Want to use my 70D to shoot a wedding event, do I need a gimbal?

[frankyan]

Hello, I want to shoot a wedding event for one of my relatives during the Spring Festival. I have my 70D with me. Should I also buy a gimbal, or is it that gimbal is just an overkill and I donn't need one?  I really want these videos to be perfect. 

Anyone ever shot event videos with or without a gimbal?  Please share with me.

In fact, I have looked through many handheld camera gimbals, and come across this MOZA Air 2 [Removed link per Forum Guidelines] . It seems pretty good and possibly my choice for the gimbal. If you also use this one at present, you are more than welcome to share your using experience with me. THX !

[RobertTheFat · Accepted solution]

I guess I'd be wary of shooting wedding videos with a 70D unless I had a very good backup plan. Many 70D's have experienced a catastrophic circuit board failure that has been blamed on overheating, and the most effective way to get a DSLR to overheat is to use it to shoot videos.

Canon does have a fix for the problem when it occurs. So if you've already been through it and had the fix installed, you should be fine.

I take it that you're not a professional event photographer. So if there is a professional present, be careful to stay out of his/her way. (You'd be surprised how many amateur photographers and wannabes don't take that precaution.) But I've found such occasions to be a great opportunity to watch what the professional does and learn from it.

[kvbarkley]

I am going to guess that this was just spam, and we will never see frankyan ever again.

[ebiggs1]

 I consider this a very bad idea. Especially if it is the first wedding you shoot. Sounds like you need some practice first there, son!  Use your iphone, you're probably more familiar with it.

[frankyan]

LOL, thank you very much for the wonderful reply. This is something new. But I am here to stay for a while.

[CaliforniaDream]

There are a lot of on-line resources on wedding photography.  I am a fairly proficient with my camara and lenses...  I have shot lots of wild life and sporting envents, However shooting a wedding is a daunting affair.  I did it once because ther was no professional photographer there, but I wasn't very good at it.  Do your due diligance and review all of the on-line resources.  It is important that the bride is the center of the shoot, and there are a number of poses ane events that are standard and expected.

[ebiggs1]

"I have shot lots of wild life and sporting envents."

I suppose that qualifies you! 

[frankyan]

I have to say the wedding ceremony in rural China is very different from that in the States. It doesn't take place in a church, but in groom's family house. And I don' t think there is a profession like wedding photographer yet in here. LOL

Usually, there are two main parts in a wedding event, first a groom will lead a motorcade to the bride's family house and pick the bride up. The couple and the whole escort usually walk around 1000m after leaving the bride's househould before they get on the cars, so that neighbors will know that today is the big day for this woman and give their blessings. All along the walk there will be firecrackers going off and the band in the escort will play trumpets and drummers. 

When the motorcade is within 1000m of groom's household, the couple and the whole escort will also get off the cars and walk to the groom's family house, firecrackers going off, band playing trumpets and drummers along the walk, so that neighbors know that today is the big day for this man and give their blessings.

The second main part is wedding ceremony. This part is quite amusing and not solmn at all. Instead of a priest or something, a close relative in the family will act as a host to lead the wedding ceremony.  There are items like couple bowing to parents to show gratitude for the upbringing, couple revealing how they fall in love with each other, jointly singing a song, jointly eating a candy( whisper, kissing), couple revealing their baby plan(when and how many babies they are going to have,LOL) .  

Of couse this is the kind of wedding ceremony in the countryside from which I myself come from, and the wedding ceremony in the urban area is quite different, and more like the Western style ceremony. Some couples will even choose a church for their wedding ceremony just like you guys. 

[CaliforniaDream]

Oh my goodness.  Well my only advice is to have a primary and backup camara, and lots od extra battries and sd cards.

[frankyan]

Thanks for the advice, buddy!!  Really appreciate it.