Was curious to know anyone's thoughts on videotaping weddings handheld with the 7D. Thanks!

My thought is I wouldn't pay for it.

If you stay wide angle and use one of those shoulder braces from Zacuto, Redrock, etc., then you might do some handheld, but I don't think you'd want to shoot a whole wedding hand held with any camera.

I don't shoot weddings, but I do have experience with the 7D in dynamic situations. Unfortunately my experiences in fast moving fodder hasn't proved very successful. Very wide, as in 11 - 14mm gives you a fighting chance on focus, but only a chance. An HD monitor improves odds.

If you have one or two traditional video cameras shooting safe footage then the 7D could be great for high impact shots, knowing you can burn them if you don't nail focus. I would not depend on the 7D for primary, continuous footage. First, you only have 12 minutes per take. 2nd, maintaining great focus through an hour of content seems very unlikely. Could be great for closeups of vows, rings, kiss.... but not for running down aisles unless you really go wide. Cutting the 7D footage with other cams can be tricky, but many have done it successfully. Consider toning down the Sharpness, contrast, and saturation (Neutral profile with saturation adjusted down 1-2 additional clicks) to make the footage look more natural and provide some chance of blending with other cams.

Perhaps some of the pros on the forum can tell you how to work the 7D to get great focus all the time. I'm still trying.

I get good results handheld with the IS on for my 17-55 EF-s f/2.8. Nothing usable handheld with a non-IS lens.

A Redrock bundle or a Glidecam should help out a lot. You won't be able to glide down the aisle with the Redrock, but should be good with the Glidecam (hence the name).

For focussing, I don't know how I would keep things in focus without a monitor (smallHD). Just practice a lot with focusing so you can tell which way to turn your hand.

You can do it, but you'd need to pimp your 7D with a decent rig. At the very least, get a monopod.

BTW I'm not sure you should call it videotaping, since there's no tape:)

Liam, what about "videocarding" or "see-eff-ing"? Or... Vid-slur-ing (trying for vdslr)?

I'm going to go shoot with my vid-slur today.

I use Rapid Fire from Zacuto and loving it.

Liam, what about "videocarding" or "see-eff-ing"? Or... Vid-slur-ing (trying for vdslr)?

I'm going to go shoot with my vid-slur today.

Funny!

How about I am "HDing it"

Back on topic...

Just to confirm David's and others findings. Some time ago I did some tests with 7D and my Canon 17-55mm F2.8 IS USM AF EF-S. Naked camera, i.e. no rig, as I don't have one for this camera yet - the Zacutto Rapid Fire mentioned above does look good!). Used the lens at the long end to make it as difficult as possible of course (i.e. about 88mm full frame equivalent focal length) and did half a dozen video clips with and without IS (Image Stabilisation) on in alternate sequence. Looked at them on one of my big 24 inch editing monitors.

No doubt about it, the IS makes a HUGE difference. I'm pretty skilled/steady with hand held but I would say ALL the non IS video clips were unusable (unless they got put through FCP SmoothCam or similar, with some of the downsides that can have). I've seen lots of similar shakey/jittery 7D stuff on the web masquerading as art...totally unwatchable!!! I certainly don't think anyone in the wedding world of the OP or the corporate world I inhabit would pay for footage like it!

My conclusion was (given that I don't want a rig for my 7D), I would only buy IS capable lenses for anything on the Tele side. That way I have a chance for when I want to shoot anything handheld, especially for video/longer focal length shots (and/or use my Manfrotto monopod or my smaller Libec 650 tripod with this 7D when I can). I am considering a Glidecam or similar option in the very near future too (where the IS would be switched off, naturally) - at least with the 7D this is a workable option as well. My EX3 would be way too heavy on any type of stabiliser system for my liking!!!

Pretty obvious stuff - but the Canon IS is amazingly effective for video use if hand holding (especially if like me you want to keep it simple/highly portable and unobtrusive).

Yup, i first started out using it with the kit lens (18 - 135). It was rather tiring as you really need to concentrate. Pulling focus was a bit tough handheld. You really need IS lenses if you wish to go handheld without a rig. I just recently bought a Redrock kit and it really rocks. good stuff if you want to use primes.

