Kit List

[thills123]

I'm looking to expand/replace some of my 'video' kit.

I've done a couple of videos, but I'm now being asked to do more, and I think it's about time I got some proper kit. So here is the stuff I have at the moment that I'm looking to replace:

cheap condenser zoom microphone (this one - it's embarrassingly bad)

cheap, standard tripod

.... and I'm looking to replace these with:

zoom h1 w/ accessory pack
Shoulder Mount Rig Movie Kit + Follow Focus + Matte Box (ebay item 290633134027)
Velbon DV7000 Professional Video Tripod

Costing around: £360

Given this is about at the limit of what I would like to spend, can the money be better spent on audio and stabilisation kit? I will be doing a variety of video from indoor interviews to events (indoor and outdoor) to outdoor mini news-style features. So I could do with being quite versatile! which I think the zoom h1 can give with audio? I've gone through lots on the forums here whilst pulling this list together, but I think I just need to see what others would do in this situation!

Thanks in advance!

 

[jacob12_1993]

I would personally go for:

Rode Video Mic £80
Zoom H1 £80
Manfrotto 701 Head £80 (use this on your current photo tripod)

I wouldn't personally bother with a cheap shoulder rig, follow focus and matte box personally.

If you had more money I would say:

Tascam DR-40
Rode NTG 2
Rode Lav
Gini Rig
Manfrotto 501

 

[thills123]

I would personally go for:

Rode Video Mic £80
Zoom H1 £80
Manfrotto 701 Head £80 (use this on your current photo tripod)

I wouldn't personally bother with a cheap shoulder rig, follow focus and matte box personally.

If you had more money I would say:

Tascam DR-40
Rode NTG 2
Rode Lav
Gini Rig
Manfrotto 501

Cheers for the advice.

I need to replace the whole tripod (the one I have is a terrible plastic contraption), and I've been meaning to for some time. The Velbon DV7000 seems to do quite well for the price, if not that then which Manfrotto could I go for without breaking the bank?

Would you be able to clarify why I would need both the zoom h1 and rode video mic? Would I be better off with the zoom and a rode lav? Which on second thoughts would prove very useful!

I think that I won't be able to do all my shooting from a tripod and will need to be a bit more mobile, hence my inclusion of the shoulder rig - the gini rigs look interesting (a bit pricier), and I almost definitely won't be able to get both a rig and follow focus at that price. I would like to say that I can rely on the autofocus, but I don't think I could. Having not used a shoulder rig before, I don't know how easy manual focusing is without a follow focus?

Sorry if that seems like a barrage of questions! I'm keen to make the right choices first time round.

 

[jacob12_1993]

Cheers for the advice.

I need to replace the whole tripod (the one I have is a terrible plastic contraption), and I've been meaning to for some time. The Velbon DV7000 seems to do quite well for the price, if not that then which Manfrotto could I go for without breaking the bank?

You wouldn't go wrong with any decent photo tripod like a 055XPROB or 190XPROB

Would you be able to clarify why I would need both the zoom h1 and rode video mic? Would I be better off with the zoom and a rode lav? Which on second thoughts would prove very useful!

The internal mics are not really that good as it is really just a recorder, the Rode Video Mic will improve your audio however on camera mic is not the optimal position for a mic to start with. You would get the best results from a boomed mic but that would require two people. The Lav would be useful for recording interviews or voice over inside. However to achieve Pro sound you would need to spend much more tbh. Minimum I would say would be a Tascam DR-40, RODE NTG-2, RODE Lav, Octava Mk-012 and maybe a mixer like a Sound Devices Mix PreD. The cost runs into the thousands just like cam kit

I think that I won't be able to do all my shooting from a tripod and will need to be a bit more mobile, hence my inclusion of the shoulder rig - the gini rigs look interesting (a bit pricier), and I almost definitely won't be able to get both a rig and follow focus at that price. I would like to say that I can rely on the autofocus, but I don't think I could. Having not used a shoulder rig before, I don't know how easy manual focusing is without a follow focus?

If I was going to buy a rig it would be the edelkrone pocket rig or modula 3 but that is because I shoot documentary stuff with NGOs etc and in some questionable places so discrete is best. If I was shooting cinematic stuff I would save and buy a small slider and a gini rig with follow focus (if you are frugal you could get both for £300). With regards to mattebox I have a Cinetactics folding one that slips into a rucksack really easy for travel but its far from a necessity and something I would put at the bottom of my list for DSLR film making

Sorry if that seems like a barrage of questions! I'm keen to make the right choices first time round.

Hope the above helps!

 

[thills123]

More than helpful - thank you very much for the advice. I'm going to have to do a bit of research! Think it will come down to getting the essentials with what I can afford now, and then review it in 6 months.

I'm not going to be making any money with any of the videos I'm making for the most part of this year, but I will be doing several (a planned 11!) through my current job. This hopefully puts me in an ideal place to learn over a year (although I will need to learn quick!) and get some experience before I start touting myself to the world. The only problem with this plan is that it's all coming out of my back pocket!

Would love to see some of your video work

 

[jacob12_1993]

More than helpful - thank you very much for the advice. I'm going to have to do a bit of research! Think it will come down to getting the essentials with what I can afford now, and then review it in 6 months.

I'm not going to be making any money with any of the videos I'm making for the most part of this year, but I will be doing several (a planned 11!) through my current job. This hopefully puts me in an ideal place to learn over a year (although I will need to learn quick!) and get some experience before I start touting myself to the world. The only problem with this plan is that it's all coming out of my back pocket!

Would love to see some of your video work

Good luck with it all! I'm going to be away for nearly 5 months from April working on some photography and video work in SE Asia so hopefully should have some stuff up by the end of the year

 

[thills123]

Good luck with it all! I'm going to be away for nearly 5 months from April working on some photography and video work in SE Asia so hopefully should have some stuff up by the end of the year

Good luck in Asia. That sounds like a quality trip, look forward to seeing the results.

I got the manfrotto 055XPROB and 701 head, huge improvement over what I had originally. Got a rode video mic, lav and gini rig in the post too. I'll post the results when I've filmed them. Thanks for the suggestions etc.

Forgot to mention, I found an edirol R09 (I think) at work so I figured that I would leave off the zoom h1. The edirol seems pretty good, from what I can tell so far!

 

[jacob12_1993]

Good luck in Asia. That sounds like a quality trip, look forward to seeing the results.

I got the manfrotto 055XPROB and 701 head, huge improvement over what I had originally. Got a rode video mic, lav and gini rig in the post too. I'll post the results when I've filmed them. Thanks for the suggestions etc.

Forgot to mention, I found an edirol R09 (I think) at work so I figured that I would leave off the zoom h1. The edirol seems pretty good, from what I can tell so far!

Excellent gear choice and the tripod is an excellent 'half way house' without spending ££££s on a heavy clubersome video dedicated tripod. I think the kit you have purchase will get you started well and give you plenty of scope to learn!

Enjoy it!

Jake