http://crowdigitalmedia.com/the-perfect-aperture-shutter-speed-or-iso-to-use-for-t2i-hd-dslr-video

In it, I attempt to answer the second most popular Google search query leading visitors to my Web site: “how to know what aperture to use when filming T2i.” The answer MAY surprise you.

Perfect Canon T2i/550 Exposure – The Video from Steve Crow on Vimeo.

I wrote the headline this way on purpose to reflect the second most popular Google search query leading visitors to my Web site. As you can see in the screen grab below, ” Crow Digital Media” is the number one query but right there at number two is: “how to know what aperture to use when filming T2i.” Up until now I haven’t had any content answering this question, for several good reasons.

Interesting…I wanted to investigate this question in depth to see if my gut instincts on this topic are “correct” (there’s that word again!) or if I’m crazy as a loon.

Something seems very off base about the question itself. For instance, why didn’t they ask what the “correct” ISO or shutter speed is? Basically, the question comes down to exposure – I think the real question they have is “what is the correct exposure for this particular scene and how do I get it?” And I have a very precise answer: “it depends.”

EXPOSURE IS A CREATIVE CHOICE, RARELY A TECHNICAL ONE
This is the crux of my view on the matter. Any exposure that isn’t so blown out or underexposed that it takes away from your view of what the image should be is, in my view, “correct.”

There is software and hardware called Waveform Monitors that allow you to determine if your video follows the “Broadcast Safe” standards set by the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE) and their 0-100 scale. These technical requirements tell you if your whites in the scene are “too white” or the darker areas “too black” but even those standards are designed for TV broadcasts in the United States – they were never meant to be applied to footage destined to be shown on a movie screen, in Europe or to a video on YouTube. In other words, they don’t really apply to you unless you want to show your stuff on TV or cable.

WE ARE CREATIVE FILMMAKERS ALLOWED TO MAKE CREATIVE EXPOSURE CHOICES
Remember that scene in the movie “Apocalypse Now” when Marlon Brando, playing the terrifying and presumably insane Colonel Walter E. Kurtz, moves his face out of the shadows and then just barely into the light to confront Martin Sheen, the Army officer sent to kill him? Would anyone say that scene was “under exposed?”

Had our Canon T2i traveled back in time to be on that movie set, its built-in light meter would no doubt have said a big “YES” but it would be as incorrect as it could be. Why? Because that scene was carefully lit and filmed to fulfill the director’s vision. The shadows were used to great effect so that we could hear Brando’s voice coming out of the dark before we ever saw his shaved head move into the smoke filled light. Had the scene been filled with more light we would have lost that chilling moment.

What exposure does my scene need in order to best tell the story is the question you should be asking yourself first. Next we’ll talk about how to achieve it with your T2i.

GIVE ME THE CAMERA SETTINGS ALREADY!
Okay, Okay, here comes the geeky stuff all you gear heads (like me!) really wanted to know in the first place. No matter if you are taking still photographs with your T2i or filming 1080p HD video, your exposure is controlled by three settings that all work together:

• Shutter Speed
• Aperture or “F stop”
• ISO

Changing any one of these three settings will make your video darker or lighter. You do have your T2i set to fully manual exposure control for video don’t you? If not, go into the camera settings and make that change right away. Yes, it means more work for you but it’s worth every bit of initial pain and learning to master your craft.

For me, one of these settings almost always stays the same no matter how I set the other two. Because of the “180 degree rule” my shutter speed is basically kept at 1/50th of a second since 99% of the time I film my video at 24 frames per second to help achieve a more filmic look. The only time I would change it off 1/50th would be if I wanted to do a slow motion scene in which case I would have to first set my T2i to film at 720p/60 fps and then I’d change the shutter speed to be closer to 1/30th of a second.

So that leaves me with two controls with which to adjust the overall lighting in my scene as captured by the camera: ISO and aperture.

One of the great things about shooting video with HD-DSLRs is the amazing range of ISOs we can now select from; anything from 100 to numbers in the thousands depending upon your camera. A rule of thumb is to stay below 800 ISO in order not to introduce too much noise but, as always, rules were made to be first understood and then broken.

That leaves aperture. In my mind, aperture is your greatest tool. Different lenses will give you different aperture options but the lower the aperture number the more light will be let into your scene.

