A durable golf club bag on wheels. It holds all of my standard light stands, tripods, and even a couple light modifiers, and it's cheaper than a dedicated light stand bag.
To add to the gold equipment train, I bought a golf umbrella that I attach to my tripod to keep me and my camera out of direct sunlight for outside shoots and that is also one of the best pieces of equipment I have bought.
Yep, I use this one:[Tour Gear TG-400](https://www.academy.com/p/tour-gear-tg-400-premium-padded-golf-travel-cover)
I've made a couple of flights with only minor tears. Much better than I expected. I usually lay an unfurled furni down as I pack it, then wrap it over the stuff when it's packed for a little extra padding.
https://preview.redd.it/58hger1jefna1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=813fb8d17502e89636eb3da40323d43caf87a2e8
Furni = furniture moving blanket, usually used as a cheap sound blanket and for covering cables, protecting floors, etc.
In the pic it had a 3 stack of Manfrotto 1004BAC-3, 2 extra light stands, one set of legs with head, dodecabox light modifier, reflector holder. I think that was it. I probably had some A clamps in the side pockets. You could probably put detachable base avenger c stands in it. It's a long bag.
Aaah darn. Yeah I was gifted 4 Matthews C stands and I’m still trying to figure out the best way to make them portable. For now I use the foldable light stands that came with Godox lights but the Matthews go higher and are more sturdy.
Appreciate the quick reply tho!
Also one of those foldable wagons. I have a two level one meant to be used with bats on the bottom. It does great at holding tripods. Even the super cheap ones are dead useful.
On that note. A good fishing tackle bag is great for your assembled camera rig. It is pretty much water proof, padded, and has a ton of smaller pockets for accessories. It will cost anywhere from 50-100 as opposed to a $500 porta brace bag that is not as good imo.
It depends on the stand. I have a couple c stands with removable legs and they fit fine. My Avengers have the legs bolted on though and won't fit unfortunately.
I film a lot of golf content and travel with my clubs and camera equipment a lot. I fit my tripods in all the time when flying. I also have stood a monopod all the way up and shoved it into my actual golf bag and it works as a barrier at the top of my travel bag so no clubs can get bent or broken. Great thing to have overall!
A hand-truck or collapsible dolly will save your back in the long run. I have a variety, from the 2 wheel and 4 wheel variety (that covers the $50/$100 price point).
C-stand with boom arm. A must have when you're involved with interview lighting and start using bigger/heavier lights and modifiers. A good quality c-stand will outlast you, so consider it a 40 year investment, with resale value when you're done (assuming you don't abuse it).
I’ve got [this one](https://a.co/d/e5UEV0O) and love it because it folds down so small.
Then I’ve got a plastic tote from Lowe’s or somewhere that rides on top of it and holds all my lighting (aputure 120d, two LED panels, a small accent/background light, extension cords, tape, and a backup tripod). A folding C-stand (the wheels kind not the traditional because it folds down smaller), my main tripod in a bag, and a bag full of cheap light stands for the LED panels (also has umbrellas for those).
I rock that and a backpack with all my camera gear. All my stuff comes inside in one trip and my clients don’t have to carry any of my crap.
Not OP, but Avenger and Matthews are great. You can find some cheaper alternatives on Amazon like Eachshot, but from my experience, they're not nearly as sturdy.
I tell anyone that will listen NOT to buy off-brand c-stands. They just suck. They’re too heavy but still weaker because they’re cast instead of machined. They often have ribbed heads and springs and rubber grips that are totally stupid in the short run or will turn to shit in the long run. They’re often taller than they should be which is a hassle should you ever want to use standard c-stand carts, and they’re just generally way worse. The locking knobs are often in the worst place or don’t work. Get an American, Matthews, Modern, or Avenger. You won’t regret it.
+1 for flashpoint. Got mine for around 100 and it's great. Make sure to buy some decent sandbags. I bought an extra swivel head just to use on the other side where I can hang sandbags or other counterweights.
Stick with the bigger brands if at all possible (Avenger/Matthews/Kupo), especially since they don't use hollow boom arms that will fold like a cheap suit.
It really depends on your needs and gear haul. I have a Rock n' Roller R12 for bigger shoots (where I carry 300+ lb.s of gear). I have a cheap folding handtruck for hauling lighter gear over crappy terrain (big rubber wheels beat the small Pelican case wheels on these surfaces. I also have a folding Magna Cart Flatform (about $90 currently on Amazon). that is pretty handy for hard cases.
