First post, reception video.

Hi my name is Don Rumsey and I'm an obvious newbie to the forums. I would like to thanks all of you for your wealth of information. I read many of the posts here before deciding on the gear that I currently have, which I'll post some pics of my DYI rig including my T2i, H4n, and Azden wireless. Otherwise, I received m y T2i on a Friday, put it together with the said rig and filmed my first reception on Saturday. I learned a lot with that shoot but I am pretty please with the end result. ANY comment are welcome. Enjoy!

Alan and Shannon on Vimeo

[Don Rumsey]

Aww c'mon everyone. Seventy seven views and no comments. I need the input, especially if it's negative. I can take it.

[Gustavs Repse]

Hi, i liked the video . Aka, it wasn't soulless for my taste.

Im not rly an expert o anything , but from a viewers perspective the thing that jumped in my ayes were the uneven focusing. When you try to make a smooth focus on something , you manage to get in half and then u kinda give it a second go with a small pause(00.06). Well, practice makes perfect. And it felt a little over do in some parts, could have asked for a faster/slower focus IN.


Also the Cake pan felt a bit to long. Felt a little like the continuity got disturbed in that part.(im checking it again , and it seams that the thing that set me off was the transition, ofc the pan of the Cake could have been shot smoother.) Got kinda cut off. And always try to sync video with the music, its a strong tool to use. If you will do that , ppl will feal the song much deeper.


My 2cents. Im spliting hairs here, but since you want a review il give it to ya . :)

But good job m8 . I liked it . Also good choice of music.

[Terry Lee]

Editing was good. Alittle dark in parts be it that this is a wedding video. The footage looks cool, but the mood is off set a bit by the color correction you may have done.

Music editing, turning down the background music..all good.

DEFINATELY invest in some sort of stabalizer in the future if you plan on doing more videos for weddings.

Over all, great job.

[Don Rumsey]

Thanks guys! I NEED constructive criticism such as this.

I have the camera on a DYI rig. It's something I can hold the camera with and push the butt end into my shoulder. Kind of like one of the Zacuto products. I'll get pics up of it one of these days. However being new to this I need to learn to keep steadier, obviously. However one day I'll have something better to keep steady. Otherwise I'm using the kit lens that came with the T2i...which just isn't cutting it in low light. Focus....YES. That is a huge problem I'm having due to my poor eyesight right now. I wear contacts and I'm on my last pair. They drive me nuts and I need my new prescription. I did some shooting at a lake this last weekend and when I got home on the computer I found several of my shots out of focus. BLAST!!!! I also want a Viewfinder to attach to the camera...that would also help solve the problem.

Some of the color correction problems are due to much of the footage being in the dark. I noticed a lot of the blacks, and the brides skin tones, being very saturated or just goofy looking. However if I hadn't lightened up the video then it looks bad that way. I'm thinking of going and resetting all video to it's original settings just to see what it looks like, (pick the lesser of two evils).

Aside from these things. I don't like to zoom while shooting. Just never have. I found myself doing it though. I also found while putting this together that I wished I would have kept the camera going for certain things, yet as you pointed out to long for others. After reviewing the cake pan, (no pun intended), I kinda feel it is to long and if I shorten it, it will look a lil more stabilized, (cut out the jittery stuff).


It's VERY important for me to be the best I can on this video. A couple of people in the wedding biz in my area want a copy. They could float alot of business my way immediately, so I want to be on the ball right away. However I know that experience and patience are best.

Thanks again guys. Anyone else?

[Don Rumsey]

Interesting. Originally I had every intention of editing this video and all others for that matter with Adobe CS5. I loaded up all of my clips onto the timeline and never went any further. i then wanted to see what iMovie '09 looked like, (I just upgraded from a G5 with '08 to an i5 with '09). Of course since I was used to that format I went wild with it and finished the whole thing. So... I just opened up the project in Adobe and man!!! The overall video quality is MUCH better in Adobe. i wouldn't of had to lighten up the whole thing like I did with iMovie. What gives? I know we're probably comparing apples to oranges but why would it be so much darker in iMovie than Adobe. I do notice though that there is a lot of grainy noise in the film, but I would much rather have that, and use some plug in to get rid of some of it.

[Sam Kanter]

Everything is too dark. Can't you bring the levels up in PP?

[Don Rumsey]

That's what I said in my previous posts. Everything is to dark in iMovie 09. In Adobe it's fine. More of what I remember. I don't get why iMovie would make it darker. When I fiddle with the video settings in iMovie it just makes it look bad. So I will be redoing it in Premiere Pro. However it will take longer cuz I am just starting out with it. Then there are some shots that I need image stabilization, (Mocha). However I messed with Mocha briefly and man it has a steep learning curve...well all of Adobe does I guess. In iMovie stabilization effects the quality of the shot. It's smoother but it also zooms in and it looks weird.

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Don Rumsey

Aww c'mon everyone. Seventy seven views and no comments. I need the input, especially if it's negative. I can take it.

You need a lens with a larger aperture, to use some lights or simply use a higher ISO setting when shooting (unless you already did this). 90% of the footage is too dark.