TURN ONE UP, THE OTHER DOWN
I find this process very similar to color grading your video footage, if you raise one value up, your next move is generally to move another slider down. Likewise, let’s say I want to achieve a shallow depth of field look to my footage of outdoor plants and flowers filmed on a sunny, California afternoon. That’s my creative vision of the scene.

To achieve it, the first camera adjustment I make is to lower the aperture setting to something like 2.0 for the shallow depth of field but now my entire picture is blown out, there’s simply too much light hitting the camera’s sensor. I want to keep my new aperture setting and I can’t change my shutter speed because it’s already set to 1/50th where I like it – so that leaves only my ISO settings.

So in this case to compensate for the blown out scene I would want to lower my ISO until I get the image I want.

But what happens if I dial my ISO all the way down to 100 and the image is still too bright? In that case there is one other option. You can purchase Neutral Density (ND) filters that screw to the front of your camera’s lens and cut down the amount of light by up to 8 full stops. There are even a couple of manufacturers that make adjustable, rotating filters that give you anywhere from 2-8 stops of…errrr…”less light.”

So basically I am always juggling different combinations of aperture and ISO settings to get the image I want, sometimes using a set of ND filters to help out when shooting outdoors on bright sunny days if I want to keep my aperture setting open to achieve that shallow depth of field look.

DIFFERENT SETTINGS, SAME EXPOSURE
Because shutter speed, aperture settings and ISO can act to negate or enhance each others effects in sort of a push/pull relationship, it’s mathematically possible to film two different video clips that look nearly exactly the same yet each clip used different exposure settings.

In fact, author Bryan Peterson points out in his famous book on photography titled “Understanding Exposure” that depending upon the lens attached to your camera, you will have no less than six different aperture/shutter speed combinations that result in the same overall exposure (you may notice differences in the overall sharpness and definition of the image however.)

All Aperture/Shutter Speed Combinations with the same “Exposure Value” number are more or less equal. This chart doesn’t take into account ISOs.

Even though video shooters may be more likely to manipulate aperture/ISO settings than aperture/shutter speed, the same idea applies.

THE T2i THINKS IT KNOWS WHAT EXPOSURE YOU SHOULD USE
I can’t tell you how it works but the software inside your camera has a formula it uses to determine what the “correct” exposure should be. But really it’s only an estimate and it can’t take into account your creative choices like wanting to purposely darken or lighten a scene. Still it tries.

If you press the shutter button halfway down and hold it (even while in video mode) you will notice a rectangular marker underneath a small, ruler-like graphic called an “exposure compensation meter.” It measures from -2 on the left to Zero in the middle and +2 on the far right.

From the camera’s perspective, it wants you to have that rectangular marker set at Zero, if it’s at +2 it means it thinks your image is 2 points overexposed. Therefore the camera thinks that if you can lessen the amount of light in the image by 2, you will have achieved “correct” exposure.

This can be done by lowering the ISO, closing down the camera’s aperture so less light is let in or changing your shutter speed to a higher number meaning the shutter is actually open for a lesser amount of time. You could change all 3 values, two of them or just one – the camera doesn’t really care. In fact, you could not change any settings on the camera itself and instead screw on one of those ND filters to let in less light into the front of the lens and that would work too.

There’s a two button combination you can use (the AV +/- button and the scroll wheel) which together will allow the camera to semi-automatically adjust your overall exposure up or down to get that marker right in the middle.  I’ve recently begun testing  to see if I can determine what values the camera changes in order to “correct” the exposure but so far the results are inconclusive.

But remember, our T2i’s light meter is only a tool, WE are the filmmakers and may decide to overrule the camera’s helpful suggestion.

EXPLORERS OF LIGHT AND LIGHTBOXES
Canon has assembled a prestigious panel of some of the best photographers in the world under their “Explorers of Light” program. While most of us will never be members of this select group, we are all still explorers of how light works and how light or darkness can be used to achieve our vision.

It occurs to me that I haven’t mentioned one other huge area of lighting and that is the use of artificial light or reflectors. By changing our camera settings we are changing the way our camera reacts to the light in a scene, but there’s always the option of changing the light we are working with, by adding to it, taking light away, changing the color of the light, reflecting it or even diffusing.

On a Hollywood film set that’s what the Director of Photography is in charge of, as DSLR cinematographers we should learn from their bag of lighting tricks. After all, we are now filmmakers.