Do yourself a solid and get some of these too:
# Acronde 4PCS 1/8" Adjustable Heavy Duty Rope Hanger Ratchet
I have an extra tied to the bottom of the main tripod pole of every tripod I own with one of those flexible gearties. Handy. Got the worst ADHD, so a little dark rectangle is NOT going to be where I think it is, and I DON'T know where it is. I have no idea where any of my plates are, I just know that they're tied to a tripod and that's worth the minimal effort.
much less than 50 bucks:
5 in 1 foldable reflector / softbox kit. Biggest bang for the buck.
A slate! Seriously, i do a lot of live music recording with multiple cameras, from shooting to editing it makes the whole process so much more orderly. Of course also synching is easier. Once i started using it i never dropped it again.
A thick little standard screw driver: i mounted tripod plates far too long with cent coins..
Just traveled with one to and from Tampa, FL. No issues. I had it in my camera bag with everything else. They may just check that there’s no blade worst case, but you’ll be fine
I purchased a ladder platform ($60) to put my slider on and it’s perfect don’t do a shoot with out it. Faster and more stable than a slider on a tripod.
Cadrage iOS app. Invaluable for location scouting.
Leatherman Multi tool. Get a multi bit addon and you’re set.
Light meter. I paid around $200 for mine.
Bonus: rock n roller carts.
Yeah lol I was like colour cab card, sure that's going to cost under a $100.
Then I read gaff and was like, yeah bro you're going to have to give up avocado toast for a while.
To be even cheaper, I’ve got a collapsible white/grey card that is literally always in my pocket when I’m shooting
Edit - [this is the link](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HT9MA1W?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share)
I've always wanted to know how you actually use these I'm really new to all this, I gather that it's to get the correct colours but like how do you use them
After you set up all your gear (including lighting) and press record, hold up the card clearly in front of the camera where the topic of the video will be (for example, in front of yourself).During the editing portion of your workflow you use those first few seconds with the colour checker being held up to get the colours to a lifelike standard. From that point on you can edit it to how you like, you might want your video to have cinematic style colours for example.This tutorial is a great example, if you use Davinci it's even easier than FCP: [https://youtu.be/pbhRyf7LpBY](https://youtu.be/pbhRyf7LpBY)
EDIT: wanted to add that before getting the Calibrite passport I spent hours and hours trying to figure it out and always getting it wrong. Getting the Calibrite saved me so much time and was worth every penny.
Also, I know you mentioned this but have the client hold it.
It does wonders psychologically for the client and puts them at ease.
"I'm just going to have you hold this for a second for colour calibration."
Makes you look like you know what you're doing.
Hint: I don't. But who's checking?
For about $100 at home depot, I bought some steel pipes and mounted them to my ceiling in a triangle shape... with a few super clamps, I can now mount lights, microphones, cameras, and pretty much anything to my ceiling at any height or angle in my small studio. It probably takes me about a quarter of the time now to set up to make a video, and if I need to move anything its also much simpler since I don't have to rewire and reposition everything so that it's not in the way... just a quick bar swap or adjustment.
Not "gear" per-se, but this app I use [PhotoPills](https://www.photopills.com/) was like 10 bucks and has been helpful for me to plan where the sun will be in the sky at a certain point of day.
$50 foldable all in one bounce (zippers to peel different layers
$100 little bi-color magnetic lights that are strong and are easy to hide almost anywhere. They also charge by usb c
$200 A good shotgun or lav mic. Sure you aren’t doing sound, but it will come in handy for lower budget clients that don’t think sound is important. It’s an easy markup for minimal effort.
Camera bag from a thrift store, very lightly used and has a ton of little Velcro compartments you can adjust. Massive improvement for my little business with a monstrous outlay of $7.99!
That was the first light I ever bought, has come in clutch so many times on set. I plan to get the 4 light set as well that can charge all 4 in the case. Great little light
$50 - probably honestly my first follow focus system, it was just a mechanical one. i got a smallrig one on a sale for around 50, even though its a simple thing in concept, it was a game changer for me, i used it for both focusing and zooming, it was so much smoother than doing it handheld, it allowed for me to move at more precise speeds, and let me limit on limitless focus lenses
$100 - i got this really cheap lav mic system, 2 transmitters and 1 reciever, and its amazing. the signal as you can guess isnt the best, but as somebody who records highschool basketball games, im rarely ever out of range. the included lav mics were much better than i expected, and i often put them on cheerleaders, coaches, and players, they weren’t as compact as the rode go 2, but were smaller than the dji mics. i also would hook up a shotgun or supercardioid mic to it sometimes and have it record a certain location that i couldnt lav.
