Whether they’re a filmmaker, corporate video professional, or content creator, our list includes gifts for people from all industries and walks of life.

We also asked video professionals, including our own Creative Director, Nick LaClair, to provide first-hand insights.

Gear for filmmakers and content creators can vary widely in price, so we’ve included a range of gifts under and over $500, as well as stocking stuffers for $100 or less. 

Here’s our 2025 gift guide for filmmakers and content creators. Don’t worry; we won’t judge if you get inspired to do a little personal shopping.

Gifts for Filmmakers Over $500

We’re starting with the highest-ticket items, which include a lot of essential equipment professional filmmakers need. Discover the greatest, latest, and most classic gear.

SproutVideo participates in the Amazon Associates program and earns from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you. Our recommendations are based solely on genuine opinions, and we only endorse products we believe will benefit our readers.

1. Digital Cinema Camera

For the filmmaker capturing movie-quality footage, a digital cinema camera is essential. This type of camera captures color-rich, ultra-high resolution footage, providing flexibility in post-production editing. For anyone creating full-scale productions, from Hollywood movie studios to content production houses, these are the standard cameras for cinematic video.

RED DIGITAL CINEMA KOMODO 6K Digital Cinema Camera ($2,995.00)

A RED camera makes our list for the first time, “because it’s cheaper than a lot of DSLRs,” said Nick LaClair of SproutVideo, which makes it a steal at $3,000 (from $5,000) for a digital cinema camera.

This price drop is exciting news for any filmmaker who’s been waiting to invest in a RED camera. However, shoppers should be aware that the necessary accessories (such as a lens) for the camera will significantly increase the actual investment.

2. Premium Lens

There are a few workhorse lenses that can provide everything a filmmaker needs. A premium lens can be that workhorse if you choose the right one. In contrast to purchasing niche or budget lenses, a video professional can buy a single lens and be well-equipped for most scenarios. 

Note that for full-frame cameras, a 24-70mm lens covers the entire focal range, while an 18-55mm lens is required for APS-C cameras. 

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens ($2299)

“This is the standard photojournalist lens,” shared LaClair of SproutVideo, “If you go into a war zone, you take this lens with you. It covers your wide shots, your mediums, and your coverage. Outside of wildlife photography or sports, you’re covered for anything you might need for storytelling. The Canon, specifically, is known to be bomb-proof. 

“I still own one that I bought in 2006. It’s almost 20 years old, and it functions perfectly. I beat the crap out of it on horseback once. I had to shoot, then throw it over my back and go, like I was in the Kentucky Derby, to get in front of the people to then grab it and shoot again. The whole time, it was just bouncing on the saddle,” said LaClair.

3. Tripod System

Video tripods are generally more expensive than photo tripods. The reason? Smoothness. It’s costly to produce a tripod so smooth you won’t notice when watching the footage back. This challenge is also why tripods made for photography generally don’t translate to video. 

Sachtler Flowtech75 MS Tripod System ($1950)

“Sachtler is the best tripod brand, and they have been forever,” shared LaClair of SproutVideo. “The Flowtech is a carbon fiber tripod that is super lightweight and quick to adjust. Until Flowtech came out, all professional video tripod systems were time-consuming to set up and adjust. 

“You would unscrew the legs, let them come down, and screw them all back in. It took forever, and it was clunky. This Flowtech75 system made my life much easier. The one caveat is you have to put it in a rugged case because it’s carbon fiber,” said LaClair.

4. Smartphone with Quality Camera

Smartphone cameras are downright impressive. They help ensure you can capture magical moments wherever and whenever they happen. In many instances, a smartphone camera doesn’t replace a professional one, but that might be changing as cameras continue to improve.  

iPhone 17 Pro ($1099+)

“The iPhone 17 Pro could finally be the device that makes content creators’ other video cameras collect dust,” claims TechCrunch. So what new features justify such a claim? Namely, the camera sensor is 56% larger than that of the iPhone 16 Pro, which improves low-light performance, depth of field, and resolution. 

Additionally, all of the lenses are 48MP fusion cameras, allowing the iPhone to mimic a multi-lens setup. The selfie camera leaped from 12MP to 18MP.  And finally, the phone can simultaneously record both front and back cameras (dual-cam recording) or in horizontal and vertical orientations (Center Stage). Now that is an iPhone perfectly positioned for creators.

5. Pocket-Sized 4K Drone

Capture scenic views and creative angles with a flying drone. If you’ve ever wondered how your favorite YouTuber got that incredible bird’s-eye shot, here’s the answer. 

Drones can be expensive, but the shots they capture are priceless and would require significantly more resources to capture otherwise. A small drone is a great way to reduce costs while getting the unique shots you (or your filmmaker) want. 

DJI Mini 4 Pro (DJI RC-N2) ($759) 

Clocking in at an ultra-light 249 grams, this little guy can record in 4K and fly for 45 minutes. “The DJI Mini 4 Pro’s camera quality and stability make it an asset. We often deal with breezy conditions as we’re super close to the beach, and this drone handles it with ease, ensuring smooth, cinematic shots that draw viewers into the experience we offer,” shared Jonathan Pickard, Head of Marketing for Holiday Resort Unity.

“It’s quiet enough not to interrupt guest experiences. I personally recommend it because, for its price, it has enhanced camera capabilities, including a 1/1.3-inch sensor capable of shooting 4K video at 60 frames per second. It also has an obstacle-sensing system, which is very useful when navigating various environments,” shared Pickard. 

Shopping outside the United States? Check out the DJI Mini 5 Pro ($769), which promises to offer cinematic-quality with longer battery life and improved handling in the same tiny package.

6. Mobile Production Kit

For many video professionals, a high-quality mobile production kit is all they need, whether they’re filming on the go or in their office. The goal is to significantly increase the convenience of filming without sacrificing video or audio quality. 

DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo ($695) 

The DJI Pocket is a fantastic video solution for anyone who needs to capture quality footage easily without carrying a full-frame camera. “The Osmo Pocket 3’s features, specifically the 4K/60 FPS recording, are amazing for slow-motion. It can also shoot in different aspect ratios, making it easier to edit for Instagram and YouTube,” said Oleksiy Torokhtiy, Founder of Torokhtiy Weightlifting.

“Thanks to its small size, I can move around the gym and lift weights while capturing close-up form checks without being intrusive. The Pocket 3 performs remarkably well even in low-light conditions and is ideal for travel. I throw it in my gym bag and carry it along,” shared Torokhtiy.

The Creator Combo Kit includes everything you need to start filming stable footage with minimal noise. You can even use your phone as a wireless video monitor and to customize film settings.

