if we had to pick one thing that really inspired this whole blog to come to life, it would probably be all of the questions about gear. so here it is, the unofficial list of what we are using today (well, as of october 4th // it probably changed quite a bit by the 6th). we are starting with the cinematography side of things. the photo equivalent is in the works.

cameras

the 5d MKII // we love the image, latitude, and low light of these cams. the small form factor makes them incredibly versatile. the only thing missing – more dedicated video controls and true 24P.

the canon 7d // this will be our new main cam when they become more available. while the crop upsets some, we like how it lets us get in tighter. using the 70-200 now lets you get in closer than ever without the need for a teleconvertor. the low light on these is very strong as is the latitude. the form factor and dedicated start/stop record are great improvements, but more than anything 24P is why we love these so much. i can see us keeping one MKII for super wide shots and then converting to 24P via the 80% slowdown method in compressor.

lenses

we mainly shoot all primes as we like to shoot below the 2.8 often offered in good canon zooms. a prime also forces you to know what you want to shoot. we see a prime as shooting in full manual, where as a zoom would be akin to shooting in auto mode on your cam.

canon 24 f1.4L USM II// this is our go to wide lens. at 1.4 you can shoot in dark receptions and sometimes still get a high shutter to accentuate the look of your motion. great image and the perfect size for a steadicam. we run this as the main lens on our flyer. when paired with a 7d, keep in mind the effective focal length is closer to 35mm, which is a little tighter than some might like.

canon 35 f1.4L // with the introduction of the 7d and the 1.6 crop, this is now our main lens for preps and general coverage. it acts like a 50 with the crop and lets you focus super close, and at 1.4 you can get some gorgeous shallow shots.

canon 50 f1.2L // great lens on both the 5d and 7d. amazing image, great size, and you can’t beat f1.2. while the 1.4 is certainly much cheaper, there is something to be said for the image (tonality, color, contrast) out of an L series lens. it is much more than the extra one stop of light.

canon 135 f2.0L // amazing tele lens. on the 7d you can get in tight for speeches or the ceremony but still let in a lot of light. what makes this lens amazing over the 70-200 is its minimum focusing distance. you can get much closer than many lenses in this focal range, and that means shallower images, great compression on your subjects, and gorgeous looking bokeh.

canon 16-35 f2.8L // a little bit more of an effect lens when you take into consideration the distortion at 16mm. the f2.8 is also not the best for low light. great for really showing grandeur of some venues and amazing when paired with the slider. also a good choice with the 7d to get wider than the 24 allows. the crop removes much of the distortion as well.

canon 70-200 f2.8L IS// the gold standard for tele-lenses. we have several of these on hand for the ceremony and speeches.

canon 70-200 f4L w/ or w/o IS //  these hidden gems are the little brother of the f2.8 lens, but what most people don’t know is that they are sharper than the f2.8 lens and if you can live without IS, you can have one for $600. they are also incredibly small and light which makes them great for travel. f4 won’t work for natural light at a reception, but if your using lights, we make these work for most things.

audio

zoom h4n // a great little tool for getting high quality audio when shooting with dSLRs. the inputs in the bottom take XLR or 1/4″ plugs which makes them very versatile when trying to plus into a DJs board. the battery life is awesome, they aren’t too big that they become awkward, and they are fairly easy to use. the line input seems to be tough to get to work, and using the mic input means the signal is sometimes too hot, even when you turn the level setting all the way down. when running dual inputs, such as two wireless mics, you also don’t have independent level controls so you need to set it for the loudest mic, which is definitely a pain. these are our main audio tool.

tascam dr-100 // this little unit makes up for all of the shortcomings in the zoom. the line input actually works, it has independent level controls when you run two inputs, and it feels like a much more professionally built unit. the downsides are that the battery life is really quite bad. you need to charge the internal lithium ion and run new aa batteries to get a good amount of recording. the tacam also does not have a 1/4″ input, only xlr or 1/8″ – which can be easily solved by an adapter of course.

sennheiser ewg2 wireless lav // these seem to be the gold standard for wireless audio in the industry. we have tried the more expensive lestronics units, and while they are certainly superior, they are much tougher to use (screwdriver to change frequencies, they take 9v batteries). we use these with rycote fuzzy windjammers when shooting outside.

iriver IFP series // we still have a couple of these old mp3 players kicking around. they are great as a backup or to run under a brides dress (with a white mic). they are hard to find since the newer models don’t have the same level of control over audio recording. the software to download the files to your computer also doesn’t work with a newer OS on mac, so you need a pc or an older mac to get the files off.

camera movement

cinevate linear tracking system (slider) // what sets this tool apart is that it actually has bearings, and a bowl head, so you get super smooth slides on your first take and you can adjust the bowl to always have a level shot. these are a bit more pricey than something like glidetrack, but the first time you miss what would have been you best shot of the day because the plastic on the glidetrack stuck, i think you will agree why it is worth so much more. you can get these in different rail lengths, which makes them very versatile. we have a custom set of 6′ rails that are great for commercial setups and really long shots that would traditionally require a dolly. the downsides – the legs on these are a little un-rounded so you want to watch the surface you put them on, and the bearings do make some noise. it is very tolerable in a quite church but a medium speed shot in close to an audio source wouldn’t work.

steadicam flyer // these little beauties are one of the biggest things that gave stillmotion its reputation back in the day. priced at nearly double the pilot, they certainly offer some bells and whistle that those other units don’t have. the carbon fiber post adjustable post and oversized gimbal give the unit a great feel. the adjustment on the flyer’s stage couldn’t be easier. the base of the sled has full control over the position of the monitor and batteries, making it much easier to get dynamic balance. the vest on these is very comfy, and that is huge when you go on longer shoots. the iso-elastic arm is probably one of the biggest things that make a steadicam unit stand apart. it allows the operator to position the rig high or low and the arm holds it in place. the flyer is what we use on all of our shoots. we use a modified version of the cinevate shoulder rig to go on our steadicam with the dSLR to give us more weight and protection for the cam.

steadicam pilot // we have some of these as well, but they are more for our workshops and training. the unit can do things comparable to a flyer when operated properly and the price point is pretty astonishing, but it does feel like a scaled down version of the flyer. the vest would be one of the biggest thins that was stripped down to make the unit more affordable. the arm can also support much less weight, so if you have a bigger cam, you will want the flyer.

the cinevate dslr shoulder rig // this are by far our first choice when it comes to getting a hand held feel our of our dSLRs with the use of a shoulder rig. the zacuto rigs, while very pretty, are quite pricey and aren’t very practical in form factor for the way we shoot. we use our rigs with the cage for added weight, and an extra support you can lean against walls or grab with your hand to shoot from the waist. we use a modified version of this without the grips and with shorter rails to go on our steadicam with the dSLR to give us more weight and protection for the cam.

lighting

lowel pro light // a $100 250 watt halogen light. with barn doors and some diffusion makes it probably the highest impact piece of gear in that price range. we use these to light speeches and dance floors. all of our preps and ceremonies are natural light. the pro light is also great when run bare for more power. their size is great for travel and for hiding them on location.

zylight z90 // probably one of the most expensive led lights, but they do offer the option for battery power, and the color temp is fully adjustable (including fine adjustments such as plus/minus green or magenta). the size and battery option makes these great for travel, but when your starting out the price point makes them very tough to fit into the budget. we use these mainly as hair lights.