This is a professionally-sourced personal database I’ve made public due to popular demand, but I made this lesson from my course free as it highlights the information more important than these spreadsheets:
Cameras
Brand | Model | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arri | Alexa 65 | Fantastic out-of-box image | Price |
| Arri | Alexa LF | 89000, Focus is tougher | |
| Arri | Alexa | ||
| Blackmagic | Blackmagic URSA Mini 4.6k | Poor low light, big and heavy-ish (5lbs) too big for Ronin M, no proxy mode, poor internal color, color inconsistent with luma change. | |
| Blackmagic | Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro | ||
| Blackmagic | Pocket Cinema Camera 4k | No EVF, Poor AF, | |
| Blackmagic | Pocket Cinema Camera 6k | Great codec, menues, picture quality, metadata input | No EVF, Poor AF, New Camera, Poor Battery |
| Canon | C200 | ND, DualPixel AF, EVF, Battery Life, Audio Inputs, Proxies | Mediocre LCD, No Sensor Stabilization |
| Canon | 5D3 | ||
| Canon | C700 Full Frame | Full frame at high frame rates to external recorder | $33,000 |
| Fuji | XT-3 | ||
| Fuji | XT-30 | XT-30 is cheaper $700-ish but no IBIS. BUT has 10-bit, APS-C, great AF, great color, good lens choices | |
| Nikon | Z6 | ||
| Panasonic | LX100 | ||
| Panasonic | GX85 | Fantastic option, IBIS, high IQ, great touch screen | no log, no mic input, only 90º screen articulation, |
| Panasonic | G7 | No IBIS, bigger (DSLR sized), has drive mode dial and focus switch, articulating LCD, mic input, no log but does have Cinelike D and V, great touch screen, no 4k internal and simultaneous HDMI | |
| Panasonic | SH1 | Unprecedented video quality in a mirrorless ILC camera. | |
| Panasonic | GH5 | MFT 'small sensor', poor video AF and low light, great stabilization | |
| Panasonic | ZS100 | ||
| Panasonic | ZS200 | ||
| Panasonic | GX9 | ||
| Red | Helium 8k Epic | $30,000 | |
| Red | Monstro 8k VV | Vista Vision (close to full frame) sensor | $54,000 |
| Red | Helium 8k S35 | S35 sensor | |
| Samsung | NX1 | USB3, NFC,WiFi, BT, h.265 | No log, no ND |
| Sony | A7RII | ||
| Sony | A7SII | ||
| Sony | FS5 | ||
| Sony | RX100 V | ||
| Sony | a6400 | No internal stabilization; 425 Phase- & Contrast-Detect AF Points ,180º LCD, Intervalometer | |
| Sony | A73 | Best hybrid photo/video camera | |
| Sony | a6600 | ||
| Sony | Venice | Interchangeable sensor, 6 micron pixel pitch, updated color science, support for true 4-perf anamorphic lenses (cropped sensor), standard Bayer sensor, claimed 15 stop DR, 16-bit linear to AXS-R7 recorder and X-OCN for full frame raw 6k (2Gb/sec), native ISO 500, up to 8-stops built-in ND, cons: not a high speed king (only 60fps@Super35); anamorphic 4k and full frame are both paid firware upgrades | $40,000 |
Lenses
Order | Rank | Manufacturer | Spherical/Anamorphic | Focal Length | Aperture | Still/Cine | Coverage | Mounts | AF | Price USD | VR/VC/OSS | IR compatible? | Aperture Blades | Sharpness 1-5 | Coma 1-5 | Quality 1-5 | Age | Filter | Weight | Size | Notes | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sigma | 10–20mm | 3.5 | APS | |||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | Panasonic | 100-300mm | 5.6 | MFT | MFT | $500 | Yes | |||||||||||||||
| 13 | Tokina | 11-16mm | 2.8 | APS | Canon Nikon | Yes | $600 | |||||||||||||||
| 12 | Tokina | 11-20mm | 2.8 | APS | Canon Nikon | $350 | 2015 | |||||||||||||||
| Laowa | 12mm | 2.8 | Full | Canon Sony E | No | $950 | None | "0 Distortion", cons: flaring, no filter mount, manual lens | ||||||||||||||
| 1 | Samyang/Rokinon/Bower | 135mm | 2 | Full | No | $550 | ||||||||||||||||
| 43 | Zeiss Touit | 12mm | 2.8 | APS | E | Yes | 800 | No | 2 | 67mm | ||||||||||||
