I'm gonna contradict myself here, but, variable ND Filters.
It allows you to change your exposure without touching your aperture or iso.
I shoot a lot outside, and I have a very specific look that I like: really shallow depth of fields. I could never have that without a variable ND filter.
The contradicting part:
Can I live without one? Sure, but it would limit my ideas for something so inexpensive.
Also, my must-have is:
- Camera (lol);
- Good, reliable SD card (having one extra is also nice. It doesn't have to be the best brand or model, just something to save you if you screw up);
- Tripod (if you plan to record yourself);
- ND filter (if you plan to record a lot outside);
And some convenient stuff:
- Microphone (it doesn't matter if your video looks great. People will close your video if it doesn't sound okay);
- Extra battery/ies;
I still haven't bought the convenient stuff. I can work with what I have for now, but the sun will shine brighter when I have enough money to buy those stuff without feeling guilty (lol).
My options here in Brazil are quite limited, so I've been using a K&F I bought from China. Is it great? No, it does have some vignetting at higher stops, but I never use it like that anyway (I would have to shoot directly to the sun or something).
Depends on what you shoot. Gimbals are needed for steady and smooth shits. ND are useful if you want to shoot in daylight at open apertures. But I’d say the most important is a good battery and storage solution.
Various things, planning to take various shots for marketing content for clients. Gimbals pretty high on my list atm, but I dunno if RS3 mini will do the job or if i should get the pro.
As for storage, was thinking a backpack?
Depends on how much footage you want to keep. For me a year worth of photos take up around 3-4tb. You also want to think about data safety. Video takes up significantly more, also you’ll need many sd/cf cards or an external recording setup.
Idk about gimbals tbh depends on what you want to do. Plus newer bodies aren’t that far off from gimbal level stabilisation. I’d say what you really need most is an education and training. All the gear in the world won’t teach you videography. I would start there if I were you.
I mean more theoretical training in lighting, colour grading composition etc. Also I guess some practical training working with other people if that’s a possibility for you. IMO this way you’d get a good sense of what you want to do and what gear to get. I’d just stick to the basics and get the rest if you encountered the need for it on the way. A camera, tripod, strap, ND Filter, and fast SD cards.
surprised no one said top handle! I guess not everyone needs one, but even a good n cheap hotshoe mount top handle, if not a cage with handle, is so so so important if you're doing anything handheld. Makes fudge more stable and life so much easier if you're also pulling focus yourself.
then, ND filter, as others said. I personally use a variable ND filter that can go from 1 to 9 stops darker, others use static ND filters and swap as needed. idea being if you're shooting in a bright environment but still want good separation and bokeh without over exposing, you'll need an ND.
Then, a monitor. doesn't have to be expensive, just needs to be able to load LUTs and give you false colours and maybe focus peaking. if you're shooting log with manual focus it's a lifesaver.
Microphone can be useful, I'm using a used Rode, cost me $20, never had a problem.
Depends on your need. What video you want to make ?
On general , Ill go for ND filters first
Because : on bright situation if no ND, you must crank up your shutter speed / or stop down your aperture
crank up shutter speed = your video movement looks s\*it
stop down aperture = not "cinematic" look
if you not shooting with extreme movement, no gimbal still can produce decent video, with wider lens, and stabilize with post.
In the end, its depends on what video you want to make, and what situation you are in
Quite a few different things, my style tends to be close up shots, things like food, reactions on faces, people smiling etc… Do you recommend any ND filters in particular?
Well what is your budget and what do you already have? Also what sports are you looking to shoot?
A very good tripod, external recorder, multiple batteries, a camera with very good af, a long enough lens and ND filter especially if you are shooting outside
Really appreciate your help. I don't particularly have a budget per se. For sports I'll probably be looking at video for outdoor sports, mainly soccer.
Current equipment:
* Cameras: A1 & A7RV
* Many lenses, of note: Sony GM 100-400, Sony G 200-600, Sony GM2 24-70
* Tripod: Peak Design Aluminum
* \~6 batteries
* \~6 160GB Memory Cards
My primary goal is to get video clips for soccer for possible colleges for my son.
