Canon EOS 5D MkIII DSLR Video Camera

The 5D MKIII is a joy to shoot and never gets in the way. The video, as expected, looks great. The 5D is the best video camera ever made by Canon. The Canon 5D especially stands out because it has the best ergonomics ever in any Canon DSLR, and the full-frame sensor gets a unique edge blur that is necessary for our signature style. The 5D makes extraordinary videos and has fantastic color. Its ergonomics allow me to catch anything I see or imagine. Video has the same fantastic color rendition and adjustment ability as all the other current Professional-Series Canon DSLRs, meaning that I get better-looking video straight out of the 5D than I can with almost every other video camera.

Canon 50mm f1.2 USM Prime Portrait Lens

This Canon 50mm f/1.2L is the sharpest 50mm lens I’ve ever used at apertures faster than f/1.4. There are a few staple lenses; pieces of glass that have been around forever, produce great results and pretty much every photographer has one in their kit. In the case of primes, I can’t think of a lens more ubiquitous than the 50mm prime f1.2.

For the professional videographer who needs the best lens around and finds himself with the choice as to how to make the main interview shot perfect by way of contrast, saturation, and control of focus; the 50mm f/1.2 delivers. It excels for interviews and portraits, as it immerses the subject in a dreamlike filmic shallow-depth of focus. It delivers the deepest and richest colors I’ve ever seen.

Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 DI VC USD Lens for Canon

The Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 Di VC USD was announced in February 2012. Its headline feature was the introduction of ‘VC’ in its name, which stands for ‘Vibration Control’; it’s the first and only optically-stabilized 24-70 zoom for video cameras. The Tamron’s test results are very good indeed, making it a real competitor. I find myself easily able to explore and adapt to changing situations, and I’m able to gather a variety of shots efficiently with its flexible zoom range. It allows me to get sharp images at shutter speeds up to four stops slower, which is up there with the best I’ve tested. The optics are excellent, the zoom range is flexible for a variety of perspectives, and the image quality is superb.

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X

This is the best ultrawide zoom available for Canon EOS cameras, better than even more expensive lenses. This Tokina 11-16mm is the world’s fastest and sharpest ultrawide lens for digital SLR video cameras (such as the Canon EOS 7d). This Tokina 11-16mm lens sets a new standard for wide-angle views with maximum sharpness, which allows me to gather exceptional interior and exterior establishing shots and consistently maintain accurate focus. It’s magic for conveying transitions between scenes / subject areas, making any kind of body movement very energized. It is also a handy way of stepping back into the vastness of any scene, along with magical light flares that enliven any image. When combined with our glide cam, this lens provides the “flying through a living environment” effect.

EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM

As the subject gets closer, it becomes progressively more important to have a great lens through which to focus on fine details. This lens offers maximum benefit for macro shooting and color depth for closeups. Alongside the latest and greatest image stabilization technology, it gains all the usual benefits associated with the premium ‘L’ badge, including a robust, weather-sealed build and the use of exotic glass for the correction of aberrations. As advertised, it is THE BEST MACRO / CLOSEUP LENS FOR VIDEO: Focus is so smooth that you do not realize it is happening. Best lens I have bought in years. It produces great close-up shots that open a world of detail AND can be used for portraits, even indoors. Portrait results blow me away.

Glidecam HD2000 Portable Video Stabilizer

Remember what I was saying about producing shots that stand out from the crowd (an ever-growing crowd these days with the DSLR video revolution)? Creative use of Glidecam shots within a video project will add something extra. It lets me get those super slow-moving shots and also more exciting and engaging handheld shots that touch the shape of an unsupported camera. The glid cam had completely changed my life as a filmmaker. It is part of why our videos feel so alive and engaging – not just one boring tripod shot after another – we have the power to use unique gliding footage through any environment. It really speeds up our production because we can get many shots without having to move a tripod around.

Ronin-M Gimbal 3-axis Motorized Camera Stabilizer

The Ronin-M is arguably the most advanced camera stabilizer and a great investment for video; it has utterly transformed camera technique in the last five years. The freedom to move the camera in any way you can image smoothly without tracks or complex setups is liberating and creates amazing results, whether for a simple pan or even chasing a subject at full speed. I’ve used this while skiing, running behind fitness people, or for the silky smooth shots defining a product’s quality. This is especially true for those of us using DSLRs because any camera movement must be free from vibrations and jerks. When the first Gimbal hit the shelves a couple of years ago, the DP community’s collective head exploded with ideas. Many, myself included, saw this as the most liberating technological advancement since the transition from film to video. Then something really exciting happened: DJI, the company that makes the famous Phantom drone, found a way to make a handheld stabilization system that rivals the truck-sized stabilization rigs of Hollywood in a tiny unit that can be operated by a single user. Now, we have the power of advanced motorized stabilization for any shot that we want.

Cinema Quality Extensions:

Canon 70-200mm f2.8 IS II ($100 per day)

This is a favorite lens of thousands of professional photographers because of its fabulous optics, instant autofocus, and tough mechanics. This 70-200/2.8 II is for very serious photographers and full-time pros who need access to close-ups during events and situations where they are far from their subjects. The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM is astonishing. It really is the sharpest zoom lens I’ve ever tested. This is the lens to use if you’re a full-time pro for people, events, portraits, nature, landscape, and anything you need the best tele-zoom you can get. The Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II is optically and mechanically superb. It’s also big, heavy and expensive. If you’re a pro, you’ve already got one either in your bag or on your wish list. Recommended for events production and for scenes where capturing detail from a distance is a must.