For those whose work is mostly weddings and use HD cameras at DVinfo.net

Don Bloom · February 1st, 2010, 07:09 AM

For those of you that shoot mostly weddings and use some sort of High Definition camera(s), I’m doing a very non-scientific survey for my own purposes only.
Would you take a few minutes and answer the following questions.

1) When did you switch to HD

2) Why did you switch to HD

3) Do you shoot in HD

4) Do you edit in HD

5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product)

6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD

7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD

8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point

9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product?

Like I said, it’s non-scientific and just for my own edification.

Thanks for playing.

Bill Grant · February 1st, 2010, 07:27 AM

Okay Don, I'll bite...
1) When did you switch to HD
Feb of 2008
2) Why did you switch to HD
Found a deal on a couple of A1s and just made the switch...
3) Do you shoot in HD
Yes
4) Do you edit in HD
Yes
5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product)
DVD as my main product but I deliver the Highlights online in HD
6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD
Not in my area.
7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD
I feel like HD has made me so much better at my job because of the things I had to learn about bit rates, frame rates, Kelvin Temp, image adjustments (like knee, etc.) I have to keep the camera much steadier and be smoother with my movements, and having to get much better at producing a picture in lower light. I also believe that I am getting much more corporate work now because of my ability to produce a higher quality product than alot of my competition.
8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point
No
9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product?
No

Michael Dontigney · February 1st, 2010, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Bloom

For those of you that shoot mostly weddings and use some sort of High Definition camera(s), I’m doing a very non-scientific survey for my own purposes only.
Would you take a few minutes and answer the following questions.

1) When did you switch to HD

Jan 2008

2) Why did you switch to HD

Wanted to.

3) Do you shoot in HD
YES

4) Do you edit in HD
YES

5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product)
YES - Every bride gets a Blu-Ray and even author pop-up menus exclusive to BR.

6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD
NO

7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD
YES

8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point
YES

9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product?
NO

Monday Isa · February 1st, 2010, 08:48 AM

1) When did you switch to HD
February 2007
2) Why did you switch to HD
Higher Quallity
3) Do you shoot in HD
Yes
4) Do you edit in HD
Yes
5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product)
Yes if purchased
6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD
No
7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD
Yes
8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point
No
9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product?
Yes

Dawn Brennan · February 1st, 2010, 08:50 AM

1) When did you switch to HD
February 2007 (started out in HD, but went from consumer to pro cams at this time)

2) Why did you switch to HD
Wanted to offer the "best" product we could to our clients, and figured I'd have to upgrade someday soon if we didn't start out in HD

3) Do you shoot in HD
Yes

4) Do you edit in HD
Yes

5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product)
No - but plan to soon (with in a year or 2)

6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD
Possibly - but not sure. They love our video quality, so if that is what sells, then had we not been in HD, we could have lost several clients.

7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD
I think so... but the final step to burn BluRay probably won't make much of a difference for a while.

8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point
Yes - without rubbing it in.

9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product?
We will raise prices for HD finished products when we make that step...

Bill Vincent · February 1st, 2010, 10:05 AM

Hi Don,

Here ya go:

1) When did you switch to HD

I bought a "toe in the HD waters" Canon HF20 back in Sept. 2008. Went full HD production in August 2009.

2) Why did you switch to HD

Having just started a wedding business, it made sense to offer full HD from the start.

3) Do you shoot in HD

Yes, with the following: Canon A1s, Canon HF20, and a 7D.

4) Do you edit in HD

Yes, with FCP Studio.

5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product)

I have only created one Blu-ray disc, for a trade show demo. None for clients yet.

6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD

I believe so. The last bridal show I did, brides were looking for quality and it was surprising.

7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD

It remains to be seen, but I think overall, it will have helped some.

8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point

Yes, definitely.

9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product?

Not solely. It was a factor tho, as retooling for HD is a serious investment.

Will Tucker · February 1st, 2010, 10:24 AM

For those of you that shoot mostly weddings and use some sort of High Definition camera(s), I’m doing a very non-scientific survey for my own purposes only.
Would you take a few minutes and answer the following questions.

