Atomos Shogun 4k recorder. I thought this was too expensive so I picked one up used. I really like all the tools it has from the zoom in vectorscope to the 2:1 zoom feature for focus. Watch my review of the Shogun

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GoPro Hero 6 Black Edition 4k 60 action camera. I do a lot of filming underwater in the summer time for our local swim league and so I need something I can use quickly that works well in full auto. I have tried using larger cameras underwater but their housing get too big and they are hard to control underwater.

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Pelican 0915 SD Case It is made out of plastic but I bet you could drive a car over this case without damage. After your shoot is done, the most important thing is getting your card or cards back safely to your office and backing them up. SD cards are so small and easy to lose that you will want to protect them the best way possible.

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Bookmark: Help Dave create more free content

Append your B&H bookmark to include “?BI=6499& KBID=7145“. This will not cost you anything extra when you buy from B&H, and helps me out.



Note: after you append the bookmark and arrive on B&H’s site, the new part of the URL will be stripped out, but I will still get credit. Thanks!

Sennheiser G3 Wireless Microphone System yes this is expensive but I think it is one of the best wireless system out there. I have compared it to the newer G4 system and decided it was not worth it to upgrade.

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Rode PinMic (lav mic). The microphone that comes with the Sennheiser wireless system above is not my favorite, I’ve run in to issues where it is too bright on a female voice, that is why I got the Rode PinMic. You will need to buy Sennheiser MiCon adapter since it doesn’t come with it. Watch and listen to my review where I compare the Rode PinMic and Rode Lav to the Sennheiser ME2.

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Rode SmartLav+ After I ran some tests with this lav mic that you can connect to your iPhone I purchased one. The two reasons why I purchased this mic: first for backup to my Sennheiser wireless system for when batteries run out or I am getting interference, second is when I fly my cameras on a 3-axis gimbal and I can’t balance the camera with a wireless pack in the hot shoe.

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Rode VideoMic Pro I also own the newer Rode VideoMic Pro Plus which has a better shock mount and sounds a little better and has a rechargeable battery with and auto shut off. I like having two of them, but if you just need one get the newer model.

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Tiny Windscreens for on camera mics. I use these on most of my cameras to prevent wind noise since it’s pretty windy in Colorado. They work pretty well but they are not perfect if you get a strong gust of wind. But I use them because it helps my scratch audio track a ton compared to not having them. The sticky adhesive will not damage your camera, it comes off easily.

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Rode VC1 10′ extension cable to remote the Rode VideoMic Pro. Don’t make the mistake of buying a cheap cable like I did (it was not pretty). This cable is great for interviews by getting the microphone close to the person being interview and placing the Rode VideoMic Pro just out of frame and then connecting the other end in to the camera. I’ve used it for over 10 years and it still works great.

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AKG K 240 Studio Monitor Headphones. I’ve owned these for a very long time and they are the most amazing headphones I have ever tested. There is a reason this model has been selling for decades, they are that good. I use these for mixing audio during my edit sometimes. However they are not good for field use in noisy environments since they are 600 ohms (not efficient) and semi-open design.

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C-700RSV LED Bi-Color Edge Light I love this light! If you do a lot of interviews and want to travel and setup quickly or even run it on batteries this one is for you. It is bright and renders colors and skin tone nicely (ever so slight green). The link for this light I provided is to B&H which offers fast shipping and can help quickly if something goes wrong. Watch my review of this LED light here.

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C-218AS LED Bi-Color I have no problem traveling with this light because it is so small and I can run it on battery power. It uses the same LED’s as the one above so it matches perfectly.

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C-1500RSV Bi-Color Edge Light. This light is very large and heavy, it’s not something I will bring on a shoot, it pretty much stays in my studio or office. But it is a nice large source of soft light, and it is really bright too! It didn’t come with a carrying case.

Aputure AL-M9 This is a tiny LED light with a rechargeable battery. It is so easy to pack each time you take your camera bag. This is perfect light to use when you need just a little bit more light. I own 3 of these.

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Benro Tripod I love this tripod, I use it most of the time. While it’s not a proper “video tripod” with spreader legs I love it because it’s small and lightweight. The leveling ball head makes setup fast on uneven terrain. I am really not that happy with the Benro S4 fluid head that is included with this kit so I don’t use it, I prefer the Manfrotto MVH5600AH Fluid head.

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Manfrotto 055XPro3 (I have the discontinued ProB, but the Pro3 is very similar) I am tall about 6′-2″ and I like to have the camera at eye level when I am filming myself and this Manfrotto model lets me do just that at a good price. It can also handle the weight of a slider too and allows me to get smooth shots at high or different angles. It’s not made out of carbon fiber so it is not super lightweight (and super expensive).

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My Manfrotto 561BHDV mono pod has been replaced with the Manfrotto MVM500A which is very similar. This is an amazing tool if you need to be fast on your feet (event coverage or run and gun). It’s lightweight, easy to adjust and creates shots that you just can’t get on my tripod if you are moving fast. I use this twice as much as my tripod. If I was buying one today I would actually buy the Benro version. Watch me use the monopod

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My Manfrotto 701HDV has been replace with the Manfrotto MVH500AH (very similar to mine). It is great for wide shots and quick or whip pans and tilts. It travels really well since it is so light. Watch me compare the Fancier to the Manfrotto 701, 501 and 502.

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Camera Phone Tripod Mount after going through some cheap ones that would break, I found this one that works much better. Mounts to light stand or quick release plate.

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Mini Tripod I love this little thing (I own two)! I use it to mount my Rode VideoMic Pro on it for my desk and I travel with it when I can’t carry a large tripod. It is really well built. Watch as I use it as a slider on a smooth surface

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SnapPod I use this tiny tripod a lot with my Rode VideoMic Pro. It fits in your pocket easily, and if you really need to you can actually use it with the RX100V.

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Manfrotto Mini-Ball Head I like this really small ball head on my slider when I don’t need to pan/tilt while sliding. It makes for really fast set up because you can level out your shot quickly. This ball is very short which means the center of gravity is lower which means less shake in your slider shots.

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Heavy Duty Camera Shoe Mount sometimes you will need to mount a device on top of your camera’s hot shoe like an LED light or a field monitor. I’ve used ones that are not as heavy duty as this one and those will make your device sag, but not this one, it works really well.

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edelkrone SliderONE: I might sell this soon and pick up the new motorized Smartta Slider once they have a few bugs worked out. Watch my review

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Zhiyun Crane M Over the past few years I think I have tried just about all the single grip gimbals and this one by far is the best I have tested. I love not having to play with the PID settings and comes in at a good price. Watch my comparison between the Crane V2 vs Crane M.

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