Camera Gear Essentials
Making sure you have all the essential camera gear you'll need before you shoot your film is key to having a good shoot. You don't want to be five miles from your car at the shooting location only to realize your cameras battery is dead. So let's take a look at some camera gear essentials.
First, you'll obviously need a camera. Now, which camera you choose is totally up to what works best for your filmmaking needs, but I recommend investing in a camera that shoots 4k and has the ability to use high quality lenses. Next you'll want a selection of lenses to work with. I suggest you give yourself a good variety so that you have at least wide, 50 millimeter, and a telephoto lens.
Also you'll want to get yourself a good fluid head tripod. Fluid head tripods are made especially for video and enable you to do smooth tilts and pants. And pro-tip, I recommend getting one with the leg tightening clamps, rather than twist knobs for an easier setup.
Next you'll want some sort of gimbal or dolly for camera movement. Having either of these will ensure you'll have smooth camera movement in your shots without any shake. Also, if you do plan to shoot handheld and you do want a shaky cam, look, then I recommend investing in a shoulder rig. Shoulder rigs can be major lifesavers, as they can prevent you from injuring yourself while getting that handheld look.
Next to protect that fancy glass you're buying, you'll want to get some UV and ND filters. UV filters are handy, clear filters that help protect your lens. They're basically there so that if you drop or scratch your lens, you'll hopefully only damage the UV filter, which is a lot easier to replace than your expensive lens. And filters are essential if you're planning to shoot outside, these will help you avoid being overexposed while maintaining a shallow depth of field.
And what's the point of having a camera if you don't have memory cards. You'll want to do research and find out just what memory card your camera uses. Also note that some memory cards such as SD cards have different speeds, so you'll want to make sure you're purchasing a fast enough speed card to shoot 4K too.
Next is batteries. Lots of them. You're probably going to need batteries for lots of things, but most importantly, make sure you have plenty of batteries for your camera. And when I say plenty, I mean like a lot. Personally, I have eight camera batteries for my camera, which might be overkill, but it's been a real lifesaver, especially when shooting outside.
And since you have a fancy camera and lenses, you'll also want a sensor and lens cleaning kit. Lens cleaning kits usually includes some sort of cleaning fluid along with a microfiber cleaning cloth you can use to wipe off the glass. While sensor cleaning kits can include dust removal air blowers, as well as specialty cleaning swabs. Just make sure you do research and buy the cleaning swab that fits your camera sensor, as different swab types are specifically designed for each sensor.
And finally, you'll want a good and trusty bag to carry all your equipment. I personally prefer a camera backpack so that I can move quickly and easily over all terrain. Also make sure whatever bag you purchase has a good amount of padding and dedicated pockets to help keep your lenses and cameras organized.
Of course, there are many more gadgets out there that you can add to your camera gear, but I've found you can pretty much get by with these simple essentials.
Gear Featured In Video:
➜ Panasonic GH5 - https://amzn.to/34fCtlV
➜ Wide Lens - https://amzn.to/3ibPHoE
➜ Telephoto Lens - https://amzn.to/2GhPeUF
➜ Fluid Head Tripod - https://amzn.to/33gpykp
➜ Dolly Slider - https://amzn.to/36oGU0j
➜ Shoulder Rig - https://amzn.to/3cMrkN3
➜ UV Filter - https://amzn.to/3iiTQav
➜ ND - https://amzn.to/3l3KPnc
➜ SD Card - https://amzn.to/36rMgb0
➜ Camera Batteries - https://amzn.to/30m1f2s
➜ Lens Cleaning Kit - https://amzn.to/36m49IA
➜ Sensor Cleaning Kit - https://amzn.to/36jsy1l
➜ Camera Bag - https://amzn.to/2GdTVz1
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