Candidates for best on camera lights for video:

Neewer Dimmable LED on Camera Light for Video

This on camera LED light provides daylight balanced output but it also comes with an custom-sized orange filter to match indoor lighting, which slides into place with built in filter slot brackets. It’s also dimmable using a large easy to find dial on its left side. This Neewer on board camera light is powered by 6 AA batteries but it also comes with an adapter to mount rechargeable Sony NP batteries which are available in a wide range of sizes and capacities separately. Comes with a mount for use with standard hot/cold shoe ports commonly found on top of DSLRs and other video cameras.

Viltrox Dimmable Flat Panel On-Camera Light

Unlike the previous on camera light, this model does not include removable color gels because its LEDs are bi-color, meaning you can adjust the settings to provide either daylight balanced light or tungsten, indoor light (or anywhere in between since it’s controlled by a dial and not a knob). A handy visual display on the rear also lets you take note of the color temperature in case you need to match those settings later. This unit is also dimmable to adjust the amount of light that it emits. Powered by rechargeable Sony NP batteries which are available in a wide range of sizes and capacities separately. Comes with a hot/cold shoe mount for your video camera or for DSLR. Even though it’s wider than your camera, we consider this one of the best on camera lights for DSLRs because it casts a nice wide pool of light.

Altura Photo 160 LED Camera Light

Here’s another one of the best on camera lights for DSLRs or other professional video cameras. It provides either daylight (or with the filter) tungsten balanced light, it’s dimmable with 8 different levels and comes with its own semi-hard storage case. This on camera light also runs off of standard rechargeable Sony NP style batteries, which you can buy extras of quite easily and inexpensively. It comes with a wall charger and a hot/cold camera shoe mount which you can use to angle the light as desired. One thing this model has that some other camera-mountable LED lights don’t have is a battery level indicator which helps you gauge how much power you have remaining on the current battery. As always, we recommend purchasing multiple batteries for this and any other gear that requires batteries. Also comes with a frosted diffusion panel.

Comer 1800 On Camera LED Light

This high end LED concentrated LED light is ENG style, meaning it will be appropriate for electronic news gathering or news footage. It’s built with a compact but powerful design meant to shine a spotlight on a person in the dark, useful for news style stand-ups at night, and other shooting. It features a dimmable brightness control knob and a built in flip up/down tungsten filter which allows you to change the color temperature. It also has barn doors to control the flood pattern of the light.

Note: this professional grade model on camera light for video does not come with a battery. Instead it works with either Sony NP style rechargeable batteries, or Anton Bauer/Sony V-Mount batteries (which connect via a DC tap cable, included with the unit). If you do opt for the more expensive Anton Bauer or Sony V-Mount battery options, note that these won’t mount directly to the unit as the Sony NP battery option does– you’ll have a cable connecting the light and the batteries.

Frequently asked questions about on camera lights for video

How do you mount these on camera lights on top of a DSLR or other camera?

The camera mounted video lights in this list all use a standard cold/hot shoe mount commonly found on top of DSLRs and other video cameras. However in some cases you may already be planning to use that mount to hold other accessories (such as a wireless lav receiver or an LCD monitor). For those situations, you can use a dual or triple mount bracket, such as this one.

How long does the battery last for these on board camera lights?

Battery life varies but we always suggest getting extra batteries, be they rechargeable or standard AA batteries. We adhere to the rule of thumb that for any piece of your video gear kit that requires batteries, you should have at least 2 (and preferably 3) that you bring with you to shoots.

What is the difference between tungsten and daylight color temperatures?

Daylight balanced lights (somewhere in the range of 5500 degrees Kelvin) are cooler or “bluer” in color temperature and match natural outdoor (sun) lighting. By contrast, Tungsten balanced lights (around 3200K) are warmer or “redder” in temperature and will more closely match indoor lighting. Depending on where you’re shooting with these on camera lights/LEDs, you may experiment with filters or modes to figure out which color temperature is most appropriate for the scene.

What are some common uses for on camera video lights?

On-camera lights are useful for a variety of scenarios but they won’t be useful for all scenarios. If you’re planning on shooting a sit down interview with carefully staged lighting then an on-camera light will probably not be appropriate. Instead we’d recommend using a formal multi-point lighting kit for those scenarios to get the best results. Here however is a list of situations in which a camera mounted video light would be appropriate:

• Doing a standup news-style interview at night
• Following a documentary film subject into a dark alley at night or into a tunnel with poor lighting, or a cellar
• Scenarios where you’re shooting with a documentary subject and you don’t know how long the shoot will last (you may lose sunlight before it’s over)
• Instances where you need a very small amount of additional light and a collapsible bounce card will not work because there’s not enough ambient light (i.e. at dawn, dusk, or night)

On camera lights can have a “harsh” head-on look that may be unflattering to some subjects, so we recommend using them only when circumstances allow. Still, harsh lighting may be far preferable to scenarios where you don’t have enough light and need to crank up the gain/ISO (digital noise) of your camera to make up for it.

Related Articles:

Best Interview Lighting Kits for Documentary Filmmakers

Best Small & Compact Portable Video Lighting Kits

Cheap LED Video Lights & LED Lighting Kits

Best Interview Lighting Kits for Documentary Filmmakers

The post The best on camera lights and camera mounted LEDs for video appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

The Best Small & Compact Portable Video Lighting Kits

Wescott Ice Light 2

The Ice Light 2 is the sequel to Wescott’s original ultra-compact cylindrical video light. It features a super bright LED array with very consistent color temperature lighting output, packed into a 30 inch by 3 inch round light stick. It features a removable, rechargeable battery (so you can purchase extra batteries and even use this light outdoors without access to a power outlet). Watch this video to learn more about some of the features of the Wescott Ice Light 2:

The Ice Light 2 weighs less than 20 ounces (just over one pound) meaning it’s easy to use handheld or mounted on a small, compact lightweight lighting stand. It has an LED display on the rear control-side of the unit which allows you to take note of the light settings so you can re-create certain looks easily. It also works over Bluetooth with your iPhone or Android device to allow you to wirelessly adjust a single Ice Light or multiple lights without having to walk up to them. This is especially helpful when you’re shooting with a limited crew or one-man-band because you can instantly see the changes that subtle lighting level adjustments make on your camera’s monitor without having to walk back and forth between the light and your camera over and over again. Comes with barn doors for adjusting directional light as well as gel clips to add on filters to change the color of the light (which is daylight balanced out of the box).

