Shooting weddings with small handicams

[James Manford]

That's actually incredible.

[Noa Put]

two things I need I need to mention, at 24db gain the cx730 switches to 1/25th shutter, both the other camera's where at 1/50. I would say the cx730 is about equally sensitive as the other camera's at 3200 iso with a f2.8 lens. Second thing is, once you start zooming you will loose sensitivity quickly.

[Clive McLaughlin]

Thanks Noa, thats very interesting indeed!

[Chris Hewitt]

Hi Noa, I've been following this post for a while. I have the chance to buy a second hand CX730 but have been looking at the Panasonic AC90 too.
I'm not worried about audio here, more concerned with moving around filming guests outside and the OIS on the 730 sounds great. My AC160 is just too heavy for that to keep smooth.
What would you go for in that situation?
What do you do for ND's on the 730?

[Noa Put]

For filming guests at a reception I use a large sensor camera, my cx730 are mainly for the ceremony, usually anything that requires a 2 or 3 camera set up when I am working alone. And no nd's, I just handle the exposure manually and let the camera ride the shutterspeed, that means very high shutterspeeds in bright sunlight (if it's a outdoor ceremony) but that I don't find an issue.

[D.J. Ammons]

My general obeservation about using small handicams is that there is good and bad. The good is that technological improvements the last few years have resulted in handicams with amazing high def images. The bad is that the processing circuitry is not near as complex and good as that in more expensive professional or semi pro cameras.

For years I have used first a Canon HV20 and recently a Canon M301 as a fixed backup camera and alternate audio source along with my two Sony V1U cameras.

If the handicams are on a fixed, locked down shot adjusted for the lighting conditions,etc then they deliver a beautiful pic that cuts in great with footage from the more expensive cameras. The problem is if you are using them as a roving cam where they are exposed to a lot of different light levels and other rapidly changing conditions on automatic they tend to react too swiftly and make very obvious iris or gain changes. On manual their cumbersome menu driven controls mean you cannot adjust on the fly.

This is just my experience but my two cents is that for live, no second take events, I would want to have at least semi pro cameras for most applications.

[Noa Put]

no second take events, I would want to have at least semi pro cameras for most applications.

I have worked with a sony vx2100, dvx100b, sony fx1000, canon xh-a1 and now own a sony nex-ea50, canon 550d, sony xr520, sony cx730.

Which one would I choose in a situation where I had one shot to get it right with no set-up time? My sony cx730.

The only thing you need to handle manually with this camera is exposure and that is buttersmooth and easily adjustable with the small front knob, the cx730 has the best auto focus capabilities of any camera I worked with, even auto whitebalance is the best I ever used, very accurate. Exposure I find critical to get right and eventhough the camera get's it pretty right as well, pretty isn't good enough for me, it has to be dead on.

In a controlled environment I agree with you, I rather settle for a "real" videocamera and do it all manual but the small sony has been by far my best "get it now and don't mess up the shot" kind of camera, it's like a Swiss knife, it even has a build in videolight. For a solo shooter a handicam such as this, whether it's a panasonic, canon or sony is a must have in your toolbag when you do weddings.

[James Manford]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

I have worked with a sony vx2100, dvx100b, sony fx1000, canon xh-a1 and now own a sony nex-ea50, canon 550d, sony xr520, sony cx730.

Which one would I choose in a situation where I had one shot to get it right with no set-up time? My sony cx730.

The only thing you need to handle manually with this camera is exposure and that is buttersmooth and easily adjustable with the small front knob, the cx730 has the best auto focus capabilities of any camera I worked with, even auto whitebalance is the best I ever used, very accurate. Exposure I find critical to get right and eventhough the camera get's it pretty right as well, pretty isn't good enough for me, it has to be dead on.

In a controlled environment I agree with you, I rather settle for a "real" videocamera and do it all manual but the small sony has been by far my best "get it now and don't mess up the shot" kind of camera, it's like a Swiss knife, it even has a build in videolight. For a solo shooter a handicam such as this, whether it's a panasonic, canon or sony is a must have in your toolbag when you do weddings.

Noa, i'm convinced ...

Tempted to buy a CX730 now or an equivalent.

[Byron Jones]

Me too, but I can't find one. Anyone know of a model available with similar ability?

[Noa Put]

It depends what you understand with similar ability, there are some features on this camera that no other brand has like the very wide angle lens and advanced stabilisation. The Sony is very good at some points but has several weak points as well that need to be considered.