The Best Gift Ideas Under $500

Video equipment can quickly become expensive. While $500 is still a significant investment, filmmakers and those who love them can get a lot of great equipment in this pricing tier. 

7. Gimbal System

A gimbal system is essential for reliably smooth shots. Whether the camera moves to tell the story or the filmmaker stands in one place, gimbals eliminate the shake in a camera’s shot. You can walk around with it or use it on a tripod, then tilt and pan with the little button. It makes almost everything you need to do a lot easier.

DJI RS 4 Mini ($369) 

Gimbals are a must-have item for filmmakers, but the truly useful ones were not affordable until now. The DJI RS 4 Mini puts the functionality of the DJI RS 4 Pro Gimbal Stabilizer (last year’s item in this category) into a lighter-weight package for a fraction of the price.

“It’s bonkers that this tech is under $500. There isn’t a filmmaker out there who shouldn’t have a gimbal now. It used to be a specialized kit; now it’s table stakes,” said LaClair of SproutVideo.

8. Field Monitor with LUT Support

Cameras often need to be positioned in specific or unusual locations. They might be up high or super low. One could be in a corner, shoved behind a bunch of books. A video monitor makes it really easy to see what the camera sees and review it with multiple people. It also allows the filmmaker to see the shot while they’re in it. 

Atomos Shinobi 2 5″ Touchscreen HDR Video Monitor ($375) 

The small and relatively affordable Atomos Shinobi 2 video monitor is ideal for a wide range of video professionals. “The 1500-nit screen makes it perfect for outdoor shoots, where visibility in sunlight is crucial,” shared Ryan Stone, Founder and Creative Director of Lambda Video Production. “The Shinobi 2 stands out for its USB-C camera control for Canon, Sony, Panasonic, and Z CAM cameras, a feature usually found in more expensive models.” 

Note that camera control is compatible with supported mirrorless and cinema cameras via a direct USB-C connection. Therefore, ensure that you choose a video monitor that works with your filmmaker’s camera.

9. Rugged Hard Drive

Every video professional needs to back up footage. And External SSDs have become the standard. They’re compact and pretty foolproof. Plus, it doesn’t hurt to use one that’s rugged enough to protect your footage from life’s various hazards.  

Samsung T7 Shield 2TB Portable SSD ($229.99)

“In the past, everyone had to carry 15 pounds of hard drives. That’s not a problem with external SSDs,” recalled LaClair of SproutVideo.

This industry-standard option from Samsung protects your footage with an IP65 rating, ensuring it is both dust-proof and resistant to rain. Plus, it features a three-meter drop rating, super-fast transfer speeds, and a range of storage sizes (1TB to 4TB), making it a thoughtful gift for creators and filmmakers alike.

10. Editing Software

Video editing software enables professionals to transform raw footage into a cohesive and visually engaging experience. Video post-production often involves much more than editing clips and scenes together. It’s for this reason that many filmmaker workflows include multiple software programs. 

DaVinci Resolve Studio ($325)

DaVinci Resolve Studio is the only all-in-one video solution that truly competes with Premiere Pro. With 95% of its functionality freely available to anyone, gifting the paid version to your filmmaker is a great way to unlock their next level of creativity.

“There are some very powerful tools in the paid version, like noise reduction, lens correction, and face detection. Especially the noise reduction: you can stick any footage into DaVinci and make it look as cinematic as possible,” said LaClair of SproutVideo.

“Another good thing about Davinci Resolve is you don’t have to keep paying for upgrades, which future-proofs your investment in the software. They frequently update it to make it better,” shared Senthil M, Founder and Cinematographer with T-Eight.

11. Durable Carry-On Gear Case

For video professionals who travel down the road or across the globe, a rugged gear case is essential. Hardshell cases are waterproof, dust-proof, and crush-proof to protect the expensive gear within. Outside of the film world, many professionals in other industries use these cases for the same reason. 

Pelican 1510 Protector Carry-On Case ($224.95) 

“Unless you’re on a little puddle jumper, you don’t want to check your luggage with your camera and other expensive stuff. The 1510 allows you to keep your equipment with you while traveling,” shared LaClair of SproutVideo. “The Pelican 1510 is always at my side at airports. And it fits in the overhead compartment instead of having to check it.”

12. Professional Lavalier Microphone

Wireless lavaliers are the easiest way to get professional audio quality. Your subject can move around without any wires, and there’s no need for boom mics. Overall, wireless lavaliers offer a comparable sound quality to wired lavaliers while being easier to use and less expensive.

Hollyland LARK MAX 2 Ultimate Combo Wireless Lavalier ($279) 

Introduced in 2025, the Hollyland LARK MAX 2 offers significant upgrades over its predecessor, making it even easier for creators and filmmakers to capture high-quality audio.

Featuring 32-bit float recording, the LARK MAX 2 captures a wider dynamic range without distortion. In other words, filmmakers can worry less about audio being too quiet or too loud during filming. This update also features super-low latency at just 20ms and includes built-in timecode sync, ensuring footage and audio are aligned before you ever hit post production. 

13. All-in-One Smartphone Video Kit

Most people already have a fancy camera in their pocket. Therefore, a smartphone video kit is an ideal way to support someone’s burgeoning passion without breaking your budget. A quality video kit can bridge the gap between your (or your filmmakers’) dreams and getting started.  

SmallRig All-in-One Universal Video Kit ($189.99)

Many creators and filmmakers start their careers with a smartphone, and this all-in-one video kit is the perfect upgrade for beginners. It features a universal stability cage with wireless control handles for smoother shots. An included microphone, pop-on light, and portable tripod round out the list for a practical setup that’s less than $200. 

14. Studio Key Light

A key light is the heart of any studio lighting kit. Key lighting illuminates the main subject, while other hard and soft sources support the key light. It’s a versatile gift that’s ideal for filmmakers or creators who are building or upgrading their studio space.

Elgato Key Light ($179.99)

The Elgato Key Light features 2800 lumens of adjustable brightness and a range of color temperatures for adjusting warmth. The included mount with desk clamp makes it an easy addition for creators; however, its lightweight portability also makes it a good choice for traveling professionals. Pair a key light with a couple of RGB light wands (below) for an easy, minimalist setup that’s ideal for live streamers and content creators.

15. A Portable RGB Light

A portable light (or multiple) is a practical choice for filmmakers who need to travel with minimal gear or quickly shoot a video at home. These lights offer a full range of RGB colors, as well as regular white light with percentage dimming for extreme precision. 