NOTE:  I’ll be releasing a video on this topic in the next couple of days, it’s already in editing!

Magic Lantern – 550D/T2i port from Trammell Hudson on Vimeo.

Magic Lantern first became a must have utiity when it gave the top-level Canon DSLR the 5DMark II, features that professional videographers rely on and which Canon itself didn’t include in their official firmware release. Canon, like almost all other DSLR manufacturers, was caught off guard by the huge interest among photographers, filmmakers, videographers and average consumers in filming 1080p HD video with their latest cameras that rival in quality what full featured movie cameras used in Hollywood productions can output.

This news will excite thousands of T2i owners who have been waiting months for news that sound meters, automatic gain control management and Zebra stripes will one day soon be available for their DSLRs which are widely used as HD videocameras.   The latest news on Trammell’s progress is available on his Google Groups page. He writes: “The first version will have audio meters, lens data and maybe manual audio gain plus monitoring on the A/V jack. ”

Contact Trammell directly if you want to volunteer to be among the alpha testers for his upcoming software release.

This video shows you exactly how I put together a solution using components from “Bracket 1″ and gives pricing information.  Please post any questions you have in the comments area below.

HD-DSLR Video Production Rig from Steve Crow on Vimeo.

This tutorial video discusses codecs like H.264 and Apple ProRes 422, .thm EXIM files, clapper boards, transcoding, syncing, exporting and much more.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE POST THEM IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW!

HD DSLR Workflow – Part 2 from Steve Crow on Vimeo.

While a Canon T2i is the camera I own and use, these tips apply equally to any HD DSLR on the market.

Part 2 is coming next and will focus on what to do after you’ve finished the initial filming and are ready to enter the post-production phase of your workflow.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE POST THEM IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

HD-DSLR Workflow – Part 1 – Audio from Steve Crow on Vimeo.

The earlier article was on videos for business and the different forms they can take.

Why Can’t I Use My Current Photography Tripod?
Well actually you could but you won’t be happy with the results. Photographers are interested in getting that one great image. They may shoot tons of pictures at one location, bracketing their exposures, changing focal lengths and ISOs all in an effort to capture a single “frame” of image.

Video shooters, on the other hand, don’t have that luxury. We need to capture a minimum of 24 frames for every second of video and each one must be a keeper. Secondly, we are capturing images in motion which means our cameras are moving too as we film. We need to be able to pan, tilt and dolly smoothly and that’s no easy task. Just touching the camera while shooting can introduce unwanted jitter into the video.

Perhaps it’s a bit of an over-simplification but photography tripods are designed to hold the camera steady and “locked down” – video tripods are designed to follow the moving action.

Enter the “Fluid Head”
A “fluid head” is an absolute necessity when filming video. I should point out that I am breaking down the overall “tripod” system into two major parts; the legs (or “sticks” as you will hear video shooters refer to them) and the “head” which is the part that actually connects to the camera. So a fluid head is one in which a literal oil-like fluid inside the head is used to smooth out the up and down and sideways movement of the camera. Other type of heads are what I tend to call “friction heads” although I am not sure if that’s an industry standard term or not…basically these are using simple mechanical means to tighten up and loosen the head. These tend to be jerky particularly at the start and end of a move. Go with fluid!

Tripod Legs, Bowls and Half Balls
Here are some things to look for when purchasing a pair of sticks for your video tripod. The jargon gets a little confusing so I will try and make sense of it for you.

First of all, most pros prefer legs that allow the use of a half ball type joint at the top rather than a small round, flat plate with a threaded post sticking up. Essentially, where the legs meet at the top of the tripod is a big hole, or “bowl” measuring 50mm, 75mm or 100mm across.

A “Half Ball” type of mounting device is inserted into the bowl from the top and that’s what the fluid head will screw onto. Here are some pictures I found online to help illustrate (click on the images to see more clearly):

Don’t confuse this with the traditional ball joint found on photographers tripods, this setup is very different. So why are these preferred? Because it makes it so much easier to level the head of the tripod even if the legs are sitting on uneven ground. The central post can move independently of the legs.

Let’s move on. The next feature to look for are legs that collapse and have two or three major stages you can manipulate up and down.