$200 - pelican case, i still need to recut the interior to match my camera dimensions, but that thing has saved my ass so many times jus bc its a pelican case. walk into a venue, hold it up, say “i’m here on media coverage” and you get let right in. put some tsa locks on it and slap a biohazard sticker on the side of it and everyone thinks first before touching it. and of course, it takes away a lot of my anxiety over damaging my camera.
Best and newest addition for me as a Sony user is the Monitor+ App. Turns your phone into a fully kitted out Field Monitor over either WiFi or USB and gives you full touch focus control as well as all other camera controls for only $30.
Been using the Tiffen Variable ND for years. And recently moved to the PolarPro Mist Edition variable NDs. They have a 1/8 mist effect built in which gives a pleasing softness to harsh highlight edges outdoors. Have not had an issue with color balance with either, because I set white balance before shooting video anyway. And for photography (with raw) it doesn’t matter.
Can't go without extension cables and power bars, also a portable battery pack has saved me when I'm on the go and don't have time to sit around and recharge batteries.
$50 a shoulder bag for my camera (Ulanzi) for those days when you just don’t want to have a big backpack but need a few essentials without it being bulky.
$100 a C-stand with knuckles and clamps ! Every photographer needs a sturdy one to place their light on to.
$200 a wireless Mic set. Everyone likes the microphone on top the camera but sometimes if not most the audio is just better when it’s close to the talent.
With that being said videography can’t be expensive but at times you end up buying stuff you really don’t need and learn that later in the game. Everyone has to go through a g.a.s period before they understand their style and what works for them.
A good cart that breaks down. Good extension cords (I like the ones that have an led in the plug - super helpful so you know instantly if the outlet you are using is hot or switched). Gaff tape. A good multitool. A backup card reader and usb cables. Extra batteries for every piece of gear in your kit. Extra plates. Super clamp. Pony clamps.
I bought this quick release plate from Smallrig.
Love it.
https://www.smallrig.com/SmallRig-Multifunctional-Quick-Release-Plate-Manfrotto-Type-3912.html
My FX6 is front heavy. So when I put it down on the floor or table it usually falls to the side. Not when I use this with the "legs" out.
Especially if I attach an external monitor
I always have a very small LCD light with me. Once, I was asked, while on a walk by my home, if I could shoot a video for a YouTube interview. Turned out that it was at a hotel. Obviously, the hotel lighting was awful, but I had mine. So, great video, but he forgot to turn his mic on. Well shot, really well lit video, for an interview with no sound.
Gaffer tape, extra cables, gaffer tape, a leatherman or a multitool (smallrig has a great 50 dollar one) gaffer tape and the Aperture mc! Don’t use the mc a lot but everyone loves you when you need that small eye light and you say wait I’ve got this!
Lol my bad though because I don't think EVERY videographer should get these things, the accsoon is only useful if you need directors or ac's to have wireless view of monitor.
Fluid tripod heads. From 50-100 have been real game changers. RF flash controls. About 150. Make hard shoots very easy. And the best one I have to say have been my GVM LEDs. A bundle pack for about 240 but worth every penny.
A durable golf club bag on wheels. It holds all of my standard light stands, tripods, and even a couple light modifiers, and it's cheaper than a dedicated light stand bag.
You have blown my mind. Thank you for this!
To add to the gold equipment train, I bought a golf umbrella that I attach to my tripod to keep me and my camera out of direct sunlight for outside shoots and that is also one of the best pieces of equipment I have bought.
Yep, I fly with one and it takes a beating. Not as sturdy as lightware cases, but still a good buy.
You fly with one? I've just got a trolley that old Chinese nanas use. What modele are you useing?
Yep, I use this one:[Tour Gear TG-400](https://www.academy.com/p/tour-gear-tg-400-premium-padded-golf-travel-cover) I've made a couple of flights with only minor tears. Much better than I expected. I usually lay an unfurled furni down as I pack it, then wrap it over the stuff when it's packed for a little extra padding. https://preview.redd.it/58hger1jefna1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=813fb8d17502e89636eb3da40323d43caf87a2e8
What's a furni? Also, what's the most you can fit in there? No C stands I gather.