Nanlite PavoTube II 6XR (RGB Tube Light) ($149)

Debuted at the 2025 National Association of Broadcasters Show (NAB), the Nanlite PavoTube II 6XR dazzles with its “Pixel Effect Mode,” which features eight RGBWW full-color lights that blend for a splash. Add a rainbow glow or touch of warmth to any set, all with a single 10-inch light wand.

The PavoTube II 6XR is also available as an 8-light kit (which includes accessories and a rugged charging case), advertised as a full solution for production teams on the go. 

Looking for a lower-cost option? Check out the NEEWER 10cm RGB Light Wand ($21.59). Last year’s pick, these 23cm lights are extremely versatile. The lights are magnetized, making them perfect for quick setups and creative lighting. You can even snap them together to craft dynamic color splashes.

16. Flexible Travel Tripod

In some situations, a standard tripod simply won’t cut it. That’s where flexible tripods come into play. These extremely durable and bendy tripods are designed for use almost anywhere. The tripods’ rubberized legs help them grip and hold onto nearly any surface. The impossible shot becomes possible with one of these handy tripods.

Joby GorillaPod® 5K Kit ($204.95)

“Joby GorillaPod is the industry standard. The 5K carries five kilograms of weight [11 pounds], which is amazing because it can carry a big lens on a full-frame camera,” shared LaClair of SproutVideo.

“So the 5K is the sweet spot for those using a full-frame camera while also being able to use it for everything else. I always have one in my camera kit or wedged into my luggage. And I almost always regret when I don’t have one,” shared LaClair. 

17. Online Classes

Knowledge is the gift that keeps on giving. Websites like Udemy, Skillshare, Coursera, and MasterClass are popular platforms for learning or developing skills. Independent creators and small businesses (like One Peak Creative) also offer classes or mentorships that provide opportunities to build video knowledge.  

MasterClass Subscription ($120/year)

MasterClass provides a variety of content. “Jodi Foster teaches my current favorite class for filmmakers. She provides a practical walkthrough of creating a short film, sharing the real process from building the story through choosing music for the final cut,” said Conner Carey, Marketing Manager at SproutVideo.

“She takes a daunting process and guides viewers through the director’s process, which she calls a series of choices and compromises,” shared Carey. Featuring insights on the challenges and rewards of being both director and actor, this MasterClass provides especially relevant advice for content creators and independent filmmakers.

Beyond classes, MasterClass offers full-length documentaries worthy of a movie night and playlists featuring short clips ideal for a lunch break. There are countless helpful subjects to explore with a MasterClass subscription. 

Stocking Stuffers for Filmmakers Under $100

Thoughtful gifts are always appreciated. This list of stocking stuffers under $100 features items that will improve your filmmaker’s daily life and help them gain new inspiration.

18. Color Checker

A color chart is essential for matching colors when filming with multiple cameras. In DaVinci Resolve and other software, there are automatic processes that read the color charts from various cameras and color grade based on them.

Datacolor SpyderCHECKR 24 Color Chart ($69)

“A color chart’s colors are an absolute, exact known color. They don’t shift from one color chart to the next. So when you stick that in front of a camera, the software will determine, based on what it looks like, how to correct the footage,” said LaClair of SproutVideo.  

19. Reflectors Kit

Reflectors allow filmmakers to carry less equipment while controlling light to their advantage. You can bounce lights off of them, so you don’t have to bring a ton of lighting equipment other than the light itself. Reflector kits are versatile because they come in different types of reflectors, including gold, silver, and white. Each of those colors creates a different reflection. 

Westcott Illuminator QuickGrip 5-in-1 Reflectors ($49.90)

“It’s versatile for a thousand reasons. If you have to create a shadow where there isn’t one, there’s a blackout reflector. And inside that, if you take the cover off, you can use it for diffusion too,” LaClair of SproutVideo discussed. “Instead of carrying a light and a light modifier, like a soft box and a fill and all these other things, you can just have one of these that you throw a light through.”

20. Gaffer Tape

You can never have too much gaffer tape. It’s the go-to solution for just about any problem on set. It makes a great gift because it goes fast, and filmmakers are constantly buying it. Grab a range of colors to provide more options for its use.

Gaffer Power Professional Grade Gaffer Tape ($19.88)

“I’ve used gaffer tape for labeling equipment, marking floors to remember tripod positioning, securing cables, attaching camera accessories, and securing filters to lights,“ said Tim Ryan, Head of Marketing at SproutVideo.

“At $20 a roll, you need gaffer tape all the time, and you hate buying it—there’s another $20 and another $20,” laughed LaClair of SproutVideo, “If you love someone, get them a six-pack roll of gaffer tape in various colors so they always have some. It’s useful for absolutely everything. There’s nothing it can’t do, but you go through it quickly.”

21. Videography Apps

Gifts don’t have to come in a box to have a big impact. Filmmakers use various types of apps, some of which are made for video (like the shot-planning app featured below), while others are also useful (like the Sun Seeker app for determining how sunlight will impact a shot). 

Cadrage Director’s Viewfinder ($19.99)

“The Cadrage Director’s viewfinder comes in handy when I visit a location before filming to scout it (known as recce). I want to travel light and don’t want to lug around camera gear for these outings,” said Senthil M, Founder and Cinematographer with T-Eight. 

“The app has a library of presets, which allows me to set up the cameras and lenses I plan to use for a shoot. I can take videos and stills with the lens frame line markings. This is handy to share with the production team, especially with the art department, as they will know how wide a shot will be so they can prep before the shoot,” said Senthil.

22. Pocket-Sized Notebook

Inspiration can strike at any moment, so having a dedicated place to jot down ideas is always helpful. There are endless options for pocket-sized notebooks. Look for a high-quality brand or independent maker. Consider getting a notebook with graph dots for maximum versatility. 

Field Notes Pocket-Sized Notebook ($14.95)

“Field Notes creates a classic-feeling notebook that’s just plain enjoyable to use. They come in packs of three, which immediately encourages you to assign specific uses to each. Available in dot graph or lined, I find the dot graph provides the flexibility to write or sketch out ideas quickly,” shared Carey of SproutVideo. 

Smaller than the average smartphone, its size makes it easy to keep the notebook close so you’re always prepared to capture inspiration and game plans alike. “I hadn’t used Field Notes before this review, and I am entirely hooked on the brand now,” said Carey.

We hope we made it tough to choose with our list of the best gear for filmmakers available this holiday season. Check our other holiday content below.

Happy Holidays from the SproutVideo crew! 

• 10 Best Holiday Marketing Videos (and Why They Went Viral)
• Competitive Holiday Spirit (Video)
• What Makes John Lewis Holiday Videos So Successful?

