Equipment buying priority ?

T

tungchihyu

New member
Dear all...

I am mostly a photographer (http://www.flickr.com/photos/chihyu0604/sets/72157622782502782/ My flickr, if you wish to check out: ) ) and have never really shot any videos before, I have saw a lot of charming equipments that help DSLR filming (Z-finder, pocket dolly, a good stand/head etc..) but I am confused on what are the really must buys to get started to finish a real project (short film, MV etc) ?

My only equipment now is the 550D, what is the next equipment to buy that is really essential to help my filming?

Z finder - is it really helpful?
A good stand/head + pocket dolly - pocket dolly looks pretty good. Any suggestions for the stand and head under $800 ?
Portable lighting equipments ?
Shoulder stand ? - Like the Zacuto's offers.. but they're SO expensive : (

Much appreciated for your suggestions.
 
Ok to start with I never buy anything until there is a clear need. But, from what youve listed, number 1 is tripod legs and head.

Im sure many people will offer other useful advice.
 
A Z finder or similar cheaper product is very important, I would go to the extent to say as important as a tripod. Focusing by just viewing the on board lcd screen is virtually impossible unless you plan to zoom in zoom out every time you shoot to make sure you have focus. When I first used the camera I did it before I got the z finder, and it wasnt until I was in post production did I realise I wasted the whole morning filming, because what I thought was in focus wasnt, I had 4 hours of useless footage :(

For shoulder mount I purchased the red rock eyespy balance bundle, its a fantastic little equipment.

The only thing I purchased which I realised I didnt need was a marshal monitor with two battery packs and charger last month. Ive only used it for five minutes, so if anyone is interested its still brand new and have receipts pm me
 
Noel, Jay,

thank you so much for the suggestions. Looks like a stand/head + zfinder are my next buys... it's important to get usable shots :)

For stand/head - do you guys have any recommendations?
 
I experienced the same thing Jay did. Without some sort of focusing aid, you are fighting a losing battle. My shots are much better after acquiring a Z Finder. A good tripod is indispensable also. If you plan to stay in the video game, do yourself a favor an buy a very good one from the start, rather than buying a bargain unit and having to upgrade in a year.

Lighting: I didn't buy my first light until I'd been shooting for 2 years. It depends on what you shoot and in what environment. But I'd say get the camera squared away first before buying lights. Dolly.......last on the list.

Shoulder mount: I've found I dont need one. I have good technique and use the Z finder to add support.
 
Bobonli said:
I experienced the same thing Jay did. Without some sort of focusing aid, you are fighting a losing battle. My shots are much better after acquiring a Z Finder. A good tripod is indispensable also. If you plan to stay in the video game, do yourself a favor an buy a very good one from the start, rather than buying a bargain unit and having to upgrade in a year.

Lighting: I didn't buy my first light until I'd been shooting for 2 years. It depends on what you shoot and in what environment. But I'd say get the camera squared away first before buying lights. Dolly.......last on the list.

Shoulder mount: I've found I dont need one. I have good technique and use the Z finder to add support.
Click to expand...

Do you have any recommendations on the stand/head? I have no budget concern for these.

Thank you!
 
I ordered my GH1 on Friday. I'm buying my gear paycheck by paycheck. It's going to go: 1st - lenses, 2nd - fluid head and tripod, 3rd - h4N, 4th - maybe a boom package, 5th - shoulder rig (though I may get this 4th), 5th - lights.
 
Jay Laville said:
A Z finder or similar cheaper product is very important, I would go to the extent to say as important as a tripod. Focusing by just viewing the on board lcd screen is virtually impossible unless you plan to zoom in zoom out every time you shoot to make sure you have focus. When I first used the camera I did it before I got the z finder, and it wasnt until I was in post production did I realise I wasted the whole morning filming, because what I thought was in focus wasnt, I had 4 hours of useless footage :(
Click to expand...

Why are you zooming in then zooming out on stills lenses? Most aren't parfocal (keep their focus point when you zoom) so that might explain why you didn't have correct focus. DSLRs do not work like camcorders.
The Z finder or similar loupe is more crucial for shooting outside in bright sunlight as you won't be able to see the LCD without one.
 
Bobonli said:
I experienced the same thing Jay did. Without some sort of focusing aid, you are fighting a losing battle. My shots are much better after acquiring a Z Finder. A good tripod is indispensable also. If you plan to stay in the video game, do yourself a favor an buy a very good one from the start, rather than buying a bargain unit and having to upgrade in a year.

Lighting: I didn't buy my first light until I'd been shooting for 2 years. It depends on what you shoot and in what environment. But I'd say get the camera squared away first before buying lights. Dolly.......last on the list.

Shoulder mount: I've found I dont need one. I have good technique and use the Z finder to add support.
Click to expand...

Complete opposite, if you are going to be shooting video the #1 priority is lights. Even if it's a cheap on camera led light or some nice led lights. Without lighting your footage will never reach it's potential. This is of course when shooting indoors and anytime during the night.

Secondly a Z finder is a great tool, if you cannot buy one right away I would suggest to 5x and 10x your shot every time to make sure you have focus. Yes it takes longer to focus every shot, but in the end it really helps.

You need some kind of support, whether it's a shoulder rig , monopod or even a cheap tripod, you need that. Other than that enjoy your camera and welcome to the community



bwwd said:
if you have lens and camera ,next things are ND's ,theres no shooting outside without them.
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100% false I have never used a Fader ND nor do many other people and have excellent footage.



TooTallTim said:
Why are you zooming in then zooming out on stills lenses? Most aren't parfocal (keep their focus point when you zoom) so that might explain why you didn't have correct focus. DSLRs do not work like camcorders.
The Z finder or similar loupe is more crucial for shooting outside in bright sunlight as you won't be able to see the LCD without one.
Click to expand...

