Girls Soccer 7D Slow Motion Footage

Ten Tips for Choosing the Right Wedding Videographer

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Ben McElroy of McElroy Films offers his top 10 tips for hiring the right wedding videographer to help brides avoid some common pitfalls.

Leominster, MA (PRWEB) November 30, 2009 — December is the most popular month to get engaged according to The Wedding Report. Once the initial excitement wears off and a bride gets down to the business of wedding planning, she can often be overwhelmed at the number of decisions to be made. The actual wedding planning is important, but choosing the right videographer to preserve that special day is just as important.

“Choosing a videographer may take a lot of homework, but your do-diligence will pay off immensely. Your video is going to last a lifetime so make sure you’re happy with every aspect of production.” explains Ben McElroy of Massachusetts based McElroy Films. “There are a few pitfalls brides encounter, such as hiring a bait and switch company that subcontracts the work and not reading the fine print in their contract. A little planning in advance can help avoid these pitfalls.”

Here are McElroy’s top ten tips for choosing the right wedding videographer:

-   Start researching early. Take the time to do your homework. Make sure you meet with the actual person who will be shooting your wedding and have a list of questions ready. Research their education and experience. Do an internet search and visit forums and blogs. Ask to see previous customer testimonials.

-   Hire early on in the wedding planning process. Brides often wait until the last minute to hire a videographer but hiring early can make the process go more smoothly and open up additional video opportunities such as “save the date” videos.

-   View samples of their work in advance. Look for samples on their website. Watch as many videos from their archive as possible and pay attention to the quality of work. Look at the overall picture quality, composition, and transitions. Another crucial aspect is the audio quality. Ask if they use wireless microphones for professional quality sound. Some videographers use on board microphones only, but the sound quality is poor, especially for vows and speeches.

-   Choose a video production company with customizable service. A good production company will keep up on the latest trends in wedding videos and will offer client-driven services rather than an outdated, one-size-fits-all approach.

-   Be specific about the mood, style, and special effects you’re looking for. Bring samples with you to show what you want. Ask to see the different types of special effects they offer.

-   Ask about their video style. Some companies are now offering a modern approach to video including Save the Date, Vignettes, and Couple Stories. Find out what else can be included in your video such as highlights, credits, or photomontages. Cinematic Weddings is a hot video trend. They create an overall mood beyond basic footage. Look for videographers using HD cameras and glidecams, shooting in 24 frames per second (FPS), and who are knowledgeable in cinematic editing techniques.

-   Consider their personality and appearance. Look for someone with the best personality and look to match the wedding theme. Be sure to tell the videographer what to wear for the wedding. If there is more than one videographer at the production company make sure to meet the person who will shoot the wedding.

-   Make sure they are unobtrusive. A great wedding videographer won’t be noticed while still achieving everything needed to capture the big day. Ask if the videographer has experience at your ceremony and reception venues already. Videographers with newspaper or television experience are more likely to know proper etiquette and how to be unseen. State specific requests, such as not interrupting guests with interview questions, in advance.

-   Look for a company that offers High Definition (HD) from start to finish. Many companies are now offering HD, but not all HD is the same. Some videographers shoot in Standard Definition and then burn the footage to Blu-ray. Ask about what types of cameras they use and have them explain the differences. They should be using the latest HD cameras with 1080p resolution.

-   Find out if they can stay within your budget. Look for any additional fees. Most deposits are non-refundable so keep that in mind. Ask if they are running any discounts or special promotions. Many production companies are now offering a gift registry to finance wedding videos. This can be added to overall cost or toward specific items such as additional hours or extra DVDs.

About McElroy Films

McElroy Films LLC is a professional high definition video production company serving Massachusetts and New England. Specializing in corporate, educational, non-profit, wedding, independent filmmaking and music video production, McElroy Films provides a high quality product at a fraction of the cost. McElroy Films prides itself on its client-driven results and boutique-like service by affording each project the attention it deserves.

New Canon EOS 7D HD Footage

Some new HD footage from the Canon EOS 7D.
Lenses used
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0 L
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS
Watch on Youtube!

Canon EOS 7D Footage from Ben McElroy on Vimeo.

Canon EOS 7D Sample Footage

Canon has finally unveiled the new Canon EOS 7D. This is one of the most anticipated Digital SLRs of 2009. Features include the ability to record HD video in 1920×1080 24p. On the photo side of things, it’s packing a whopping 18 megapixels.

Read our full blog post on this camera by clicking here.

Below you’ll find some sample footage we quickly through together from the Canon EOS 7D.
Click here to see the youtube version

Click on the video below to watch the Canon EOS 7D handle 60fps. We tagged along on a soccer shoot to get some great images.
Click here to see the youtube version

Canon 7D

The New Canon EOS 7D is in! This is one of the most anticipated Digital SLRs of 2009. Yesterday the good folks down at Hunts Photo and Video delivered the news that ours had arrived.

The EOS 7D is the newest high-end Digital SLR from Canon. This camera is packing an 18-megapixel CMOS sensor and uses dual DIGIC 4 image processors to provide pristine photos. The 7D also includes high-definition video! It can capture HD in a variety of frame rates and resolutions.

We’re excited to embrace where the video business is going. No longer are we stuck with tediously fiddling with focus and edge to edge sharpness with cumbersome 35mm adapters. We also don’t have the light loss we once had with those extra plates of glass in front of the camera. The 7D is going to obliterate traditional 35mm adapters. It’s a very powerful tool any video production company or freelancer should consider if they want to capture cinematic videos.

Couple reasons why this technology is going to be a game changer when it comes to high definition videography.

1. Before the release of this camera the only other comparable camera offering HD video in an SLR was the Canon EOS 5D. This camera was a great success and lots of indie filmmaker bought them up and ebay’d their 35mm adapters. The only thing it lacked was 24p and 60p, plus a few other body/menu issues that were updated in the 7D.

2. Price is another big factor. The Canon EOS 7D is priced at $1699 (body only). The kit with a EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens, hood, filter and spare battery for $1999. The HD quality this camera puts out is comparable to cameras in the price range of ten to thirty thousand dollars.

3. Finally, up until this point achieving narrow depth of field in video has been very hard to accomplish. One would have to invest two to four thousand dollars to get a 35mm adapter. Now it’s conveniently packaged into a small DSLR body. It is just amazing where technology has come!

New Features of the Canon 7D

• 18 Megapixel CMOS Sensor and Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors for high image quality and speed.
• ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12,800) for shooting from bright to dim light.
• 8.0 fps continuous shooting up to 126 Large/JPEGs with UDMA CF card and 15 RAW.
• Advanced movie mode with manual exposure control and selectable frame rates: 1920 x 1080 (Full HD): 30p (29.97) / 24p (23.976) / 25p, 1280 x 720 (HD): 60p (59.94) / 50p, 640 x 480 (SD): 60p (59.94) / 50p.
• Intelligent Viewfinder with 100% field of view, wide viewing angle of 29.4°, high magnification of 1.0, intelligent viewfinder with glass pentaprism and an overlaid LCD display in viewfinder supports various shooting styles.
• New 19-point, all cross-type AF system equipped with dual diagonal cross-type sensors in center at f/2.8 and f/5.6 and AF area selection modes to match various shooting situations.
• iFCL Metering with 63 zone dual-layer metering sensor that utilizes AF and color information for optimizing exposure and image quality.
• Magnesium body with shutter durability up to 150,000 cycles and exclusive dust and weather resistance.

Check back when we have some samples to show.