| Sigma | 14–24 | 2.8 | Full | Canon EF | $1,300 | No | None | Looks like a nice option | ||||||||||||||
| 14 | Tokina | 14-20mm | 2 | APS | Canon Nikon | $650 | 82mm | |||||||||||||||
| Samyang/Rokinon/Bower | 14mm | 2.4 | Full | No | $800 | |||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Samyang/Rokinon/Bower | 14mm | 2.8 | Full | No | $279 | ||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Samyang/Rokinon/Bower | 14mm | 2.8 | Full | Yes | $279 | ||||||||||||||||
| Sigma | 14mm | 1.8 | Full | Canon Nikon Sony E | Yes | $1,600 | 2017 | |||||||||||||||
| 11 | Tamron | 15-30mm | 2.8 | Full | Canon Nikon | $1,200 | None | |||||||||||||||
| Laowa | 15mm | 2 | Full | Sony E | No | $850 | 72mm | Sony E mount only | ||||||||||||||
| Irix | 15mm | 2.4 | Full | Canon Nikon | No | $400 | 95mm | |||||||||||||||
| 23 | Samsung | 16-50mm S | 2–2.8 | APS | NX | $900 Used | Yes | |||||||||||||||
| 49 | Sony | 16–50 | 2.8 | APS | Alpha | Yes | 800 | |||||||||||||||
| 47 | Sony | 16–50 pancake | 3.5-5.6 | APS | E | Yes | 345 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| 46 | Hasselblad Vario-Tes E ZA | 16–70mm F4 | 4 | APS | E | Yes | 630 | Yes | 55mm | |||||||||||||
| Samyang/Rokinon/Bower | 16mm | 2 | APS | |||||||||||||||||||
| 34 | Sony | 16mm Pancake | 2.8 | APS | E | $250 | No | |||||||||||||||
| 18 | Canon | 16-35mm | 2.8 | Full | Canon | $1,500 | 635g | 3.48 x 4.39" | ||||||||||||||
| 8 | 1 | Sigma | 18-35 | 1.8 | APS | $800 | 5 | 5 | 77mm | 811g | 3.07 x 4.76" | |||||||||||
| 48 | Tamron | 18–200mm | 3.5-6.3 | APS | E | Yes | 739 | Yes | ||||||||||||||
| Tamron | 18–400 | APS | $650 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 40 | Sigma APS E | 19mm | 2.8 | APS | E | 199 | No | |||||||||||||||
| Sigma | 16mm | 1.4 | APS | |||||||||||||||||||
| Zeiss Milvus | 18mm | 2.8 | $2,000 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Canon | 20mm | 2.8 | Full | Canon | Yes | $400 | 3 | 2 | Old | 72mm | 405g | 3x2.8" | |||||||||
| 2 | Samyang/Rokinon/Bower | 20mm | 1.8 | Full | No | $500 | 2016 | |||||||||||||||
| 3 | Sigma | 20mm | 1.4 | Full | Canon Nikon Sony E | Yes | $900 | 4 | Medium | 5 | 2015? | NO | 950g | 5x3.6x3.6 inches | ||||||||
| Sigma | 20mm | 1.8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 35 | Sony | 20mm Pancake | 2.8 | APS | E | $350 | No | 49mm | ||||||||||||||
| Samyang/Rokinon/Bower | 24mm | 1.4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Sigma | 24-35mm | 2 | $800 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | Tamron | 24-70mm | 2.8 | Full | Canon Nikon | Yes | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Tokina | 24-70mm | 2.8 | Full | 2015 (June-ish) | |||||||||||||||||
| 20 | Canon | 24mm | 2.8 | Full | $600 | 280g | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Sigma | 24mm | 1.4 | Full | Canon Nikon | $850 | 5 | 2 | 2014 | 77mm | 665g | 3.4"x3.6" | Zeis 25mm f2 | |||||||||
| 36 | Sony ZE | 24mm | 1.8 | APS | E | $900 | No | 4 | 4 | |||||||||||||
| 38 | Sony ZA | 24mm | 1.8 | Full | A | $1,000 | 4 | |||||||||||||||
| 10 | Zeiss | 25mm | 2 | Full | Canon Nikon | $1,300 | 5 | |||||||||||||||
| 15 | Tamron | 28-75mm | 2.8 | Full | Canon Nikon | $500 | 2010 | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | Tamron | 28–75mm | 2.8 | Full | Sony | Yes | $800 | 2018 | ||||||||||||||
| 21 | Canon | 28mm | 1.8 | $450 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sigma | 28mm | 1.4 | Full | 2018 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 33 | Sony | 28mm | 2 | Full | E | $450 | 49mm | |||||||||||||||
| 41 | Sigma APS E | 30mm | 2.8 | APS | E | 199 | No | |||||||||||||||
| 25 | Samsung | 30mm Pancake | APS | NX | ||||||||||||||||||
| 44 | Zeiss Touit | 32mm | 1.8 | APS | E | Yes | 720 | No | 52mm | |||||||||||||
