The Perfect Hardware Combo of Gear? My Choices. For Now Anyway…

I am luckier than most in that I get to play with a lot of gear, ranging from cameras to camcorders and action cams to gimbals, drones, microphones of all types and even tripods. There are some “off-beat” gadgets too like the MSM for astrophotography and the brilliant little Pluto Trigger that has a multitude of uses depending on your photographic styles and subjects.

But, with all this ‘stuff”, if I had the chance to put together a kit that covered the hardware I wanted it to, without being ridiculously excessive, what would I put in it?

It got me thinking. So here goes.

Cameras

This was the hardest part of course. Do I go full on with my Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro which I love? Or opt for a more versatile camera that also does stills? Would a top-of-the-range action camera cover all bases at a pinch?

In the end, I have opted to choose a Fujifilm X-S10 body and have a combination of a fixed 27mm and a 70-300mm zoom lens that cover everything pretty much I shoot from astro shots to motor sport.

I also decided to add a GoPro Hero 11 Black with a MediaMod and full underwater housing into the mix. I ummed and aah’d about the DJI Pocket 2, but finally concluded that would be overkill in terms of camera  numbers versus versatility.

Drones

After being introduced to the possibilities of drone shooting via the ill-fated GoPro Karma (see page 6 for details), I now find having a drone available an indispensable part of the arsenal. Over the past years I have had access to models from GoPro, Parrot and of course DJI (there has been a number of cheapies in there too, but these I discount as not worth the effort in the real world). Recent units I have had – all DJI – have been the original Mini, a Mini 2, FPV, Avata, Air2S and recently a Mini 3 Pro.

And I’d opt for the Air2S. It is easy to fly, has all the avoidance trickery you need and importantly, takes fabulous footage.

Gimbal

These have become another ‘must-have’ item, whether it be for camera, camcorder or smartphone. For me, when it comes to bang-for-buck, Zhiyun rates the best and I have descided on the Crane M2S. It supports the Fujifilm XS-10 in its firmware, and at a pinch I can also put the GoPro on it as well as a smartphone. A bonus is its light weight and smaller size.

Microphones

Here for me there is little contest. For a camera mounted unit, the Sennheiser MKE600 is hard to beat on the Fujifilm XS-10, or the MKE400 on the GoPro. It also doubles as a handheld, or even as a boom mounted unit if needs be. If I need a wireless mic, then the XSW Digital system is hard to top.

Tripod

This was a bit trickier; do you opt for a small travel one or a larger sturdy unit? Most of my tripod work would be in motor sport, so I decided the best compromise is the one I chose for this very purpose, a Miller Solo 75. It’s very versatile and can even “splay’ almost down to ground level such is the cleverness of the design. It also works well with the MSM astrophotography star tracker I use.

Carry Bag / Case

I have yet to find anything that satisfies all my needs perfectly I am sad to say, so if anyone – user or vendor – has any ideas, I’d be pleased to hear them!

Storage

The only thing left really is what media do I use to store my footage on? Like many, I have been through the gamut of the many suppliers out there and have settled for two distinct brands for different purposes.

For SD card, after trying everything, I have opted to stick with Verbatim; I have never had one fail, which is not something I can safely say of all other brands. The only recommendation I would make apart from that is stay away from cheap ones – they are just not worth the risk.

For mass storage, as the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro is VERY picky about what it can write to, as is the Blackmagic Design ATEM Mini Pro, I have stuck with a recommended drive, the Samsung T5 2TB model.

Conclusion

Over many years I have learnt compromising is not a good path to follow if you can possibly get the best. This especially applies to storage media, and to a degree, lenses, in my experience. At the end of the day, whether it be video or photography, we are striving for the best image we can get, and using the best tools for the job is your best starting point.

What would your “perfect’ kit be? Let me know (and other readers) either on the CreativeContent website or via email to david@creatiuvecontent.au