1) When did you switch to HD
A.) February of 2009

2) Why did you switch to HD
A.) PD-150 heads went out, Z5 just came out and I was happy with the low light so I upgraded

3) Do you shoot in HD
A.) Yes

4) Do you edit in HD
A.) Yes

5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product)
A.) Yes, but only for my archival purposes.

6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD
A.) No

7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD
A.) Yes

8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point
A.) I mention it, but no one is really interested (Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex)

9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product?
A.) No

On a side note, my favorite thing about the switch? 16X9

Simon Denny · February 1st, 2010, 12:30 PM

1) When did you switch to HD
2007

2) Why did you switch to HD
Looks better raw and downconverted

3) Do you shoot in HD
Yes

4) Do you edit in HD
Sometimes. If the edit is for SD then I'll edit in a SD timeline

5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product)
Yes

6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD
No

7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD
No

8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point
No

9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product?
No

Don Bloom · February 1st, 2010, 02:47 PM

Hey to all that have answered. A big THANK YOU! I'm gonna let this run for another day or 2 to try to grab as many answers as possible and then like political pollsters, I'll post the numbers. Why am I doing this? Ah, just because ;-).
Seriously just something that's been running thru my mind for awhile and what better place to get answers than here. Thanks again.

Stephen J. Williams · February 1st, 2010, 03:03 PM

1) When did you switch to HD
July 2009

2) Why did you switch to HD
Wife said I can buy a new camera...

3) Do you shoot in HD
Yes

4) Do you edit in HD
Yes

5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product)
No... Only for web videos.

6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD
Hard to say... I'll go with "No"

7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD
Yes.. It's a common question if I shoot in HD.

8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point
No

9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product?
No

That was fun...
Steve

Waldemar Winkler · February 1st, 2010, 04:25 PM

1) When did you switch to HD
2008

2) Why did you switch to HD
Wanted 16:9 display. The cameras I had (Canon XL1s) did a horrible job of displaying 16:9.

3) Do you shoot in HD
Yes.

4) Do you edit in HD
Yes.

5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product)
Not yet.

6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD
Probably.

7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD
No. The issue remains documenting a wedding celebration.

8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point
Yes, but not in any big way.

9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product?
NO

Steve Shovlar · February 1st, 2010, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Bloom

For those of you that shoot mostly weddings and use some sort of High Definition camera(s), I’m doing a very non-scientific survey for my own purposes only.
Would you take a few minutes and answer the following questions.

1) When did you switch to HD

2006.

2) Why did you switch to HD

because it was available and I didn't want to buy a new camera that would have been out of date sooner rather than later. ( PD170)

3) Do you shoot in HD

Yes.

4) Do you edit in HD

Yes.

5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product)
yes. Every customer gets a blu-ray version included in the package.

6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD

Absolutely.

7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD
Absolutely. Its a main selling point to clients.

8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point

Absolutely.

9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product?
Yes. and it hasn't affected sales.

Like I said, it’s non-scientific and just for my own edification.

Thanks for playing.

#

Its a no brainer for me. Sell my services as a HD videographer, with every customer receiving their content in SD and Blu-ray. With my rivals only now waking up to the idea of Blu-ray, I have stolen a huge march over the last year and a half. Some of the main videographers in my area are desperate for bookings, yet I am having a record year by a long way. There's more to it than offering HD though. Marketing is paramount.

Read that book called Refocus, about marketting your wedding video business. Some very good pointers in there.

Michael Ojjeh · February 1st, 2010, 05:02 PM

1) When did you switch to HD
2006

2) Why did you switch to HD
I knew that we all going to shoot HD oneday, so why not jump on it first.

3) Do you shoot in HD
Yes.

4) Do you edit in HD
Yes.

5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product)
yes.

6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD
Yes.

7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD
NO

8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point
Yes, But not the main reason.

9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product?
NO

Chris Harding · February 1st, 2010, 05:32 PM

1) When did you switch to HD
August 2009

2) Why did you switch to HD
I needed a 16:9 camera and SD ones were no longer available!!

3) Do you shoot in HD
Yes.

4) Do you edit in HD
No - All MTS files are transcoded to SD AVI but I keep the HD files on the drive too!