PIXEL Handheld RGB LED Light

The PIXEL Handheld LED Light is a cheaper generic version of the Wescott Ice Light. It comes with some trade-offs, like the lack of a replacement battery, but it also has one possible benefit: the fact that one side of the unit can provide daylight balanced light, and the other side of the reversible round lighting unit can provide tungsten balanced light, which might be convenient since you don’t need to use filters to match the light temperature. This generic version is also lightweight (about 2 pounds) and can run for about two and a half hours before it needs to be either recharged or plugged into a power outlet. Also comes with its own carrying case, power cord, and mounting adapter which lets you attach it to a lighting stand.

Wescott Flex 1′ x 1′ X-Bracket Mount Daylight Set

The Wescott Flex lighting system is a new take on interview lighting: a 1 foot by 1 foot light that is flexible enough to fold up into a small lighting case. This particular Wescott Flex kit comes with a mounting bracket and a soft-box light diffuser to attach this light to a lighting stand (not included but available separately) and a dimmer which can be used in conjunction with a portable battery pack. The Flex light provides a surprising amount of light for such a small and light and flexible system that you can take with you anywhere. Perfect for filmmakers who need to travel with their lights and set up in cramped spaces. Browse other Flex light products here.

Kamerar BrightCast Flexible LED Video Light Panel

The Brightcast Flexible LED video light is a cheaper generic version of the Wescott Flex Light which measures 12 inches by 12 inches and will break down to fit into even a tight space in your video or film gear carrying case. It’s dimmable and it features 256 bi-color LEDs that can replicate either daylight (5600K) or tungsten indoor lights (3200K). And, to top it off, this compact video light is also water-resistant, dustproof, and drop-proof. Comes with mounting accessories and power cable (you can also purchase a custom size soft-box to diffuse the light on an interview subject if desired). Also works with an optional Sony V-Mount compatible battery, sold separately.

Pergear Lightmate Plus CRI 96+ 5500K Dimmable 960 Led Video Light Panel

This ultra-thin LED light is only about a half-inch thick and 16 inches long and 8 inches wide– small enough to tuck away into small video gear cases. It’s dimmable and can be powered either by the included power cable or with an optional Sony V-Mount compatible battery, sold separately. This LED light comes with a ball-joint mounting adapter that sits on a standard lighting stand and can adjust easily to a wide variety of custom mounting angles. Out of the box this thin and light LED video light is daylight balanced, though you could gel it to give a different color.

Frequently asked questions about compact video lighting kits

How can I shoot professional looking interview video footage? If you’re new to shooting video for documentary films, you may need to brush up on your interview lighting skills. We recommend purchasing an instructional DVD called “How to Setup, Light & Shoot Interviews” which teaches you the basics of interview lighting, no matter what kind of lighting kit you’re using.

Can I run any of these compact video lights off a battery? Yes, several of these small video lights can be powered by batteries. Where available we’ve linked to the battery products that you need to run them without a power outlet. Having a battery powered video lighting kit is a great option because it allows you to eliminate messy extension cables and also lets you set up interview lighting setups or shoot outdoors at night or in dark conditions like in caves, etc.

What is the most lightweight video light? On this list of lightweight professional video lighting gear that distinction probably goes to the Wescott Ice Light 2, which weighs a tiny bit more than a pound (~20 ounces).

What type of gear case should I pack away my video lights in while traveling? Since your gear is an investment, it’s important to protect it with a secure carrying case. Check our articles about cases: best soft equipment cases for film/video gear and best hard equipment cases for film/video gear.

Related Articles About Professional Video Interview Lighting Kits:

10 Must Have Accessories for Your Film Lighting Kit

Best Interview Lighting Kits for Documentary Filmmakers

Cheap LED Video Lights & LED Lighting Kits

How to Make a Video With a White Background: A Step By Step Guide

The post 5 Best Small & Compact Portable Video Lighting Kits appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

Supplies you will need to create an infinite white background video:

1. A video camera with manually adjustable exposure settings. For example, the Panasonic HC-X1000 4K Ultra HD Professional Camcorder:

2. A white backdrop for video or white screen background. For example, this infinite white video backdrop kit:

Here’s another example (below) that’s a collapsible disc that folds up and doesn’t need a stand as long as you have a wall you can lean it against. It’s also the one pictured at the top of this article, used in conjunction with two lighting stands.

One of the nice things about this white studio background is that it’s easily portable and that also it includes a long train that folds out on the floor so you can capture “full body” shots including the talent’s feet if you want to.

3. Plenty of sandbags to hold the lighting stands in place– these are especially important because of how unwieldy a large background can be and how easily they can topple over without counterweights. For example:

4. Daylight balanced lights. Specifically at least two lights powerful enough to evenly light up your white background and additional lights to light your subject with. For example:

This LED lighting kit (above) with two LED lights and two stands will probably supply enough wattage to light your white backdrop. Here are some great features of these types of LED lights for video:

• They have built in dimmers so you can adjust the brightness level without using diffusion or changing color temperature with external dimmer boxes
• They don’t get hot like tungsten lights
• They’re already the right color temperature for shooting white background videos (daylight balanced)

You’ll need additional lights to light your talent (whoever you’re shooting in your white background video). You could easily use another pair of the same lights, or a different pair of lights with a softbox like these:

If you don’t have the budget to buy multiple lighting kits you could also try getting a kit with four lights included like this one. You could also potentially use just one light to light your subject/talent if you use a bounce disc to provide fill light like the example setup seen in the first photo of this article.

How to create a white screen background for your video:

To understand how all these components fit together, check out this diagram below.

Essentially you will be lighting the backdrop separately from how you’re lighting your talent (whoever is being filmed in front of the white background). This is because you’ll want to overexpose the background– that is, blow it out, make it super bright and white, but you’ll want to expose your subject (the person) normally. Using a single set of lights to do both won’t work well and the result will be uneven. You’ll want to use separate lighting so you can adjust one and not the other.