Shooting with a lens that has IS handheld is better than a lens without it... but, I learned from my mistake and will never shoot another wedding handheld or on a monopod again! It depends on the level of quality you want to offer I guess... but if you are shooting with a 5D or 7D or other DSLR, I would recommend staying away from the monopod and handheld... at least use a shoulder mount, if you have to.

The problem is that the Canon IS is too loud! I have the 70-300 IS 4-5.6 I cannot use the IS when shooting audio, even with the Zoom. The noise from the IS mechanism is just ridiculously loud. Nikon gets the point here, the Nikon VR system is MUCH more quiet. Too bad the video on the Nikons is not up to par with the Canons.

Dan

Yes... but as we all know...no way are you going to get decent audio with any microphone system ON ANY camera, regardless of Canon's IS or not. Anything important would benefit having the zoom/microphone near to the source, not near (or on) the camera where all it will do well is pick up all the handling noises...as well as IS...and not so well the audio from your subject.

Having said that, I have done it with a Rode Vidoemic or SVM and it's OK (for casual, non paying family stuff). Maybe the IS on my 17-55 is much quieter than your lens, not sure?

If you stay wide angle and use one of those shoulder braces from Zacuto, Redrock, etc., then you might do some handheld, but I don't think you'd want to shoot a whole wedding hand held with any camera.

I've been shooting with the GL1 handheld for years. For the ceremony I've had the Canon A1 on a tripod and shoot BRoll handheld. Otherwise, the entire day is pretty much handheld and I'm doing 90 weddings a year for the last 10 years.

I've been shooting with the GL1 handheld for years. For the ceremony I've had the Canon A1 on a tripod and shoot BRoll handheld. Otherwise, the entire day is pretty much handheld and I'm doing 90 weddings a year for the last 10 years.

Yeah but dude the GL1 has a completely different form factor than a DLSR. It's apples and oranges. Just try hand holding a DSLR without any sort of support or shoulder rig, you'll produce the same crap everyone else does without the support.

This was all hand held, no support. I'll let you and others decide if it's cr£p!

YouTube - Cambridge in December (Canon 7D) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehhHxjx7CjE&feature=channel)

If you've a good technique it's perfectly possible to get reasonable stuff with a naked 7D, i.e. without a fancy rig/tripod etc. but only with IS on a lens and not going too long (this was my 17-55 F2.8 IS EF-S).

Sure, I agree, whenever I can I use tripods/monopods etc. as that's the best way...but in the centre of Cambridge that will attract unwanted attention (as bitter experience has taught me many times!) so it was not an option for this kind of stuff.

Andy, if that was all handheld, my hats off to you sir! It looked as if you used a slider or did a zoom in post, unless that was handheld too... then once again, great job! Either way, if you shoot weddings or events where you are shooting 10+ hours a day and trying to breathe out every time you want to get a super steady hand held shot you will kill yourself! A monopod with IS is not as bad, but for my shooting style I have decided to use different tools and techniques. If you don't use IS handheld, you will have the biggest mess of jello cam that cannot be fixed easily if at all.

Yeah but dude the GL1 has a completely different form factor than a DLSR. It's apples and oranges. Just try hand holding a DSLR without any sort of support or shoulder rig, you'll produce the same crap everyone else does without the support.

Thanks Bill. Here is a sample of my very first time using the 7D. I used a Glidecam and Handheld. Now, for the record..I was just practicing. I was using the 7D as a 3rd camera. It was strapped around my neck/shoulder and I would use it after I got my main shot with my GL1 or A1 which was on a tripod for the ceremony. There was absolutely no room to move during the ceremony. My back was up against a wall and a HUGE flower arrangement was to my left as I operated 3 camera's on a rainy day. I only had one lens: 24-105mm f4. I received the camera on a Thursday and this was shot on Saturday:

Canon 7D Test Footage on Vimeo

The focus is really difficult with this camera as are the glidecam movements. I pretty much shot this the same style I would shoot with a conventional video camera...so it is messy.