Is the vignetting visible on the opening shots & elsewhere an effect that you added? If it wasn't intended then you have a problem with a lens or filter.

Focusing is a bit hit & miss. Some of the rack focus shots look really nice but elsewhere you are all over the place.

Finally use a tripod or monopod or possibly just a lens with IS (unless you already did this) as there are too many shaky shots.

Sorry if this all sounds a bit negative but some attention to correct exposure, correct focusing & stable footage would have made this video look so much more professional.

[Man Yip]

What I like about your video is the intro, I see that you plan your shot ahead. However, as the couple walk in, you miss the timing in result showing bad footage. I would rather not using that part for a highlight. Also, many moment from your highlight showing part of the couple's head "cut off."

I'm new to wedding as well. For me, I spend a lot of time watching wedding film on Vimeo, and I often turn off the sound, that way I can study the footage better without the background music affect my concentration.

Another suggestion is to ask the couple to perform some stage filming. I often ask the couple to act in front of the camera while I direct them. You know, use phase like: kiss, hug, play, smile, brownie face, good job, well done.

I know that the iMovie render your footage too dark, but it is way too dark.

At last, invest in better lens. Anything with F2.8 is better than stock lens. Or you can get the nifty fifty (canon 50mm) for $100. And get a tripod with fluid head.

[Luke Oliver]

Whats lens are you using. There is way way too much softening on the sides and vignette. If this is an effect, get rid off it. I just made the switch from cam corder to DLSR on my first wedding last week. I had no intention on shooting anything handheld. Get that tripod out and use it. Concentrate on the basics first, good framing, correct aperture. Get these in shape and your production goes up a level instantly. Unless you have steady cam or are very good at handheld with these DLSRS tripod it. If not, which no offense yours is not, tri pod.


my 2 cents

luke

[Don Rumsey]

To answer a few questions. It is the kit lens. 18-55 3.5 to 5.6 is. I did use a higher ISO in most places. I really tried not to zoom in, due to the dimly lit gymnasium. I know from this shoot I'm in need of a better low light lens. However I have very little funds available, only $200 right now. I was thinking of getting the Canon "nifty fifty", but then there goes my IS. I was also thinking of getting the LCDVF Clone. That would pretty much take the funds that I have but at least i would be able to focus better and have less dark shots.

I do have a very old camcorder tripod but it is not anything fancy by no means. No fluid head. But it is a tripod.

As far as the vignetting and the blurred edges it is something I added in to the movie myself. I can see that with the already dark footage that it just isn't working. I tried giving it that dreamy look in areas. Otherwise, (you may laugh), but I watch the BBC show Top Gear a lot and love the way they vignette in many of the shots so I thought I would give it a go.

I think maybe I was caught up in the fact that all of my equipment came to me within a couple of days and I was so excited to put together my own DYI handheld rig that I missed the basic points. More light, steadiness, framing. As far as focus go, well I won't shoot again until I have new contacts or I use my glasses. even then I think I would like to get a loupe of some kind.

Otherwise thank you everyone for your reviews. I take them to heart and will use the advice. I'm in this for the long haul and will do better from here.

[Don Rumsey]

On a side note just playing around with the footage in Premiere Pro yeilded much better looking shots as far as lighting goes. PP has such better control of black, mid, and white levels that can be much finely tuned than iMovie could ever want to do. Of course we all knew that didn't we.

Does anyone know of getting the iMovie project into PP? Or should I just start from scratch with the original footage?

[Man Yip]

I have 3 dslr, and I still hadn't own a viewfinder. The reason is that I used to own a HMC40 and I only use the flip LCD screen and rarely use the view finder. I believe the viewfinder is a accessory not a necessary. And it won't improve your image quality by much.

My suggestion for your two hundred dollar is to buy a tripod with fluid head and the 50mm.

There are several tripod with fluid head for less than 100 bucks on BH. Other might say don't waste your money on a cheap tripod, well, I bought a Velbon DV-7000 for 80 bucks and it is well worth the money.

And you will still have 100 left for the 50mm.

Another option is to buy the Sigma 18-50mm
Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8-4.5 DC OS HSM Zoom For Canon D-SLRs 861101 -

Buy used lens, I bought several used lens and they work as good as the new one.

Also, I would sell the stock lens. Its useless. I have one and never use it since day one.

If you have more cash, I would recommend the sigma 30mm, its a really good portrait lens.

As for your highlight, I would start fresh.

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Don Rumsey

As far as the vignetting and the blurred edges it is something I added in to the movie myself. I can see that with the already dark footage that it just isn't working. I tried giving it that dreamy look in areas. Otherwise, (you may laugh), but I watch the BBC show Top Gear a lot and love the way they vignette in many of the shots so I thought I would give it a go.

They use it all the time on another BBC show 'Click'. Personally I think it usually looks like a technical fault with the filming & cannot understand why people use it. It's an effect that is really overdone & just because it's a pre-set in Magic Bullet Looks any idiot is able to use it & often does.