Step 1: Set up your white video background or backdrop and then place the lights that will be lighting it. You’ll want to play around with the placement of the lights, how bright they are (if they’re dimmable) and the angle at which they’re lighting your white background. You’ll want to be able to play them relatively close to the backdrop itself so they won’t spill too much on to your talent.

Step 2: Set your video camera’s white balance and exposure settings so that when you’re zoomed in on the white background, it looks like it’s pure white. If you don’t have quite enough wattage (your lights aren’t bright enough) you may be able to fake it by setting your camera’s exposure to “open up” a bit more, making the image brighter.

Step 3: Add in your talent and light them. Have whoever you’ll be filming (or a stand-in) sit or stand wherever they will actually be, usually a few feet in front of the background lights. You can now light them with your other lights using either two lights (one for each side) or a key light on one side and a bounce card for a fill light on the other side.

Additional tips for creating an infinite white background video:

• Use an external HDMI monitor with a zebra peaking feature so you can easily preview how things look even while you’re setting them up. Using a larger monitor than the LCD screen on your camera can be beneficial because it A) allows you to see with greater detail what’s going to be visible, like wrinkles in the fabric, B) allows you to see how things look from across the room if you have the screen pointing towards you selfie-style and C) allows you to see peaking and zebra information for the white background if the monitor supports that feature.

• Test out shooting a white background video before you actually have to use it for something – As you shoot some test footage and import it into your video editing program, you’ll be able to experiment and play around with how much you can do color correction in the edit to improve any imperfections.

• Choose your talent’s clothing carefully — if they’re wearing a white shirt that’s probably a bad idea for instance. Close-together stripes can also look strange on video too.

• If you’re shooting a full-body shot and as a result end up with a frame that goes beyond the edges of your white background because it isn’t quite wide enough, you may be able to cover the sides with a white mask in your video editing program afterward. Similarly, if you have shadows or uneven lighting around the corners of your video you may be able to cover them up with white patches afterward as well.

• If you use a white paper photographer’s backdrop instead of fabric it won’t have any wrinkles but it may also be harder to transport because white paper backdrop rolls are very long. If you use a white fabric backdrop and you notice that it has some small wrinkles, they may not be fatal because you probably won’t be zoomed in on a close up of the backdrop anyway. And if your talent is standing or seated several feet away from the backdrop, the less visible the wrinkles will be. We’ve been surprised by how much in the way of wrinkled backdrops you can get away with.

• If you don’t have daylight balanced lights and all you have is tungsten (warmer indoor balanced ones), use blue daylight gels to make their color balance correct. You can also white balance with your camera to adjust further.

The post How to Make a Video With a White Background: A Step By Step Guide appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

Best Cheap LED Video Lights & LED Lighting Kits

StudioPRO Premium Spot Daylight LED Rectangle With Barn doors

If you’re looking for a cheap, focusable spotlight type LED video light, this model will suit the bill. It’s a rectangular LED spotlight that has a built in dimmer dial (also available in a round spotlight that puts out a bit less lighting power). This LED spotlight comes with barn doors for lighting control and additional focusing and is daylight balanced (though of course with lighting gels you can adjust the color temperature it produces). Equivalent to a 225 watt incandescent bulb. Also available in a two light kit with stands and a carrying case.

Neewer CN-576 Dimmable LED Panel 3 Light Kit

If you’re looking for a cheap LED lighting kit that has everything you need, this Neewer LED lighting kit might suit your needs. It includes 3 square LED panels, 3 stands, and a carrying case that everything neatly packs into for traveling. These LED video lights are dimmable and are daylight balanced but the kit also comes with hard gels to balance closer to 3200K (indoor lighting balanced) as well as diffusion panels. Here’s a unique twist on this model: each light comes with three slots on the back to plug in cheap Sony NP batteries (or even cheaper knockoff batteries) so you don’t even have to plug these lights into the wall to turn these into battery-powered LED lights which you can take anywhere. Another neat feature of this LED lighting kit is that the square lighting fixtures have handles at the bottom that mount on the included lighting stands but they are also flexible to adjust to several angles (you can see example images of this in action on the product page). In a pinch, you could also use them as a handle for the light if you were going to use it handheld in a run and gun style scenario. Also available in a two light kit with stands and a carrying case.

StudioPRO S-600BN – Dimmable 600W LED Video Lights – Bicolor Light

StudioPRO has been providing cheap LED lights for years now and is one of the major players in this market for affordable video lighting. This LED video light kit comes with three 600 watt equivalent LED lights complete with mounting yokes, barn doors and lighting stands–basically all you need to set up a three point lighting scheme. This particular kit also comes with a key advantage besides being a complete ready-to-go kit: its lights are bicolor, meaning they can switch from daylight balanced to tungsten balanced at the turn of a dial. This is particularly useful when you’re trying to match the color temperature of indoor lighting fixtures or shooting outside and need to match daylight. Each one of these three lights also comes with a custom cut amber gel and a neutral color diffusion panel as well as a set of barn doors to shape the direction of the light. At a reasonable price, this kit is perfect for a documentary film interview lighting kit or indie filmmakers. Also available in a two-light kit if three lights is more than what you need. Additionally, if you already have a lighting stand and don’t need barndoors you can also purchase this item as a single light.

Neewer 500 2 Light LED Kit With Wireless Remote Control

If you’re setting up lights in a one man band scenario or you’re short on time, a lighting system with a remote control can be extremely useful. This LED lighting kit includes two lights, lighting stands, a carrying case, batteries, chargers, and wireless remote control. The remote allows you to adjust both the intensity (brightness) of the light, as well as the color temperature to match either indoors (tungsten) or outdoors (daylight). This can be especially useful when you’re looking at your video camera’s LCD and want to know how lighting adjustments will influence the whole look of a scene in real-time, as opposed to having to dart around the set to adjust things and then run back to your camera to see how the adjustment turned out, only to have to run back to the lights to make a further adjustment and check it again. We’re pretty impressed by the number of features this cheap LED video lighting kit packs into a relatively small price.

