MrSMW

I agree with Kye. You can and I mostly do, use 'auto lot's of stuff' (mainly WB) but whether you can trust it is up for debate. Define 'trust'... 100% bullet proof? Good enough most of the time, for most uses? For me, that's when WB is because in the heat of my fast-paced work, it's one less thing to not have to think about and the way I work, it would be an utter PITA to do so because I use 3 principal memory settings when flipping between stills and video and I'd need to reset and lock in the WB in the memory settings for each camera every time. Err, no, too prone to error. Reality shooting 100's of clips. Not an issue. Ditto auto-ISO for stills. I always use auto-ISO unless it's after dark and I'm doing a slow shutter speed landscape or something when I maybe want a long exposure and low ISO. Fireworks or the Milky Way is another example. But every day work stuff. Auto-ISO. Unless using flash in which case I just pick something like 800 and go with that. If I didn't shoot hybrid on the same bodies, I'd take a bit more control, but as with all forms of juggling, there are human limitations.

I think we are a million miles from the pro market using a phone as their pro tool. If ever. Just because it can do some things, seemingly on a similar level, these things do not. And whilst camera development may be slowing (is it?), it's still going to be ahead of phones. Phones are gaining more camera tech than cameras are gaining phone tech but I don't see a point where they become one and the same thing. Sometimes, you just need a specific tool to do a job.

Actually, about 4 years ago I was having coffee with a wedding planner and she was gushing about 'Mr Bigshot film photographer' and how he used film and was "the best" so could charge so much more than anyone else. In her words, "he's on another level". So later, out of curiosity, I looked him up and his wedding work at the same venue I have worked at. And then fell about the floor laughing as at least 1/4 of his work was out of focus or had so much motion blur, it was obvious he was using far too slow a film stock in lower light conditions. On "another level"? On "another planet" more like. The little known planet called Delusion. His portrait stuff was good, but he was and still is a one trick pony. The rest of his wedding coverage was below average in my opinion. But hey, what do I know...

My first wedding and from then on until I went digital was 8 rolls of 36 exp, 4x colour and 4x B&W in 2x Nikon F3 bodies, each with a 50mm, so 288 max poss. I then had a cost option to go to 10 or 12. Developed and printed the first one (B&W) at home. Never again. Today I shoot an average 2000-3000 frames at a wedding depending on whether it's 1, 2 or 3 days coverage (with those days either side being 1/2 days and often limited in material) and typically 500-700 make the cull to edit and then present to clients. I do double tap most shots and may take 5-6 of the same scene from slightly different angles or more as it develops. Could I go back to 'shoot 300, provide 300'? Probably, but the safety net would have been removed as would a large chunk of creativity because whilst some may machine gun for no reason other than a lack of confidence, the biggest bonus of digital has been we can be more creative without it costing us anything. How much is a typical buy/expose/scan/cheap print roll of 36exp film today? 25 dollars/euros/pounds? That would be 200 gone today, every job. To shoot what even I do on film today, cost per job would be an average 1736 dollars/euros/pounds with an average 69 roll changes and would require large stocks of all kinds of different film speeds. What. A. Frikkin. Nightmare. I think there is a market for film photography for weddings, but it's not shooting it like digital because that would be insane.

I only work with the Flat profile for all my work, but Panasonic Flat profile. Previously, I was a ‘Natural’ guy but I tried Flat earlier this year and immediately noticed I liked it more. I shoot S35 crop mode across all 4 bodies and with the S5 and S1H, 4k 50p and with my pair of S1R’s 5k 25p. If anything, I prefer the 5k footage. I guess it’s the different sensor it has, but IMO there’s some magic about the supposedly least video-centric of the S cameras. I just wish it would do 50p in this 10 bit 5k mode… The footage I like the least is that from the S1H shock horror. I think it’s due to the anti-aliasing filter and so I have the sharpening set higher in this unit and use my 2 sharpest lenses. And before anyone says you don’t want sharp output blah blah blah, actually I do because I can always reduce it in post whereas if it’s captured as mush… And by ‘sharp’ I don’t mean over-sharpened, but just something to my eye that does not look soft. Anyway, grading it… Simple and doesn’t need much. I use Première and simply adjust the highs, lows and sometimes mids. Then I might boost sat to 120% in landscape footage. Twiddle the colour balance if needed but skin tones tend to be pretty decent. As always, getting it as right in camera as possible is our friend, so WB along with exposure. Then a single layer Film Convert Nitrate film stock customised to my tastes plus a second single layer of secret sauce that just adds the final ingredient to my ‘look’ et voila, done. But SOOC, Flat is my standard and I like it 👍

Oh definitely pros and cons to being a full-time wedding shooter, but then there are with all careers. On balance, not much else I would or even could switch to. I wouldn’t start up today though knowing what I know as trying to become established as a start up in 2022 is far more than just producing pretty pictures. My first 4-5 years in the game was exclusively film and I’d never go back to that, even as a side option.