| 31 | Sony | 35mm | 1.8 | APS | E | $400 | Yes | 4.5 | 49mm | |||||||||||||
| 32 | Sony | 35mm | 1.4 | $1,600 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 37 | Sony ZA | 35mm | 2.8 | Full | E | $800 | ||||||||||||||||
| 26 | Samsung | 45mm 1.8 | APS | NX | ||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | Samsung | 50-200 | APS | NX | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Sigma | 500–100 | 1.8 | APS | ||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Sigma | 50mm | 1.4 | Full | Canon Nikon | $800 | 5 | 2014 | ||||||||||||||
| 30 | Sony | 50mm | 1.8 | APS | E | $230 | Yes | 49mm | ||||||||||||||
| 45 | Zeiss Touit | 50mm | 2.8 | APS | E | Yes | 1000 | No | 52mm | |||||||||||||
| 39 | Sony ZA | 55mm | 1.8 | Full | E | $1,000 | 49mm | |||||||||||||||
| 27 | Sony | 55mm f1.8 ZA | 1.8 | Full | E | $1,000 | 5 | |||||||||||||||
| 42 | Sigma APS E | 60mm | 2.8 | APS | E | 200 | No | 4 | 4 | 46mm | ||||||||||||
| 22 | Samsung | 85mm | 1.4 | APS | NX | $800 Used | Yes | |||||||||||||||
| Canon Sumire | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28 | Sony | Full | E | |||||||||||||||||||
| 29 | Sony | Full | E | |||||||||||||||||||
| Zeiss Supreme Primes FF | Spherical | Cine | Full | |||||||||||||||||||
| Cooke S7/i | Spherical | Cine | Full | |||||||||||||||||||
| Cooke Anamorphic/i Full Frame Plus | Anamorphic | Full | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Rokinon XEEN | Spherical | Cine | Full | At only $1700 or so each it's a steal for cine lenses | ||||||||||||||||||
| ARRI Signature Primes | Spherical | Cine | Full | |||||||||||||||||||
| Leica Thalia | Spherical | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sigma Cine | Spherical | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Tokina Cine | Spherical | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Atlas Orion | Anamorphic |
Lighting
s | Brand | Model | Gist | Date Available | Output | Power | CCT ºK | TLCI | CRI | SSI | ≈Price (USD 2019) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Aputure | F7 | Great all-purpose cheap light | 3200K–9500K | $100 | ||||||
| 2 | Aputure 120D | 5250 Lux@1m | |||||||||
| 2 | Aputure 300D | 8930 lux @1m | $829 | ||||||||
| Aputure 300D II | 90,000 lux@1M with fresnel | ||||||||||
| 5 | Arri | SC60-C | 11,000 Lux@1m | $5,800 | |||||||
| 4 | Astera | AX1 | Tube LED with zones (similar to Digital Sputnik) | 95 | 95 | ||||||
| 1 | Boling | P1 | Small, RGB LED, Bright, Mountable, Bi-Color, High CRI/TLCI, Color effects (police car, TV, fire), just under Aputure F7 output, 3AmpHr internal battery 2.5 hrs at 100% power, | 1480 Lux@.5 Meters | 2500K–8500K | 97 | 96 | $159 | |||
| 1 | CameTV | Boltzen 55W Fresnel | $2,016 | $300 | |||||||
| 1 | CameTV | Boltzen Andromeda | Tube-style with built-in battery, barn doors and mounting points, a bit pricey but worth it for RGB | $288 (3') | |||||||
| 4 | Digital Sputnik | Voyager | Cool zoned RGB LED but pricey. | ||||||||
| Digital Sputnik | |||||||||||
| 1 | Falcon Eyes BL-30TD | Aputure 300D Alternative but bi-color | 12,000Lux@1M w/reflector | 3000K–8000K | $800 | ||||||
| 2 | Godox | LC 500 | Compare to YongNuo and Andromeda? | $189 | |||||||
| 2 | Godox | SL 200 | Compare to Aputure 300D and Falcon Eyes BL-30TD; loud for video | $360 | |||||||
| 5 | Ledgo | LG-G260 | |||||||||
| 2 | Lupo | Superpanel Dual Color 60 | 70k lux at a meter...20lbs | 69,000 Lux@1m | 400 W (one AC mains) or two 160Wh batteries | 96 | 94 (extended) | $1,800 | |||
| Lupo | Superpanel Full Color 60 | 47,800 lux@1m wide | $2,600 | ||||||||
| Lupo | Dayled 2000 | 220W | $1,849 | ||||||||
| 2 | Profound/Blind Spot | Crack Light | Excellent CRI/TLCI; waterproof, South Korean manf. "Profound" distributing through "Blind Spot" company. | 2019 July | 104Lux@1m | USB 5v | 5400 | 99 | 97 (extended) | $40 | |
