Not a huge fan of DSLRs because I find them clunky to use and hold, but necessity means adopting the 5DIII for evening receptions as the low light is fantastic and I can ditch my on camera light - happy days.

I like to be flexible so a shoulder mounted rig would never do - at many crowded evening receptions I find myself holding the camera quite high to get over people's heads so a should mount/counterweight rig would be an issue with these types of shots.

This is the best I've come up with and works for me but - as all the weight is out front it kills my back after a while but I only use it for a few hours - preferring my EA50 for the rest of the day.

Now if the Magic Lantern people would produce the final MarkIII version I could use the focus peaking and ditch the SmallHD monitor - less weight!

Thoughts?

Mine is very similar except that I usually record dual audio so have an H4n or suchlike attached. I also tend to have a Z96 LED light on top just in case.

However the chances of getting natural reportage footage of guests when they are confronted by that contraption are unlikely :- (

I find that the evening after the 1st dance is not a great photo / video opportunity anyway unless they have fireworks or a live band later on so fortunately this part only makes up a small proportion of the finished product. If the 1st dance is at say 8pm, then shots you take at 8:45pm are not going to be a lot different to shot you take at 10:45pm. And you are of course the PITA guy crashing around with a video camera!

Pete

Here is mine, plain and simple :)
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/attachments/panasonic-lumix-gf-gh-series/30540d1377255534-gh3-any-typical-problems-varavon.jpg

Nice on Noa - I have a Swivi viewfinder but as the 5D has no swivel LCD viewfinder I find I have to have it at eye level all the time - even though it flips up I find I can't hold it aloft to get over people's heads coz then I can't see the viewfinder!

I find the Rode Videomic a bit numb as well regarding it's size - I'd love to find a mini directional mic - any ideas? I rarely use audio from the evening reception as it's usually just a hubub but occasionally I do so an external mic is still a must compared with the 5D mic - I'd just like to find something smaller.

Pete

Need to get a shotgun mic for my gh3 as it's internal mike is realy crap, this is what I found so far:
Micro Mini Shotgun Microphones CheesyCam (http://cheesycam.com/micro-mini-shotgun-microphones/)
On-Camera Microphones for DSLR Video | BH inDepth (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/indepth/audio/tips-solutions/camera-microphones-dslr-video)

Have to read up on user experiences to see what's best.

C100 on a Steadicam with a Sennheiser MKE400 mic. We use the senny as its small and made of metal so pretty solid. Sound is also pretty decent.

Normally we just rock the camera with the mic and thats it. Nice and simple and doesnt draw attention. People still think its a stills camera so dont realise their being filmed which is how we like it. Even on the steadicam people pose and wait for the flash, weird.

Hi Pete

With my EA-50 fully loaded with everything including rails and matte box it is very front heavy and kills my back so I use a modified version of this rig.

EngRig (http://www.dvtec.tv/id2.html)

Mine is made by Camtree and is under $100!! It takes all the weight from the front end with the spring loaded rod and makes the camera virtually weighless in the front. A real asset!!!

http://www.thecinecity.com/eshop/CAMTREE-Shoulder-Rig-Support-Rod.html

Chris

Just the bhdv 561, z-finder, rode vid mic pro, 6d, that's as simple as it is,

I would love to get hold of one of these babies:

DSLR Camera Rigs on Vimeo

After using various rail setups with externals monitors and a Zacuto Scorpion Rig for DSLRs, the best setup is having the camera with as little accessories as possible.

I now use a C100 which has allowed me to get by without an external monitor with the use of the waveform monitor, along with a tripod, slider, and monopod.

If I was using a DSLR, I would simply get a Z-Finder for focus.

For weddings, things like a shoulder rig with a follow focus/monitor were way to cumbersome for shoots that required moving between locations quickly IMO, especially when the photographer moves the bridal prep, photo session, or reception quickly.

ok. can't seem to resist these kind of threads...