Many pro tripods come with (or you can buy separately) “spreaders” that help further stabilize the tripod system by connecting together all 3 legs. Most of today’s video tripods are pretty light really. Made of aluminum or sometimes carbon fiber they are made to hold different weights of gear on top. Common sense says not to overload your legs and stick with the manufacturers weight recommendations but I have to say I’ve never myself seen a tripod collapse, have you? I guess it could happen.

Old-time photographers like the really sturdy wood or metal legs that can hold an image rock steady. On movie sets the tripods and dolly systems being used are absolutely huge and cost many tens of thousands of dollars but then again they are securing camera systems costing hundreds of thousands so it’s worth it to them.

What to Get and What To Spend
Okay, this is where I am going to blow your mind. Many of these tripod systems cost more than the camera they are supporting. One of the hallmarks of professional video are buttery-smooth moves and these kits will help you achieve that. By the way, the recommendations I am passing on come from people like Philip Bloom, Vincent LaForet and Shane Hurlbut - all of whom are extremely experienced cinematographers.

As often as I refer to these guys you’d think I was their press agent but I’ve never actually met them – still they’ve taught me tons and you should be following them too if you want to make this a profession.

FLUID HEADS – ENTRY LEVEL
LaForet recomended this one for budget shooters who are only going to be placing the camera with no additional gear on their tripods. It’s the Gitzo 2180 which can be purchased for about $210. But check out the next level up.

FLUID HEADS – BASIC
A nice step up would be the Manfrotto 501HDV. At $190 it’s a steal and is actually one I am looking at because my Manfrotto 503HDV was recently stolen out the back of my vehicle. Since I am now working with much lighter gear, I think the 501 will suit my needs.

FLUID HEADS – ADVANCED BASIC
There are some very nice choices at this level. One that LaForet pointed out was the Manfrotto 526 selling for $1,170.

I have heard Philip Bloom recommend the Miller line of tripod systems several times including their DS-20 fluid head. Cost is $1,160. He’s also mentioned highly the Miller Solo DV 20 complete kit which you can get for under $1,500 – this would be an excellent choice.

FLUID HEADS – PRO
Even without getting into the Hollywood style support systems, here the sky is the limit in terms of what you can spend on a fluid head. Brand names to look for include Sachlter and OConnor. Both companies offer heads in the $3,000-$6,000 range that while very pricey would be worthwhile investments for those that have the cash – they WILL make a big impact on the quality of your productions.

LEGS/STICKS – BASIC AND ADVANCED BASIC
This is the first time I’ve done this but I am going to go ahead and suggest you look at the Manfrotto 525MVB as a great example of what kind of tripod legs you should be going for. $450 is the least amount you would want to spend anyways but of course you would still have to include the cost of the head.

Here’s a really great Manfrotto tripod system based on the 525MVB that includes all you will need in a support system for $720. Bottom line: I would get this one.

LEGS/STICKS – PRO
I mentioned the DS-20 Miller head earlier, you can get a complete tripod system based around it for $1,594.

Otherwise I don’t have any specific recommendations for legs but at this Pro level but you can’t go wrong with either OConnor or Sachlter products. Just for fun, take a look at this one from Sachlter that gives you everything in one system for the low, low price of only $12,373.

Any kind of photography, movie making or video production endeavor is a limitless hole of money with great gadgets to consume every nickle in your checking account and then some. But I believe some investments are worth it. Here are a few that fall into that category.

• The Miller DS-20 Tripod: Frankly, up until a few months ago I hadn’t heard of this brand but apparently every other pro in the HD DSLR community has and they sing its praises. The DS-20 is a fairly entry-level model from the Miller line with a cost of “only” around $1,500. As a rule of thumb, the heavier the tripod the more stable a platform it’s going to provide but this model is 12.4 pounds and the DS-20 in particular gets great reviews. I bow to the wisdom of the crowd.
• I’ve already recommended the Zacuto Z-Finder Pro. The one thing you should be aware of however is that if you plan on building a rail system rig at some point, their new Gorilla plate mounting system is incompatible with any rail system except those made by Zacuto itself. So I am going to recommend going “old school” and purchasing from Zacuto a stick-on mounting frame for just $6 each. This is the way I am going because I’d like to build a rail system-based rig at some point in the near future and it may or may not be Zacuto-based. (See my next item!)
• Rail Systems. Researching this topic for my own needs was super frustrating. There are so many options but the best ones from brands like Zacuto and Redrock Micro are, simply put, very expensive for what it seems you get. Then there are tons of cheaper alternatives out there but it’s darn hard to sort through them all. Ideally what you want is a system that will work both while mounted to a tripod and then also be able to quickly transform into a stable shoulder-mounted system. As it turned out, Philip Bloom just released his thoughts on the subject and came to much the same conclusion as myself; start with a simple tripod-mounted solution and then build your rig out from there. The core of the solution is Zacuto’s DSLR baseplate that includes a short section of rails. If you have a smaller lens attached your camera the rails are just long enough, according to Zacuto customer service, to hold BOTH a Follow Focus and Matte Box but more than likely you’ll end up purchasing some rod extensions pretty quick to meet all your needs. The best news is that the baseplate is “only” $420 which in the rails-world is peanuts.
  
