How to shoot a wedding with the GH2/GH1

[Martyn Hull]

All my canon lenses are gone i now have pana 14-140/14-42 /45-200 /14mm pancake /20mm pancake and olympus 9-18mm

[Jeff Hinson]

Martyn
Are you shooting mainly wedding videos?
All I have are the kit lenses for my GH2
I need to get the pancakes and I will after I learn the GH2
little bit better.
Thanks for the reply
Jeff

[Jeff Harper]

Jeff, for ideas on lenses you should also check the wedding video forum to see what people are using. You will get lots of suggestions, and then you will have to sort through them.

[Jeff Hinson]

Thanks Jeff..
Ive been over there a few times. Seems, like you, most are using primes but some the kit lenses.

I think, I could do a decent job, early on, with my kit lenses and the XHA1. I can remember years ago, doing a good job with two Sony Digital 8 cams. I think one has to work with what they have. If you wait until you have the ultimate setup you will never go to work. All the equipment one has today, is obsolete in a few months. It's part of "the plan". ha

Bottom line if your not making a profit, your not in business.

Merry Christmas,
Jeff

[Jeff Harper]

The GH2 and lenses will not be obsolete for a long time. Jeff, who's using kit lenses for weddings?

[Jeff Hinson]

I know of two....
Me and You... My XHA1, and your Canon XA10 :?)

I will get some pancakes for my GH2s soon...at least a Pana 25mm.

Thanks,
Jeff

[Jeff Hinson]

I can tell right now, Im gonna have trouble "seeing" using the LCD and/or the EVF outside. Especially during any run and gun clips. I used on of these and my marshall 7" monitor which really helped. It allows a handle grip on the left side too.

Am I missing a "peaking" function somewhere in the menu...cant find on the GH2. The best Ive seen is on the Sony 5N...you can select red, yellow or white peaking outline. Really nice.

Vello Camcorder Brackets

jeff

[Nigel Barker]

The GH2 EVF is very good indeed & has higher resolution than the LCD screen. I have shot plenty of video with it in the bright sun of the South of France where the LCD cannot be viewed but the EVF works fine.

There is no peaking function for the GH2 you need to spend another $3-4K for the AG-AF101 to get that feature in a MFT video camera.

[Jeff Harper]

Hi Jeff, to be sure we're on the same page, the term "kit lenses" refers to the lenses typically sold with a DSLR camera. Most, but not all kit lenses are F/3.5 and greater, and are of limited use indoors or in marginal lighting situations.

The Panasonic 25mm is not a pancake lens, so you know, it is a "regular" type lens, for lack of a better word for it. Pancake lenses are relatively flat.

Pancakes lenses inlcude the 14mm F/2.5 lens, the 20mm F/1.7 and maybe a couple of others. Pancake refers to the actual physical shape of a lens. Many use the 20mm F/1.7, which I have, but that lens is destroyed by the 25mm F/1.4. I have both, there is no comparison. The 25mm is the single best lens for general purpose shooting with the GH2. Notice I say general purpose. It is not the best lens for everything. It is not wide, and it is not long either, but a very nice lens to shoot video with in nearly any typical wedding situation.

Delkin makes a sunshade screen thingy that will fit the GH2. I use one and it is extremely helpful costs about $10, best $10 I ever spent. I think I got mine from Amazon.

[Jeff Hinson]

Thanks Jeff Harper...
Im learning a whole new vocabulary. ha
I got it.... pancake is flat, regular is not flat. ha

I think I told you I do have a Pentax 50mm is the only regular lens I have. Of course, Id have to manual focus so it's not good for run and gun. It does look good though when one can setup the shot. F1.4.

Since I have no other lenses, Id like to stick with the Panasonic line as I can afford them. I don't really want to go the adapter route if I can avoid it.

Im getting better with the menu, buttons, and have 3 "looks" profiles set up on C1-3...handy.. It will take some time to get use to using the EVF. Do you have an extra large eye cup for your EVF..it would be nice to extend it back a bit.

Jeff

[Jeff Harper]

I use the Delkin, it's all I need. You don't need the new lenses until you learn your camera, and have the prospect of some work. There is gear I want right now, but my next wedding isn't till spring, so I"m waiting for now.

When you use a lens like the 25mm, for example, your work, when mixed with some good camera placement, etc will look SO good your samples will stand out and this will make you money. You post your samples and you are off to the races.

You can learn the camera perfectly fine with your kit lens, so stick with it and shoot eveything you can and then edit your footage into little montages, and post your work online. This will get you into the workflow of the wedding thing, which you will need experience in.

You can go inside a church, with permission, and just spend an hour shooting detail shots with your GH2. Shoot the exterior, interior wide shots, then do your detail shots, put it to some music, and post it.

[Jeff Hinson]

Thanks Jeff Harper....great advice.
That's my present plan of action.

Jeff