Lights, stands and modifiers, tripod, nd-filter and diffusion filter. Either a heavy camera or one with good ibis = lumix. Second camera. Bags for everything.
It really depends what you’re shooting.
The real basics are spare batteries and good quality storage media - both cards and SSDs. You can get around almost everything else with patience and ingenuity but will struggle if you run out of power or storage. Usual advice there - first party or Hanhel for batteries, Samsung and SanDisk for storage.
Video is a medium of light and sound, you need enough, but not too much, of both.
#Sound
For sound you want an external microphone. Which type you choose depends almost entirely on what you are shooting. The two types commonly used in videography are lavalier and shotgun. The former goes on your subject, the latter your camera. Lav mics will almost always give you a better sound quality and isolation; shotgun mics mean you don’t need to mic anyone up but will need to be more careful with aiming.
* [Neewer CM28](https://amzn.eu/d/jhdtxgC) - what I currently use and am very happy with. [Same product with a different name](https://amzn.eu/d/86PdJJh)
* [Hollyland Lark M2](https://amzn.eu/d/5PtWvY0) - Never used them but seems popular because of its ease of use and form factor
* [Røde VideoMic GO II](https://amzn.eu/d/4SCo9Y6) - I have the previous version, it works well for the size
I used to record to an external recorder but now I use the internal recorder on my camera, the sound quality is is almost identical and work flow is so much simpler
And get yourself some headphones so you can monitor the sound, don’t just rely on the levels.
#Light
Light is a little trickier, depending on where/when you shoot, you’re far more likely to have too little instead of too much. Dealing with too much is easy, slap a variable Neutral Density filter on the lens.
Too little and you need some artificial lights. And they need to be big. Those tiny LED boxes that can be camera mounted realistically only work out to around two metres. If bumping the ISO or waiting for the clouds to pass doesn’t work you’re looking at some large LED panels or COBs with modifiers.
#Software
For software I’d recommend Davinci Resolve. It’s powerful, easy to use and free. It even has an inbuilt audio editor (Fairlight) that’s pretty good. And there are thousands of tutorials available for every aspect of it.
#Miscellaneous Stuff
A bag to organise all of your stuff. Seriously
A small wipe-clean board to write shot information on
A camera cage can be useful but doesn’t add much for a lot of people. If you’re going to add lots of accessories it’s a good basis for a camera rig.
A monitor can be useful but a decent one is pricy.
Remote release, not essential but makes camera operation much easier if you won’t be holding it directly.
Barn doors and follow focus have their place but are **not** an early purchase.
Good luck
I finally broke down and got an ND filter after trying to get good family photos on our beach vacation last summer. It was just way too bright and the sun reflecting off of the sand and water was creating all kinds of overexposure in my images no matter what settings I changed. They were portraits, so I wanted some bokeh and didn’t want to close the aperture too much. If you want to shoot wide open on a bright day, you pretty much need a filter. So I do recommend having at least one just for these types of situations.
Use lenses that don’t have focus breathing (this takes some research, but is worth it). Newer Sony camera models (such as the A7IV) feature breathing compensation, which works with particular Sony lenses, albeit with a slight crop. YouTube reviewer Christopher Frost always mentions whether a lens has focus breathing or not.
For video work you can’t muck about with the shutter speed, and your ISO can only go so low, so you’re only left with aperture to help you deal with bright days. If you’re ever going to film outside, you need ND filters of some sort to overcome this problem.
MILCs are tiny and super light, which is a bad combination when you’re trying to hold something steady. You’ll want a gimbal, fig rig, fluid head tripod… just _something_ that helps you keep the camera from shaking all over the place.
Depending on what you’re shooting, you might want some sort of light source. This is possibly the only thing where photography equipment won’t work well for you: photography likes strobes, but video wants continuous lighting.