| 3 | Quasar | Q-LED T8 | No mounting options, requires AC, no RGB, dimmer sold separately | 95 | $75 | ||||||
| 4 | Quasar | RGB | |||||||||
| 3 | VILTROX | L116T | Cheap and large-ish source | $31 | |||||||
| 1 | Yongnuo | YN360 | RGB Light Wand | External Sony batteries | $75 | ||||||
| 2 | Yongnuo | YN360II Pro | Bicolor light wand | Built-in battery | >95 advertised | $126 | |||||
| YN360II Pro RGB | RGB Light Wand | Built-in battery 5200mAh | >95 advertised | $217 | |||||||
| Yongnuo | YN360S | Bicolor light wand | "1406 lumens" | External Sony batteries | 3200–5600 | >95 advertised | $42 | ||||
| Nanlite | Forza 60 | 12k Lux @ 1M advertised | $289 | ||||||||
| Nanlite | Forza 300 | $999 | |||||||||
| Nanlite | Forza 500 | One of the better options for high output COB lights available. | 59000 Lux@1M (not modified) | $1,900 | |||||||
| Hive | Superhornet 575c | ||||||||||
| Luxli | Taiko | 7500 lux @1M with diffuser; 14,500 lux@ 1M without diffuser | |||||||||
| Rayzr 7 | 300 Daylight | Flood 1M(55º) 25,700Lux | 350W | $1,339 | |||||||
| Arri SkyPanel S60-C | A pricey, well-built industry standard; 40lbs | $5,850 |
Audio Recorders
Device | Brand | Model | Gist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field Recorder | Tascam | DR05 | Inferior pre-amps to Zoom but omni internal mic is nice for field recording. |
| Field Recorder | Zoom | H1 | Best option for price if budget-limited. Gets you superior audio to in-camera mic for <$100 Works as a lav mic recorder for interviews too. |
| Field Recorder | Zoom | H1n | Updated H1 with better build quality. |
| Field Recorder | Zoom | F1 | Size and 10-pin acessory port add great flexibility. Sadly, no phantom power (not even with capsules), RF interference prone (airplane mode); mid-range quality preamps; works as USB interface to PC |
| Field Recorder | Zoom | F6 | Dual analog A>D converter party trick means 'never clip' has come to Zoom. |
| Field Recorder | Tascam | DR60dmkII | |
| Field Recorder | Tascam | DR-40X | |
| Field Recorder | Zoom | H5 | Self noise improved from H4n; accessory shoe adds versatility |
| Field Recorder | Zoom | H6 | Self noise improved from H4n, 4 built-in inputs plus accessory shoe adds major versatility |
| Field Recorder | Zoom | F4 | Cheap option for TC generation which H6 lacks, Great pre-amps with low noise, look-ahead limiters are good, F-control accessory, automix, screen inferior to F8, 8AA batteries cumbersome. No app integration for metadata input like F8 has. Battery life ppor. |
| Field Recorder | Zoom | F8n | Update makes headphone gain improvement, |
| Field Recorder | Sound Devices | MixPre3 | Don't get "M" versions for music; High quality, great analog limiters, 3rd part controller support, Android support, |
| Field Recorder | Sound Devices | 633 | |
| Field Recorder | Zaxcom | Maxx | |
| Field Recorder | Zoom | H4n | |
| Field Recorder | Zoom | H4n Pro | Has a weak pre-amp so no good with Rode NTG2 |
| Field Recorder | Zoom | F8 | |
| Field Recorder | Zaxcom | Nomad | |
| Field Recorder | Zaxcom | Diva | |
| Field Recorder | Sound Devices | 688 | |
| Field Recorder | Tascam | DR701D | Not as great now that we have better Zoom and Sound Device alternatives |
| Field Recorder | Tascam | DR-10L | Like Zoom F1 but only a lav mic recorder |
| Field Recorder | Sound Devices | MixPre6 | |
| Field Recorder | Sound Devices | MixPre10t | |
| Field Recorder | Juiced Link | Out of business? | |
| Field Recorder | Lectrosonics | ||
| Field Recorder | Tascam | DR100mkIII | |
| Lav/Phone | Audio Technica | ATR3350 | |
| Shotgun | Audio Technica | AT8987 | |
| Studio | Audio Technica | AT2035 | |
