This is the minimal youtube film gear I've been using over the past few weeks.
Usually I have a ton of stuff rigged up including large soft boxes, multiple cameras, an external HD monitor, wireless audio etc. But that's all changing!
I've been minimising my belongings so I can be more mobile, so this is what I've been filming with.
Minimal youtube film gear
1DXMkII DSLR camera The autofocus and low light performance on this camera is just so nice. Yes, it's big and bulky and expensive but I've loved using it over the last two years.
40mm f2.0 This little lens is like a baby brother to the nifty fifty (below). It's only slightly more expensive but weighs next to nothing and has the same STM autofocusing system which is great for video and works really well with Canon's Dual Pixel AF.
50mm f1.8 I used the extra 10mm of focal length along with the below macro ring to get closer to the subject. This lens is a must have and I assume everyone that gets into photography a little bit more will encounter this one at some point.
Macro extension ring I bought these very cheaply last year but never used them much. The build quality is incredibly sub par but that's what you get when you buy something that cheap. I still want to do a review on these but I'm pretty sure it won't be great.
Rode Video Mic Pro Plus One of my favourite microphones ever. It can record two channels at the same time, one louder and one not as loud. This means I'll always have a back up channel in case the audio gets clipped for some reason. I've often used this video for voice over recording too.
Aputure Amaran AL-M9 LED panel A handy little battery powered and USB chargeable LED panel. Comes with a clamp to mount on your hotshoe and also comes with an orange and blue gel, a frosted piece of paper and a plastic diffuser that attaches with magnets. Small and lightweight, it's always in my bag!
A piece of paper. Made from trees. The even surface bounces the light from the LED panel and creates a softer light and shadow fall off.
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Foldable blue and green screen I decided to spend a little bit more money on this one than originally intended. I ended up with a much higher quality screen than I was going to go for initially. The fabric is thick, absorbs light and doesn't crease easily. I'd like to get one with a white and black backdrop next. Would recommend.
Manfrotto video tripod and head I've had this thing for AGES. Light weight due to the carbon fibre legs yet sturdy and tall enough to shoot over people and crowds. Don't go cheap when buying tripods, you'll regret it!
Manfrotto super clamp This clamp mounts on fences, railing, light poles, tables etc. You name it, it'll clamp down on it. It has a mounting hole for camera accessories allowing you to mount the little arm to it.
Manfrotto mini friction arm Such a great accessory to mount microphones, other clamps, lights, monitors etc. I have a few of these and use them all the time.
Photography clamps Generic clamps, very useful when rigging up paper, reflectors, panels, cloth or backdrops etc. Don't get the cheap plastic ones, they're a waste of money.
DSLRController This app is (sadly) Android only, however there is an iPad version available for jailbreakers. It allows you to control all camera settings from your phone using a simple USB cable. It also shows you a live view of what the camera is seeing. Why spend hundreds of dollars on a 1DXMkII WiFi adapter if this app does it for a fraction of the cost.
These are the things I wish I could have changed on this shoot:
Less natural light. The light coming from outside was overpowering the small LED panel. I wish the LED panel had more power or the outside light wasn't as bright.
Better sound proofing. There was a bit of a hollow sound due to the sound of my voice bouncing off the wall behind the camera and getting picked up again by the microphone. Adding foam to the wall would have solved that issue. Luckily I just threw out a bunch of foam sound proof tiles…
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