He may be talking about the 5x/10x function on the t2i which zooms in. This is what I use on every shot I frame to achieve perfect focus, it is an amazing function. Also you can easily have a black shirt, cloth, etc. to place over your head in the bright sun so you can see the lcd perfectly. I used this all of the time.
 
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Cieloent said:
He may be talking about the 5x/10x function on the t2i which zooms in. This is what I use on every shot I frame to achieve perfect focus, it is an amazing function. Also you can easily have a black shirt, cloth, etc. to place over your head in the bright sun so you can see the lcd perfectly. I used this all of the time.
Click to expand...

Same here, but that only works for static shots. I wouldn't fancy working outside on a sunny day with a black cloth over my head either...
 
TooTallTim said:
Same here, but that only works for static shots. I wouldn't fancy working outside on a sunny day with a black cloth over my head either...
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Yes/No In my case. I do agree with you that most of time the time this would only work for static shots but when shooting at a higher f-stop I have noticed that a lot more os in focus so getting focus of at least a general area seems to work pretty good for me.

Also since I mostly shoot music videos I only really need 2-3 good seconds here in there anyways so maybe it is not as important. Ultimately though I agree with you on stating that a Z-finder is truly a helpful tool which allows you to get you nice focus shots and be able to see the lcd in the blazing sun.

I like it a lot but for my purposes I have found other ways to get the job done. I will be investing in one very soon though as it would eliminate the black velvet over my head and me having to x5 every shot.
 
imo stabilization is far more important than a z finder or other loupe

Tripod, shoulder rig, glidecam, slider etc... id have all of those, and what lenses i wanted and fader ND before considering loupe.

Unless you always shoot with a shoulder rig or tripod at eye level, a loupe becomes fairly useless. For my shooting style i might use a loupe 15-20% of the time (if i had one).

Even if i had one id still use the zoom in to check focus, so really its not somethig that ssuper neccesary.
 
You will need a tripod and fluid head. A good one. It also appears that you won't be shooting with much more than camera and lens for the moment. This is very difficult for good fluid heads to deal with because it is too light a setup for most of them. The only fluid that doesn't have backlash (rebounds for tilts) with such a light camera is the Sachtler FSB4. Forget the entry level Bogen, Miller and Libec, etc. They all rebound with such a light configuration. I know I've tried them all. This head will last a long time and if you get decent legs, you can always swap it out for a heavier head later. A smooth pan is not a small thing, it is vital for video work. The Sachtler will help immensely on this front. Additionally, it is a better investment than even your camera, it will last for many years and hold it's value.
 
Well, I'm going to play devil and say you don't need anything but technique, planning, and preferably access to a rental house or a few friends with equipment.

Only buy stuff you'd definately use constantly, which is nay for most parts. Don't really need a Z finder either I've found the LCD and a cupped hand just fine. Otherwise you're wasting your cash man, cash that can be better spent travelling, food, or renting. It makes sense to spend £35 on renting a £1500 lens you'd only need for a weekend.

When the time calls for it: ie for interviews, get a tripod. For times you want to control lighting, rent one. Same for lenses.

The whole reason I love these DSLRS is because they're tiny and freeing...
 
I wasn't a big Z-finder fan before I got one ... ok I know that sounds dumb but until you own one you don't know what your missing. After getting the Zacuto I am using the thing way more then my marshall monitor and mostly because of the ability to see without glaring light in your eyes plus the fact it adds to the stability of any camera when up against your eye.

Behind the tripod, it's the second most important thing on a DSLR with video for me now
 
My friend has the new Zacuto 2.5 zoom one, and it's quite good. I like that it can be snapped off for easy reviewing of footage for everyone to crowd around. I like the added stability for everyone. I don't like having to squint one eye because that's just bad form and I like to keep both my eyes open.

And when I saw the price, I was like "Um... nah not for me. Cupped hands plz!"
 
The equipment you need really depends on your needs.

I do a lot of event coverage (weddings, parties, performances). I need mobility and versatility.

Shoulder Rig
A must for me is a shoulder rig. I use a DVtec spider. I originally got it for my hvx but now I used it all the time with my 5d. There are tons of solutions.

Lenses - fast and versatile
My most used lens is my 24-105mm, but my second choice is 50mm 1.4. The 24-105 is versatile and sharp. The 50 might be a little long with your 1.6 crop but the fast lens works great in low light situations.

Shotgun Mic/juicelink
This will be my next purchase. I'm gonna be using it with the juicelinked dt454. I don't have to worry about syncing audio in post, and I can record directly into the camera. The onboard audio sucks, if you didn't already notice, but audio is leaps and bounds better with a shotgun (even the lower grade ones).

Extra Batteries
No power, no video. I find I can last the whole day with 2 battery.

Others...
Tripod, lcd hood, monopod, field recorder/boom/mic setup

Though I have never used the lcdvf or any other hoods, I hear they are good. I find the LCD to be great on my 5d, and I can usually get pretty good focus on the lcd. If you were on a film set I'd say get a monitor setup. I can't imagine a film set without a tripod. Monopods are the middle between tripods and shoulder mounts IMO. Monopods probably provide better stability, but the shoulder mounts are more versatile. Bad audio = headache. You should probaby just got a good audio guy for your film.
 
Monopod
Z-finder
Fader ND

I really like love my Z-finder Jr. Love it. Just love it. I'm lucky in that I don't have to squint at all, while using the z-finder. I guess I'm left-eyed. I can keep both eyes open while focusing with the z-finder. I can't do that with my right eye. I still want that Marshal monitor. But that's way down the list.
 
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