Define ‘good’…. A bit mental is the term I would use. Since 8th April, other than 2 family days off, I have worked every day min 12 hours, whether that be shooting, traveling to or from, or editing/doing admin. I am currently 4.5 weddings behind on the editing side. By the end of this month, I will be 9 weddings behind… I am never behind. Well rarely by 1 or 2 max and I quickly catch up during the season, but this one is the mother of all seasons. And then there will still be the Sep jobs and 1 in early Oct. Some great events and couples. Some less so… It will take me up until the end of Nov at least to catch up and then I can breathe once more. The downside has been that in 2021 when I shifted to L Mount, I had a more limited kit but made the best use of it. This year has added more (needed) kit and I have juggled various combos around but the problem has been I have had to shoot another 2-3 weddings before I fully know the result of any prior wedding where I have made changes. Only a few blips along the way and a couple of bits of kit I intended to sell, I have kept and I don’t miss anything I have sold. Sold the Panny 85mm f1.8 and the freebie Sigma 45mm f2.8 with zero regrets. Not yet sold the DJI Action 2 which is the only bit of kit I am not using. Back on the fence over the VND EF to L Mount adapter and Meike cine lens and it’s the other bit of kit I have shelved. Just can’t find a place for it now I’ve moved a few lenses around. Pity because the quality it produces is great.

Well I checked this morning as it happens and Panny France use a company called Nexxen or something (the name I forget) and they have a proper procedure as of course they should do. The only problem is no timescales and this also being France… just saying… 😜 Unless it actually stops working, it’s going to have to last 2 more months… I tried some electrical tape but then the screen won’t fold in so even more likely to get completely knocked off. Hate the sticky out the side things with unbridled passion. Like onions, they are the work of the devil. On another note, I finally decided on a long(er) lens after going back and forth between the Sigma 90mm f2.8 and the 105mm f2.8 macro and went with the latter. Why did I not do this sooner?! Had a kit rework as a result and I think that finally, after around 30 or so Lumix based full frame weddings, I have it sorted. With a single Sony interloper (the ZV1).

Pretty sure I’d take around the same whichever device I had with me, camera or phone. I would rather have/use a camera but the reality is it’s an extra device to be porting around and whenever I have taken both, I ended up either replicating or using the phone more. Like many others, I take little to no joy using my phone. For anything. It is literally just a functional tool to me. I do not spend any time looking at reviews or news about phones (other than briefly and specifically when buying a new one) and subscribe to any kind of user or tech channel that blathers on about phones? Eugh, no! I suspect if I didn’t make a living out of photography, I’d be more likely to use a camera outside of work, but for personal stuff, I can no longer be bothered. Unless someone wishes to gift me an X100V and then I’ll make an effort. But anything less such as an F or a T, go away.

I looked at various Android options before I went with my iPhone 13 with a view to the photo side, but in the end decided I would rather stay in the Apple ecosystem. Not because I’m a fanboy (I prefer to buy unbranded products whenever I can and don’t like paying a premium to simply be a walking billboard) but rather because it works for me. I went with the 13 to replace: an 8, a compact everyday camera and a dedicated drone controller. I prefer the convenience of a phone as my every day camera, but the downside is the ergos/handling/use ability which definitely isn’t as nice as even a small ‘proper’ camera. Still a long looooooong way off any kind of ‘phone’ taking over my pro needs and unlikely within the remainder of my career, but all that ‘stuff’ you speculated about Andrew will come because that’s where it’s headed. It’s not just phone tech that is hurting actual ‘real’ camera budgets and development but stuff like AI. Perhaps even more so, ie, what is becoming possible with any old shitty footage. Or even no footage and the whole thing is fake… It’s not going to take over and dominate for the 10-12 years I have to eke out a living, but I do think the photo industry (as we know it) especially is changing. That’s just reality and either adapt or die, or find a niche. If it changes quicker than I anticipate, I’ll just start playing the retro card 😎

Oh flip… all this time I meant I switched from the AX100 to the ZV1🤪 Never had a 700! I think the sun must have gone to my head today… Apologies @stefanocps !!!!

10 or 12k square format sensor on my wishlist! But being serious, I am thinking more and more that after this current season is done, over the Winter I am going to take a good look at maybe a completely new way (for both me and the generally accepted norm) of doing things. I can’t see any way as a one man band around still using 3 cameras at certain times, but I can see ways of making my capture workflow more accurate and efficient. Interesting times… I think I may just have to pick up a used R5 and a lens towards the end of my season and tag along at a colleagues wedding and try just an 8k video and extracted stills workflow. It will test both the overheating issues and just how much I can pull stills-wise from a horizontal video format. As above, I’ve pulled stuff off both 4 and 6k, but not shot exclusively to do both (video with the intention of then lifting the stills). Might try it with my S1R’s actually as I shoot 5k and the footage is excellent…

I'm surprised my little ZV1 doesn't cook to be honest but it's only shut off once this Summer but that was in 40c/100f in the shade, direct sunshine for 30 mins plus...