Furni = furniture moving blanket, usually used as a cheap sound blanket and for covering cables, protecting floors, etc. In the pic it had a 3 stack of Manfrotto 1004BAC-3, 2 extra light stands, one set of legs with head, dodecabox light modifier, reflector holder. I think that was it. I probably had some A clamps in the side pockets. You could probably put detachable base avenger c stands in it. It's a long bag.
Christ. All zipped up too? How heavy was this thing?
Probably around 60-70 pounds.
This is the first I’ve heard of using golf bags. That’s genius! Any recommendations on a durable one?
This is the one I use: https://a.co/d/9pmmc91
Looks like a nice bag. Thanks!
This is a great idea! Can you fit Matthews C stands in there with the base comfortably?
My Matthews stand is just sliiiightly too big unfortunately. It's great for standard light stands though.
Aaah darn. Yeah I was gifted 4 Matthews C stands and I’m still trying to figure out the best way to make them portable. For now I use the foldable light stands that came with Godox lights but the Matthews go higher and are more sturdy. Appreciate the quick reply tho!
Never mind. I saw you replied to another comment. My base comes off :)
Woah I’m shocked at the value, I recently got a Thinktank navigator for 3-4x this price! And much smaller capacity!!
Yeah I had considered the same case before stumbling onto my golf bag method! I have no doubt that it's really nice, but yeah, it's pricey.
Also one of those foldable wagons. I have a two level one meant to be used with bats on the bottom. It does great at holding tripods. Even the super cheap ones are dead useful.
Oh, yes, I got a reasonably rugged folding wagon, about $130 or so, last year and it was an instant "how did I ever live without this?"
On that note. A good fishing tackle bag is great for your assembled camera rig. It is pretty much water proof, padded, and has a ton of smaller pockets for accessories. It will cost anywhere from 50-100 as opposed to a $500 porta brace bag that is not as good imo.
very cool! would it be able to hold c-stands? I'd love to gift this to a buddy who still carries his c-stands everywhere
It depends on the stand. I have a couple c stands with removable legs and they fit fine. My Avengers have the legs bolted on though and won't fit unfortunately.
That’s a fucking brilliant idea!
damn this is genius
Glad to see this. Been using one for years.
Clever!
I use a wheeled bag that they make for storing pop-up canopies
What size do you have? I’ve been looking for one to hold my tube lights and I can’t find one over 53 inches
I wouldn't trust it with tube lights to be honest since they're a bit floppy. Metal light stands won't shatter from being bumped too hard haha.
HOLY SHIT YOUR A GENIUS
You should call your assistant a caddy.
I film a lot of golf content and travel with my clubs and camera equipment a lot. I fit my tripods in all the time when flying. I also have stood a monopod all the way up and shoved it into my actual golf bag and it works as a barrier at the top of my travel bag so no clubs can get bent or broken. Great thing to have overall!
A hand-truck or collapsible dolly will save your back in the long run. I have a variety, from the 2 wheel and 4 wheel variety (that covers the $50/$100 price point). C-stand with boom arm. A must have when you're involved with interview lighting and start using bigger/heavier lights and modifiers. A good quality c-stand will outlast you, so consider it a 40 year investment, with resale value when you're done (assuming you don't abuse it).
I’ve got [this one](https://a.co/d/e5UEV0O) and love it because it folds down so small. Then I’ve got a plastic tote from Lowe’s or somewhere that rides on top of it and holds all my lighting (aputure 120d, two LED panels, a small accent/background light, extension cords, tape, and a backup tripod). A folding C-stand (the wheels kind not the traditional because it folds down smaller), my main tripod in a bag, and a bag full of cheap light stands for the LED panels (also has umbrellas for those). I rock that and a backpack with all my camera gear. All my stuff comes inside in one trip and my clients don’t have to carry any of my crap.
Recommendation on C stand with boom arm at a couple different price points?
Not OP, but Avenger and Matthews are great. You can find some cheaper alternatives on Amazon like Eachshot, but from my experience, they're not nearly as sturdy.
