Pictured above is the kit that I use to produce my Video Journals. The key component is the Sony A7SII, and Zeiss Loxia lenses. Also shown is my Sony RX100 V that I use for backpacking, and my Rhino 24" carbon fiber motorized slider.
My Complete Video Kit
I have been filming video journals in the field since 2009. Over the years, my video kit has evolved and changed with new advances in technology. I started with a Canon point and shoot camera that filmed video at 720p, and lacked manual controls. Now I use a full frame Sony Kit that not only films in 4k, but also has unprecedented low light ability. On this page, I will detail my entire video kit, and share my thoughts about using this equipment in the field.
If you are interested in purchasing any of this equipment, please use the affiliate links to either Amazon and B&H depending on where each product is available. Purchases made through these links help to support me and the content that I produce. If you have any questions about this equipment, feel free to reach out to me.
Video CAmeras & Lenses
Sony A7sII
Compact, Full Frame, Unparalleled Low Light Ability
In December of 2017, I sold my Nikon D750, and switched to a Sony A7sII. Though I really enjoyed working with the Nikon, the Sony is better designed for video. It provides unheard of lowlight ability thanks to its 12 megapixel sensor. In addition to the low light ability, this camera also features an in-body stabilizer, electronic viewfinder, and a very compact size.
Though the top ISO of the A7sII is just over 400,000, I find that ISO 104,000 is the highest that I am comfortable with. Anything beyond that starts to fill the shadows with noise, and you will notice some subtle pink glows in the upper left, and lower left corners.
It was on my Winter 2018 trip to Death Valley that I was really able to put this camera to the test. There were several times that I filmed video an hour or more before sunrise using only natural light. The camera did so well that I had to darken down the video and add a blue cast to give a better perception of the time of day.
Seeing as how the Sony is designed for video, it offers a lot of control over the look of the video. It was rather intimidating at first, but I finally settled on a rather simple setup.
Recommended Video Settings
Though I experimented a bit with S-Log, I really didn't like the workflow and the final look of the video. It took a lot more work to edit the video, and I didn't appreciate the base ISO of 1600. I did some research after buying the camera, and found that several people suggested a far simpler solution.
Picture Profile: 8
Gamut: Cine 2
This gives rather flat looking video with an impressive dynamic range, and requires very little work on the computer to restore the video to a natural appearance.
When you use these settings, the base ISO is 100, which also means you don't need to use as aggressive of a ND filter. I carry both a 3 stop, and a 6 stop filter with me when shooting in the field. The 6 stop filter is dark enough to shoot my 2.8 lens wide open in full sunlight.
In addition to the customization of the video settings, I also reconfigured the buttons on the camera. These are the changes I made:
Custom Button 1: Focus Magnifier
Custom Button 2: Movie
Custom Button 3: Peaking Level
Custom Button 4: White Balance
AEL Button: SteadyShot
Down Button: Zebra
Battery Life & Charging
Let's face it, the battery life sucks on the Sony A7sII. I knew that going into it, and it's actually not that big of a deal just so long as you carry enough batteries, and have a way to keep them charged in the field. I have a total of 5 batteries, and use a dual USB charger that I purchased from B&H (listed below). Since I work mostly from my truck, I have a Goal Zero Battery pack hooked to the 12 volt outlet in the center console of my 4Runner. Whenever I drive, this battery is charged.
I then plug my USB dual charger into that battery, which allows me to charge my Sony batteries at any time, even if the engine is not running. I use the same charger at home. Overall, I am very satisfied with the A7sII, and plan on using it for many years to come.
Voigtländer Nokton 21mm f/1.4
Wide Angle, Compact, Built like a Tank
I absolutely love this lens. The blazing fast f/1.4 aperture allows me to film video in low light before sunrise or after sunset, and the incredibly smooth manual focus is a joy to work with. Much like the lens I used previously, the Zeiss Loxia 21mm f/2.8, this lens has a hard stop at infinity. This means I can turn the lens all the way to infinity, and focus on stars in the night sky. Still photography with a high resolution camera is a bit more critical in this regard and requires a more precise touch, but for the purpose of 4k video, I can crank the lens all the way to the end and achieve sharp results. This very simple feature makes the lens much easier to use in the dark than a lens with autofocus.