5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product)
No

6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD
No

7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD
I doubt it..... In 2008/9 only one client ever asked about camera specs

8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point
Yes, but only the fact that we shoot in HD

9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product?
No ... I have BD as an extra option..my prices actually increased the normal amount.

Chris

Steven Davis · February 1st, 2010, 06:41 PM

What I am curious about; other than a phat machine, cameras and BR disks being ridiculous on price, is that the end of the hardware investment?

I plan to start working in HD this year, not sure about all my projects. I'm not sure how to work it into the market in my area, but HD can only help our product which is already competitive on price and quality.

February 1st, 2010, 07:09 AM	#1
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	For those whose work is mostly weddings and use HD cameras For those of you that shoot mostly weddings and use some sort of High Definition camera(s), I’m doing a very non-scientific survey for my own purposes only. Would you take a few minutes and answer the following questions. 1) When did you switch to HD 2) Why did you switch to HD 3) Do you shoot in HD 4) Do you edit in HD 5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product) 6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD 7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD 8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point 9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product? Like I said, it’s non-scientific and just for my own edification. Thanks for playing. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

February 1st, 2010, 07:27 AM	#2
Bill Grant Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Columbia,SC Posts: 806	Okay Don, I'll bite... 1) When did you switch to HD Feb of 2008 2) Why did you switch to HD Found a deal on a couple of A1s and just made the switch... 3) Do you shoot in HD Yes 4) Do you edit in HD Yes 5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product) DVD as my main product but I deliver the Highlights online in HD 6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD Not in my area. 7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD I feel like HD has made me so much better at my job because of the things I had to learn about bit rates, frame rates, Kelvin Temp, image adjustments (like knee, etc.) I have to keep the camera much steadier and be smoother with my movements, and having to get much better at producing a picture in lower light. I also believe that I am getting much more corporate work now because of my ability to produce a higher quality product than alot of my competition. 8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point No 9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product? No __________________ Cinema Couture www.cinemacouture.com

February 1st, 2010, 10:24 AM	#7
Will Tucker Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 51	For those of you that shoot mostly weddings and use some sort of High Definition camera(s), I’m doing a very non-scientific survey for my own purposes only. Would you take a few minutes and answer the following questions. 1) When did you switch to HD A.) February of 2009 2) Why did you switch to HD A.) PD-150 heads went out, Z5 just came out and I was happy with the low light so I upgraded 3) Do you shoot in HD A.) Yes 4) Do you edit in HD A.) Yes 5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product) A.) Yes, but only for my archival purposes. 6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD A.) No 7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD A.) Yes 8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point A.) I mention it, but no one is really interested (Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex) 9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product? A.) No On a side note, my favorite thing about the switch? 16X9 __________________ Sony HVR-Z5, Sony PD-150, Canon HV30, Adobe Creative Suite 4

February 1st, 2010, 02:47 PM	#9
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Hey to all that have answered. A big THANK YOU! I'm gonna let this run for another day or 2 to try to grab as many answers as possible and then like political pollsters, I'll post the numbers. Why am I doing this? Ah, just because ;-). Seriously just something that's been running thru my mind for awhile and what better place to get answers than here. Thanks again. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

February 1st, 2010, 04:25 PM	#11
Waldemar Winkler Major Player Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Durango, Colorado, USA Posts: 711	1) When did you switch to HD 2008 2) Why did you switch to HD Wanted 16:9 display. The cameras I had (Canon XL1s) did a horrible job of displaying 16:9. 3) Do you shoot in HD Yes. 4) Do you edit in HD Yes. 5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product) Not yet. 6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD Probably. 7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD No. The issue remains documenting a wedding celebration. 8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point Yes, but not in any big way. 9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product? NO __________________ Waldemar

February 1st, 2010, 08:48 AM	#4
Monday Isa Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: College Park, Maryland Posts: 913	1) When did you switch to HD February 2007 2) Why did you switch to HD Higher Quallity 3) Do you shoot in HD Yes 4) Do you edit in HD Yes 5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product) Yes if purchased 6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD No 7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD Yes 8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point No 9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product? Yes