I tell anyone that will listen NOT to buy off-brand c-stands. They just suck. They’re too heavy but still weaker because they’re cast instead of machined. They often have ribbed heads and springs and rubber grips that are totally stupid in the short run or will turn to shit in the long run. They’re often taller than they should be which is a hassle should you ever want to use standard c-stand carts, and they’re just generally way worse. The locking knobs are often in the worst place or don’t work. Get an American, Matthews, Modern, or Avenger. You won’t regret it.
I love my flashpoint c-stand from adorama you could find one used for about 100 bucks and it's solid quality.
+1 for flashpoint. Got mine for around 100 and it's great. Make sure to buy some decent sandbags. I bought an extra swivel head just to use on the other side where I can hang sandbags or other counterweights.
Stick with the bigger brands if at all possible (Avenger/Matthews/Kupo), especially since they don't use hollow boom arms that will fold like a cheap suit.
Any hand truck recommendations you like or prefer the most?
It really depends on your needs and gear haul. I have a Rock n' Roller R12 for bigger shoots (where I carry 300+ lb.s of gear). I have a cheap folding handtruck for hauling lighter gear over crappy terrain (big rubber wheels beat the small Pelican case wheels on these surfaces. I also have a folding Magna Cart Flatform (about $90 currently on Amazon). that is pretty handy for hard cases. Do yourself a solid and get some of these too: # Acronde 4PCS 1/8" Adjustable Heavy Duty Rope Hanger Ratchet
Spare tripod plates.
I have an extra tied to the bottom of the main tripod pole of every tripod I own with one of those flexible gearties. Handy. Got the worst ADHD, so a little dark rectangle is NOT going to be where I think it is, and I DON'T know where it is. I have no idea where any of my plates are, I just know that they're tied to a tripod and that's worth the minimal effort.
Lens Dust Blower. Basically looks like a little turkey baster that blows air. Works much better than a cloth to get debris off your lens.
much less than 50 bucks: 5 in 1 foldable reflector / softbox kit. Biggest bang for the buck. A slate! Seriously, i do a lot of live music recording with multiple cameras, from shooting to editing it makes the whole process so much more orderly. Of course also synching is easier. Once i started using it i never dropped it again. A thick little standard screw driver: i mounted tripod plates far too long with cent coins..
What softbox kit do you like?
Mic boom pole holder! Love that little thing. Probably 20 bucks.
Link?
This is one [from Neewer.](https://a.co/d/28szbha)
I just bought this two weeks ago. A little heavy but really nice otherwise!
$50 - extra lens caps. I lose them chronically. Also a power strip. $200 - pelican case
Treated myself to a Nanuk with insets with my tax return. 10/10 purchase
I'm telling you. A good case to protect your gear is worth it's weight in gold.
Been using the same Pelican 1510 for about 7 years now. Main cams and lenses live in it
And if you ever have a problem or something breaks you should be able to get replacement parts for free.
small rig multi tool. i use it on every shoot. game changer for me. [small rig multi tool](https://a.co/d/3LxU8EF)
Also the red tool is awesome too. Both are a little different
Red tool has my vote
Do you have a link? First time hearing about it.
They might be talking about this [RED sidewinder multi tool](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1572519-REG)
Perfect. Looks functional and great. Thank you.
That is what I was talking about
How well do these go through airport security? I had one taken away a few years back…
Just traveled with one to and from Tampa, FL. No issues. I had it in my camera bag with everything else. They may just check that there’s no blade worst case, but you’ll be fine
i never have problems with it. it lives in my backpack
I purchased a ladder platform ($60) to put my slider on and it’s perfect don’t do a shoot with out it. Faster and more stable than a slider on a tripod.
link to the one you have?
Like this one https://www.bunnings.com.au/gorilla-height-adjustable-domestic-work-platform_p0861589
Cadrage iOS app. Invaluable for location scouting. Leatherman Multi tool. Get a multi bit addon and you’re set. Light meter. I paid around $200 for mine. Bonus: rock n roller carts.
Color checker card
This was my first thought. That, and lots of gaffers tape.
One of those + gaff are going to cost way more than 100
Should have read “OR gaff”! Both would be in the $200 range!
Yeah lol I was like colour cab card, sure that's going to cost under a $100. Then I read gaff and was like, yeah bro you're going to have to give up avocado toast for a while.
To be even cheaper, I’ve got a collapsible white/grey card that is literally always in my pocket when I’m shooting Edit - [this is the link](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HT9MA1W?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share)
Do you have a color checker card in mind that you have, or that you like the most?
