My Camera Equipment
As someone who uses cameras on a daily basis to create my content, I am have become pretty particular & and know what is good & bad when it comes to equipment. I have been receiving lots of questions about what I use to film my videos & take my instagram photos. Here is the great big list of equipment that I swear by and use pretty everyday.
Cameras
Canon 5D Mark III
This is one of the best cameras money can buy. It's a very reliable and solid camera for portraits & food photography (mostly what I do). It also has a great movie setting. I has all the functionality of any great DSLR camera; interchangeable lenses, easily changeable settings, high quality video format, etc. The quality of the images from this bad boy are killer, but so it the price. Not a great camera if you are just getting into photography or videography. Very high price, but you do get quality. The downsides are that there is no autofocus in video & no stabilization. Both are key if you want to make video without crazy equipment & a large team. Most of my videos are filmed on that camera but on a tripod. Not a good camera for handheld shots.
Sony a6300
Amazing camera for the price. Definitely has comparable qualities to the 5D, but obviously not as high quality. This camera has amazing autofocus & stabilization unlike the 5D. It also is very light & compact, easy to bring along with you anywhere. I totally recommend this camera to anyone looking to branch out & try some new photography/videography techniques or learn some skills. It is a mirrorless camera & has interchangeable lenses. Great for hand held shots or tripod videos. Shoots in 4K and has a range of cool video settings like slow motions, time lapse, & panorama. Comes with a great kit lense (16-55mm). It has great zoom capabilities.
GoPro Hero 4 Silver
This is a great starter camera for any aspiring videographer. Defiantly built more video but takes pretty awesome photos too. Made for adventurers looking to capture those awesome moments on a mountain, in the ocean, skydiving, etc. It's made for durability, so no need to worry about it if you drop it or get it wet. Has built in stabilization & great focusing capabilities. Mountable ANYWHERE! There are mounts made for any bike, skateboard, helmet, car, etc. I love my head & chest mount!
iPhone 8 Plus
This is a great alternative to purchasing an additional camera. You already have one with you ALL the time. If you just want to get your feet wet in photography/videography, this is a great first step that will save you a heck of a lot of money. You don't even need a fancy new smartphone like the 8. You can use whatever you have. This is one is exceptionally good because it shoots in 4K, has great low light, autofocus, built in stabilization. You can download all the apps you need to edit photos & video right on one device. That makes content creating so great! You can do it on anything, anywhere, & about whatever you want!
Attachments & Mounts
GoPro Attachment Bundle
This bundle has literally everything you could ever need. There are grio mounts, adhesive mounts, permanent mounds, body mounts, a tripod, a floating handle, & so much more. It's very affordable for all the pieces & parts your getting.
Karma Grip
This is not at all essential to get great footage from a GoPro but if you want to go to the next level & get some awesome cinematic shots, then I totally recommend this. It's a hand help stabilizer built specifically for GoPro cameras. I pretty much do all of my GoPro videos hand held so this grip has upped my game since I got it. It's very easy to operate & get the type of shots you need. Some stabilizers can be quite aa hassle but this is so easy to get the hang of. You may think it's pretty expensive for what it is, but once you see what a difference it makes, you will understand hoe awesome it is!
Jobi Gorillapod
This tripod/mound is such a great thing to have if you travel or need something light weight. It's not build for large DSLRs but it's great with the Sony a6300 & the GoPro. Each of the legs can bend & actually grip onto poles, bikes, a car, etc. without much trouble. I love the versatility of this tripod & the types of shots you can get with it.
Tripods
Sirui 5 Section Tripod
This tripod has held up very nicely over the years. It is the perfect height to film my recipe videos at the countertop. It is very easy to adjust & change the height. It also comes with a 'ball & socket' mount for the camera to attach to so you can tilt. That is a very nice feature to have. It is very sturdy & great for larger cameras like the 5D.
Manfrotto Horizontal Tripod Arm
These tripod arms are so great if you are looking to shoot from straight up above or take photos directly about a product. You have to be able to trust the arm though since your camera is hanging from it :) It's kind of stressful but the look of the shots is great when you use it! I use a sandbag at the other end of my tripod to guarentee that the the whole thing won't tip over.