The post 22 Gifts for Filmmakers & Content Creators in 2025 appeared first on SproutVideo.

Why bother tracking down vintage lenses? Why are they worth rehousing to fit modern cameras? Aren’t modern lenses objectively better than vintage glass? We’ll dive into all that, and where to find vintage lenses for your own video shoot, in this post.

Why Use Vintage Lenses?

Vintage lenses each have their own character. For example, the Cooke Speed Panchros mentioned above are known for being very sharp, very good with skin tones, and have a lot of peculiar and interesting characteristics, like bokeh swirl and vignettes, that add visual intrigue to your footage.

Note: not sure what bokeh refers to? Visit our recent post on anamorphic lenses for more details.

Cooke lenses have been popular for over a century, and have been used in many famous productions over time. These particular vintage lenses are famous for the Cooke Look:

“What is the Cooke Look? Cooke’s have a sharpness, a presence to the image, a roundness, a feeling of giving depth and shape to the image. It’s sharp edge-to-edge but the image has more presence – a depth and shape that’s pleasing to the eye.”

Ed Lachman, ASC on Erin Brockovich

While you might expect these vintage lenses to be even pricier than modern lenses due to scarcity, you’d be pleasantly surprised to hear they might actually be the least expensive Cooke lenses you can rent. Since they have such a particular look, they’re in less demand than the more expensive modern production lenses.

Of course, these traits aren’t exclusive to Cooke lenses. Vintage lenses from other brands offer similar advantages in terms of unique characteristics and distinctive, desirable imperfections.

A Vintage Vibe for the Holidays

Certain times of year, and certain types of shoots, are more suited to vintage lenses than others. For instance, the holiday season is full of nostalgia and reminiscent of times past. It’s the perfect excuse to dust off some vintage lenses to lend character and visual interest to your shoot.

We thought vintage lenses would be just the ticket for our holiday video shoot. We used vintage Cooke Speed Panchros (circa 50’s or 60’s) rehoused into modern bodies with PL mounts. Our lenses were mounted on an Arri Amira camera. Check out the end result below:

We used four different focal lengths to get specific shots for our video. The widest shot was of the carolers, where we used a 25mm lens. The shots of our actors behind the desks were filmed with either a 32mm lens or a 40mm lens. At the end, the close-up of our actor was filmed with a 75mm lens.

The footage from these lenses has really nice depth, while the faces of the people on camera appear sharp, yet somehow soft in a flattering, visually pleasing way. In the background, you can notice some imperfections in the bokeh in certain shots, and a very subtle vignette.

While those artistic elements won’t work for all types of video, we think they added just the right touch to our holiday video. Since it was shot in an office environment, this was a subtle way to add visual interest to an otherwise fairly standard setup.

Comparison to Modern Lenses

There is no singular comparison of classic lenses to modern lenses because every vintage lens has different characteristics. Typically, they aren’t quite as sharp, have more vignette, and more lens flare than modern lenses. However, the imperfections tend to be what make older lenses unique and worth tracking down to achieve certain looks.

Basically, you’re not using these lenses because they’re old; you’re using older lenses because they were less perfect when they were handmade. Since videographers are always looking for ways to add a little extra character to their footage, these lenses are an important option to be aware of.

Finding Vintage Glass

Any major city will have rental houses that offer some vintage lenses. There are also reputable options online, such as Duclos Lenses and GL Optics that offer rehoused versions of old lenses from brands like Contax, Zeiss, Canon, Leica, and Cooke.

Vintage Lenses in Big Productions

What better excuse to queue up some movies and cuddle up indoors with your nearest and dearest? Many major motion pictures have been shot with vintage lenses, and by studying them, you can familiarize yourself with the particular look of these lenses.

• Cooke Speed Panchros: The Crown, Castle Rock, WestWorld, Bohemian Rhapsody, and many classic films.
• Zeiss Super Speeds: The Shining, Taxi Driver, A Beautiful Mind, and many more.

In fact, Stanley Kubrick used Zeiss Super Speed lenses almost exclusively, and owned his own set. Of course, these lenses weren’t vintage back in his heyday, but lenses aren’t like cars – their look doesn’t really change (much) with age.

Limitations of Vintage Lenses

Before you rush out and buy a bunch of vintage cinema lenses, be aware that a lot of them (like the Cooke Panchros and Zeiss Super Speeds highlighted above) only cover super 35 sensors. With more and more full frame cameras and lenses on the market, over time, older lenses like these risk limited usefulness.

Note: read this post for more on sensors, and whether size truly matters.

Another option would be to look into vintage photo lenses rehoused for cinema use. Those are appealing because they have a vintage look, but also cover the newest full-frame sensors.

Questions about working with vintage glass? Ask away in the comments below!

The post Use Vintage Lenses to Get in the Holiday Spirit appeared first on SproutVideo.

In this episode of our How To Video: Camera series, we’re taking a deep dive into anamorphic lenses, starting with their origins, and how the footage they produce differs from standard lenses. Keep reading to learn how to produce anamorphic footage without breaking the bank, and uncover inspiring ideas for using it in your business videos.

All About Anamorphic

In this video, Nick LaClair, creative director for SproutVideo, breaks down the history of anamorphic lenses, and explains how they’re differentiated. He’ll also show you exactly how you can film anamorphic footage on a budget.

What is an Anamorphic Lens?

Anamorphic lenses are distinguished from other types of lenses primarily by their unique shape. While normal lenses are called spherical lenses because they’re round, anamorphic lenses are curved, which gives the optics an oval shape.

This key difference results in beautiful, unique footage. Once you learn how to spot it, you’ll notice it in lots of your favorite films and TV shows. Before we get to that, let’s start with how anamorphic lenses came about.

Anamorphic Lenses and Aspect Ratios

Early films used what is known as the academy aspect ratio, which is roughly 4:3. When TV arrived on the scene in the 1950’s, it also used a 4:3 aspect ratio for programming.

Film producers needed a way to motivate audiences to come into the cinema instead of staying at home to watch TV. As a result, widescreen formats were introduced to draw viewers back into theaters.

However, film strips were not adapted to widescreen formats. The academy aspect ratio fit perfectly on 35mm film, taking up 4 perforations:

In contrast, a widescreen format on 35mm film takes up only 3 perforations. This would’ve resulted in a lower quality, blurry, and unappealing image.

Certain middle ground aspect ratios, like 1.85:1, popularized by Hitchcock, looked just fine with some cropping, but for widescreen formats, it simply didn’t work.

