once again thanks for your contribution to the topic!

[Vitaly Dmitriev]

Thanks for the great tips on the camera setup. You’re right, I will eventually have to get a partner. First will do couple of smaller budget weddings, and see how the single-person option works out with two cameras.

One thing you mentioned earlier regards the framerate of cameras. The thing is that I’m shooting 1080p 24p on the DSLR (no higher framerates on this resolution), and the camcorder only has the 1080p 60p option. When conformed to 24p (without the slow motion, i.e. will have to drop frames), and I’m using Premiere, would that result in a different fluidity of motion compared to the 24p footage from my DSLR? Heard that the outcome video may be jerky. Have you dealt with that before?

Thanks!

[Vitaly Dmitriev]

Thanks for the reply, Mark! Could you suggest the most budget-friendly, yet good enough in quality, go-pro-like camera? This suggestion seems rather interesting, would definitely give more security in getting views from more angles. However, I’m once again afraid that this would be cumbersome to set up and then collect the extra additional cameras on my own, while many of the weddings I do require constant filming.

I’ve tried yesterday to use my camera backpack’s waist straps to secure the tripod with the camcorder to my body, while still leaving two hands free to operate the DSLR rig. It’s pretty uncomfortable, but I could move the tripod over to the new location that way while still shooting with the DSLR.