Film and Photography Gear for Professionals in Marketing
Our channel is mainly focused on filming documentaries, but many professional photographers and filmmakers work in the marketing world helping businesses to capture their story. For that reason, here is a piece from a professional photographer in marketing about the gear that they use:
We often get asked what our film and photography equipment looks like and what kind of video editing program we use for our travel videos in Las Vegas or even live casino games at non GamStop casinos. In this blog, we will answer all these questions and tell you how we came to this equipment in our camera bag. From camera to video editing software, everything is covered!
With What Considerations Is Our Equipment Composed?
Our camera bag was not simply filled in one week. The equipment we currently use has grown over many years. It started with a GoPro Hero 4 that worked really well to start. However, technology develops very quickly and cameras and action cameras change every year. We therefore also decided to purchase our current action camera, the GoPro Hero 10. Together with an old SLR camera and the Osmo Mobile 4, this was about all the camera equipment we used to travel with. As time went on and we got new contracts, we wanted a high-quality camera that we could use for years without having to think about an upgrade every year. We think investing is important, BUT you don’t have to have the most expensive camera to start photography and filming!
One of the most important points of our equipment is the ease of use. After all, a very expensive set-up is of no use if it takes 2 minutes before you have everything together and can film. The threshold to grab your camera and take a picture or start filming shouldn’t really be there. That’s why there are many important extras in our equipment that we believe are indispensable on the road.
Cameras & Lenses
Our camera: Sony A7iv
Because we didn’t have a usable old camera, but we wanted to film and take pictures, we decided to buy the hybrid Sony A7iv. This camera has the best of both worlds because it is good at photography AND filming. For us, this camera is perfect, with the 33-megapixel full-frame sensor we can take great pictures. The camera also films in 4k 60fps, which is very nice to be able to film in slow motion. The camera has a 10-bit colour range, which captures all colours perfectly and gives a lot of room for post-processing.
Our Lenses
- Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G – Perfect for wide shots and ideal for low-light photography due to its large aperture.
- Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 Art – The do-it-all lens, which is usually on our camera during filming.
- Sony 85mm F1.8 – Very sharp and beautiful lens for portrait photography, or landscape panoramas.
Camera Accessories
Filming with our camera is made even better by many essential accessories. A microphone, ND filter, and carrying system are indispensable if you want to be able to film quickly and also want the best possible quality. A camera should always be within reach if you want to be able to film quickly.
Microphone: Sony ECM B-10
This shotgun mic practically lives on our camera. This is because it works with the Multi Interface Shoe, you don’t need any cables! It connects to the camera via the hotshoe of the newer Sony cameras. This means you won’t be bothered by cables that get in the way when storing the camera. It also does not require a battery.
We also use our microphone as a voice-over microphone for all our videos. Because the Sony A7iv can be used as a live webcam, the camera can be linked to our editing software and record sound directly. This way we always have the best sound quality for our voice-overs.
Carrying System: Peak Design Capture Clip & Peak Design Carrying Strap
This system is indispensable to us. The Peak Design Capture Clip is a carrying system that you can screw onto the belt or shoulder strap of your backpack. Together with the baseplate that comes with it, you can effortlessly clip your camera to your shoulder. This system is perfect, especially during hiking or other times when you often want to have your hands free. The baseplate is arca swiss compatible which makes it so indispensable for me. I can mount our camera on the tripod, hang it on my shoulder or hang it from the Peak Design strap! This strap can of course also be used without the Peak Design Capture Clip. This is useful when you don’t have a bag with you. At such moments I hang the Peak Design carrying strap to where the camera clicks effortlessly using the mounting hangers.
ND Filters: Freewell Variable ND 2 Pack
ND filters are indispensable for photography and filming in bright daylight. Variable ND filters may be less common for photography, but for filming they are ideal because you can quickly shift the strength of the filter. The Freewell 2-pack comes with a 2-5 stop filter and a 6-9 stop filter. The quality is very good, I don’t notice any light shifts or colour differences during filming. For the price, you get very good quality with these filters. The filters come with a magnetic lens hood, which allows you to easily cover the filter when needed.
Lens Warmer: Kiwifotos Lens Warmer
An accessory that most don’t think about and need quickly is a lens warmer. However, this is necessary if you want to shoot outside in the cold for a longer period and you want to prevent your lens from fogging up or freezing. For example, we use it to make a timelapse in a cold winter night at a lodge for example. The lens warmer from Kiwifotos works on a USB so you can easily connect it to a power bank. You hang this on your tripod and with a button on the cable you can choose between 3 heating settings. This way you always have the right position available for the temperature where you are.
End Thoughts
You don’t need lots of expensive equipment to be a good professional photographer or filmmaker, but having good gear that is made to last will make a difference. Everyone’s needs are different, so make sure you do your research first and find what gear is best for you!