Good:
-very wide angle lens (26,5mm)
-very good low light performance
-very low image noise at highest gains
-good picture profile, not too much contrast and saturation so easier to match with other camera's in post
-very good image stabilization
-very smooth zoom (but requires a delicate controll)
-very good autowhitebalance
-very good autofocus, even in very low light
-the small dial on front of the camera has very good response
-fast startup time
-hours of recording time with the largest sony battery
-has zebra's, peaking, screen magnifies when setting focus manually
-build in videolight
-3 assignable functions on the touch screen, work very well for quick changes (I have ois - to set on or off, whitebalance and focus assigned to it.

bad
-the image can get soft in one corner at several focal lengths, looks like out of focus, it doesn't always appear. I have seen reports about this for the nx70 as well.
-the image is sharp, but not pinsharp like a ex1
-you can only assign one function to the dial so you can't lock the shutter and controll exposure at the same time.
-no nd's results in very high shutterspeeds in sunlight
-eventhough if the autofous is very good, if it looses focus it can have a hard time to recover.
-manual controlling more then one function is limited, you do have to rely more on the autofunction then you"d like to, it does what it needs to do most of the time but don't expect wonders to happen.
-touch focus is unreliable when zoomed in
-it ramps quickly when zoomed in meaning it looses it low light capability once you start zooming.
-sound is ok for most situations and mainly for ambient sound but you are much better off using a dedicated sound recorder.
-Sony has this hotshoe that only fit's their stuff so you need to get a adapter to add non sony accessories

[Rickey Brillantes]

Oh my goodness Noa this thread has 24,450 views and 189 response, and it still going up. Congratulations on your never ending post.

A fellow shooter friend of mine was asking me if he could buy my buy CX550, I said thanks but no thanks,
this is the last of the very best piece I've ever had, a collectors item. I may not be using it, but I will pass this on to my kids.

This fellow already had (2) CX730 and still looking for another piece. We shoot a wedding last week and he placed the CX on a monopod, and went around the couple and raise the monopod up and down simulating the Glidecam while doing the first dance, I look at the result of his shot and indeed it was like shot from the Glidecam, with a little slowmo on the post. INCREDIBLE!

[Chris Hewitt]

Noa, the cx730 sold for £750 on ebay tonight so I passed on it. However, the NX30 has also caught my interest and there are a few of those for sale. I don't know why the 730 is so difficult to find in the UK. If you ever want to sell one of your 730's I'd be interested...I'm not that far from you, I could get on the Ostend ferry from where I live.
Seriously though, I'm really impressed with that camera.

[Noa Put]

The 730 was I think not more then a year on sale before it got replaced, the current model (
Sony Handycam HDR-PJ780VE) is over 500 euro more expensive then what I paid for mine but it does have internal memory and a gimmicky projector. Biggest improvement on that one is the audio. That model was also rated as best camera in a known and established Belgian test magazine.

750 pounds for a used cx730 is more then what I paid for it new. I"m afraid mine won't be for sale any time soon :)

[James Manford]

Originally Posted by Rickey Brillantes

Oh my goodness Noa this thread has 24,450 views and 189 response, and it still going up. Congratulations on your never ending post.

A fellow shooter friend of mine was asking me if he could buy my buy CX550, I said thanks but no thanks,
this is the last of the very best piece I've ever had, a collectors item. I may not be using it, but I will pass this on to my kids.

This fellow already had (2) CX730 and still looking for another piece. We shoot a wedding last week and he placed the CX on a monopod, and went around the couple and raise the monopod up and down simulating the Glidecam while doing the first dance, I look at the result of his shot and indeed it was like shot from the Glidecam, with a little slowmo on the post. INCREDIBLE!

Not suprised you can mimmick glidecam shots with the stabilization on this thing!

@ Noa

How much did you pay in the equivalent of £££ pounds ... when you bought it new?

[James Manford]

Originally Posted by Chris Hewitt

Noa, the cx730 sold for £750 on ebay tonight so I passed on it. However, the NX30 has also caught my interest and there are a few of those for sale. I don't know why the 730 is so difficult to find in the UK. If you ever want to sell one of your 730's I'd be interested...I'm not that far from you, I could get on the Ostend ferry from where I live.
Seriously though, I'm really impressed with that camera.

Littlewoods, have a refurbished one on sale on ebay at the moment with 12 months warranty ... im tempted.