Westcott Flex 1′ x 1′ X-Bracket Mount Daylight Set (Check reviews & prices)

The Wescott Flex lighting system is a new take on interview lighting: a 1 foot by 1 foot light that is flexible enough to fold up into a small lighting case. This particular Wescott Flex kit comes with a mounting bracket and a softbox light difusser to attach this light to a lighting stand (not included but available separately) and a dimmer which can be used in conjunction with a portable battery pack. The Flex light provides a surprising amount of light for such a small and light and flexible system that you can take with you anywhere. Perfect for filmmakers who need to travel with their lights and set up in cramped spaces. Browse other Flex light products here.

Factors to consider when choosing an LED Video Light or LED Lighting Kit

What is the wattage equivalent of these lights? Generally speaking, LED video lights actually use a very small amount of power, but the amount of light they provide is sometimes still measured in watts. The higher the wattage equivalent, of your lights, the better. For instance, if a lighting kit you’re considering only offers the equivalent of 100 watts, we’d suggest looking at a different LED video light (unless you’re buying a very small specialty light like a portable camera-mounted light for instance).

Is this LED video light system dimmable? One of the great advantages of LED lighting systems is that they’re often dimmable without compromising the color temperature of the light. With traditional incandescent lighting fixtures, the less power you provide it (with an external dimmer dial for example) the more yellow the light will look. LED lights don’t have this disadvantage so many (but not all) manufacturers are building their lights with dimming panels or switches or dials on them. Be sure to check if the lights you’re considering have a dimmer built-in.

What is the color temperature of these lights? “Daylight” balanced LED video lights will be slightly cool bluish with a color temperature of approximately 5500K while “Tungsten” lighting matching normal indoor color balance is closer to around 3200 degrees kelvin, a warmer yellower balance. Expensive LED lighting fixtures will be bicolor, meaning you can switch from one temperature to the other on the fly but for cheap LED lights you’ll need to use blue or yellow lighting gels to convert from one color temp to the other. Some LED lighting kits will even come with custom-cut hard gels that will lock into their fixtures (though it’s important to note that these may not always be the exact right color temperature so gels are more flexible and exact).

Is this LED a flash or continuous light? This is an obvious one but if you’re going to be shooting video (as opposed to stills) you’ll want to make sure any LED lights you’re considering are continuous lights– in other words they’re on until you switch them off instead of just being a flashbulb type system which film photographers use. All the lights linked to in this article are the appropriate continuous video lighting type as opposed to flash, but if you’re searching elsewhere just be sure you don’t accidentally purchase photographer’s lights.

Is this a battery powered LED light? Is it possible to use it with batteries and no wall plug? Most non-camera mountable LED lights aren’t designed to be operated via battery but a growing number do have mounts on the reverse side to attach either a Sony V-Lock battery or a V-lock adapter for cheaper Sony NP series batteries.

The post Cheap LED Video Lights & LED Lighting Kits appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

A documentary filmmaking video camera

You can’t really have much of a documentary film without the film part. These days documentary filmmakers usually shoot on one of two types of cameras: either a professional video camera, with full sized manual controls and audio inputs, or a documentary film DSLR— basically a still camera that also shoots video and captures beautiful video that can look more cinematic than a traditional pro video camera. Both have benefits and drawbacks and we’d encourage you to consider each carefully. Here are our quick picks:

Quick Picks:

If you’re looking for a great traditional pro video camera, consider the Panasonic HC-X1000:

If you’re looking for a great documentary film DSLR, consider the Panasonic GH4:

If you’re looking for a budget documentary film camera, consider the Canon VIXIA HFG20:

Read our related articles for more about choosing a documentary film camera: What is the Best Cheap Documentary Camera for Filmmaking in 2016? Best Documentary Film DSLRs 5 Best Cameras for Documentary Filmmaking Best Traditional Pro Video Cameras

XLR audio adapters

With video out of the way, it’s time to think about audio. Most professional documentary filmmakers don’t rely on their camera’s onboard microphone for the simple reason that it’s not powerful enough to pick up many sounds.

Full sized professional video cameras have XLR audio inputs allowing them to accept the large input professional audio accessories that documentary filmmakers often use– things like boom microphones or lavalier microphones that clip on to a person’s shirt. If you chose a video camera that doesn’t have XLR audio inputs– say a DSLR or a camcorder, you’ll either need to use special shotgun microphones that work with DSLRs and/or lavalier microphones that work with DSLRs, or you’re going to need a DSLR XLR audio adapter. If your video camera has XLR inputs, you can skip this item.

Quick Pick:

If you’re looking for a great DSLR/camcorder XLR audio adapter, consider the BeachTek DXA-2T:

Lavalier Microphones

Lavalier, lav mics or lapel microphones are used extremely frequently in documentary films– much more so than Hollywood’s fiction films (though they sometimes use lavs too). Lavalier microphones clip on to your documentary film subject’s clothing and capture audio wirelessly while you’re shooting them from across the room. They’re also useful in sit down interview setups or when shooting any other event where you need to be physically separate from the person you’re filming.

Quick Picks:

If you’re looking for a great wireless lav that the pros use, consider the Sennheiser G3/G4:

If you’re looking for a cheaper lavalier that won’t break the budget, consider the Movo WMIC70:

Read our Related articles for more about choosing a wireless lavalier microphone:
Lavaliere Microphones for Documentary Film
The Best Lav Mics For DSLR Cameras

Boom Microphones, Boom Poles, Shock Mounts, & XLR cables

In order to pick up great sound from people who aren’t wearing lavalier microphones, documentary filmmakers often rely on a sound technician who is holding a long boom pole with a microphone affixed to the end of it. When there are multiple audio sources to juggle– say a wireless lavalier or two as well as a boom pole, that sound technician will also be wearing a portable sound mixer (like this one) which divides these inputs before plugging into the camera.

If you’re looking for a great kit including boom pole, boom microphone, mic shock mount & and XLR with XLR cable coiled inside it, consider this Rode NTG-3 kit:

Filmmaking Headphones

Having a good microphone is important but it will only get you so far unless you have a great pair of headphones to monitor the sounds being recorded for your documentary film. The Sony MDR-7506 headphones first came out more than 20 years ago and today are the defacto standard on film sets.