  When you’re ready to add on the shoulder-mount component, check out the Zacuto Cross Fire. Since you’ve already bought the Zacuto DSLR baseplate and some rails, you should be able to purchase the additional parts you need for under $2,300.
  
  (Technically speaking the Cross Fire isn’t a “shoulder mount” rig since it uses a gunstock-type device to push the rig into your shoulder, not rest on it)
  
  Purchasing Zaucto gear, you’re buying a premium piece of gear with an equivalent price tag.
• Working with fast prime and zoom lenses at near wide open f-stops, getting pinpoint focus is very difficult using just the focus ring on the lens itself. Just a tiny, tiny movement of the focus ring in either direction and you’ve lost your focus. That’s where a follow focus comes in…it begins by adding plastic gears that go around your lens. Because these gears have a larger radius than the lens itself, you can focus much more precisely because you have to twist “further” before the focus point begins to change. Redrock Micro is known for its great gears. They come in an industry standard size which means you don’t have to buy the Redrock follow focus unit in order for them to work.
  
  The next part of the solution is the follow focus unit itself.
  
  For a “pro gear” list like this, some people will disagree adamantly on my next recommendation because the follow focus I am going to steer you towards is among the least expensive on the market; the D|Focus FollowFocus v2 now sold by Jag35. It’s only $135 but yet performs quite well which in my mind makes it the best value out there. Granted there are several “better” brands that are more strongly constructed, have a bit less “play” in them and are overall considered more “professional” choices. Both Zacuto ($1,350+) and Redrock Micro ($495-$722) have strong products in this category but be prepared to shell out the big bucks. I say, try this one first and see if you like it before spending the extra cash.
• As a video production pro, you are not only in the image making business but also just the image business – yours. One of the most often expressed concerns you will hear from video shooters going from their large and bulky video cameras to the svelte and comparatively minimalistic HD DSLR is how their clients will respond when they see the camera.
  
  Our clients are not video pros and therefore don’t know a DSLR from a hole in the ground. Actually, I take that back – because they do recognize a DSLR, it’s what cousin Ed brought to the last family picnic to take a few snaps last summer. And their not completely wrong. Yes, they are going to judge us on our size because that’s one of the few clues they have to go on to determine what’s “professional” and what’s not.
  
  All this is simply to say that one of the best reasons to get a Matte Box to add to your rail system is because it looks cool to clients. Is that silly and shallow? Maybe. I’d be willing to bet that a vast majority of Matte Boxes on DSLR rigs today are actually being used for nothing more than as a sun shade for the lens – not a single filter is ever inserted.
  
  So here’s a mid-range option for a DSLR Matte Box from Genus ($707) or here is a nice one from Redrock selling for $852. If I had the extra cash I’d go for the RedRock and just consider it a “customer relations” expense.

• Light Kit. So far I haven’t really mentioned supplemental light at all. LED and Fluorescent lights are great because they don’t throw off heat along with the light thus keeping your talent nice and cool. Speaking of cool, Cool Lights is a Chinese reproduction of the popular Litepanels LCD lights which sells for just $450 each plus whatever you spend on light stands, bags etc.
  
  With the high ISOs the DSLR cameras are capable of, I think you won’t need as many artificial lights. That said, lights do more than just get you basic illumination and exposure for your video, they are used to set mood as well. I have a Litepanels Micro which I originally bought to sit on top of my AG-HVX200 but now may be re-purposed for supplemental lighting with my Canon.
• Getting Your Camera in Motion. One of the hallmarks of cinematic video is a moving camera. We’ve already mentioned shoulder-mounted rigs but there are lots of other options too. Here’s a short list to get your imagination going with some sample pricing.
  