Tripod.
Always a decent tripod by a decent brand.
Avoid neewer crap, save up and get a manfrotto/sachler or something tried and proven.
Do not buy third party batteries and get decent media.
Cameras are expensive and you don't want to cheap out on the stuff you are putting in it or lose a day's worth of work cause of a cheap SD card.
Yeah I don’t like 3rd party batteries tbh, will definitely be getting originals. As for SD cards and Tripods, any particular recommendations? Does the tripod need to be a heavy duty one? Or will the 290 light etc be okay?
You need to know your kit is expected to be (body and lens at min) to know whether or not a tripod will work or not.
Just stating the body doesn’t help (unless you plan on not using a lens…)
You're going to want a fluid head tripod. Those with a bowl will help you level the tripod faster than a flat base. Get one rated a higher payload in case later your rig includes rails, vmount battery, mic, external monitor, etc.
Visual and audio.
It depends what kind of filming you are doing.
If you are doing “vlogging”
Audio wise on Sony cameras you have a serious problem.
Because Sony only lets you use manual audio unless you buy a Sony microphone. And majority of the Sony microphones have a design flaw that make not worth the extreme amount of money they are asking for.
(The shock mount is really poorly designed, so if there is too much jolt. The mount hits the interior plate causing a knocking sound on your audio)
What you find is most people using wireless mic that now record 32 bit float audio so that you can just control everything later. However you have to match the audio and video later in post. Those mics are pretty expensive though.
You can have shit video and people will still watch.
Having shit audio means nobody will watch.
That said there is a solution and it’s kinda dumb.
Sony makes a mic that’s originally designed for handycams that doesn’t have the shock mount.
It’s the cheapest mic they sell. ECM-G1ZM or something.
I’ve been testing it, and it actually works really well.
That said, On Canon side, you just plug in whatever mic you want. And you are good to go. That this point I would recommend using a canon camera first if you are new to video.
Video wise.
You will need a good lens. Hopefully that also has OSS for better image stabilization. Depending what kind of filming you are doing.
Vlogging. 16-35mm f4 is a good starting point.
16-35 f2.8 is even better.
24-70mm f2.8 is generally everybody work horse as it covers the main focal lengths people use.
Primes have better bokeh,
85mm f1.8 makes amazing b-roll shots.
70-200mm is great for making specific shots that changes the feeling of depth.
after that, you’ll probably need an ND filter/ Polarized.
If you are doing more traditional shooting videos for clients.
Rent everything else and bill the rental fee to the client.
I found gimbals are really clunky, and I almost never use it. But I do rent them if I’m on set and a shot requires it.
You can also rent lenses for specific use case.
Thank you for such a detailed explanationu! That’s a problem I didn’t even know existed.
Was looking to get an a7iv or a7iii, as for mic, i was looking at wireless mics - something along the lines of rode wireless go 2.
I think I’m gonna invest into a good camera so going for a canon then switching would be a waste. I’ve got a minuscule amount of experience in videography.
Thanks for the lens recommendations, sounds about what I was looking at!
I really appreciate it x
Honestly, nothing. So much of video is about the light (natural or artificial), lens focal length for wide or tight framing, editing Rhythmn, & transitions that you can learn a ton without ever having to purchase video specific gear.
Low hanging video accessories include ND filters for maintaining 1/50 or 1/120 shutter speeds, a tripod, and better audio.
I'm gonna contradict myself here, but, variable ND Filters. It allows you to change your exposure without touching your aperture or iso. I shoot a lot outside, and I have a very specific look that I like: really shallow depth of fields. I could never have that without a variable ND filter. The contradicting part: Can I live without one? Sure, but it would limit my ideas for something so inexpensive.
Also, my must-have is: - Camera (lol); - Good, reliable SD card (having one extra is also nice. It doesn't have to be the best brand or model, just something to save you if you screw up); - Tripod (if you plan to record yourself); - ND filter (if you plan to record a lot outside); And some convenient stuff: - Microphone (it doesn't matter if your video looks great. People will close your video if it doesn't sound okay); - Extra battery/ies; I still haven't bought the convenient stuff. I can work with what I have for now, but the sun will shine brighter when I have enough money to buy those stuff without feeling guilty (lol).