If you’re looking for a great pair of filmmaking headphones, consider the Sony MDR-7506s:

Alternatively check out some of the other best headphones for filmmakers & editors.

A Tripod

Even documentaries that consist of a lot of “run and gun” footage where time is limited and you’re shooting as you follow events rely on tripods a lot of the time. For instance documentary filmmakers use tripods when shooting sit down interviews or getting nice stable establishing shots of the outside of buildings before they go inside. Fluid head tripods allow you to get smooth pan and tilt shots without jerky reframing, unlike smaller and cheaper photo tripods.

If you’re looking for a great affordable video tripod, consider the Magnus VT-4000 Fluid Head Tripod:

Learn more about this tripod

For more about tripods, read our related article: What is the best video tripod for filmmaking?

Extra Memory Cards & Batteries

A professional documentary filmmaker never goes on a shoot without several more fully charged camera batteries and several more memory cards than they think they could ever possibly need. Documentaries capture real life and sometimes real life runs long unexpectedly. You never know when you’ll need extra SDHC memory cards for your camera, camcorder batteries or AA batteries for your lav mic because of a shoot that ran long, and there’s no worse feeling than having to wrap before you want to because you’re out of batteries or out of memory cards. Every documentarian has probably run into this situation at least once and vows to never run into it ever again.

Get extra memory cards, extra batteries, and a memory card carrying wallet case.

Equipment bags & Carrying Cases

Equipment bags or cases may not be sexy but they’re extremely necessary to protect all your equipment. If you’re a first time filmmaker you might ask yourself “Wait, can I really afford to buy an expensive camera case on top of my already expensive camera?” But pros know to ask themselves “Can I afford not to have an expensive camera case to protect my expensive camera?”

Browse the best film/video hard equipment cases, soft camera bags and backpacks, and tripod carrying cases.

Interview lighting kit

Most documentary films have at least one formal sit down interview, and often have many. A good documentary film interview lighting kit is important to get interview footage that doesn’t embarrass you.

If you’re looking for a great cheap interview lighting kit, consider the DayFlo EZ Lite 3-Fixture Lighting Kit:

Learn more about this lighting kit

Reflectors & on Camera Lights

Of course, you can’t always bring a nice big lighting kit everywhere you go when you’re shooting a documentary film. This isn’t a Hollywood movie after all. If you’re shooting outdoors, reflectors are extremely useful when doing stand-up interviews. They allow you to bounce the light from the sun on to your subject’s face and provide more even lighting than the sun would provide (and also help to even out shadows). For indoors, having a small and lightweight camera mounted light can save the day and turn an otherwise unusable shooting situation into something usable.

Consider this five in one handheld reflector kit and this on camera light.

Hard Drives & RAID systems for Video Editing

Once you’ve shot your film, you’ll need to edit it and make sure it’s backed up properly on multiple external hard drives so even if your computer crashes you won’t be out of luck. We always say that you should consider the value of the hard drive with your footage on it not just the few hundred dollars you paid for it– but the cost of the total budget of your film. In other words, that hard drive isn’t worth just the $500 you paid for it– it’s worth however many thousands of dollars your entire budget is because that’s how much it would cost to recreate your film if the footage was lost!

Consider this hard drive and this portable rugged drive.

Learn more about these hard drives

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Hopefully you found this list of documentary filmmaking equipment useful. It’s a starting place and many other documentaries use specialty items like action cameras or other filmmaking accessories, but for a generic documentary film, this is the minimum filmmaking equipment kit list we’d recommend starting with.

The Complete Microphone & Audio For Film/Video Guide

Guide to the Types of Video Cameras

The post The Complete Documentary Filmmaking Equipment List appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

]]> https://documentarycameras.com/accessories-film-lighting-kit/ Thu, 29 Jan 2015 07:34:52 +0000 https://documentarycameras.com/?page_id=360 Pictured above: A Scrim Jim (listed below) for diffusing light, either outdoors or indoors. When you’re first putting together your lighting kit, you’ll obviously get the basics: light and stands. But the difference between a professional kit and a beginner’s kit lies not only in the quality of the lights

The post 10 Must Have Accessories for Your Film Lighting Kit appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

]]> Pictured above: A Scrim Jim (listed below) for diffusing light, either outdoors or indoors.

When you’re first putting together your lighting kit, you’ll obviously get the basics: light and stands. But the difference between a professional kit and a beginner’s kit lies not only in the quality of the lights found inside it (and hey, sometimes you’re on a budget) but also the small tools that make life easier for you. Here are some indispensable tools to fill out the rest of your lighting kit– beyond the lights themselves. Some of them are obvious, others not so much.

Essential Gear for Your Film Lighting Kit

Cucoloris, Cookaloris, or “Cookie”

This is probably one of the most misspelled bits of kit for documentary film interview lighting kits, but it’s also one of the most essential. Using a “cookie” as it’s sometimes called, by putting it in front of your background light, casts a dappled light pattern on the background of the shot, behind your interviewee. It can transform a boring conference room wall into an interesting fuzzy pattern, making something mundane look interesting very easily. Cucalorises also come in different sizes, depending on how wide a pattern your lights cast and how big of a background you need to fill up.

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Scrim Jim

Ah, what to say about the scrim jim. We’d venture to guess that for every 10 experienced documentary DPs out there, at least two or three of them have had their butts saved by this extremely lightweight, very portable scrim that can diffuse or reflect light (depending on which type of scrim you’re using). This particular model of scrim jim (they come in different sizes) measures 42 inches by 72 inches and can be set up in a matter of about five minutes. Scrim jims are useful for reflecting an even amount of light on a subject when they have a silver or opaque white fabric on them, and diffusing harsh overhead light ourdoors when they have a semi-opaque textile rigged up. It’s compact when disassembled, and comes with its own carrying case as well. Watch a demo of the scrim jim below:

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Rock N Roller Multicart Model R2 Micro

The Multicart is pretty much *the* solution for transporting all your lighting gear from vehicle to shoot location. You’ve probably seen them on other sets. There are many models of multicarts but they all have this in common: they fold up into an extremely compact form factor and they’re all extremely well liked by gaffers. They’re also transformable, meaning you can configure them into a variety of different shapes and cart types, depending on how much lighting gear you need to haul from point A to point B. This particular model– the Rock N Roller R2RT “micro” cart is rated for up to 350 pounds of gear, but each model differs slightly. You’ll probably also want to grab some bungee cords to secure your gear to the cart so it doesn’t fall off as well.