The solution was to use anamorphic lenses to squish a 2.39:1 widescreen format onto the 35mm film strips. Then, the squished image would be stretched back out for viewing on a widescreen.

In fact, the most popular screen format today, 16:9, came about because it’s the perfect compromise between 2:39:1 and 4:3. Whether the footage is letterboxed or pillarboxed, the amount of screen covered by black bars is approximately the same when viewed on a 16:9 screen.

Why It’s So Special

Anamorphic lenses deliver footage that really stands out. Without even knowing it, you’ve surely encountered it many times. Here are the defining elements of anamorphic footage.

Horizontal Lens Flares

When you’re filming with an anamorphic lens, your footage is squeezed, then stretched back out again. This results in some really dramatic and easily identifiable horizontal lens flares.

You can see this effect in the footage above, where the light streaks across the top of the frame. It’s very atmospheric, and heightens the emotional charge of the scene. The dramatic visual of the horizontal lens flare really delivers that cinematic impact for viewers.

Bokeh in the Background

Despite it’s funny-sounding name, bokeh is actually an extremely important part of shot composition. It refers to the out-of-focus background areas in view. When captured with a standard lens, background lights and other out-of-focus elements will appear rounded. In contrast, with an anamorphic lens, they’ll appear oval-shaped.

This is probably the easiest way to identify anamorphic footage because it’s so iconic and readily distinguishable. It also adds an artistic, three-dimensional element to your footage that you can’t really achieve any other way.

Intentionally Imperfect

Given that the footage is squeezed, then stretched, it’s no wonder that anamorphic lenses aren’t the sharpest option out there. In fact, they’re known – and loved – for their imperfections.

For instance, while the visuals aren’t as sharp when compared to standard lenses, the distortion is both desirable and subtle. It adds character, and softens the image in a visually appealing way.

The quirks of anamorphic footage impose some constraints on filmmakers to a certain extent. For instance, the distortion essentially forces you to keep your subject near the center of the shot. In some cases, that can be a challenge, but it’s easily overcome with some creativity.

Shoot Wide Angle Without a Wide Lens

With an anamorphic lens, you can shoot wide angle without using a wide lens (head to our previous episode for a primer on lens types if you’re unsure what that means). Here’s why: if you’re shooting with a 60mm anamorphic lens, it’s stretched out to a 30mm field of view.

Since longer lenses compress the background and tend to have more bokeh, anamorphic lets you shoot wide, but with all the characteristics of that longer lens.

How To Use It For Business Video

Got a new feature release or product announcement? What better way to go about it than with tons of cinematic flair and anamorphic footage.

For instance, Taco Bell knocked it out of the park with this ad campaign for their new seasoned fries in 2018.

You can easily identify the footage as anamorphic because of the oval-shaped bokeh (at 0:06), widescreen letterboxing, and even a horizontal lens flare (at 1:14). It reads as epically cinematic, and an overall genius idea for generating excitement for their new fries.

How to Shoot Anamorphic

First up, you’ll need the right gear for your shoot. You can acquire a true anamorphic lens kit, or, an adapter suited to the type of camera you already have. For a detailed comparison of these options, we love this thorough video on anamorphic lenses and adapters from ShareGrid.

True Anamorphic Lenses

A true anamorphic lens can be extremely pricey – they can cost you as much as a new car. The most economical options we’ve seen are from Atlas and SLR Magic, which run around $8,000 – $9,000 for a three-lens kit.

A big benefit to using an anamorphic lens is that you won’t need as many extras in your setup. For instance, pulling focus is a lot simpler with a purpose-built anamorphic lens. Still, the higher price tag motivates many to go with more budget-friendly adapters instead.

Adapters

Adapters have proliferated for all different types of video cameras, including drones and phones. They range dramatically in cost and quality.

If you’re filming with a camera that supports interchangeable lenses, one big advantage worth noting is that one adapter will likely work across most of your lenses. This gives you a lot of flexibility and helps maximize your investment.

For professional camcorders, like Nick’s Sony FS7, adapters come in two different types: rear-mounted and front-mounted. In our experience, the rear-mounted adapters don’t quite deliver the anamorphic look, making front-mounted adapters the way to go. Here’s our anamorphic adapter setup:

Camera Choice

Whether you go with an adapter or a real anamorphic lens, ideally, you want to select a camera that can film in a 4:3 aspect ratio. Otherwise, the image won’t be squeezed enough to get the full anamorphic effects you’re aiming for.

For instance, the Panasonic GH5 or Blackmagic Pocket Cinema cameras can shoot in 4:3, which allows you to use a 2x anamorphic adaptor to squeeze the image in half. This essentially replicates the original process from the film days. Of course, big cinema rigs like Red or Arri are excellent options as well if your budget allows for it.

If – like the rest of us – you’re shooting on a super 35 sensor, there are 1.33x anamorphic adaptors that will squeeze your image about 30%. That’s just the right amount to stretch it back from 16:9 to 2.39:1. It’s still a great look, and all those classic anamorphic qualities will be there in your footage. They’ll just be a little more subtle.

Extras

One significant consideration for anamorphic adaptors is that they have a totally separate focus ring. To pull focus, you need to turn focus on the lens and the adaptor simultaneously. They need to be perfectly in sync for it to work properly.

In our setup, Nick uses a remote follow focus with two motors synced together. This adds a little extra complexity to your setup.

Additionally, you’ll need a separate monitor that can stretch the image for preview. Most consumer cameras don’t have the ability to do that. Evaluating your footage based on the squeezed image would be too difficult and prone to error, so we found this to be a necessary add-on.

Drawbacks of Anamorphic Lenses

No lens is perfect for all situations, and there are some considerations worth taking into account before you go all-in on anamorphic lenses.

For starters, there are the general drawbacks of the widescreen format. You’re giving up valuable real estate on 16:9 screens. On mobile and small screens, that could make a big difference.

Of course, you can crop anamorphic footage to a 16:9 format. You just have to plan for that when filming, or you risk cropping important elements out of the frame.

Additionally, you might find the quirks of working with anamorphic lenses are not right for your project. Not everything has to be cinematic, after all. You might find a sharper lens with less distortion is a better fit depending on what you’re filming.

Finally, an anamorphic setup is not going to be in everyone’s budget, even if you go with adapters. We wound up with roughly $3,500 in extras to achieve the look we wanted using our Sony FS7 with a front-mounted adapter. All those extras also made filming much more complex, and increased our setup time dramatically.

Amazing Anamorphic

Despite those potential downsides, anamorphic footage is worth the effort for many shoots. It’s all about finding ways to make the most of its specific look.