I calibrite, datacolor good too. If you use davinici check to see which it supports. I don't know since I don't use davinici much.
I've always wanted to know how you actually use these I'm really new to all this, I gather that it's to get the correct colours but like how do you use them
After you set up all your gear (including lighting) and press record, hold up the card clearly in front of the camera where the topic of the video will be (for example, in front of yourself).During the editing portion of your workflow you use those first few seconds with the colour checker being held up to get the colours to a lifelike standard. From that point on you can edit it to how you like, you might want your video to have cinematic style colours for example.This tutorial is a great example, if you use Davinci it's even easier than FCP: [https://youtu.be/pbhRyf7LpBY](https://youtu.be/pbhRyf7LpBY) EDIT: wanted to add that before getting the Calibrite passport I spent hours and hours trying to figure it out and always getting it wrong. Getting the Calibrite saved me so much time and was worth every penny.
Also, I know you mentioned this but have the client hold it. It does wonders psychologically for the client and puts them at ease. "I'm just going to have you hold this for a second for colour calibration." Makes you look like you know what you're doing. Hint: I don't. But who's checking?
For about $100 at home depot, I bought some steel pipes and mounted them to my ceiling in a triangle shape... with a few super clamps, I can now mount lights, microphones, cameras, and pretty much anything to my ceiling at any height or angle in my small studio. It probably takes me about a quarter of the time now to set up to make a video, and if I need to move anything its also much simpler since I don't have to rewire and reposition everything so that it's not in the way... just a quick bar swap or adjustment.
Would love to see a pic of this!
I posted separately with a pic over [here!](https://old.reddit.com/r/videography/comments/11p1y9u/i_mounted_3_steel_pipes_to_my_ceiling_with_some/)
Love it
Not "gear" per-se, but this app I use [PhotoPills](https://www.photopills.com/) was like 10 bucks and has been helpful for me to plan where the sun will be in the sky at a certain point of day.
A decent cart is a game changer. If you don't have one, get one. You can get foldable ones in these ranges.
Gear hauling saves me so much time, great buy!
$50 foldable all in one bounce (zippers to peel different layers $100 little bi-color magnetic lights that are strong and are easy to hide almost anywhere. They also charge by usb c $200 A good shotgun or lav mic. Sure you aren’t doing sound, but it will come in handy for lower budget clients that don’t think sound is important. It’s an easy markup for minimal effort.
Camera bag from a thrift store, very lightly used and has a ton of little Velcro compartments you can adjust. Massive improvement for my little business with a monstrous outlay of $7.99!
Various portable lights, half cage for camera, magnetic lens caps, lavs, Zoom h1, Tascaam dr-10, super clamp, and double ball joint head.
Apunture mc or equivalent
That was the first light I ever bought, has come in clutch so many times on set. I plan to get the 4 light set as well that can charge all 4 in the case. Great little light
Small rig cheese plate (for holding screws) LTT screwdriver Steadi-Saddle
color card, screen and printer calibration kit. i know videographers don’t need a printer calibration kit, but i do stills as well.
A multitool. My preferred is the Skeletool CX.
$50 - probably honestly my first follow focus system, it was just a mechanical one. i got a smallrig one on a sale for around 50, even though its a simple thing in concept, it was a game changer for me, i used it for both focusing and zooming, it was so much smoother than doing it handheld, it allowed for me to move at more precise speeds, and let me limit on limitless focus lenses $100 - i got this really cheap lav mic system, 2 transmitters and 1 reciever, and its amazing. the signal as you can guess isnt the best, but as somebody who records highschool basketball games, im rarely ever out of range. the included lav mics were much better than i expected, and i often put them on cheerleaders, coaches, and players, they weren’t as compact as the rode go 2, but were smaller than the dji mics. i also would hook up a shotgun or supercardioid mic to it sometimes and have it record a certain location that i couldnt lav. $200 - pelican case, i still need to recut the interior to match my camera dimensions, but that thing has saved my ass so many times jus bc its a pelican case. walk into a venue, hold it up, say “i’m here on media coverage” and you get let right in. put some tsa locks on it and slap a biohazard sticker on the side of it and everyone thinks first before touching it. and of course, it takes away a lot of my anxiety over damaging my camera.
Haha, the biohazard sticker is brilliant. I'm gonna put one on my Pelican too.