At first I thought that using a manual focus lens would be difficult to focus on my face while doing the walking-and-talking narrative video clips, but with a bit of trial and error, I learned how to precisely preset the focus ring for ideal focus. Now all I have to do is turn the focus ring to a specific point, then start recording video. I no longer need to do any test clips after using face focus like I once did on my Nikon.
Another thing I really like about the Voigtländer lens is how bright light sources such as my headlamp at night will give a star effect, even when the aperture all the way wide open. When you combine that with the classic Voigtländer look of the bokeh, I really like the footage that I am able to shoot with this lens. This lens uses a modest 62mm filter size.
Zeiss Loxia 50mm f/2.0
Outstanding Bokeh, Compact Design
Not long after buying the Loxia 21mm, I decided to purchase the Loxia 50mm. I needed something that would work well for both my in-studio videos as well as my in-the-field videos.
I really like the normal perspective that this lens gives, especially when combined with the buttery smooth bokeh. The design of this lens is very similar to the Zeiss Loxia 21mm, though it is a bit smaller. As an added bonus, it uses the same 52mm filters as my Loxia 21mm. On my previous Nikon setup, I couldn't share filters between my lenses, but now I can carry a much simplified filter kit.
Much like the Loxia 21mm, this is a lens that I have no hesitation shooting wide open. I prefer to shoot it wide open in many situations because it has a very pleasing subtle vignette that works great for my in-studio videos. This lens is very sharp, and easy to focus manually thanks to the large throw of the focus ring. All of the Loxia lenses have a fantastic lens hood design. It is an all-metal hood that is very compact when reversed, and clicks very securely into place.
Overall I am very happy with both this lens and my 21mm. I have no desire for any other lenses, which is great because it helps to keep my kit compact and easy to carry in the field.
Audio Equipment
The most important part about video is audio. This can be especially difficult when filming outdoors in potentially windy environments. I use a variety of different audio recording tools depending on this exact situation I am working with.
Rode Stereo Videomic X
High Quality Audio, Nearly Windproof Design
Let's face it, this mic is my secret weapon. It is how I am able to record clean audio in very windy situations like the windswept dunes in Death Valley National Park. Typically one would use a directional mic to minimize sound coming from different directions, but I am off on my own without a lot of competing sound, so the stereo mic works quite well for my voice.
There are some major advantages to using a stereo mic for my video journals in the field. It allows me to capture the sound of nature in a beautiful way that is especially evident when listening to the videos with headphones. If I walk past the camera on the left side and there is a small stream on the right side, the full stereo audio will give a much better feeling of being there and listening to it in person.
Unlike a directional mic that is long and skinny, stereo mics are short, stubby, and somewhat spherical. This small difference in shape makes stereo mics an even better choice when filming video in high wind. I have used this mic in conditions where my shirt was flapping like a flag in the wind, and it performed incredibly well. Not only can you hear the sound of my voice easily over the sound of the wind, the sound of the wind is also quite natural which helps to tell the story of the conditions.
Recommended Settings
First and foremost, I always use the deadcat that was included with this mic. It greatly helps to reduce the sound of wind. In addition to that, I turn the gain to +20, then set the audio levels to 4 or 5 on my Sony A7sII. I don't find the need to use the low cut or high frequency boost. Battery life is decent with this mic, but I always make sure I have an extra 9V battery with me just in case. There isn't much warning with the battery indicator. Be careful when using this mic in the rain/snow. It is definitely very sensitive to moisture.
Rode NT1 with AI-1
My Secret Weapon for Voiceover Work
Without a doubt, voiceover work is the toughest part of creating my videos. That's why it helps to have a very good microphone. I have used this current audio setup for my past several projects, and before that I was using a Rode NT-USB.
The Rode NT1 is a 1” condenser studio microphone that captures wonderful nuance in the voiceovers. It is very sensitive to sound, and must be used in an acoustically controlled environment. Computer fans and echo from nearby hard surfaces are easily picked up by the microphone. I set up a simple enclosure using some foam panels and blankets for clean audio recording.
The kit I purchased includes both the XLR cable and the AI-1 USB interface that allows me to use the microphone directly into my iMac. The AI-1 has a headphone jack, levels adjustment, and volume control knob. With the press of a button, the AI-1 provides phantom power to the connected mic. This can be turned off when connecting a dynamic microphone. The simple plug and play design is a breeze to setup, and I love the sound from this setup.
