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I’m asked a lot about equipment, so I decided to do a post on the gear I’m currently using specifically with my DSLR Video kit, so here you go:
Besides the obvious reasons that it is a DSLR that shoots video, I went with this for a few reasons. The biggest is that it has variable frame rates, including 24 fps. I can also over-crank footage to 60fps (in 720) and conform it to get filmic slow motion. The cropped sensor allows me to get closer to my subject than I can with a full frame – I find myself in this scenario more than that I can’t get wide enough. Though at times I wish I had a full frame camera, I find the cropped sensor very useful more times than not.
This is for all intent and purposes a 50mm lens on the 1.6 cropped sensor. This is the one that will come close to matching what your eye sees and is my workhorse lens. I splurged on the 1.4 because I shoot a lot of low light, and because I knew I would use it as my main lens.
I shoot a lot of interviews, and the 50 will act as an 80mm on the cropped sensor, which is a great portrait lens. I didn’t want the 1.8 because I really hate the way it feels and I couldn’t justify 4x the cost for .2 difference when looking at the 50mm 1.2. Lately I’ve been thinking more and more about the Zeiss 50mm 1.4. It will be my replacement lens if this one ever breaks.
Again I shoot a lot of low light and I can never get quite close enough. Considering the 1.6x of the cropped sensor, this lens gets me close enough.
This is by far the best wide angle lens I’ve found/used for cropped sensor cameras. And the 2.8 fixed doesn’t hurt either.
A sweet little secret I found that allows me to use my 35 or 50mm lenses as a macro so I don’t have to buy another lens.
I asked every videographer who had a 5D/7D, what is the best accessory they bought for their camera and universally they said the Z-Finder. This focus loupe allows you to clearly see the live view screen for shooting and is a God-send for focusing and seeing the LCD outdoors. I agree that outside of lenses and the camera for the DSLR videographer, this is the must have item in your bag.
Audio
OK, I’ll admit, I haven’t found the perfect solution to this yet. For now I use the on camera mic or I use an external recorder (Zoom H4n). Since the camera only has AGC on (the 5D has manual audio control), I am hesitant to plug in any mic and expect good audio. To help a little bit I’ve been utilizing the Rode VideoMic and sync everything up with Pluraleyes. A godsend for sure!
Mounts
Outside of a tripod I use two mounts to help get rid of the ‘shake’ concern. I use a Bogen/Manfrotto 561B monopod, and a BushHawk BH300sV. The reasons are mostly because I already owned the monopod, and the BushHawk does the same thing as most of the gunstock handheld mounts out there at a fraction of the cost. It is a solid design and works great.
I have more stuff than this, but for all intent and purposes, this is my main DLSR video kit. If you have any other thoughts, questions, or comments, feel free to leave one. Let me know if there is something awesome in YOUR kit that I might want to add to mine. I’m always looking for new stuff!
