DSLRs produce amazing visuals with blurry backgrounds and shallow depth of field. But when it comes to audio, out of the box most DSLRs for filmmaking are kind of… terrible. One solution is to get a DSLR audio adapter which allows you to plug in professional shotgun microphones with XLRRead More →
If you’re not already a seasoned location sound professional, it’s hard to know which shotgun microphones have a good reputation and which don’t. And since the best shotgun mics can be expensive, making the wrong mistake can be costly. Here are some of the best shotgun microphones for film inRead More →
Good headphones are crucial not only while shooting on location or on set but also editing if you wear headphones while editing (instead of listening to the sound on speakers as some editors prefer to). In our opinion, the best headphones for filmmakers and editors are comfortable, durable, and produceRead More →
Film and video tripods are notoriously some of the most difficult objects to fit into cases but they’re extremely important to protect nonetheless. A variety of case manufacturers have made special purpose-built tripod carrying cases to protect tripods when you travel. Soft tripod carrying cases may work better for someRead More →
Soft equipment cases for camera gear are extremely useful when you’re packing light and need to carry gear on your back or hand carry it, such as in situations where big bulky film and video equipment hard cases can attract the wrong type of attention, such as third world countries.Read More →
A kit full of expensive cameras and film gear is no good if it ends up broken. Cases are important, and they come in two basic categories: soft equipment cases and hard equipment cases. Soft equipment cases are often better for one man band type setups or situations where youRead More →
Up until recently the words “4K video camera” and “cheap” weren’t likely to be found in the same sentence, much less the same article. Unless of course, that article contained the phrase “Now, 4K video doesn’t exactly come cheap…” Or to crack a joke about 4K cameras not being anywhereRead More →
Documentary filmmakers, especially documentary filmmakers at the beginning of their careers, are no stranger to low budgets. With more documentary films than ever before being produced each year, there’s less funding to go around. With so much new competition for funding, money can be hard to come by. Luckily, theRead More →
Update: The Panasonic DVX 200 kind of blew us away, so be sure to check that camera out as well. What are the best cameras for documentary filmmakers? The last several years have brought us several years of technology advances bringing high-quality cameras to even lower price points than ever.Read More →
These days more and more small and light DSLRs are capable of shooting high resolution 4K video (3,840 x 2,160 UHD or Ultra High Definition video). And luckily, the prices for these cameras have been dropping rapidly as well. Here is a list of DSLRs that shoot 4K video: SonyRead More →
The Panasonic GH3 and GH4 DSLR cameras are becoming more and more popular amongst documentary filmmakers, and for good reason. Like other DSLR cameras, the Panasonic GH4 (and GH3 before it) feature interchangeable lenses and large sensors, both of which allow you to get razor thin shallow depth of field.Read More →
Pictured above: A Scrim Jim (listed below) for diffusing light, either outdoors or indoors. When you’re first putting together your lighting kit, you’ll obviously get the basics: light and stands. But the difference between a professional kit and a beginner’s kit lies not only in the quality of the lightsRead More →
Today many documentary filmmakers (and other filmmakers) are shooting on DSLRs because of their ability use large sensors with interchangeable lenses which offer shallow depths of field, resulting in a beautiful picture. But the audio side of DSLR filmmaking is a topic that doesn’t get enough attention. (Note: you canRead More →
If you’ve ever been tasked with shooting an event with a live sound feed from a single mic on a podium, you may have run into a startling realization: no soundboard has XLR outputs. We’ve definitely been in situations where we wished we had an XLR audio adapter of oneRead More →
You’ve got the documentary film camera, you’ve got the microphones for documentary film. You’ve got a case, a tripod, but what are you missing? Here are fifteen kit essentials for documentary filmmaking that you may not have considered yet… 1. Extra Camera Batteries (Check reviews & prices) Running out ofRead More →
