WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHY

Option 1 - Sony PXW-X70
Weekend from £65 - hire now!

The Sony PXW-X70 is very competent little camera for its size and price point, and an ideal choice if you are shooting a less formal affair. It’s capable of shooting in 4K, has face detection autofocus and a ZEISS 12x optical zoom lens, which is great for getting close-ups without getting too close to scenes as they unfold.

It is supplied with a shotgun microphone, which simply plugs into the XLR port on the camera and you’re good to go. 

One thing to note is that face detection autofocus isn’t available when using 4K. 

Option 2 - Sony PXW-Z90
Weekend from £90 - hire now!

The Sony PXW-Z90 is a user-friendly, portable camcorder that won’t be too obtrusive on the big day and will give you far superior image and audio quality to that of a smartphone. Despite its small size, the PXW-Z90 captures broadcast quality 4K footage and offers Sony’s Fast Hybrid AF system, which can be controlled via the touchscreen – giving you peace of mind that you’ll get the vital details and moments in focus. 

The ZEISS Vario-Sonnar T* 12x optical zoom lens provides great versatility and allows you to get close to the action, without encroaching on anyone’s personal space, which is extremely helpful when shooting candid footage of the couple together. You will be able to capture their emotion without making them self-conscious. 

The camera shoots 1080p footage at up to 120 frames per second, giving you that dreamy, romantic cinematic feel, which always great with wedding imagery! The ability to shoot 4K slow motion would be a great asset, but you'll have to look to the higher-end cameras for this ability. 

It does have a built-in microphone, but to achieve better quality sound it’s advisable to use the RODE NTG-1 shotgun microphone that it’s supplied with. 

One important thing to note is a lack of image stabilisation, so you may want to consider a tripod or gimbal if there’s a chance light will be limited. Alternatively, a camera with better low light capabilities might be a better option for you. 

Option 3 - Sony a7S III, Sony FE 24-105mm F4 Lens, Rode Videomic Pro+
Weekend from £153 - hire now!

Sony’s a7S III is a wonderful choice for shooting weddings as it’s small, subtle and offers superb 4K video capabilities. It’s phenomenal in low light, meaning you won’t have to rely so heavily on artificial light, which can be hugely distracting and often unwanted – particularly during the ceremony. Plus, it can shoot beautiful slow motion in 4K at 120fps, giving that romantic and cinematic feel to your film. This is one camera that’s hard to beat. 

Autofocus is super-intuitive, and the eye detection AF is a dream to work with – it will allow you to capture the eyes of the subject with pin-sharp detail, which is essential when shooting portraiture footage, especially when using a shallow depth of field. 

The dynamic range this camera can record has to be seen to be believed. It captures incredible detail in shadows and highlights – which is particularly useful when shooting out in the bright midday sun, or if your subject is backlit in a dark room. 

The Sony a7S III packs in-body 5-axis image stabilisation, meaning you may well find you can shoot the entire day without a gimbal. 

It doesn’t have the same ‘grab and shoot’ ease of use as some other entry-level cameras, meaning you will want to spend some time setting the camera up to ensure it’s fully personalised to suit your shooting style, but in doing this, you are rewarded with ultimate quality, usability and a truly intuitive experience. 
24-105mm has long been a favourite focal length for many wedding filmmakers and the Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS is a superb example. Its maximum aperture of f/4 isn’t the fastest in the world but is available throughout the zoom range, plus the lens is extremely light and compact. You won’t need to worry so much about low light capabilities as the ISO values delivered by the a7S III are formidable, but you won’t get the same shallow depth of field as you would with a f/2.8 lens. 

The image quality from Sony’s FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS is pin-sharp, plus it has a great build quality and weather resistance, giving you peace of mind should conditions take a turn for the worse. 

Option 4 - Sony PXW-Z190
Weekend from £100 - hire now!

The phenomenal zoom capabilities of the Sony PXW-Z190 4K camcorder provide a focal length of 28.8-720mm (35mm equivalent), which will give you ultimate versatility and reach, making it invaluable when capturing intimate moments without encroaching on the couple’s space. 

Autofocus is fast, responsive and accurate, plus face detection will ensure you capture the most important area of the image in crisp detail when capturing portraits and couple shots. In addition to standard face detection, the Sony PXW-Z190 also offers face registration AF, which makes your job a lot easier if more than one person is in the frame! 

The camera can be monitored and controlled remotely via a smartphone, which is very useful when you want to change settings without moving around and distracting guests during proceedings. 

The camera sports two memory card slots, allowing you to either jump from one card to the next the instant the first is full, or record to both simultaneously – providing an instant backup the moment your footage is recorded. 

It is worth noting that the PXW-Z190 doesn’t offer image stabilisation, so you may want to consider a tripod for low-lit scenes such as on the dancefloor or in dark church settings.