  Slider. GlideTrack
  
  Steadicam. Glidecam – later add an optional arm/vest.
  
  Dolly. Microdolly.
  
  Jib/Crane. Kessler Crane.
  
  

• Monitor. A monitor is a great addition to your kit. When attached to a rig, it makes it easier for you to focus and film as well as giving clients/directors an opportunity to see your framing and to review clips in the field. Marshall is the brand recommended by lots of professional shooters, including Philip Bloom.
• I’m not sure how much longer this piece of kit will be needed but right now, the Canon 7D and T2i DSLRs have no built-in way to monitor audio as you record it which is an insane oversight. 3rd party software like Magic Lantern give us hope that Canon will one day wake up and give us a firmware update that will address this issue. Meanwhile, with a dual system audio approach, you can attach headphones to something like your Zoom H4N but it’s not nearly as convenient as being able to record and monitor great sound right in your camera. That’s where an audio pre-amp box like those from BeachTek and JuicedLink come in. Right now I favor the JuicedLink DT454 for $420.

Okay, there you have it, my thoughts and recommendations for a very useful Pro-level kit for your HD DSLR video productions.

The Advanced Basic HD DSLR Filmmaking Kit

• Your New HD DSLR Camera Body. In the basic kit recommendations I suggested you get the Canon T2i but now you are ready to upgrade and for that I suggest you run out and get the Canon 7D. You may not even see much of a difference, if any, in the video quality as compared to your Canon T2i but the interface is better, you’ll have access to more ISOs and the construction is a lot sturdier. By the way, keep your Canon T2i so that now you have a primary camera and a backup one. Also, you can now do two camera shoots! The cost for a Canon 7D (body only) is $1,600 but it’s well worth it.
• Lenses. So far you’ve got the basic Canon kit lens but it has its drawbacks; it’s not a very “fast” lens and doesn’t have a constant aperture. I suggest you pick up two new lenses that are very good quality yet still moderately priced, we’re not talking the super-high professional level of lenses here quite yet. You’ll definitely want to get a wide lens and then I’d say a mid-range zoom that will duplicate what you already have in your kit lens but will address all its drawbacks. Which exact lenses to get is a huge topic and there’s no one right answer for everyone and for every budget but I will try and suggest two that you should be very happy with.
  
