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In cases where products are already obsolete, the links will lead to the updated newer equivalents.
Video
camera body: Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera BMPCC
An outdated but reliable camera that provides a nice cinematic look. Supports only Full HD and has problematic color correction. The new 4K iteration is much improved. Primarily a cinema camera and not particularly useful for vlog content.
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lens: Tokina 11-16 F2.8
Cheap and relatively sharp ultrawide. Provides full-frame-like field of view (FOV) for crop sensor cameras.
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speed booster: Metabones Canon EF Lens to Micro Four Thirds T Ultra 0.71x
Makes it possible to connect Canon EF lenses to MFT mount cameras. Also provides a wider FOV and improved low-light performance.
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phone camera: samsung galaxy s23 ultra
Primarily used for cameras and occasionally as a monitor. Chosen over the iPhone due to better USB-C PC connectivity, supporting high-speed large data transfers. Native color correction is awesome for product shoots, autofocus works well.
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webcam: elgato facecam
Secondary camera for backup shots. Performs poorly compared to other cameras, but is very cheap as well.
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teleprompter: Elgato Prompter
Used in very rare cases where many pages of text cannot be memorized. The product itself is significantly better than most competition in its price range. AI text tracking is impressive.
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speakers: IK Multimedia iLoud Micro
Pro-grade audio monitors in a compact form factor. Not as crisp as monitor headphones, but very useful as a reference studio audio and generally for multimedia, gaming, and movies. Surprisingly powerful for the size. Sales are common to get this product cheaper.
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open headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO
Neutral-sounding, crisp, and flat. Good for mastering final edits, though some users would prefer more bass. Sturdy construction. Useful Carrying case included.
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closed headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 1770 PRO
Powerful sound source separation with exceptional detail. Very sharp response and clearly defined lows. May be tiring to use for extended hours due to increased sharpness. Sturdy construction. Good for audio error correction and initial rough cut editing.
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budget closed headphones: Sony MDR-7506
A much cheaper backup alternative offering exceptionally good performance. Good for audio error correction and initial rough-cut editing. Industry standard for broadcasting, with Hollywood movies frequently using it on sets.
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shotgun mic: Sennheiser MKH 416-P48U3
Expensive but very neutral, sensitive and natural-sounding. Overkill for budget setups, but if bought would be a long-term investment that could serve for decades without needing an upgrade. Good for shotgun types of shoots as well as voiceovers. More or less considered as the industry standard for film and TV production.
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lavalier mic: rode Lavalier
Quality broadcast-style audio. A newer version in the link is much more affordable than the original.
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dynamic mic: rode procaster
Not an industry standard like the Shure SM7B, but very close and half the price. Offers a deep, slightly boomy sound with better noise isolation than the SM7B. Requires less preamp gain. Good for podcasts and streams with noisy environments.
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audio interface: Arturia AudioFuse Rev2
One of the best audio interfaces and USB sound cards on the market. Extremely sharp, clean and crisp, with minimal preamp noise. Has some downsides that will be addressed in a separate video. Overkill for youtubers and more suitable for musicians.
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portable recorder: Zoom H1
Handy little recorder suitable for various infield situations where portability is needed. Not as useful in studio environments due to limited feature set.
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portable recorder: Zoom H6
Beefier version of the H1 recorder. Has more channels, as well as XLR and phantom power support. Can be used as audio interface to connect XLR microphones to a computer. Very reliable.
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video light: Aputure amaran P60c
Very powerful RGB panel, used mostly as ambience fill light.
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key light: aputure amaran 100d
Used as primary key light. Sufficient power and low noise. Cheap but useful and reliable piece of equipment. The clamp is plastic though which isn’t as reliable as iron equivalents.
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softbox: Aputure Light Dome SE (33.5″)
Pairs with Aputure Amaran 100d. Without this softbox the key light is useless. Provides very soft light falloff, good for headshots and product shoots.
