The Equipment Every Good Videographer Needs

Having a good creative eye and solid vision will always be the most important elements in videography, but you also can’t count out the importance of having quality equipment. While you certainly don’t need Hollywood-level equipment to get your video marketing strategy going strong, there are a few essential pieces of equipment every videographer should have.

Camera

The basic requirements for what camera you should use for video production vary widely depending on the scope of your project. The advancement of quality video technology is very evident in the fact that many smartphones are capable of shooting in 4K. That being said, you’ll want to choose DSLRs that are capable of using professional-grade lenses, shooting in 4K, and shooting at different frame-rate speeds (especially 24 fps).

Lenses

Choosing quality lenses is generally more important than being super picky with your camera selection. Lenses that give you flexibility when it comes to your depth of field will enable you to capture images that look cinematic and clear. Lenses are also more of a long-term investment compared to a digital camera, so it’s worthwhile to save and spring for a quality lens, such as the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 for landscape shots and a 24-70mm or 50mm (“nifty fifty” lens for more zoomed-in shots for shooting characters in your videos.

Stabilizer

Another major differentiator between videos that look amateur and those that look professional is good stabilization. If you’re only using your hands to hold DSLRs, your videos are likely to look shaky and chaotic. Not only will you want a good tripod for stationary shots, but you’ll also want one that’s easy to convert into a hand-held orientation for more stabilization while capturing motion.

Audio

Having audio that sounds crisp, intentional, and highly controlled is one of the biggest ways to tell that a video was done professionally. Many beginners make the mistake of using only the camera mic or relying on the cheapest mics they can get.

For quality audio for dialogue and other important sound effects that help set the scene, you’ll want a shotgun mic that can be mounted on a camera or on a boom. You should also invest in some noise-canceling headphones you can use to monitor the audio during your shoot.

Memory Cards and Hard Drive

When it comes to the actual shoot day, the last thing you want is to end up losing any footage. This is why professionals bring multiple memory cards, a laptop, and an external hard drive with them to set. This way, all the footage can be exported onto the computer and then exported again onto the external hard drive. After doing this, you’ll have two backups in case something were to happen to your memory cards (which does happen). It’s also a good idea to keep track of these items but to store them in different areas if you need to drive somewhere to avoid losing your shots due to theft.

By investing in these essential items, you’ll be ready to make your videos look stylish and professional!