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Sandbags for Securing Light Stands

Safety is extremely important on any kind of film set and documentary film sets are no different. The last thing you want is an unbalanced light stand with a hot lamp on it crashing down on an interviewee just as they’re spilling their guts to you for your documentary. That’s exactly the sort of outtake you don’t want. Sandbags are the answer to this problem, and you’ll want one for each light stand you have, plus possibly an extra smaller one for a boom arm if you’ve got one.

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Lighting Stand with a Boom Arm

A lighting stand with a counter-weighted boom arm is an extremely useful tool for documentary interview lighting setups because it allows you to get the light stand far away from the actual place where the light is. This lets you achieve looks you wouldn’t be able to do otherwise (particularly with hair lights that shine a light around the edge of your subject to separate them from the background of the shot), without getting a light stand in your shot.

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Flexible Clamp

Flexible clamps are a super useful part of any documentary film interview lighting kit. They’re perfect for holding up solid flags in place to block extra light, a lighter cucaloris, gels, and all sorts of other things that you need to position “just so.” Flexible clamps are particularly useful with at least one very wide end that can clamp on to a tripod leg or light stand easily without worrying about stretching it out over time with daily use.

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Double Super Clamps

In the same vein as the flexible clamp above, the Double Super Clamp is a workhorse for holding heavier flags up, cookalorises, all sorts of things. It clamps right on to your lighting stand or a C-stand and can hold up several pounds of gear at a right angle almost indefinitely.

We love using them with an extra lighting stand or C-Stand to hold up a scrim jim, for instance.

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Extra Lighting Gels

This one is pretty simple, really. Lighting gels are an essential part of any interview kit, unless of course you want all your interviews to look exactly the same, lighting-wise.

Having a variety of colors can change the mood and match existing lighting sources to help augment the available light. An extra set of different colored gels can help augment your existing lighting kit.

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Gaffe Tape

This may seem obvious, but having a few different sizes of gaffer’s tape in your lighting kit at any given time can come in handy.

It’s especially useful to have at least one thin type of gaffe tape to use for marking spots on the floor, and at least one wider (stronger) gaffe tape to use for things like taping down cables for safety to the floor so people don’t trip over them.

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SetWear Pro Leather Gloves for Heat Protection

Gloves are important if you’re working with lights that get hot, and many film lights do get quite hot. But they’re not just for safety: many high end lights get so hot that when you need to replace a bulb you have to wear gloves because any oil residue from your fingers that stays on the bulb when it’s heated will cause it to explode. Which… isn’t the greatest especially if it explodes all over your interviewee in the middle of an interview! Be sure to get the correct size gloves for your hands.

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Best Tripod Carrying Cases (Hard & Soft Tripod Cases)

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]]> https://documentarycameras.com/10-accessories-documentary-film-camera-kit-needs/ Mon, 01 Dec 2014 06:16:50 +0000 https://documentarycameras.com/?page_id=240 You’ve got the documentary film camera, you’ve got the microphones for documentary film. You’ve got a case, a tripod, but what are you missing? Here are fifteen kit essentials for documentary filmmaking that you may not have considered yet… 1. Extra Camera Batteries (Check reviews & prices) Running out of

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You’ve got the documentary film camera, you’ve got the microphones for documentary film. You’ve got a case, a tripod, but what are you missing? Here are fifteen kit essentials for documentary filmmaking that you may not have considered yet…

1. Extra Camera Batteries (Check reviews & prices)

Running out of juice when you’re shooting an exciting scene or following a documentary participant around for the day is pretty much the worst. Especially if it’s happening at a crucial time. So packing extra sets of batteries– for your camera and lavalier microphones– is an absolute must. Experienced shooters carry more batteries than they need, and luckily most batteries (especially generic versions) are cheap enough that you can stock up in advance. Camera manufacturers often offer higher capacity batteries than those that come stock with their cameras as well. Find Sony Camcorder Batteries, Canon Camcorder Batteries, and Panasonic Camcorder Batteries on Amazon.

2. Anti-Fog/DeFog Lens Cleaner (Check reviews & prices)

Ever transitioned from a cool environment outdoors to a warm indoor space while you’re shooting? If so, you’ve probably noticed that most camera lenses tend to fog up as a result of this atmospheric change. In extreme circumstances, this can shut down filming for a half hour or even an hour. Anti-Fog lens cleaner is an extremely handy little accessory for just these occasions– whip it out, apply it, and the lens fog disappears. Unlike normal lens cleaner, defog solutions keep the fog away (otherwise it will come right back after you wipe it off). GoPro owners can also buy special anti-fog inserts to protect their cameras from fogging up as well.

3. Leatherman (or similar) Multitool (Check reviews & prices)

This one is pretty self-explanatory, really. Having a small pocket knife, screwdriver (standard and Phillips head), and a few other little tools on hand and in pocket’s-reach can be invaluable when you’re shooting. Just be sure not to bring a multi-tool with a knife in areas where they aren’t allowed. Whether it’s for tightening a loose screw on a tripod, to taking apart a clamp and putting it back together, multitools are incredibly useful. Browse Leatherman Multitools and pick out the right one for you.

4. Extra Lighting Gels (Check reviews & prices)

Lighting gels are an essential part of any interview kit. Having a variety of colors can change the mood and match existing lighting sources to help augment the available light. An extra set of different colored gels can help augment your existing lighting kit.

5. On-Camera LED Lights (Check reviews & prices)

If you’ve ever shot handheld in a situation that was dark and wished you had just a little more light on your subject, you certainly wouldn’t be the only one! Luckily there are all sorts of small, battery-operated shoe mountable LED lights that can inject a powerful punch of brightness into any scene. For best results, we recommend a light that’s dimmable like this Polaroid 312 Ultra High Powered Super Bright LED lamp. It also includes a carrying case and a filter to adjust for color temperature.