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portable light: Aputure MC RGBWW LED
Handy little RGB light for accent product shots. Quite often used as a utility flashlight. Has magnets.
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Tube Light: amaran PT4c RGB LED Pixel (4″)
Not as powerful as Nanlite Pavotube but the battery lasts longer. Good as background practical light. Sometimes use it for product b-rolls where colored long-shaped accent light is needed.
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reflector: Godox 40″x60″/100x150cm
Decent quality, decent size, portable, relatively lightweight, moderately priced.
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video head: Manfrotto 502AH Pro
Reliable and relatively cheap video head that can handle big loads. Due to basic construction not well suited for smooth tracking shots where a more expensive system with balanced counterweights would be more preferable.
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heavy duty Tripod: Manfrotto MT055XPRO3
Heavy duty, versatile and portable. Pairs well with the 502AH video head. Monopod neck can be adjusted horizontally as a crane.
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photo Head: Manfrotto 490
Very basic photo head, not smooth during movements, but reliable and stable once fixed in place.
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light video tripod: Velbon Videomate 438
Nifty budget tripod. Very useful in various situations mostly due to its light weight, portability, and overall utilitarian value. The video head is surprisingly smooth and can handle most small form factor video cameras and DSLRs.
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slider: Rhino 24″ Carbon
Decent quality and very lightweight. The price is a little too high. Seems like the company closed their operation in the US.
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phone clamp: Manfrotto Universal Smartphone Clamp
Decent grip, wide surface area. A little bit stiff when using big phones like Galaxy S23 Ultra.
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phone clamp: Manfrotto Universal Smartphone Clamp, Pro Version (MCPIXI)
Superior quality to the non-pro version. The grip is reliable and does not obstruct cellphone cameras, however, due to its narrow construction, can be difficult to mount on some tripods where a larger contact surface area would provide better stability.
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desk mount: SmallRig Camera Desk Mount with Holding Arm
Nice alternative to Elgato products, a separate video will address the differences.
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desk mount: Elgato Master Mount L
Heavy-duty, reliable, and versatile, it works well with other Elgato mounts. Does not have many competitors on the market.
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mount: Elgato Flex Arm L
Reliable and versatile, but limited in the weight it can handle due to huge leverage and multiple joints.
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Extension: PULUZ Adjustable Extension Rod
A basic extension rod primarily used to extend tripods or desk mounts. Good quality.
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mount: SMALLRIG Rosette Magic Arm 11 Inch
A surprisingly versatile tool with limitless applications.
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mount: JOBY GorillaPod Rig 11lb
Used quite rarely due to a peculiar construction. Suitable for outdoor uneven surfaces, but less for studio. The ball head is smooth and of very high quality. We found ourselves using the ball head separately from the construction quite often.
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mic stand: RODE PSA1 Studio Boom Arm
Extremely good and reliable boom arm that can sustain quite heavy loads. Practically an industry standard. Reasonable pricing, but not cheap. ‘Neewer’ offers cheaper alternatives.
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camera clamp: Dinkum Systems ActionPod PRO
Remarkable piece of hardware that, considering its size, can sustain quite heavy loads. We found ourselves using it very often in places where other mounts failed.
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camera clamp: SmallRig Super Clamp
Basic and useful, mounts well on tripods and light stands.
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xlr cables: Canare Star Quad L-4E6S
Quality Japanese cable. Similar to Mogami but not as expensive. More flexible than Amazon Basics cable and looks better. Offers various colors to help track different sources.
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selfie stick: Yoozon selfie stick tripod with bluetooth
A cheap, nifty little thing we use often as a small cellphone tripod.
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External Capture Card: Elgato HD60 S+
Adapter used to connect DSLRs to computers for OBS webcam functionality. Newer versions like the Elgato 4K X support 4K resolution and better framerates.
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screws: 22Pack ChromLives Camera Screw Adapter set
Very important set of connectors without which most mounts can’t be efficiently connected.
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