After all, anamorphic footage is captivating, and can really help you stand out from the crowd. It’s the perfect choice for when you want to make an impact on your audience.

Have you worked with anamorphic footage before? Curious to give it a try? We’d love to hear about your experience. Share your comments and questions below for expert advice.

Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to get the next episode our How To Video series in your inbox.

The post Amazing Anamorphic: Add Cinematic Flair to Your Footage appeared first on SproutVideo.

Options are great, of course. However, the sheer volume of choice in lenses can be overwhelming. And, lenses range widely in cost, from $100 all the way to $50,000 and up.

So, how can you be sure you’re making the right choice for your project? In this episode of our How To Video: Camera series, we’ll walk you through the important distinctions between the three major types of lenses, including photography or consumer lenses, rehoused cinema lenses, and true cinema lenses. Watch the video below to see each of these types of lenses in action, and keep reading to gain an in-depth understanding of their pros and cons. 

Which Is Right For You?

Last week, we showed you how to make a decision about focal length, and to choose between a prime or a zoom lens. While that’s a great starting point to begin narrowing down your options, there’s more to the picture.

Now, we’re taking a closer look at photo lenses, rehoused cinema lenses, and true cinema lenses. Once you know your focal length and whether you need a prime or zoom lens, this is the next step in your decision-making process.

The best way to understand the distinction between these types of lenses is to see them in action. Watch the video below as Nick LaClair, head of video production for SproutVideo, puts them through their paces.

Three Lovely Types of Lenses

A photo lens refers to a lens typically used for photography, which can also be used for video. A rehoused cinema lens is a photo lens that’s been rebuilt and optimized for use with video cameras, but the inner workings of the lens itself are largely the same. A true cinema lens is purpose-built for video.

The best way to understand the differences between the three types of lenses is to get to grips with them. In our example, we compare a Zeiss 25 mm 2.0 photo lens, a Zeiss 25 mm 2.1 rehoused cinema lens, and a purpose-built Arri Ultra Prime 24 mm 1.9 cinema lens.

These prime lenses are all the same brand glass, and have the same focal length and roughly the same aperture speed. However, their price tags range from $800 to over $18,000. So, what makes them so different?

Form and Function

Chances are, you could easily tell which lens was a photo lens when placed side-by-side with rehoused or cinema lenses. Since they aren’t optimized for video, photo lenses come in all different shapes and sizes. They’re meant to be manually manipulated by the camera operator.

In comparison, re-housed and cinema lenses are optimized for use with a video camera. They are specially designed to work with tools camera operators need to adjust lens settings while filming, like the focus or the iris, as well as accessories like filters or matte boxes.

Hence, rehoused and cinema lenses tend to be the same diameter, and offer the same gears in roughly in the same position relative to the mount.

That’s an important detail because it means you don’t have to completely reconfigure your setup if you change lenses. In fact, you can usually leave all your accessories in place when swapping lenses.

Focus Throw

Your focus throw is the amount you have to turn the barrel of the lens to go all the way from close focus to infinity. Generally speaking, the less you have to turn the barrel to change your focus, the more quickly it will change, and the jerkier it can appear on film. It can also be difficult to be really precise with a short focus throw.

In contrast, a long focus throw allows you to smoothly change the focus of your camera with greater precision. This type of control allows you to add artistic touches to your shot, such as when you change the focus from the background to the subject in the foreground.

Typically, photo lenses have much shorter focus throws than rehoused or cinema lenses. Since they’re designed for photography, they’re meant to quickly jump into action and focus on a subject. Transitioning between subjects is also meant to be speedy, rather than smooth and accurate.

Rehoused and cinema lenses offer much longer focus throws, enabling much more precision and seamless transitions. If you’re filming a scene that requires a change in focus, you’ll have an easier time achieving a professional-looking result with one of these types of lenses.

Focus Breathing

Focus breathing occurs when the image on camera appears to zoom in and out when you pull focus. It’s significantly more technically-involved (and therefore, expensive), to build a lens that does not breathe.

Generally speaking, you’ll find a certain amount of focus breathing in any lens that is not a true purpose-built cinema lens. Depending on what you’re filming, this particular factor might not even be relevant, or it could make or break your shot.

For example, if you’re filming an interview with a person against a backdrop, you’re unlikely to need to shift focus at all while the camera is rolling. However, if you’re filming a major feature film production, you almost certainly will care about the impact focus breathing could have on your footage.

Aperture Adjustment

The aperture controls how much light passes through the lens and hits the camera’s sensor. Many photo lenses do not have an aperture ring at all since still photo cameras (and some camcorders) control aperture from within the camera.

Older lenses allow you to adjust the aperture on the lens, but only by clicking into full or half stops. While better than nothing, it’s still not very precise or smooth, so minute adjustments are out of the picture.

Finally, cinema lenses offer smooth iris adjustment. This gives you granular control over your look and exposure.

This is particularly important if your shot transitions from low light to a brightly lit scenario (or vice versa), and you’re forced to change the iris mid shot. A cinema lens will enable you to do this so smoothly, the viewer won’t even notice.

F-Stops VS T-Stops

A related point of distinction between these classes of lenses is the fact that photo lenses measure aperture in f-stops, while cinema lenses measure it in t-stops. While this could just be an alphabetical difference, it can be a very practical one too.

An f-stop estimates the theoretical amount of light that hits the sensors. It’s calculated by dividing the focal length of the lens by the diameter of the aperture.

In contrast, a t-stop measures the precise amount of light that hits the sensor. Different lenses lose different amounts of light as it passes through the lens, mostly because of coatings on the glass. Put differently, certain lenses let more light in at a given aperture than others.

While you can easily compensate for that in photography, when it comes to videography, you often have to match footage from two or more cameras using different lenses. If those cameras are set to the same f-stop, you could still wind up with very different levels of exposure in the resulting footage. Here’s a side-by-side comparison to illustrate this point:

The images above are set to the same f-stops, but the exposure is noticeably different. If you were working with t-stops, however, your footage would match exactly.

Most videographers can use either t-stops or f-stops with very little notable difference in camera function. However, if you have a multi-camera setup, or matching footage really matters, it might be worth investing in lenses that use t-stops instead of f-stops.

Price

Of course, none of those factors really matter if the lens you want doesn’t fit your budget. And, lenses range massively in price.

A standard prime photo lens can cost you anywhere from $100 to $3,000. When rehoused as a cinema lens, those same lenses can run anywhere from $500 up to about $4,000. True cinema lenses, on the other hand, run a minimum of $8,500 all the way up to almost $50,000.