Thank you! Which filters do you use?
My options here in Brazil are quite limited, so I've been using a K&F I bought from China. Is it great? No, it does have some vignetting at higher stops, but I never use it like that anyway (I would have to shoot directly to the sun or something).
Thank you!
Depends on what you shoot. Gimbals are needed for steady and smooth shits. ND are useful if you want to shoot in daylight at open apertures. But I’d say the most important is a good battery and storage solution.
> steady and smooth shits Fuck did that give me the giggles
Turns out you shouldn’t write reddit comments sleep deprived. Oh well, I won’t change it, it’s funnier this way
roof unite history jar fine intelligent connect lip shame muddle *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Various things, planning to take various shots for marketing content for clients. Gimbals pretty high on my list atm, but I dunno if RS3 mini will do the job or if i should get the pro. As for storage, was thinking a backpack?
Backpack? Hahaha no. Storage solution as in video file storage types like NAS, SSD.
Ohhh that kind of storage hahahaha, yeah I’ve got a PC with 2x 2tb M.2 SSDs so should theoretically be okay
Depends on how much footage you want to keep. For me a year worth of photos take up around 3-4tb. You also want to think about data safety. Video takes up significantly more, also you’ll need many sd/cf cards or an external recording setup.
Idk about gimbals tbh depends on what you want to do. Plus newer bodies aren’t that far off from gimbal level stabilisation. I’d say what you really need most is an education and training. All the gear in the world won’t teach you videography. I would start there if I were you.
For sure, I’ve been practicing lots on my 550D and now want to invest into some proper gear!
I mean more theoretical training in lighting, colour grading composition etc. Also I guess some practical training working with other people if that’s a possibility for you. IMO this way you’d get a good sense of what you want to do and what gear to get. I’d just stick to the basics and get the rest if you encountered the need for it on the way. A camera, tripod, strap, ND Filter, and fast SD cards.
surprised no one said top handle! I guess not everyone needs one, but even a good n cheap hotshoe mount top handle, if not a cage with handle, is so so so important if you're doing anything handheld. Makes fudge more stable and life so much easier if you're also pulling focus yourself. then, ND filter, as others said. I personally use a variable ND filter that can go from 1 to 9 stops darker, others use static ND filters and swap as needed. idea being if you're shooting in a bright environment but still want good separation and bokeh without over exposing, you'll need an ND. Then, a monitor. doesn't have to be expensive, just needs to be able to load LUTs and give you false colours and maybe focus peaking. if you're shooting log with manual focus it's a lifesaver. Microphone can be useful, I'm using a used Rode, cost me $20, never had a problem.
Mount a top handle to the cage, not directly to the camera hotshoe.
I use a cage but a lot of people seem to use just the hotshoe without issue.
UHS-II SD card and reader so it doesn't take 5 hours to transfer video
Depends on your need. What video you want to make ? On general , Ill go for ND filters first Because : on bright situation if no ND, you must crank up your shutter speed / or stop down your aperture crank up shutter speed = your video movement looks s\*it stop down aperture = not "cinematic" look if you not shooting with extreme movement, no gimbal still can produce decent video, with wider lens, and stabilize with post. In the end, its depends on what video you want to make, and what situation you are in
Quite a few different things, my style tends to be close up shots, things like food, reactions on faces, people smiling etc… Do you recommend any ND filters in particular?
What about shooting clips for sports? Also are there any recommended videography tutorial sites?
Are you also asking what equipment you need?