Here's another example from me of what's possible with the Canon 7D and the Canon 17-55mm F2.8 IS AF USM .....if YOU HAVE TO do it handheld run and gun/with no rig etc. Some FCP Smoothcam and slow crops in post - as some of you will notice. Lots of moire/aliasing too, especially on the 1080p version on my big monitors because of the mostly wide shots and the challenging subject matter (bricks, cobbles, roof tiles etc.), but by the time it's been through Compressor and then the 720p/Vimeo conversion that's much less objectionable - well almost.

King's Lynn "Quickie" (Canon 7D - HD Video) on Vimeo

As my blurb on the Vimeo page states, this was a totally unplanned quick "grab and go" type film in the 45 minutes I suddenly found myself with last Friday morning. Next visit I'll take more more time (and gear!) and I will aim to get the variety of shots I now want to build on it. I think it's worth posting, as it is, so you can see what someone can do with just a hand held 7D with an IS lens (that's not too long in focal length).

I'll jump in here. I shot portions of my first wedding with a 7D on Saturday. Overall I was pleased with my footage. For a camera rig all I used was a SteddiePod from Barbertech and a pair of strong reading glasses for focus assist. The SteddiePod has a nice fluid head on top so I was able to use the little legs when needed and that head to get great solid prep shots and pretty amazing first dance footage too. I was NOT using a Canon IS lens but instead one of the retro Helios 58mm lenses. Using a monopod/tripod makes this very doable. I would not want to shoot much completely handheld without an IS lens but with a basic monopod with a good head and some reading glasses it did pretty well. I am hoping to incorporate more of these retro lenses into my arsenal so a monopod/tripod will be necessary. I followed Ray Roman along on a wedding in FL in January and except for the few times he setup a slider shot or did a little steadycam shooting all his shooting was off a monopod or tripod with no fancy Zacuto eyepieces or other attachments. All the prep footage of people was shot off a standard monopod with a nice head on it. I wrote an article for EventDV magazine about his shooting day. I do cover some of how he handles the full day with an all DSLR setup.

EventDV.net: The Event Videographer's Resource (http://www.eventdv.net/Articles/News/Feature/A-Day-on-the-Job-With-Ray-Roman-Films-66424.htm)

I didn't shoot the whole ceremony with it and am not ready to go there yet. I shot preps and main dances with it and a few eye-candy setup shots at the reception site. It was an Indian wedding with lots of traditions so there woulda been lots of content and memory cards. I would have needed way more memory cards than I had to cover that whole day with the 7D.

I have shot handheld with my 7D by pulling the camera strap against my neck and stretching it out. This technique works on my 10-22 and my 24-105 lenses. The IS in the 24-105 is wonderful. Makes a big difference. Also I have shot handheld using the same technique with my 70-200 f4 IS at 200 with good results. I have a very old shoulder brace witch still works well but don't always have time to put it on or have it with me.

Since trading back in the 17-55 f2.8 for the 24-105, I have not as much ailising as I did. I don't know why but I am happy.

Alan

After looking at all the various solutions from Redrock, Zacuto, Bushhawk, Gini Rig, etc. I finally decided to try another approach with handheld 7D shooting. I went and unearthed my old Vanguard shoulder pod that I had bought years ago to combat the nose-heavy feel of my old XL1 (and didn't use for that). Slight modifications included adding a Barska pistol grip to the front end (which has a 1/4-20 thread on the bottom to take a monopod), and a bracket on the back to hang the Frezzi battery and wireless mic receiver.

I still don't plan on going out on a shoot without a tripod any time soon.

I have shot handheld with my 7D by pulling the camera strap against my neck and stretching it out. This technique works on my 10-22 and my 24-105 lenses. The IS in the 24-105 is wonderful. Makes a big difference. Also I have shot handheld using the same technique with my 70-200 f4 IS at 200 with good results. I have a very old shoulder brace witch still works well but don't always have time to put it on or have it with me.

Since trading back in the 17-55 f2.8 for the 24-105, I have not as much ailising as I did. I don't know why but I am happy.

Alan

Alan, why did you trade the 17-55 f2.8 for the 24-105? its the 24-105 f2.8 all the way too?

I only as I I've got the 17-55, thinks its great at the wide end, but I do miss not having a long zoom (I;m used to the 20x on the Z5)

Cheers

James