Who uses these for communication with second shooter / assistant during weddings and shoots?
I'm working with another local photographer who uses a walkie system but it seems so bulky and gets tangled in my straps and vest etc... And it's a little hard to understand what she's saying if there's much noise around.
So I'm curious, what are some good COMPACT options, and any recommendations for actual earpieces that don't suck? (If I had something like my Shure earphones, that would be nice and clear I'm sure)
Way to much for the ear/mic piece imo, i picked a cheap one up at frys for around 20, audio quality is not the greatest but its the same secret service style with the mic on the cord. Works for telling my 2nd to get the fff out of my shot hahaha.
I occassionally use regular walkie-talkies, with no ear pieces. Come in handy at large complexes. Don't use them during the actual events, say during the ceremony. Mostly used for coordination as to when the other person will be showing up to a particular location such as, "let me know when you're done with prep and on the way to the ceremony site".
We use Midlands with the included earpiece... it's comfortable for my wife, however the earpiece is very uncomfortable and easily falls off of my ear. I guess it's just the internal layout of my ear that is the issue, I also can't use any earbuds that don't have the soft silicone tips.
So I use Motorola T7 radio's with a covert wireless earpiece. You do have to wear a neck loop under your shirt but it should stop you from getting tangled up. Has the added advantage that guests won't be able to see the earpiece at all. Great for fancy weddings where you don't want to look like a bouncer.
Don't know if they fit your size/budget limits, but I happen to love Harris radios, then Motorola, then Yaesu/Vertex - and by Motorola, I do not mean the cheap stuff you get at walmart etc. Go look at what your local LMR (Land Mobile Radio) dealer is selling. They will NOT be cheap - think of the little Motorolas you see at walmart etc as a 'point and shoot' and some of the higher end LMR radios and buying a D4/Eos1Dx (and the brand wars are almost as bad). They are LOUD, they don't get the same levels of interference/intermod, and with some of them, you can drive nails. Think what you see on the hip of your local police department
ai3x wrote:
So I use Motorola T7 radio's with a covert wireless earpiece. You do have to wear a neck loop under your shirt but it should stop you from getting tangled up. Has the added advantage that guests won't be able to see the earpiece at all. Great for fancy weddings where you don't want to look like a bouncer.
Wireless earpiece, nice! What's the neck loop you're talking about? Throat mic? I'm thinking that could work for me but not for my female assistant or second shooter, any thoughts there?
If I was looking at Motorola, and going NON licensed (you can also GET a license) look at the XTNi series. I BELIEVE you can officially do business on GMRS here in the USA - there is just questions on type cert of various radios (Part 90 vs Part 95). If you are going licensed, you can go into something like the GP series (or the CP - somewhat lower cost, but not as bullet proof). Now you can get all the fancy mics etc that even the Secret Service uses etc
My wife and I don't present ourselves as the techy type of photographers, so we don't use these. Presenting that relaxed image is important for us as we believe it is important to our clients.
Additionally, my wife and/or our associate shooter always communicate in the downtime between big events (right before the ceremony, right before the grand entrance, etc.), and from there, we signal each other with hand motions and such as necessary, but otherwise we kinda' know where we'll be and what we need to do.
Prettym1k3 wrote:
My wife and I don't present ourselves as the techy type of photographers, so we don't use these. Presenting that relaxed image is important for us as we believe it is important to our clients.
Additionally, my wife and/or our associate shooter always communicate in the downtime between big events (right before the ceremony, right before the grand entrance, etc.), and from there, we signal each other with hand motions and such as necessary, but otherwise we kinda' know where we'll be and what we need to do.
Hey Michael,
I totally agree with you. I mean, my clients know I'm pretty high-tech and a nerd, but I definitely don't want to come across as secret service when I'm shooting a wedding. Like you, my assistant and I go in with a game plan and generally don't need to communicate all that much when things are happening.
With that being said, there are times when a discreet wireless communications device that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb would be beneficial, so I'm really only looking for something that isn't overly visible.
without the earpieces you can't be discreet and quiet and sometimes you need that. I hear what you are saying about getting tangled up in straps, etc. I worry about that too. I always have good intentions going in with radios, but many times we take them and don't use them.... and then we need them when we don't have them on us. I need to work more on making it work. I believe we are using the midland radios and they have ear pieces that you buy separately.