6. Flexible Clamp (Check reviews & prices)

Flexible clamps are a super useful part of any lighting kit. They can hold flags in place to block extra light, and all sorts of things. It’s particularly useful to have a clamp with at least one very wide end that can clamp on to a tripod leg or light stand easily.

7. Jumbo-Sized Plastic Clothespins (Check reviews & prices)

Clothespins, or “C-47s” in industry parlance, are an essential part of any lighting kit. They’re useful for clipping gels to lighting barn doors, clipping drapes shut, and all sorts of other things. Large plastic ones like these are much stronger than traditional clothespins and don’t take up much extra room in your bag.

8. UV Filter (Check reviews & prices)

UV filters, like this Tiffen UV filter, are designed to fit on the end of your camera lens to protect it from water, dust, impact from sharp things, or even “uv rays” as its maker officially advertises it for. It won’t cut down on the amount of light that enters the camera, and it also won’t change the color temperature of the light either. It will, however, protect your expensive lens. Be sure to select the proper lens size in milimeters.

9. Waist Belt Production Pack (Check reviews & prices)

Keep all the little doodads and accessories you need within arms’ reach on your waist with a production belt. Okay, so maybe it’s a glorified fanny pack, but with a quick release buckle and durable fabric plus multiple pockets, this is one really useful fanny pack.

See also the black double-sided version.

10. Compact First Aid Kit (Check reviews & prices)

Things go wrong on set. Even when that set isn’t a set at all– it’s a documentary film location. Be prepared with a small, lightweight pack like this one– it weighs barely more than a pound and contains all sorts of medical goodies that you hopefully won’t ever have to use. Still, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Related:

10 Must Have Accessories for Your Film Lighting Kit

5 More Must-Have Documentary Filmmaking Accessories

5 Things to Consider Before Buying A Documentary Film Camera

Lavaliere Microphones for Documentary Film

List: Top DSLRs for Documentary Filmmaking

Best Documentary Filmmaking Cameras in 2019

The post 10 Accessories Your Documentary Film Camera Kit Needs appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

]]> https://documentarycameras.com/documentary-filmmaking-accessories/ Fri, 04 Jul 2014 05:01:36 +0000 https://documentarycameras.com/?page_id=18 There are many odds and ends that can help make your documentary filmmaking go smoother. These range from clips, ties, specially-made cases, and other accessories. LaCie Rugged Hard Drive (Check reviews & prices) Documentary filmmakers often find themselves in remote places with unpredictable weather and lots of great footage. So

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]]> There are many odds and ends that can help make your documentary filmmaking go smoother. These range from clips, ties, specially-made cases, and other accessories.

LaCie Rugged Hard Drive (Check reviews & prices)

Documentary filmmakers often find themselves in remote places with unpredictable weather and lots of great footage. So this line of hard drives, the aptly named LaCie Rugged Drives, can be found in an awful lot of documentary filmmakers’ backpacks. They feature a distinctive orange rubber bumper (to protect against accidental drops), a hard metal enclosure, large capacity, and are bus-powered by your laptop, meaning you can backup your footage on a mountain side without needing to plug the drive into a wall. Also see our article, Best Hard Drives & Raid Systems for Film & Video Editors for more hard drives for video editing.

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GoPro Hero (Check reviews & prices)

Years ago, to get POV action shots or shots that required tricky camera mounting, documentary filmmakers needed to turn to delicate speciality cameras worth thousands of dollars. Those days are no more. With GoPro’s Hero line of affordable rugged action cameras, indie filmmakers are higher quality cooler POV and mounted footage than ever at a cost well within budget. This little camera is taking over the world.

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On-Camera LED Lights (Check reviews & prices)

If you’ve ever shot handheld in a situation that was dark and wished you had just a little more light on your subject, you certainly wouldn’t be the only one! Luckily there are all sorts of small, battery operated shoe mountable LED lights that can inject a powerful punch of brightness into any scene. For best results, we recommend a light that’s dim-mable like this Polaroid 312 Ultra High Powered Super Bright LED lamp. It also includes a carrying case and a filter to adjust for color temperature.

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Pelican Black SD Memory Card Protective Case (Check reviews & prices)

From a filmmaker’s standpoint, it’s hard to say enough good things about Pelican Cases. They protect your gear and they reasonably priced and the sexy black styling is just icing on the cake. Well, this might be the cutest little Pelican case we’ve ever come across. It’s designed to keep your SDHC media cards safe from whatever environment you’re shooting in. This case features a very secure latch that won’t open accidentally, a loop to thread a cord through, and snug slots for all your media. It has room for eight individual SDHC cards.

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Velbon Ultra Stick V50 5-Section Twist Lock Aluminum Monopod (Check reviews & prices)

Some documentary filmmaking situations aren’t suited towards full size tripods and that’s why monopods are becoming increasingly popular amongst filmmakers. This light monopod model extends to a maximum height of just over five feet and will help support most small cameras to ensure steady shots, even when you don’t have the time to set up a full size tripod.

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Related:

10 Accessories Your Documentary Film Camera Kit Needs

5 Things to Consider Before Buying A Documentary Film Camera

Lavaliere Microphones for Documentary Film

List: Top DSLRs for Documentary Filmmaking

The post 5 Must-Have Documentary Filmmaking Accessories appeared first on Documentary Film Cameras.

]]> https://documentarycameras.com/best-interview-lighting-kits-for-documentary-filmmakers/ Fri, 04 Jul 2014 05:01:09 +0000 https://documentarycameras.com/?page_id=16 Choosing a lighting kit for conducting documentary interviews is an important task, and if you’re going to be shooting sit down interviews, your production values depend on it. Size, weight, and wattage are both factors for many filmmakers to consider when picking out lighting gear because unless you’ve got a

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]]> Choosing a lighting kit for conducting documentary interviews is an important task, and if you’re going to be shooting sit down interviews, your production values depend on it. Size, weight, and wattage are both factors for many filmmakers to consider when picking out lighting gear because unless you’ve got a dedicated grip truck or a permanent studio, you’ll want to be able to pack away your equipment in a case or two so it can be easily transported to and from locations. The good news is, with the proliferation of LED and CFL-based lighting systems, interview lighting setups are now lighter and more easily transportable than ever before. Not to mention more affordable!