  For your wide angle needs, check out the Tokina 11-16mm 2.8 ($600) and to get you coverage more in the mid-ranges, the Tokina 16-50mm F2.8 ($550) would be another good choice.
• Time to replace your Tripod head with the Manfrotto 501HDV Tripod head to provide you with much smoother pans and tilts. The head costs $190 but I have seen it as low as $150 on closeout.
• The Z-Finder Pro from Zacuto is a really critical piece of kit, so much so that I considered placing it in the “Basic” category. Essentially if you want to be able to film outside and still see your LCD screen for framing, focusing and exposure, then this magnification loop is what you need. There are competing brands that are much cheaper and Zacuto itself makes a junior version but, honestly, just get either the 2.5x or 3.x Pro version and you won’t be sorry. $400.
• Next up is the “Fader ND for $150” – if you want to be able to film outside and get that nice cinematic shallow depth of field image then you’ll will need this piece of gear to cut down the amount of light hitting your camera’s sensor. It simply screws onto the front of your lens like any filter and allows you to cut down the amount of light by 2-8 f-stops. They come in different sizes so a smart thing to do is to get some inexpensive step-up rings to make sure that you can buy one Fader ND but use it on multiple lenses with different filter sizes.
• These next few items are all designed to upgrade your sound recording capabilities. Even though in our basic kit recommendations I suggested you purchase an external mic to plug into your camera, the sound going into your camera still isn’t going to be up to professional levels. To do that you’ll need to simultaneously record sound BOTH on your camera AND on a high quality external recording device, this is called “double system” sound. Later in editing you will sync the two sound sources together. The digital recorder everyone seems to be gravitating towards is the Zoom H4n for $300.
• For that on-camera interview you will need a microphone to plug into the Zoom H4N. Yes, it has a great stereo microphone built in but you will want something the talent can move around with that is small and inconspicuous. The industry standard solution is the Sennheisser Wireless Lavalier G3 system. Get the one that comes with simply an omni directional lavalier microphone, one transmitter pack and one receiver. This will allow you to record sound from one person. You’ll plug the receiver’s output into the Zoom H4N and will be ready to record great sound for around $600. If you can’t afford the Sennheiser system there are cheaper brands out there like Audio Technica that some people have had decent results with for under $300.
• To record environmental sound indoors or outdoors, your Zoom H4N is fantastic. Here’s a great find that will really cut down on wind noise and give you a chuckle at the same time They cost $35 and come in a variety of colors. Be sure to check out the demonstration video on their Web site!
• Now in order to monitor your sound as it records, very important, you are going to need a pair of headphones. Sound pros say only consider headphones models that have ear “muffs?” that cover your ears. That way you will be able to more easily hear any distracting noises in the background before you record that once-in-a-lifetime interview. I’ve seen people use iPod style ear buds but I think that’s just asking for trouble. Many, many video pros rely on the Sony MDR-7506 headphones for monitoring and recording audio out in the field. They’ll cost you $85. Personally, I hate the coiled headphone cable on the 7506 because they always tie themselves into knots but I am just giving you the “safe” recommendation here – like I said, everyone uses them.
• If you followed our basic kit recommendations, you are either using a free video editing application like iMovie or a very basic solution like Final Cut Express. Now it’s time to jump into the world of professional sound and video editing with Apple’s Final Cut Pro Studio 3. The good news is that you get an enormous amount of capabilities when you invest in the Final Cut Studio since it comes with so many great applications including Final Cut Pro, Motion, Color, Soundtrack and Compressor. It retails for $999 however if you can snag an earlier version of Final Cut Studio or Final Cut Pro, there’s a $300 upgrade version available. So you can probably get into Final Cut Studio 3, their latest version, for about $500 if you are a good shopper.
• You can sync your “dual system” sound files from the Zoom H4n back to the video recorded by your Canon 7D manually, OR you can save yourself some headaches and do the same thing automatically by purchasing this Final Cut Pro plugin: Plural Eyes from Singular Software. $150. Enough said.
• This next piece of $50 kit can actually be replaced by your hands, it’s a clapper board to make it much easier to sync your dual system sound to the audio recorded by your camera. The one I recommend is the Pearstone SADC-711 because it has color chevrons that you can use during editing to further color correct your video.
• Running out of power on a shoot is a major bummer so having adequate supplies of charged camera batteries available gives real peace of mind. Unfortunately, the Canon T2i and 7D use different kinds of batteries. So I recommend that you pick up an additional two battery packs for your 7D besides the one that comes with your camera. $180.
• Memory cards. The 7D uses Compact Flash cards but you will want to make sure you purchase the 133x variety, like these. You can get two 16GB CF cards for under $100 on Amazon. Don’t forget a simple SDHC and CF card reader to plug into your USB Port. $15.
• You might have noticed we haven’t yet addressed anything to do with lighting. I suggest you start with a reflector which will allow you to direct natural light onto your subject without the need for a traditional light kit. This one from Westcott can be found for $45 or even less. For a one man crew I suggest also purchasing a simple light stand and reflector holder arm ($50). When outdoors you may find you need some weights to hold down your reflector stand in the wind. This one for $20 is good because it comes empty which makes it much easier for shipping. When you arrive on site, fill up the bag with sand, rocks, whatever is handy.
• Is all this sounding like a lot of gear to haul around? You’re right, which is why I have my eyes on this little utility cart for $90. It will fit easily into your car and even claims it can be folded down small enough to fit “many airline overhead compartments.”



Okay, that’s the Advanced Basic HD-DSLR Kit. With this gear you’ll have plenty of versatility and some very high quality options. If you bought all this gear at once you would be looking at:

$5,670 (plus any tax, shipping charges, etc)

That’s a nice chunk of change isn’t it? You can relax a bit because it’s probably smarter and better to accumulate this stuff over time, versus all at once. That way you will be giving yourself an opportunity to really learn each piece of kit without being overwhelmed by it all.

Another option would be to buy the Canon 7D as part of your basic kit and therefore save yourself the $800 by not buying the T2i. You won’t have a backup camera but it’s a way to go. Also if you already have Final Cut Pro or another editing platform you will save at least $500 on software there too, so now we’d be down to $4,370 – a bit easier pill to swallow.

The true “Pro” level kit is next.

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