Camera & Editing suite

bandb

Has anyone got an idea how much a professional video camera would cost
and also an editing suite.. for wedding videography?

keefg

10k.

TommyGun

Yes just got set up myself. 10k minimum.

bandb

tommy thanks for that.
so far what i have researched is sony panasonic and a new pro cam is about €4k with editing anything from €300 - €1000. i already have pinnacle.

however i am interested in what equip you got and where. how you went about setting up ......greatly appreciated.

i might consider renting a camera for the first few weddings and take it form there.

i have to undergo training and exp first.

cheers

keefg

For weddings you will need at least the following....there are plenty of camera suppliers both here & in the UK so google is your friend there.


Decent HD/HDV camera - 4-8k (new) - regardless of what anyone tells you, standard definition (SD) is dead so a 3-CCD HDV camera should be the minimum you use.
Plenty of spare hi-capacity batteries - 200-400 each and separate multi charger.
Plenty of tapes or memory card (depending on camera format).
Shotgun Mic & Dead Cat.
Tripod - anywhere from 200 euro to 4k (for a pro head & legs).
Toplight.
Wireless mic kit - you will need at least 2 lavalier transmitters.

There are obviously plenty of 2nd hand options on Ebay and the like but you need to know your cameras or you could get stung. Watch out for fake camera & accessories if you are buying 2nd hand, they are prolific.

If you are using a PC then I think After Effects & Premier Pro or Sony Vegas Pro is a popular combination (I don't use a PC so I'm not 100%).
Or Final Cut Pro if you are going to use a Mac.

You will need to learn how to use all the manual functions of a pro camera if this is your first time. I suggest you learn a bit about colour correction as well.

Before you unleash yourself on someone's wedding though I'd suggest you get plenty of practice and know how to use your camera properly.

If you are not familiar with a pro camera then hiring one on the day of the wedding won't do you any favours. Remember, most of the wedding will be a one take situation and if you get it wrong there will be no second chances.

As someone has suggested on your other thread about setting up a wedding video business, a decent looking site is required but as a showreel only. Most business will be generated via word-of-mouth rather than from the site. The first thing any bride does when looking for a camera or video guy for her wedding is to ask friend & family who did theirs.

You are entering an already saturated market and the standards are getting really high now so you will either have a lot of contacts or something to make you stand out from the crowd (or just get lucky).

With the demise of the TV & Film industry in Ireland there are plenty of seriously professional camera people who are now doing weddings to pay the bills so you will be up against some serious competition.

I have a lot of connections in the wedding circles and the feedback I am getting is that fewer and fewer people are getting married in Ireland and opting for cheaper wedding packages in Spain & Italy. So do plenty of research into the wedding market in your area (maybe ask around in the churches about how many weddings they have booked), see how many other wedding videographers you are competing with, how much they charge, what their finished product is etc before spending your hard earned on camera equipment that may end up gathering dust.

Good luck with it anyway .

.

bandb

keefg, thanks for that - most informative
as this is only a part time venture i did hope about €4k was max i'd have to spend.

initally i thought of gaining exp with a camera i could hire, say for the first few weedings that way id generate some cash to buy a new camera.

starting off im only looking to break even in otherwords gain a camera out of the work. i do plan on carrying out some major research in the next few weeks. if i was going into this biz in a full time capacity i would be more worried.

what you have detailed there is quite a lot of equip !

i have viewed a lot of work on the net and also friends weddings and some are awful, the acutual quality is very bad for some videographers obviously they need to upgrade their equip asap !

im also thinking of doing invitations, cards, bookets etc as an extra sideliner...

thanks

keefg

bandb wrote: »

keefg, thanks for that - most informative
as this is only a part time venture i did hope about €4k was max i'd have to spend.

To be honest 4k won't get you much unless you are buying 2nd hand and even then a decent used HDV camera will use up at least half that (if you're lucky).

bandb wrote: »

initally i thought of gaining exp with a camera i could hire, say for the first few weedings that way id generate some cash to buy a new camera.

Fair enough but make sure you get the same camera every time and try to get a discount for multiple hires. And like I say, learn how to use the camera before you start on any weddings.

Trust me, an unhappy bride is not something you want to face if you make a balls of her big day.

bandb wrote: »

starting off im only looking to break even in otherwords gain a camera out of the work. i do plan on carrying out some major research in the next few weeks. if i was going into this biz in a full time capacity i would be more worried.

Part time or full time doesn't really count for anything, you are still up against the same amount of competition.

bandb wrote: »

what you have detailed there is quite a lot of equip !

Almost everyone new to pro cameras only budget for the camera and don't take into account all the other equipment needed. What I have listed there is a very basic kit to get you started, I haven't even gone into the wide angle lens options, matte box & filters, pro camera bags etc etc....the list is endless and even though pro gear has come down in price in recent years it's still an expensive hobby/pastime/set up.

So many people only think about the look for a wedding but the sound quality is just as important.

bandb wrote: »

i have viewed a lot of work on the net and also friends weddings and some are awful, the acutual quality is very bad for some videographers obviously they need to upgrade their equip asap !

Yep, there are a lot of chancers out there and that can work in your favour if you can do a good job.

bandb wrote: »

im also thinking of doing invitations, cards, bookets etc as an extra sideliner...

That's a good idea, the more you can offer the better. Another thing to think about is to team up with a local pro still photographer and offer packages if punter hire you both together.

texanman

I have a camera for sale.
You can contact me via the link below.