The huge jump in price between photo and rehoused lenses and true cinema lenses has led to an explosion of options in the rehoused category. They’re a great compromise for getting a lot of the key cinema lens functionality on a more realistic budget for many videographers.

So, Why Spring For A Cinema Lens?

In addition to the different areas of functionality we just covered, build quality, accuracy, and look are the three main reasons you might choose a cinema lens over other more affordably priced options.

Build Quality

When it comes to the big names in prime cinema lenses, such as Arri, Cooke, Leica and Panavision, each lens is handmade using only the most premium glass.

They’re built to withstand decades of regular use. After all, if you’re making such a big investment, you want to be sure to get plenty of mileage out of it!

Accuracy

When working on big-budget productions, such as feature films, accuracy is tremendously important. This is easiest to showcase by looking at the ability of these lenses to change focus precisely from one subject to another.

The focus marks on these lenses are calibrated, so you can measure the distance to your subject, adjust your lens to that reading, and know it will be tack sharp. In highly choreographed scenes, this level of accuracy is crucial because it allows your focus pull to land at exactly the right moment.

The Look

There’s a quality to these lenses that can’t quite be matched by less costly counterparts. Cinema lenses use the very best glass, and the best coatings. They’re sharp across the entire frame, and reduce or remove chromatic aberrations, vignetting, and barrel distortion.

But Really, Do You Need One?

The differences between these three classes of lenses are most apparent when comparing the cinema lens to a photo lens. There are significant gaps in functionality that can have a real impact on your footage and the filming process.

However, when it comes to rehoused cinema lenses, especially higher-end options, there isn’t nearly as big a difference. You might get a slightly shorter focus throw, but the overall difference is not very noticeable to all but the most highly trained eye.

Cinema Zooms VS Photo Zooms

Up until now, we’ve focused entirely on prime lenses with fixed focal lengths in order to compare apples to apples. However, zoom lenses are an important category of lenses with similar options in terms of cinema and photo lenses.

Here are the key differences between a photo zoom lens and a cinema zoom lens.

Barrel Distortion

Barrel distortion is a type of optical distortion caused by the lens itself. It’s most apparent when your image includes vertical or horizontal straight lines.

Cinema zooms typically do not exhibit any barrel distortion, whereas it can be quite noticeable with a photo zoom. For instance, in the image below, you can see the image captured by the photo zoom is stretching at the edges.

If you look closely, the TV has straighter lines in the top image.

Focus Drift

While barrel distortion can be noticeable, focus drift is usually a much more important factor. Focus drift occurs when your focus changes as you zoom in or out on your subject. This change is unintentional, and often unwanted.

Photo lenses are particularly susceptible to focus drift as you zoom in or out. In contrast, cinema zooms are parfocal, meaning their zoom mechanism is internal, so your plane of focus won’t change as you zoom. That’s hugely important anytime you want to use zoom as a look in your film.

The choice you make in a lens can impact everything from the ease of production to the artistic touches you can put on a film, not to mention your budget! We hope this in-depth guide gave you all the tools you need to make the right decision for your shoot.

If you have questions about lens types, or when to use which one, let us know in the comments below!

The post A Closer Look at Lens Types: Photo, Rehoused, and Cinema appeared first on SproutVideo.

To help make sure you know which lens to grab for your next shoot, we’re comparing focal lengths, and the differences between prime and zoom lenses. Watch the video below and keep reading for an overview of how to choose the right lens for your project.

Which Lens is Right For You?

There are so many different types of lenses out there, it’s hard to know where to start when it comes to choosing one for your project.

In this video overview, Nick LaClair, head of video production for SproutVideo, breaks down the impact focal length has on your shot, as well as the key differences between prime and zoom lenses.

So, what exactly do we mean by focal length? Want more details about prime and zoom lenses? Keep reading for a deeper dive into choosing a lens for your project.

Focal Length

The focal length of a lens is not a measurement of the lens, or your distance from the object being filmed. Rather, focal length determines the angle of view (how much a scene will be captured) as well as the magnification of individual elements in view.

A longer focal length provides a narrower angle of view, and increased magnification. Conversely, a shorter focal length results in a wider angle of view, and decreased magnification. A wide-angle lens, also referred to as a wide lens, will have a short focal length.

Choosing a Focal Length

The first step to selecting the right focal length for your project is to consider what you’re trying to capture on camera.

Sometimes, there are artistic reasons to go with one lens over another. Simply changing the position of the camera relative to your subject allows you to achieve a similar composition with different types of lenses, but results in very distinct looks.

In our video, we created two similar shots using a 24 mm lens and a 50 mm lens by changing the distance of the camera from our subject. Here are the images side-by-side:

As you can see, the shorter focal length on the left captures a wider view of the scene. The car in the background appears smaller in the distance, since it’s not as magnified by the lens.

In comparison, the long lens on the right still fits the same elements in the frame, but had to be placed further from our subject to do so. Additionally, the car appears larger in the background, but since it’s more out of focus, you still have the impression it’s far away.

In this case, the right option really depends on the look you’re going for. However, there are some additional factors worth taking into consideration.

Studio, or Action?

In a studio, or a similar environment where your subject will be relatively stationary at a fixed distance from the camera, a wide angle lens will mean you need a much larger backdrop because more of the subject’s surroundings will be in view.

Typically, you’d reach for a long lens in this scenario because your subject will fill more of the frame, while still keeping some of the backdrop in the shot.

On the other hand, if you’re filming a scene with a lot of action, it can be tough to keep your subject in the frame unless you use a wide angle lens to cover the shot. Going with a wide angle lens will enable you to minimize your movements while capturing the action.

By planning out your shoot ahead of time, and visualizing what you’re hoping to capture, you can be sure to pick the right focal length for your project. Storyboarding is an excellent way to keep your shots and lens choices organized on a more complex shoot.

Prime VS Zoom Lenses

Now that you know which focal length will work best for your project, you’ll need to narrow your choice even further between prime and zoom lenses. These two broad categories of lenses offer distinct advantages and disadvantages, which we break down for you below.

Prime Lenses

A prime lens has a fixed focal length, meaning it can only focus on a subject at a specific distance from the camera. If your subject is outside of that range, you’ll have to move the camera, or the subject, or both.

Pros

First, primes are typically faster lenses, meaning you can open the aperture wider, let in more light, and end up with a shallower depth of field. Those traits make a prime lens ideal in cases where you’re shooting in low light, or if you want an out-of-focus area for your shot’s aesthetic.

