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GH2 for wedding videographers.
  • brianlucebrianluce

    Every few years a friend asks me to cover their wedding. For free. I'm always happy to do it, but I'm no wedding guy and would never want to be one. Too much stress and too hard to control the environment/set. I think a GH2 is a less than ideal camera for weddings. Here are few reasons I feel that way:

    1. lack of built ND. Wedding was outside, but had to bouce back and forth inside, constant removing and attaching ND filter. At one point I set the ND on a counter top and couldn't find it. 5 panicky minutes before I located it.
    2. Dynamic range. Most people say GH2's DR is just "Okay", nothing exceptional, but good enough. I had wedding from hell, Shadows and bright sunlight dicing up the whole scene, dark skinned groom, lilly white/blonde bride. Everyone was either dressed in black or white. I had to pick my poison, decided to expose the bride since it's her day. She was shaded, dark skinned groom in bright light. So he ended up with a bunch of hot spots. Clipping. And it created a gliche I've never sceen, the clipped area on his forehead created a weird green tint on his skin. What's going on with this? Anyone familiar? background overexposed slightly. Anyway, a 5d might be a better wedding camera or something lelse, I dunno. I need more DR.
    3. ergonomics. I used the $49 polariod gun stock grip. But I used it as a shoulder style mount. Maybe other rigs are fine, but 8 hours with the Polaroid becomes tiring. Also when fatigue sets in, the method of half pressing the shudder button to focus isn't good. Half the time it pauses the camera. Anyway, GH2 is awesome, but I don't think weddings play to its strenghs. ymmv.
  • 35 Replies sorted by
  • actact

    Combination of Olympus OMD EM5 (daylight, preparation, outdoor location and reception) and Lumix GH2 (Driftwood Cluster 6 "forever for events!")

  • oscillianoscillian

    Just finished this highlight reel for my most recent shoot. Solo shoot with 2 GH2:s.

    Lenses used: Nokton 25 0.95, FDs 50 1.4 + 35-105 3.5, Lumix 20 1.7

  • janisjanis

    I have unintentionally done a quite a few of weddings (last summer for a LOT of my friends). Since it was "a gift" did it mostly just with GH2 and Panasonic F1.7 20mm pancake. Still some things I think may help others: * try some time-lapse (GoPro + egg timer or Canonc G series + itervalometer or CHDK) during after party * if You can do it in pair - get another friend to hold other camera :) * invest in good shoes and hat (if it's sunny) * If You do it for friends - let them sort original material them selves :) then do the edit from the shots they like I used PAG Orbitor and it works nice for moving from place to place. This year I have two weddings for friends again so I invested in Wondlan Stabiliser - will tell You how it worked after tree weeks :)

  • artiswarartiswar

    GH2 wedding production

  • peaceonearthpeaceonearth

    @brianluce thanks for the help.

  • brianlucebrianluce

    @peaceonearth I'm okay on a slider usually. two things that help:

    1. drag your hand on the rail as you slide -- smoothes it out for me at least.
    2. slide towards your body, not away, pull don't push. You use larger muscle groups -- gives a better slide.

    Ah, speaking of Filipinas, early test in Bohol...

  • peaceonearthpeaceonearth

    @brianluce sorry to hear. It seems that everybody has his own shortcoming. I myself don't get an even movement on a manual slider, no chance , I spoiled so many shots :(

  • brianlucebrianluce

    @peaceonearth Trust me I've tried. A lot of people have trouble with that because the GH2 is so light it's prone to micro jitters. I've manage to occasionally get mediocre results with GH2 in a cage. @lpcmir I'm not shocked. He's so popular now and also, a lot more money in Phils now with over 600,000 call center seat. No wonder they're taking on China!

  • ipcmlripcmlr

    @brianluce Jason charges almost $4000 now in the Philippines! Ha!

  • peaceonearthpeaceonearth

    @brianluce give it a try! I was best man at my best friend's wedding and I could only shoot on the side - no chance for any gear except the naked camera. I had one GH2, 14-140 mostly in curch and I shot with 25mm Nokton everything at the reception, the dinner & the party. Nobody realized that I was shooting a video cause it looked like photo. Maybe it's cause my main business is (still) advertising photography I am used to hold a camera as described.

  • brianlucebrianluce

    You can stabilize it easily with two hands hold the camera, both ellbows to your body and viewfinder at your head.

    You are a better man than I. I've never got good stuff without support -- let alone for shooting 9 hours of a wedding.

  • peaceonearthpeaceonearth

    if you are in doubt whether GH2 is suitable for wedding videos have a look at this video of our forum member @pop24. Great job, Paul.

    what I like very much of GH2 is EVF and shooting just with the camera without any additional stuff. You can stabilize it easily with two hands hold the camera, both ellbows to your body and viewfinder at your head. Focussing works fine with the 25mm Voigtlander and EFV. You can work quite discretely and that's a big advantage. No need to doubt image quality not at all.