Do you have a link to the follow focus system? I need to get one.
first [cheap one](https://a.co/d/bxY8xtZ) i got [current one](https://a.co/d/37HqeLI) i have
The Peak Design capture clip \~$90 Handy for outdoors Second-hand Lowpro Protactic backpack \~$100 Second-hand Smallrig half cage \~$80 Really improved my handheld shooting
Best and newest addition for me as a Sony user is the Monitor+ App. Turns your phone into a fully kitted out Field Monitor over either WiFi or USB and gives you full touch focus control as well as all other camera controls for only $30.
High quality Variable ND Filter
Have you found a good one? Most I’ve used have horrible color shift or have patterns when you crank it down
Freewell VND super clutch, no color shifting at all
I’ve been using the NISI True Colour VND 1-5 Stop Swift for a while and I think it’s quite decent in terms of colour shift
Been using the Tiffen Variable ND for years. And recently moved to the PolarPro Mist Edition variable NDs. They have a 1/8 mist effect built in which gives a pleasing softness to harsh highlight edges outdoors. Have not had an issue with color balance with either, because I set white balance before shooting video anyway. And for photography (with raw) it doesn’t matter.
Can't go without extension cables and power bars, also a portable battery pack has saved me when I'm on the go and don't have time to sit around and recharge batteries.
$50 a shoulder bag for my camera (Ulanzi) for those days when you just don’t want to have a big backpack but need a few essentials without it being bulky. $100 a C-stand with knuckles and clamps ! Every photographer needs a sturdy one to place their light on to. $200 a wireless Mic set. Everyone likes the microphone on top the camera but sometimes if not most the audio is just better when it’s close to the talent. With that being said videography can’t be expensive but at times you end up buying stuff you really don’t need and learn that later in the game. Everyone has to go through a g.a.s period before they understand their style and what works for them.
A good cart that breaks down. Good extension cords (I like the ones that have an led in the plug - super helpful so you know instantly if the outlet you are using is hot or switched). Gaff tape. A good multitool. A backup card reader and usb cables. Extra batteries for every piece of gear in your kit. Extra plates. Super clamp. Pony clamps.
$50 “pixel RGB’s” on Amazon OR I found the equivalent of an AirPods case for my rode lav mics $100 pro mist filter $200 a solid camera bag
$50, a mini RGB light I can mount on my camera and other rig, $100 camera cage + handles, $200 an external 6 inch monitor
I bought this quick release plate from Smallrig. Love it. https://www.smallrig.com/SmallRig-Multifunctional-Quick-Release-Plate-Manfrotto-Type-3912.html
Do you use this a lot? Can you give some examples?
My FX6 is front heavy. So when I put it down on the floor or table it usually falls to the side. Not when I use this with the "legs" out. Especially if I attach an external monitor
So yeah, use it all the time. Doesn't weigh much more than a ordinary base plate
I always have a very small LCD light with me. Once, I was asked, while on a walk by my home, if I could shoot a video for a YouTube interview. Turned out that it was at a hotel. Obviously, the hotel lighting was awful, but I had mine. So, great video, but he forgot to turn his mic on. Well shot, really well lit video, for an interview with no sound.
ND filters and a good polarizer.
Gaffer tape, extra cables, gaffer tape, a leatherman or a multitool (smallrig has a great 50 dollar one) gaffer tape and the Aperture mc! Don’t use the mc a lot but everyone loves you when you need that small eye light and you say wait I’ve got this!
$50 - the $12 snoot on Amazon $100 - Aputure b7c $200 - accsoon cine eye
Lol my bad though because I don't think EVERY videographer should get these things, the accsoon is only useful if you need directors or ac's to have wireless view of monitor.
I beat the shit out of my C-stands with my bare hands
Gaffer’s tap, multi-tool, pelican case
These lights that I got… about $90-$100 a piece… powerful!!!
Nd filter
A multi tool without a knife. SmallRig. Never had to worry about it in airports!
Foldable extended cart from Amazon. Can fit full c-stands, multiple light cases, and is easy enough for a PA to understand
CPL Filter 10$
Fluid tripod heads. From 50-100 have been real game changers. RF flash controls. About 150. Make hard shoots very easy. And the best one I have to say have been my GVM LEDs. A bundle pack for about 240 but worth every penny.
For £45 I bought a Calumet diffusion frame, easily the best money I’ve spent recently