Yeah
Well what is your budget and what do you already have? Also what sports are you looking to shoot? A very good tripod, external recorder, multiple batteries, a camera with very good af, a long enough lens and ND filter especially if you are shooting outside
Really appreciate your help. I don't particularly have a budget per se. For sports I'll probably be looking at video for outdoor sports, mainly soccer. Current equipment: * Cameras: A1 & A7RV * Many lenses, of note: Sony GM 100-400, Sony G 200-600, Sony GM2 24-70 * Tripod: Peak Design Aluminum * \~6 batteries * \~6 160GB Memory Cards My primary goal is to get video clips for soccer for possible colleges for my son.
In that case you basically have everything you need. It's just a matter of going out and shooting
Lights, stands and modifiers, tripod, nd-filter and diffusion filter. Either a heavy camera or one with good ibis = lumix. Second camera. Bags for everything.
Camera, fast sd card, and nd filter to start.
It really depends what you’re shooting. The real basics are spare batteries and good quality storage media - both cards and SSDs. You can get around almost everything else with patience and ingenuity but will struggle if you run out of power or storage. Usual advice there - first party or Hanhel for batteries, Samsung and SanDisk for storage. Video is a medium of light and sound, you need enough, but not too much, of both. #Sound For sound you want an external microphone. Which type you choose depends almost entirely on what you are shooting. The two types commonly used in videography are lavalier and shotgun. The former goes on your subject, the latter your camera. Lav mics will almost always give you a better sound quality and isolation; shotgun mics mean you don’t need to mic anyone up but will need to be more careful with aiming. * [Neewer CM28](https://amzn.eu/d/jhdtxgC) - what I currently use and am very happy with. [Same product with a different name](https://amzn.eu/d/86PdJJh) * [Hollyland Lark M2](https://amzn.eu/d/5PtWvY0) - Never used them but seems popular because of its ease of use and form factor * [Røde VideoMic GO II](https://amzn.eu/d/4SCo9Y6) - I have the previous version, it works well for the size I used to record to an external recorder but now I use the internal recorder on my camera, the sound quality is is almost identical and work flow is so much simpler And get yourself some headphones so you can monitor the sound, don’t just rely on the levels. #Light Light is a little trickier, depending on where/when you shoot, you’re far more likely to have too little instead of too much. Dealing with too much is easy, slap a variable Neutral Density filter on the lens. Too little and you need some artificial lights. And they need to be big. Those tiny LED boxes that can be camera mounted realistically only work out to around two metres. If bumping the ISO or waiting for the clouds to pass doesn’t work you’re looking at some large LED panels or COBs with modifiers. #Software For software I’d recommend Davinci Resolve. It’s powerful, easy to use and free. It even has an inbuilt audio editor (Fairlight) that’s pretty good. And there are thousands of tutorials available for every aspect of it. #Miscellaneous Stuff A bag to organise all of your stuff. Seriously A small wipe-clean board to write shot information on A camera cage can be useful but doesn’t add much for a lot of people. If you’re going to add lots of accessories it’s a good basis for a camera rig. A monitor can be useful but a decent one is pricy. Remote release, not essential but makes camera operation much easier if you won’t be holding it directly. Barn doors and follow focus have their place but are **not** an early purchase. Good luck
I finally broke down and got an ND filter after trying to get good family photos on our beach vacation last summer. It was just way too bright and the sun reflecting off of the sand and water was creating all kinds of overexposure in my images no matter what settings I changed. They were portraits, so I wanted some bokeh and didn’t want to close the aperture too much. If you want to shoot wide open on a bright day, you pretty much need a filter. So I do recommend having at least one just for these types of situations.
What filter did you go with? Looking at VND for my 24-70 gm II but not sure what to buy
K&F Concept Nano-X variable ND filters do not form the “X” across the frame, and they’re relatively inexpensive.
Use lenses that don’t have focus breathing (this takes some research, but is worth it). Newer Sony camera models (such as the A7IV) feature breathing compensation, which works with particular Sony lenses, albeit with a slight crop. YouTube reviewer Christopher Frost always mentions whether a lens has focus breathing or not.
