Advances in technology have been coming left, right, and centre for many new and experienced videographers with a lot to look forward to over the next few years.
As a videography and photography service which has varying needs for many different types of clients across many industries it is important for us to be aware of the limitations and advantages of the equipment we have, or are looking at making in the near future.
In the process of purchasing our current equipment and looking at new developments we need to weigh up the versatility, cost of the equipment, performance out in the field, as well as the durability.
Below are some of the current equipment we have available in our roster as well some recommended equipment for the different types of videographers. This post is intended to be a short summary of a small selection of the main equipment we use and recommend, as opposed to comprehensive review and covering all the equipment we have.
Source: Wix
Canon 1DX Mark II
This is our standard go-to camera. It is widely regarded as a powerhouse for both photography and videography professionals. Full disclosure, we have grown up on Canon and for those unfamiliar, the brand you use is a big contributor to your future purchases based on compatibility of lenses which sometimes can be almost if not more than the cost of the camera itself.
It's large ISO range, coupled with high frame rate HD recording, 4k video, and 14 fps with full autofocus makes for an impressive standard and it is easy to see why this is the flagship device for Canon. It is also durable, with weather proofing and overall feels confident with its albeit less portable bulky mass.
As many of you will undoubtedly be aware, the Mark III version of this camera has been released and we are excited about it but quite shortly after the release date Canon provided some news on their R5 camera which has some absolutely unbelievable specs so we might wait on upgrading until we hear more about this one. In the meantime, the Mark II provides some fair value for money compared to the just-released Mark III.
Source: Canon
Canon EF 24-70mm 1:2.8 L II USM Lens
This is our go-to portrait and standard distance lens for the 1DX above. Being a L range lens, this is one of Canon's premium lenses which provides superior performance to their standard lenses. Impressive sharpness and all-round good for general purpose means this lens spends most of the time in our roster. We would recommend having a better low light lens for darker environments, but this lens will still hold in most scenarios.
DJI Ronin S
This gimbal has an impressive battery life, coupled with great stabilisation no doubt due to what appears to be reliable internal motors. DJI is well-known for making easy-to-use devices and this is no exception, one of the few drawbacks is the weight and lack of portability needing its own box to be brought with it wherever you go as you will be hard pressed to find a camera back that fits this along with your camera.
DJI Mavic 2 Pro
We prefer to use the Mavic Air (first edition) while we await the inevitable Mavic Pro 3 which we imagine will be coming soon. We purchased the Air because of its portability and overall impressive video specs which rival and, in some cases, beat the Mavic Pro 2. We know the Mavic Air 2 has just been released and is better than the Mavic Air but that seems to have many believing that the Pro 3 is only coming soon. So we will be skipping the latest generation of Air depending on the specs of the Pro 3.
Source: DJI
Feelworld 7'7 Field Monitor
This monitor is a good portable option to view footage on the run and helps you get a better feel of how the end result is going to look prior to finishing the shoot. Much better than looking at the screen of the camera. Make sure your camera is compatible if you are thinking of purchasing.
If you are interested in renting any of the above equipment feel free to find more information here, or if you are looking at our videography or photography services please reach out to us here.