February 1st, 2010, 08:50 AM	#5
Dawn Brennan Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 193	1) When did you switch to HD February 2007 (started out in HD, but went from consumer to pro cams at this time) 2) Why did you switch to HD Wanted to offer the "best" product we could to our clients, and figured I'd have to upgrade someday soon if we didn't start out in HD 3) Do you shoot in HD Yes 4) Do you edit in HD Yes 5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product) No - but plan to soon (with in a year or 2) 6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD Possibly - but not sure. They love our video quality, so if that is what sells, then had we not been in HD, we could have lost several clients. 7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD I think so... but the final step to burn BluRay probably won't make much of a difference for a while. 8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point Yes - without rubbing it in. 9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product? We will raise prices for HD finished products when we make that step...

February 1st, 2010, 10:05 AM	#6
Bill Vincent Major Player Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 253	Hi Don, Here ya go: 1) When did you switch to HD I bought a "toe in the HD waters" Canon HF20 back in Sept. 2008. Went full HD production in August 2009. 2) Why did you switch to HD Having just started a wedding business, it made sense to offer full HD from the start. 3) Do you shoot in HD Yes, with the following: Canon A1s, Canon HF20, and a 7D. 4) Do you edit in HD Yes, with FCP Studio. 5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product) I have only created one Blu-ray disc, for a trade show demo. None for clients yet. 6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD I believe so. The last bridal show I did, brides were looking for quality and it was surprising. 7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD It remains to be seen, but I think overall, it will have helped some. 8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point Yes, definitely. 9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product? Not solely. It was a factor tho, as retooling for HD is a serious investment.

February 1st, 2010, 12:30 PM	#8
Simon Denny Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1,409	1) When did you switch to HD 2007 2) Why did you switch to HD Looks better raw and downconverted 3) Do you shoot in HD Yes 4) Do you edit in HD Sometimes. If the edit is for SD then I'll edit in a SD timeline 5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product) Yes 6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD No 7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD No 8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point No 9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product? No

February 1st, 2010, 03:03 PM	#10
Stephen J. Williams Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 768	1) When did you switch to HD July 2009 2) Why did you switch to HD Wife said I can buy a new camera... 3) Do you shoot in HD Yes 4) Do you edit in HD Yes 5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product) No... Only for web videos. 6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD Hard to say... I'll go with "No" 7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD Yes.. It's a common question if I shoot in HD. 8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point No 9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product? No That was fun... Steve

February 1st, 2010, 05:02 PM	#13
Michael Ojjeh Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 338	1) When did you switch to HD 2006 2) Why did you switch to HD I knew that we all going to shoot HD oneday, so why not jump on it first. 3) Do you shoot in HD Yes. 4) Do you edit in HD Yes. 5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product) yes. 6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD Yes. 7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD NO 8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point Yes, But not the main reason. 9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product? NO __________________ Dragonfly Production http://www.dragonflyproduction.net/ http://www.vimeo.com/user432181

February 1st, 2010, 05:32 PM	#14
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	1) When did you switch to HD August 2009 2) Why did you switch to HD I needed a 16:9 camera and SD ones were no longer available!! 3) Do you shoot in HD Yes. 4) Do you edit in HD No - All MTS files are transcoded to SD AVI but I keep the HD files on the drive too! 5) Do you produce an HD (Blueray finished product) No 6) Do you feel that you would have lost business if you had not switched to HD No 7) Do you feel that you have gained business or market share by switching to HD I doubt it..... In 2008/9 only one client ever asked about camera specs 8) When you made the switch to HD did you market HD as a selling point Yes, but only the fact that we shoot in HD 9) Did you raise your prices based solely on shooting/editing/producing an HD finished product? No ... I have BD as an extra option..my prices actually increased the normal amount. Chris

February 1st, 2010, 06:41 PM	#15
Steven Davis Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 3,065	What I am curious about; other than a phat machine, cameras and BR disks being ridiculous on price, is that the end of the hardware investment? I plan to start working in HD this year, not sure about all my projects. I'm not sure how to work it into the market in my area, but HD can only help our product which is already competitive on price and quality. __________________ What happens if I push the 'Red' button?