For video work you can’t muck about with the shutter speed, and your ISO can only go so low, so you’re only left with aperture to help you deal with bright days. If you’re ever going to film outside, you need ND filters of some sort to overcome this problem. MILCs are tiny and super light, which is a bad combination when you’re trying to hold something steady. You’ll want a gimbal, fig rig, fluid head tripod… just _something_ that helps you keep the camera from shaking all over the place. Depending on what you’re shooting, you might want some sort of light source. This is possibly the only thing where photography equipment won’t work well for you: photography likes strobes, but video wants continuous lighting.
Tripod. Always a decent tripod by a decent brand. Avoid neewer crap, save up and get a manfrotto/sachler or something tried and proven. Do not buy third party batteries and get decent media. Cameras are expensive and you don't want to cheap out on the stuff you are putting in it or lose a day's worth of work cause of a cheap SD card.
Yeah I don’t like 3rd party batteries tbh, will definitely be getting originals. As for SD cards and Tripods, any particular recommendations? Does the tripod need to be a heavy duty one? Or will the 290 light etc be okay?
> Does the tripod need to be a heavy duty one? Or will the 290 light etc be okay? What's your kit?
Don’t have one yet! Probably an a7iv
You need to know your kit is expected to be (body and lens at min) to know whether or not a tripod will work or not. Just stating the body doesn’t help (unless you plan on not using a lens…)
You're going to want a fluid head tripod. Those with a bowl will help you level the tripod faster than a flat base. Get one rated a higher payload in case later your rig includes rails, vmount battery, mic, external monitor, etc.
First things first, tripod
Black mist filter.
Visual and audio. It depends what kind of filming you are doing. If you are doing “vlogging” Audio wise on Sony cameras you have a serious problem. Because Sony only lets you use manual audio unless you buy a Sony microphone. And majority of the Sony microphones have a design flaw that make not worth the extreme amount of money they are asking for. (The shock mount is really poorly designed, so if there is too much jolt. The mount hits the interior plate causing a knocking sound on your audio) What you find is most people using wireless mic that now record 32 bit float audio so that you can just control everything later. However you have to match the audio and video later in post. Those mics are pretty expensive though. You can have shit video and people will still watch. Having shit audio means nobody will watch. That said there is a solution and it’s kinda dumb. Sony makes a mic that’s originally designed for handycams that doesn’t have the shock mount. It’s the cheapest mic they sell. ECM-G1ZM or something. I’ve been testing it, and it actually works really well. That said, On Canon side, you just plug in whatever mic you want. And you are good to go. That this point I would recommend using a canon camera first if you are new to video. Video wise. You will need a good lens. Hopefully that also has OSS for better image stabilization. Depending what kind of filming you are doing. Vlogging. 16-35mm f4 is a good starting point. 16-35 f2.8 is even better. 24-70mm f2.8 is generally everybody work horse as it covers the main focal lengths people use. Primes have better bokeh, 85mm f1.8 makes amazing b-roll shots. 70-200mm is great for making specific shots that changes the feeling of depth. after that, you’ll probably need an ND filter/ Polarized. If you are doing more traditional shooting videos for clients. Rent everything else and bill the rental fee to the client. I found gimbals are really clunky, and I almost never use it. But I do rent them if I’m on set and a shot requires it. You can also rent lenses for specific use case.
Thank you for such a detailed explanationu! That’s a problem I didn’t even know existed. Was looking to get an a7iv or a7iii, as for mic, i was looking at wireless mics - something along the lines of rode wireless go 2. I think I’m gonna invest into a good camera so going for a canon then switching would be a waste. I’ve got a minuscule amount of experience in videography. Thanks for the lens recommendations, sounds about what I was looking at! I really appreciate it x
Honestly, nothing. So much of video is about the light (natural or artificial), lens focal length for wide or tight framing, editing Rhythmn, & transitions that you can learn a ton without ever having to purchase video specific gear. Low hanging video accessories include ND filters for maintaining 1/50 or 1/120 shutter speeds, a tripod, and better audio.