Getting the shot...

A while back in 2010 I purchased a Flip Ultra HD camera. We use it, among other things, as a mini cam to catch b-roll and other shots at weddings. Before the wedding we either place it in the alter, hidden in some of the flowers or plants to catch "over the pastors shoulder" shots. It's great for getting the faces of the bride & groom when they are turned away from the audience.

Another good use is a balcony shot looking down on the alter. The Flip is so small we don't need a full tripod for it either. In fact I just use one of my umbrella light stands. I have a little head that screws on the stand and it becomes a good stable platform for the camera without taking up much space.

The Flip shoots in 720P but will look good when mastered to full HD. If you still shoot in SD then it will have excellent quality. The Flip's MP4 format will be compressed so you may find it isn't something you want to hold a shot for too long, but to have extra shots to cut away and use, it will be a wonderful addition to your arsenal of video tools.

Often people ask, "Where was that cameraman?" or "How did you get that shot?". Just smile and tell them you, as a company, plan ahead and get all the important shots. Word of mouth advertising will do the rest. They need not know you used a simple consumer camcorder to enhance their wedding video.

For $199.00 the Flip can be a life saver too. Once when the wireless mic I had on the groom failed, I was able to use the audio from the Flip to get the "I dos" in clarity. The Flip was right there in the alter hidden away in a flower arrangement. It caught all of the sound, including some stuff the bride and groom probably wouldn't want revealed!

The Flip does have limitations. There are no bells & whistles or extras. It's digital zoom is worthless and with the viewer on the back, it's not easy to frame your shot when you hide it. But if you can get it positioned well it will record HD video for a full hour before needing to be restarted.

It has a cheap plastic lens cover that will scratch easily and smear any light reflections if not cleaned thoroughly. But if you take care of it, it will take care of you. Especially when all else fails, this little gem will keep recording. I usually have it somewhere running continuously during every wedding I shoot, even low cost single camera weddings. Those are rare but I will shoot one. It affords me at least one different angle to cut to if I have to move or frame the single camera. Plus I don't have to pay an operator to shoot with it.

Mixing all these camera angles is a breeze with Magix Video Pro X and it's multi-camera editing function.

Life is good!
J.