Tripods & Supports
Gitzo 0 Series Mountaineer
A Glorified Selfie Stick
Many people these days are using Gorillapods or gimbals when recording video — but I prefer the simplicity of using a collapsed tripod. When using a Gorillapod or gimbal, you have to support the entire weight of the camera with your arm. This might be fine at first, but if you're like me and you have to do quite a few takes, it's tough to do.
By using a collapsed tripod, I am able to place the feet against my right hip, and much of the weight is transferred to my body. My right arm can then support and guide the tripod, and it doesn't have to carry very much of the load. To do this, I collapse all the legs on my Gitzo 0 series mountaineer, then extend the center column all the way. This gives the perfect distance from my face, which also makes using my manual focus lenses easier. I have also found that holding the three legs of the collapsed tripod is quite comfortable.
I am able to achieve very smooth video by doing this, and it is great to use the exact same tripod for static shots. Here is an added bonus. Though the Gitzo 0 series mountaineer is an extremely lightweight tripod, it will hold my 24" motorized slider from Rhino just fine. That just goes to show how sturdy this little tripod really is. I have owned this tripod since 2011, which makes it the oldest piece of equipment of my video kit.
Sirui K-10X Ballhead
Compact & Well Built
For many years, I used a small manfrotto ballhead on top of the Gitzo 0 series tripod, but I have recently switched to a Sirui K-10x because it uses Arca Swiss type plates. This allows me to stay a bit more uniform across the board with attaching my camera to a variety of different mounts. I am very happy with this ballhead, and know that it will last for a very long time. This is the smallest in the lineup, but they also make much larger ballheads ideal for larger camera setups. Overall I am very pleased with this setup, and I know it will last a very long time.
Sliders & Motion Control
Rhino Evo Carbon 24" + Motion
Relatively Compact and Easy to Hike With
I love the cinematic look of a slider. It gives a better sense of depth, and makes the video far more engaging. The problem is that it's just one more piece of equipment to bring along. In 2016, I decided to add a slider to my kit, but I wanted to make sure it checked all the boxes of what I needed. This was my criteria:
Small enough to hike with
Carbon Fiber
Motorized
Battery Powered
Very Quiet Motor
Easy to Control
Quick to Setup
I was convinced that the perfect setup didn't exist, but I did some research and liked what I saw from Rhino. This setup did everything I needed, though the price tag was a bit more than I would have preferred to spend.
It should be noted that this is a modular slider that can pushed by hand, given an assist with a fly wheel, or fully motorized. I opted for the motorized kit since I am a one man operation.
The Rhino Motion Kit includes a motor that clips to the end of the slider, and a controller that also houses the battery. The controller is designed very similar to a first generation iPod with the click wheel and LCD screen. The controller unit attaches to the motor using a network cable, and magnetically attaches to the end of the motor.
Though the slider can be used for time lapse or live motion, I use it almost exclusively for live motion video. In that mode, you can control how far the camera will travel, which direction it travels, and how long it will take to travel. It's possible for the camera to bounce back and forth, which is a very useful feature.
The motor is very well suited to move the camera quickly and efficiently when the slider is level, but it wasn't designed to haul the camera up a steep incline. I use a leveling base on my tripod that can tilt 15 degrees, and the slider can haul my camera up that just fine. It maxes out around 25 to 30 degrees though. You also have to be careful when using it on an incline because the motor requires power to hold the camera in position. If the slider is turned off when the camera is on the high end, it will be quickly pulled back down by gravity. If you are not careful, this could knock over your tripod.
This slider uses brushless motors so it is very quiet in operation, but it is not silent. I like to record natural sounds when I'm in the field, so I usually run my mic on a 20 foot cord, and place it on the ground a few feet ahead of my tripod. That way I can record audio without picking up the sound of the motor.
In late 2017, I added the Rhino Arc to my Slider Kit. This is a separate motorized piece that attaches to the carriage, and provides rotational panning in addition to the sliding motion. I really like the added sense of depth that this provides.
I should also note that I use this slider on a tiny Gitzo 0 series tripod that is not technically rated for this sort of load, but it works just fine so long as you are careful with the distribution of weight. That is a testament to the strength of Gitzo tripods.
Buy Rhino Evo Carbon 24" at B&H
Buy Rhino Motion Control at B&H