| Microphone | Azden | SMX 15 | Superior to Rode Video mic pro, inferior to Deity D3 |
| USB | Blue | Snowball | |
| Super Cardiod Condenser | Deity | S Mic 2 | Very popular for the price |
| Shotgun | Deity | V-Mic D3 Pro | Awesome set of features and quality for on-camera mic. Deity D3 Pro is one of the best all-purpose microphones. It has a TTRS plug for phone or camera use (with adapter) |
| Lav/Phone | Oscar Tech | ||
| Lav/Phone | Rode | SmartLav+ | |
| Lav/Phone | Rode | iXy | For beginners, I'd suggest just spending $80 on a Zoom H1 and practice keeping it close to the sound source. |
| Shotgun | Rode | NTG2 | |
| Wireless | Rode | Wireless Go | |
| Wireless | Saramonic | Blink 500 B2 | A dual channel wireless mic for $250! 2.4 GHz | Poor quality sound |
| Rode | MOVO | Comica | Rode Video Micro; Comica VM10II | A decent, small, camera-top microphone for ENG-style shooting. Great for the price. | |
| Shotgun | Sennheiser | ME66/K6 | |
| Shotgun | Sennheiser | MKH-416 | "Industry standard" |
| Microphone | Sure | Shure SM7B | |
| Lav/Phone | Zoom | iQ7 | |
| Preamp | Saramonic | SR-PAX1 | |
| Preamp | Saramonic | SR-PAX2 | |
| Preamp | Comica | CVM-AX3 | |
| Preamp (plus) | Sonosax | SX-M2D2 | $1k but nice! Works as audio interface, plug a phone or computer in. Highest quality pre-amps |
| Preamp | Wooden Camera | A-Box Plus | Small size at last! Light weight, Canon LP-E6 battery, |
Microphones
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Tripods
Flip-lock legs are generally faster to set up, but after a while you’ll have to tighten the flip-lock mechanism to avoid slippage, so you may want to tape the required Allen wrench discreetly to the tripod. Twist-lock legs may take a bit longer to deploy but they’re self-adjusting for wear. Fenn prefers the speed-deployment of flip-locks.
Fenn likes the single-leg tripods better than the more traditional double-leg (multiple tubes per leg section) tripods with spreaders (which are more common in video). Cameras are much lighter than they used to be and the ability to get low and to have the legs be at different heights is much more valuable. Deployment is a bit slower though and “torsional” strength is higher on the dual leg setups. Sachtler FlowTech is a cool new idea but pricey ($1k+ for legs alone).
Slid | Brand | Model | Gist | Bracket | Inputs | Channels | Built-in Mic? | Output to Camera | PC Interface | Pickup Pattern | TC Generator | ≈ Price (USD 2019) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | iFootage | Gazelle TA6 | Fenn likes the bowl because it allows for small leveling adjustments without adjusting leg height. He also loves center columns for height adjustment without messing with legs. The Benro Aero tripods and the iFootage Gazelle provide both. | |||||||||
| 2 | E-image | EK60AAM | ||||||||||
| 1 | Benro | S8 | ||||||||||
| 1 | Benro | A2883FS4 | Very compact size of for maximum portability (legs fold back over center column) | |||||||||
| 5 | Sachtler | Ace | Very poor quality |
Stabilizers
Item | Price | Bit Depth | Axes | Max Weight (Kg) | Tool-less | Battery Life | Invert Mode? | LCD Visible? | Joystick? | Pros | Cons | Gist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebula 4000 Lite | $600 | 8 | 3 | N | 1st gen | |||||||
| CAME TV Single | $1,000 | 32 | 3 | 1.2 | Y | 20 hrs | N | Y-2 axis | ||||
| CAME TV Action | Great | |||||||||||
| Beholder MS-1 | 3 | |||||||||||
| Beholder DS-1 | $750 | 32 | 3 | High | ||||||||
| Nebula 4200 3-axis | $899 | 3 | ||||||||||
| Nebula 4200 5-axis | $999 | 5 | 1.6 | |||||||||
| Nebula 4200 Lite | $799 | 32 | ||||||||||
| Pilotfly H1 | $711 | 8 | 3 | 1 | ||||||||
| Pilotfly H1+ | $791 | 32 | 3 | Y | No | Y-1 axis | ||||||
| Pilotfly H2 | $1k |