Et voila: https://www.mpb.com/en-eu/product/sony-zv-1/sku-1512990

Well I am sure you can find a ZV1 for under 500 easily.

And just one further thought and that is I am even toying with ditching full frame for all my video/filmmaking needs and running instead maybe 3x ZV1... Reality though is not this year and by next, maybe the next gen will be out and that might make even more sense. The bottom line is that the quality is just about good enough for my needs but for portability, set up etc, running 3 of the things in a dedicated role 'might' be a better all round solution for my needs than lugging about; an S1H, S5 and a pair of hybrid S1R's... But back to the AX700, - it was a decent bit of kit but not really what I wanted so when the opportunity came to make some changes, I made the switch.

Only giving up the long end of the zoom for my purposes, otherwise I am using the ZV1 in 3 different ways: 1. Static unit for long recordings. With power bank it's essentially unlimited recording only limited by card size and power bank. 2. Gimbal cam. I use so little gimbal on any job and only for the same very specific purposes. I do not want any longer set up than 10 seconds. Using the QR plate means that other than switching on the gimbal and taking it off the tripod, it's around 5 seconds to transform from static to fully working gimbal camera. 3: It takes 2 seconds to release the camera from the gimbal and it's a tiny handheld unit. OK, it will not fit in the pocket with the cage but the cage adds to the handling and on a pro job, makes it look less like a compact camera. I don't 'hate' Sony as such, but rather just find them a very functional but otherwise boring camera company. Ie, their stuff works, but I get no joy from using any of it. But the main reason I gave up the AX700 is the AF. It is not reliable and the ZV1 is about as a good as it gets. The ZV1 just suits my needs better in the role(s) I use it for.

So both camera and lens are set to MF? If so, can’t think of anything except the lens is stuck in MF internally. And changing the subject, vindicated once again in my loathing for flip out side screens as the one on my S5 is now still working but partially hanging off after a bump. Did this with an XT2 and XT3 so third body to have been damaged so. I hate flip out side screens with a passion…

I had the AX700 and used it as a workhorse every job but last year, swapped it’s role for a ZV1 and sacrificed 70+mm range for: Size/weight/genuine pocketability. Faster aperture lens. Better AF. (The AF on the AX700 can wander off and stay wandered off if you don’t keep an eye on it). It’s not a camcorder. I have mine ‘rigged up’ with: Smallrig cage Rode Wireless Go Lightweight tripod Crane M3 gimbal Powerbank File output tweaked as close as I could get it to match my full frame Lumix cameras. Obviously it does not have the same outright image quality or DR but it’s very good in it’s role as my principal static full duration single wide angle ceremony and speeches unit, but then the gimbal whips off the QR plate and it becomes uber-lightweight gimbal cam for the few times I need such a thing. The only thing I don’t love about the ZV1 is that it’s branded Sony. Maybe I will get a Lumix sticker for it…

Yep, it’s like blaming the child for the actions of the parent. Along with the Z9, ‘ultimate’ hybrid at this point in time for me. Time for Lumix to up their game…

Yes and this is where for me the R5 is interesting because ditch the ND’s and crank the shutter speed to say min 1/250th and then simply pull stills. I have tried with in both 4k 50p and 6k 25p mode with my Lumix cameras. Pretty decent results so I can imagine what 8k stills would be like. As a fast-paced hybrid shooter faced at any point with one or the other, it’s easy, go video because you have a chance of pulling stills from the footage but you can’t make a movie from your stills unless shooting 24/25fps! One day I need to do an entire job of exclusively not shooting any stills but pulling it all 100% from the video. Now it ‘does not’ overheat, that could be interesting with an R5…

Maybe so, but even 8 seconds is too long for my needs! But not a concern as I have no current plans to switch to any other system, - great tracking AF (or lack thereof) is the current (and only real cross) I have to bear…but even that is also a case of over-hyping YouTube drama queens 😜

A wedding, hybrid coverage. Snap snap snap snap snap photo, immediately flip to video mode, recompose if necessary, focus, press record. All. Day. Long. 20 seconds would be an absolute deal-breaker for me. Less than 2 seconds with Lumix and then the rest is up to me which is typically; <2 second flip from stills mode to video (or visa versa) + I'd estimate another <2 seconds to compose, acquire focus using AF and manually flick to manual focus, press record, so in total, a sub 4 second process, probably closer to 3 seconds. With 2x camera bodies, I'd repeat this process an average 250x per shoot as that's my ballpark number of clips I come back with. 20-25 second 'flipping' would flipping kill my approach to capturing a wedding! All hail Lumix.

I just ‘treated’ myself to another new (used) lens for my L Mount based system 🤑