There are many choices out there for Videography and just as many pricing variations

Everyone charges according to whatever they feel their product is worth. Our product is certainly a premium product and ranks with the best in our market. Be aware that many lower cost event videographers are now using risky small & still-cameras with limited video features to record events that require professional equipment. Check pricing carefully, comparing only dollar figures is misleading.
Some need to charge much more…expenses such as:  high rents/leases, multiple cameramen, large staff, fancy showrooms, costly salespeople, extensive advertising and leasing costs of pricey production equipment will of-course raise cost. Such unnecessary costs can easily add 50% to 200% above our prices. Excessively expensive video services offer no added value especially when too many cameramen are involved. We’ve trimmed all expenses that do not relate to the quality of the final product.

Helpful Video Shopping Advice

Advice from your closest friends is best
Careful with advice from strangers who promote the same groups of services every time and collect hefty payments.
Meet with the people who will do the actual work
Meeting only with a salesperson will get you promises that will not be kept.
The “flavour of the month” is rarely the one to choose
New low cost video hobbyists lack experience, scrutinize all Videographers equally, don't fall for referrals from strangers, low prices & sharp salesmanship.
The “team approach” is more of a “risky approach"
“Teams” tend to change often as cameramen & editors move on due to low earnings. Also, it is much more desirable to have the original cameraman edit his own work rather than leave editing to a “team” or junior editors at low cost outside service.
Short demo videos do not tell the whole story
Short entertaining demos are usually exciting, fast paced and can hide the imperfections of the full length version. View full length samples instead, preferably on a large screen TV rather than a smartphone as all videos on tiny screens look good. Look for: sharpness, good facial colours, evenly lit scenes, flow, pleasing transitions, steady zooming speed, lack of graininess, thought behind the camera-work and listen carefully to the audio.
Styles vary, but traditional remains strong
Careful with samples of short videos with impressive intros & endings, view the important segments instead as they will make the most difference many years down the road.
Be aware
Booking video through a photographer, caterer, DJ or any "all in one service" is very risky. Photography & video should not be booked from the same source, one of the two will be compromised. Do some homework as very few event videographers have the qualifications, technology and commitment required to do a proper job. Getting all your advice from one person is often risky.
Speedy completion
Waiting 6-12 months for editing is ridiculous, one month should be maximum. Some in our trade do go out of business unexpectedly!
Not all USBs & discs are created equal
Low end services use USBs & discs that are worth pennies. Careful with those who “throw in” multiple free copies, look at the content instead.
The High Definition Video evolution
Due to greatly improved image quality HD Video has become dominant. There are various levels of HD quality, the term 1920 x 1080 is misleading.
Many in our trade will be promoting Hi-Def but they will be using the wrong “home type” small hand held cameras and smartphones for very responsible work. This is not the route to take. We chose a TV type camera for best HD visual quality. 4K video promoted in our trade, is also misleading, although 4K specifications look impressive there is no improvement in visual quality unless viewed on a giant TV screen, those that claim to shoot in 4K always deliver the final product in normal HD.
Simply recording in 1920 x 1080 (or in 4K) does not guarantee great HD images
New small Mirrorless & DSLR type cameras
They’re great for still photos but lack many features required for professional video. All smaller camera video have the compressed look, resulting in less smooth motion & image quality. The only advantage is the low cost compared to dedicated video cameras, therefore all low-end services are now using such cameras. They are too risky for Event Videography due to jerky zooming, awkward focusing, unstable motion, often out of control audio, shorter record times and sensors that can over-heat causing unexpected shut downs. They also require various add-ons & stabilizers for even basic usage. We use small camera only for specialty shots. Such cameras should not be used as primary cameras and often require a costly team of cameramen in order to get an event shot properly. One cameraman using a DSLR type camera cannot do an acceptable event production, a team is required.
Lighting
All pro videos require some added lighting to avoid shadows & dark faces common with novice and home made videos. Although much less lighting is now required for most modern cameras, most small HD cameras require extra lighting and look grainy in low light. Josh's latest camera is the most light-sensitive professional HD camera ever & requires no added lighting or just minimal lighting. Our HD images are full of detail, natural colours, brightness & clarity...graininess is history here.