  • pchristophpchristoph

    @brianluce The GH2's are great storymaking machines. Weddings are a real challenge. If you work hard to find the light and get your framing right you can achieve some nice results...but you're right it does take some work. Your friend is truly lucky to have you give such a gift. @ed_lee83 is right...I don't think they'll be upset with the GH2 DR limitations either : ) Cheers mate. This was shot using manual Pentax Takumar 50, Tamron 17-50, Samyang 85, Panny 20mm with two shooters.

  • brianlucebrianluce

    Perhaps I should have titled this topic "GH2 for Filipino weddings..."

    A few years ago Jason was charging around 50,000 peso for weddings, I'm sure his prices have gone up as his stature has grown. 50k is A LOT for the Philippines. And his vids are really good.

  • woodybrandowoodybrando

    @bwhitz good to hear another voice of reason

    @oscillian yeah I think the philip bloom review was one of the main reasons we bought the damn camera in the 1st place.

  • ipcmlripcmlr

    @brianluce Yup. Labor is cheaper. Btw, Jason is not cheap at all :p He's a celebrity and the most well known but there's a lot of very good wedding videographers back there like phoeben teocson and bob nicolas.

    Anyway you can get away with dslrs as shown by them but you do need manpower. 3 seems to be the minimum where you can breathe easier and cover the event. For my wedding I saw 3 people shooting. One person editing furiously to be able to show an sde during the reception. And 1 overall in charge.

    Looks like artiswars video is also Filipino. Saw the national costume in the vid.

    Hope I can see your video soon Brian. I'm sure it's better than you described.

  • ed_lee83ed_lee83

    Seems like you're just highlighting the GH2's poorer qualities! But hey it's for a friend they're prob not going to berate you for less-than-admirable DR.

  • brianlucebrianluce

    @ipcmlr A couple of advantages to weddings in the Philippines: Filipinos know how to throw a party! and, affordable labor! 5 man crew? Magbanua is basically a national celebrity over there. Btw, the wedding I shot yesterday was Fil-am.

  • ipcmlripcmlr

    Hi all. I haven't shot a wedding yet. But my wedding last year was shot using 3 60d with a crew of about 5 people. I saw one on a tripod. One on a monopod with feet. And another on a glidecam/slider.Looks like it takes a lot of planning and manpower.

    My friends wedding had the same number of cameras and more crew and lights inside the church.

    All the wedding videographers in my country use dslrs so I'm sure shooting with a gh2 is possible. They even make a same day edit which is shown at the reception which is around 3-5min long.

    Here's the guy who shot my wedding http://vimeo.com/user244478 Here's the guy who shot my friends wedding http://vimeo.com/jasonmagbanua

  • oscillianoscillian

    @brianluce Yeah the pressure is intense! But I find that if you plan ahead and know what's going to happen, then you can pull it off. I usually prepare a lot before a shoot, scout locations and have the couple fill out a questionnaire with all the details. I would hate to just show up thirty minutes before ceremony and wing it.

  • oscillianoscillian

    @brianluce The church was with two GH2+Vivitar 28-90 up front. I manned the "bride" camera and my second DP followed the couple entering with the Sony HX9V and then ran up to the second GH2 on the groom for the remaining ceremony.

    Oh, we used tripods in the church (Velbon C-600)

  • oscillianoscillian

    @artiswar Looking great! @brianluce My fader ND goes from ND2:ish-total black. I use it with a rubber hood instead of mattebox. Being low profile is a must for me, otherwise the guests get scared. Most recently I go "naked" and only change exposure with shutter/aperture on the fly ;)

  • brianlucebrianluce

    @oscillian How many cameras did you use for the church stuff, were all of them manned? Looks good. I think shooting weddings is difficult. Lots of pressure, no take 2, and it's a long day, then you end up with all this footage to deal with.

  • oscillianoscillian

    @woodybrando Thanks for the warning! I haven't used the XF100. The Philip Bloom review had me fooled.

    @bwhitz +1 on legacy lenses. My Canon FDs on the GH2 is really helpful in getting that low contrast look.

    I shot this with legacy lenses: FD 50 1.4, Vivitar 28-90 2.8 Wide shots indoors with Tokina 11-16 2.8. B-roll with Sony HX9V (excellent in good light!) 720 50p Smooth -2-2-2-2 Stock settings (17Mbit?) Delivery 720 25p

    Sound ZOOM H1 with lavs

  • bwhitzbwhitz

    Perhaps try a one of those low-contrast filters? I've been meaning to get one and try it out...

    Also, vintage lenses tend to be on the lower contrast side. I get much better results with my GH2 in daylight when using older lenses like my Enna Munchens and Nikkors. My Tamron 17-50mm isn't bad, but it's just a bit too crunchy for broad daylight shooting. Panny glass is even worse... contrast wise.

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