When I started this videographer career, nobody told me all the money I make will go back to purchasing gear, or maybe I just have a spending problem. Over the years I've bought and sold a lot of gear, and I mean A LOT! Some purchases I'm genuinely happy with, and some I regret instantly. Camera and lenses aside, here is some gear I always keep in my bag, and I think they could really help you too.
Before we start, I want to give you a little background on what types of videos I shoot so you have a perspective on the gear I use. Because at the end of the day, what gear you need really depends on what type of work you do. I started out with music videos and small-budget commercial work, but now the majority of my work is high-end real estate. I'm almost always shooting solo, so efficiency and weight reduction are my top priorities. Now let's get into what's in my camera bag:
ND Filters
ND filters are essential for video work. Over the years I've tried various variable NDs from different brands and was never really satisfied with the results. They either have that giant X pattern or some colour shift that is an extra step to correct in post. After much trial and error, buying and selling, I've finally settled on the Nisi True-Color VND that I've been using for the past year. This VND from Nisi is the best one I've used so far. It is very consistent throughout the range (1–5 stops) and is super lightweight. Recently I just got my hands on Nisi's new JetMag Pro filter kit and I'm absolutely loving it. The kit has 3 levels of ND filters, a CPL filter, and a black-mist filter, which are all pretty useful in day-to-day shooting. I also got the True Color VND for the JetMag Pro system. Instead of screwing the filter on and off every time, it uses magnets to hold the filter. So you can stack filters and change filters in a matter of seconds. Now the original Nisi VND is just living in my bag as a backup when I have a two-camera setup.
The JetMag Pro system is a little pricey, but it's definitely worth the investment! Something I did not regret. If you are on a tighter budget, get the screw-on True Color VND.
Nisi True Color VND (1-5 stops) 82mm - CAD $285
Nisi JetMag Pro 82mm Cinema Kit - CAD $868
Nisi JetMag Pro 82mm True Color VND - CAD $322
Gimbal
Gimbals are truly a game changer for videographers, and the technology has come a long way. I still remember using the first ever DJI Ronin — that thing was a nightmare to set up, and the case pretty much took up all the space in my trunk. Now 12 years later, gimbals are just getting ridiculous. I slowly upgraded my gimbals over the years, and for the past year or so the DJI RS4 Mini has been my favorite gimbal to use. One major reason is because I'm getting really lazy. I like to keep my setup as small and as light as possible, so the Mini was my perfect answer. It performs exceptionally well with smaller cameras like the Sony ZV-E1 + Sony 16-35mm F4 PZ lens. With the tracking module that comes in the combo, this gimbal just made my life so much easier. If you are running a bigger camera setup, the RS4 Pro might be the better choice for you, as it has a bigger payload of 10 lbs vs 4.4 lbs on the Mini and more clearance on the tilt axis for cameras such as the Sony FX6.
Now with the recent release of the DJI RS5 gimbal, I think it's time for me to switch again because the fine-tuning knob on all axes is something I've been wanting from DJI for the longest time. That is just one of the notable upgrades on the RS5. You can now use the screen on the back of the gimbal to select what you want to track and the controls on the sling handle for better control when doing low-angle shots.
DJI RS4 Mini Combo - CAD $539
DJI RS4 Pro - CAD $1105
DJI RS5 Combo - CAD $815
Tripods
Before gimbals were the norm, cameras lived on tripods, and they still do. To get the smoothest panning and tilting motion, you need a tripod with a good fluid head. There are tons of good choices on the market now, and the prices are getting really competitive, so you could find a really solid tripod with lots of features for a few hundred bucks. For the past two years, I've been using a Teris tripod. Teris is really popular in Asia, especially in rental houses in China. When I was in China for a shoot last summer, pretty much all the rental houses I visited had Teris tripods. They are not as well known here in North America, but they manufacture some of Sachtler's fluid heads, a brand that is well known.
The Teris TCE-CF Plus carbon fiber tripod offers great value. It is currently on sale for $650 CAD. It's a solid tripod for the price, offering 3 steps of pan and tilt drag, 4 steps of counterbalance, a 15 lb payload on a 75mm ball head sitting on carbon fiber legs. This tripod is my absolute favorite for a budget professional video tripod.
Teris TCE-CF Plus Tripod Kit - CAD $650
Monitors
I never appreciated my monitor that much until that one day I forgot to bring one to an outdoor shoot. Oh boy, that was not a fun day. Having a monitor not only helps you with composition and focusing, but also exposure and other features such as anamorphic desqueeze. Which monitor is the best really depends on what you need it to do. If all you want is a bigger screen to help with composition and focus, there are lots of budget options such as PortKeys PT5 III, LH7P, or Atomos Shinobi GO. If you want camera control on the monitor, the PortKeys LH5P II and Shinobi II are really good for Sony cameras, whereas the BM5 IV WR and BM7 II DS monitors are really popular among RED camera users. There are also monitors with wireless video transmitters and receivers built in, so you can get a wireless video feed without having to run another wireless video system. And for recording monitors, the new Atomos Ninja TX is still, in my opinion, the best option.
Best Budget 5 inch: PortKeys PT5 III - CAD $236
Best Budget 7 inch: PortKeys LH7P - CAD $430
Best for Sony: PortKeys LH5P II - CAD $468
Best for RED: PortKeys BM7II DS - CAD $1124
Best Recorder Monitor: Atomos Ninja TX - CAD $1399
Best Wireless Video Monitors: Hollyland Pyro 7 Dual Wireless Kit - CAD $1369
Audio
Audio really should be the first thing on this list. Without good audio, the film is incomplete no matter how well it's shot. Good mics are worth the investment because it is something that can last you a very long time. I carry two sets of mics in my camera bag at all times: one on-camera shotgun mic and a wireless lavalier mic kit for anytime anyone is speaking on camera.
I use the RODE VideoMic NTG as my on-camera mic. Even though this mic has been out for a few years, it is still one of the best on-camera shotgun microphones out there. The sound quality out of this mic is exceptional, and the small form factor makes this mic extremely versatile.
For my wireless mic, I use DJI Mic 3, which was just released last year. It is a big upgrade from the previous DJI Mic 2, with advanced features like timecode support, two levels of noise cancellation, automatic adaptive gain control, and voice tone presets. It is much smaller than the Mic 2 and provides 32GB of internal storage on each mic compared to the 8GB on the previous generation. One thing I can't wrap my head around is the fact that DJI removed the 3.5mm jack on the transmitter. I really wish this wasn't the case, but it seems like we can't have a "perfect" product nowadays. So if you are someone who needs 3.5mm input for lavalier mics, the DJI Mic 2 or RODE Wireless Pro are still better options.
RODE VideoMic NTG - CAD $369