Here are some documentary film interview lights and accessories you’ll want to check out:

Lowel DV Creator 44 Kit with TO-83 Case (Check reviews & prices)

This Lowel kit is great for documentary filmmakers looking to stock up on what they need all in one go (though you’ll still probably want to pick up a pair of heat resistant gloves since these lights can get hot). This kit includes four tungsten (“indoor”) balanced lights as well as the gels to convert them to daylight, plus a softbox, three sets of barndoors, an umbrella for light diffusion and a hard carrying case. The full kit puts out 1650 watts– nothing to sneeze at. The lights included are: a 300w max. Rifa-44 collapsible softlight, 500w max. focusable Omni-light, and a 250w focusable Pro-light & a 750w max. broad throw Tota-light.

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StudioPRO Double 600 S-600D LED Photography Lighting Panel and Light Stand Kit (Check reviews & prices)

This kit with two flat LED lights and two stands is a great affordable option for documentary film interview lighting kits. Because they’re LED-based, you can dim the lights with a convenient dial on the back of the light, so you can get just the right amount of light without having to mess with diffusion, ND filters, or having to move the light stand further away from your interview subject. Although the stands are set at full-height in the picture to the left, they are adjustable to the height of a seated interviewee. You can also purchase padded carrying case to go with the lights to protect them.

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Related: Cheap LED Video Lights & LED Lighting Kits

Westcott Flex 1′ x 1′ X-Bracket Mount Daylight Set (Check reviews & prices)

The Wescott Flex lighting system is a new take on interview lighting: a 1 foot by 1 foot light that is flexible enough to fold up into a small lighting case. This particular Wescott Flex kit comes with a mounting bracket and a softbox light difusser to attach this light to a lighting stand (not included but available separately) and a dimmer which can be used in conjunction with a portable battery pack. The Flex light provides a surprising amount of light for such a small and light and flexible system that you can take with you anywhere. Perfect for filmmakers who need to travel with their lights and set up in cramped spaces. Browse other Flex light products here.

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SePhoto VL9026S3 3000 Watt Continuous Light Kit with Carrying Bag & Stands (Check reviews & prices)

This kit includes three CFL lights (each with sockets for 5 bulbs), as well as the light stands to go with them, a carrying case and softboxes that fit over the lights to diffuse them and cast an even, flattering glow on your interview subject. Because CFLs are not as dimmable as LEDs are, you can adjust how much light each lamp emits by individually switching on and off each bulb (each light has five light switches on the back of it). Softboxes like these are used for documentary interview lighting setups because they help cast soft light on your subject in an even pattern. This full kit weighs a little over 30 pounds, making it surprisingly portable.

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Lowel Pro Pak, Pro-Light Kit with 250 watt Bulb, Lightstand & Stand (Check reviews & prices)

The Lowel Pro light is a small light that documentary filmmakers often use as a hair light. It is placed behind the seated interview subject (sometimes on a boom arm so it’s directly across from the camera) to create some “background separation” between the subject and the environment they’re in, like an outline. It also creates a nice, soft glow around the subject. The Lowel Pro is great because it’s small, lightweight enough to be hung on a boom arm, and uses relatively little wattage, plus the lamp itself is so small that you can attach reasonably sized lighting gels to change the color of the light. If you want to dim the Lowel Pro, you’ll need to pick up an external power dimmer, such as a router speed control (we’ve tested these and they work great with the Lowel Pro).

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StudioPRO BOOM Arm Lighting Kit (Check reviews & prices)

This interview lighting kit includes three lights: one for a key light on your subject, one for a fill light to illuminate the entire area, and a hair light on a boom arm which you can suspend behind your subject to give them some edge separation from the background. This is a self-contained kit: it comes with a carrying case and counterweight for the boom arm. Each lighting head uses 5500K Daylight balanced fluorescent bulbs and comes with a softbox to ensure your subject is illuminated evenly and in a flattering way. Since this unit uses CFL lightbulbs it isn’t dimmable but each lighting head has variable switches on the back to control how many bulbs are illuminated, thus changing the brightness of the light on your subject. Comes with three lighting stands and a boom arm, as well as bulbs for each socket. Weight: Approximately 36 pounds.

Note: If you’re interested in this type of lighting kit (2 lights and a light on a boom arm) but you’re not sure about using CFL lights that need to be replaced, consider this version with LED lights.

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Aputure Amaran Studio LED Lighting Kit (Check reviews & prices)

If you’re interested in an interview lighting kit that’s battery-powered, so you can set up interviews outdoors, consider this LED lighting kit. It comes with three LED lights slightly larger than iPads, power adapters that plug into the wall, and batteries and chargers for use when a wall socket isn’t available or convenient. These lights are daylight balanced but they also have built-in filter holders and come with orange filters to match indoor (tungsten) lights. Comes with a convenient compact carrying cases with shoulder straps, three lighting stands, and a cleaning kit.

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Instructional DVD: “How to Setup, Light, & Shoot Interviews”, Instructional DVD (60 minutes) (Check reviews & prices)

We pretty much swear by this instructional tutorial DVD. It’s a 60 minute, no-frills crash course in how to set up, light, and shoot documentary film interviews. The instructor (an experienced camera guy who’s shot for television news programs like 60 Minutes) shows you in detail how to set up lights in a variety of location situations to achieve a high production value lighting effect, whether you’re going for a modern look, a dramatic look or a classic look for your interviews. The instructor also shows you the best settings to use on your camera when you shoot your sit-down interviews and teaches you how to deal with common situations like how to make a conference room that you’re stuck film in look less, well, conference-room-y with your lighting kit. Note: the same DVD is also available in a specialized version for those with LED lighting kits.

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Browse More Interview Lighting Kits & Accessories:

Video Lighting Kits

Light Stands

Sandbag safety weights for lighting stands

Gaffe Tape

Related:

10 Must Have Accessories for Your Film Lighting Kit

The Best DSLR Audio Adapters for Sound

5 Things to Consider Before Buying A Documentary Film Camera

Lavaliere Microphones for Documentary Film

List: Top DSLRs for Documentary Filmmaking

Best Cheap Documentary Film Cameras in 2019

Best Tripod Carrying Cases (Hard & Soft Tripod Cases)

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