To help emphasize the difference in the depth of field, take a closer look at the plant in the background. It’s significantly more blurry when viewed through the prime lens. That kind of out-of-focus background can lend a professional quality to your project. Here’s a side-by-side look at that plant:

Prime lenses also have less distortion at wider focal lengths. Below, we compare a 25 mm prime and 25 mm zoom lens on the same composition. Notice how the vertical lines of the room appear to bend more with the zoom than they do with the prime:

Cons

While a prime lens is probably sounding pretty good after all that, you have to weigh some important considerations.

Working with a prime lens means you have to reposition the camera if your distance from the subject changes. Filming more than one subject at a time might not even be possible with a prime lens, depending on the situation. You can’t adjust on the fly like you can with a zoom.

Building on that, filming with prime lenses often means you need to use more than one lens. Having lenses with different fixed focal lengths allows you to get different compositions for your shots, but it also means you need more costly equipment on hand.

Additionally, changing lenses frequently increases complexity and the time required for filming. You might not always have the luxury or desire to do that.

Zoom Lenses

A zoom lens has a variable focal length. It can adjust from one subject to another at a range of distances from the camera without repositioning the camera.

Pros

The key advantage to a zoom lens is their flexibility. You can easily recompose a shot without missing too much of the action, as demonstrated from 2:00 – 2:25. This makes them ideal for capturing live events or documentaries.

Their versatility also means that working with a zoom lens can greatly reduce the amount of equipment you need on hand. If you can’t bring a lot of gear with you, a zoom lens might be the best choice since it’s adaptable to many situations. Since you won’t need to change lenses frequently, you can also save a lot of time and effort working with a zoom lens.

You’re also more likely to be able to stay in one place, even if your subject is moving. A zoom lens can stay focused on a subject as its distance from the camera changes.

Finally, they also allow you to be more creative with some of your shots. When you zoom in on a specific element of your frame, you can achieve an artistic effect that isn’t possible with a prime lens.

Cons

A zoom lens is certainly an excellent choice in a lot of situations thanks to their flexibility. However, in certain instances, the slower aperture, shallower depth of field, and greater distortion (detailed above) could make a difference to your project. It all comes down to the look you’re going for and what you’re trying to film.

What’s your go-to lens? Share with us in the comments below!

The post Optimal Optics: a Primer on Lenses appeared first on SproutVideo.

They’re two video experts, with two really different cameras – a Sony FS7, and a mirrorless AS7ii. So, which is best? Turns out, it’s not that simple as there are pros and cons to each.

Watch the video below to get a hands-on comparison of footage quality, functionality, and other factors that can make a real difference when choosing which camera to work with.

Meet the Experts

Michael Rubenstein is a Sony Artisan and a veteran photographer (16 years) and videographer (8 years). He mainly creates video content for advertising, with a focus on “real people doing real things.”

Michael uses an AS7ii photo camera body with a lot of bells and whistles for his video work. In comparison, Nick works with a Sony FS7 – a professional camcorder, with far fewer accessories.

In this video, they compare the pros and cons – and cost – of their different camera configurations. Their insights are not to be missed!

Making the Most of What You’ve Got

As Nick and Michael discuss, when it comes to video, the difference in your results isn’t really about how much you spend on your equipment, or even how much gear you have. It all boils down to knowing your equipment, and how to get the best out of it.

Here’s how Nick and Michael manage to get similar, professional quality results out of very different cameras.

Footage Quality

The two of them shot a collaborative video together, allowing for comparison of footage quality side-by-side.

Nick was shooting internal 10-bit 4:2:2, while Michael was recording external 8-bit 4:2:2 for the most part (here’s a primer on camera footage quality for an explanation of what that means). Any difference in footage quality was negligible at that level in the final product. Here’s an example from the FS7 performing very well in low light:

There’s a lot of detail despite the low ambient lighting contrasting with the bright candle in the center of the frame.

The only notable difference was when Michael had to switch to 8-bit 4:2:0 to record internally when using a gimbal. As Michael notes in the video, you’re going to see problems with 8-bit footage when you’re shooting scenes with lots of contrasting dark and light areas. You’re more likely to blow out bright whites, and lose dark blacks in your image. Compare this still to the FS7 image above:

It’s a similar low light shot, with a few bright lights in the frame. Granted, this is a challenging lighting scenario. Still, there isn’t quite as much detail or dimension in the darker areas of the shot in comparison to the still from the FS7 footage above.

For more examples, see if you can distinguish the difference from 1:08 – 1:41 in the video above.

In contrast, 10-bit, 12-bit, or even 14-bit footage will appear more natural and cinematic in extreme lighting conditions. Cameras that can record 10-bit or higher internally are a wise choice for situations where contrasting lighting presents a challenge.

Functionality

Footage quality isn’t the only factor worth considering when selecting a camera. It also has to offer the features and functionality you need for your project.

In many cases, even high-end cameras don’t come with everything you need. In fact, most professional videographers have a camera kit that’s as individual as they are.

Michael’s AS7ii Camera

Michael works with a photo camera body, as previously mentioned. But, that’s certainly not all he’s working with.

He uses an Atomos display as a monitor and recorder. It enables Michael to easily see what the camera is recording from different angles. An external display is key for video work, especially compared to the smaller, less flexible viewfinder built into the camera body. It also allows him to record in prores 4:2:2 – a much better codec and quality than his camera can record internally.

He also added a Tilta Cage to protect the camera body, and to make it easier to add accessories to the camera, as well as an EVF viewfinder and an Arri follow focus. Then, Michael powers his camera with extra-large capacity V-Mount batteries for longer shooting times between battery swaps.

Shoulder mounts are not really an option given how light this setup is. Instead, an easy-rig is a better option for stabilization.

Nick’s Sony FS7

The FS7 camcorder can be used out-of-the-box to film. Still, like most professional cameras, it can certainly benefit from some accessories.

Nick has added a RAW adapter to enable it to record 12-bit RAW footage externally. Similar to Michael, he’s also added V-Mount batteries to extend his shoot times.

All these accessories make his camera resemble the weight and form factor of a cinema rig. This can be an advantage for shoulder mount filming, since the weight adds stability. However, the trade-off is having a large, heavy camera on your shoulder for potentially hours at a time.

Mirrorless VS Camcorder Pros and Cons

There are a few more details that are worth mentioning in this head-to-head comparison of these two camera kits.

Nick has internal ND filters, and a form factor that’s easier to use handheld out of the box, and external buttons for many of the cameras functions.

In contrast, mirrorless cameras do not offer the same professional options, such as internal ND filters. Most settings have to be accessed through the camera’s menu options, which can be slower and more cumbersome in certain filming situations.

Ultimately, Nick’s camcorder is a more professional rig, but Michael’s mirrorless is more versatile and can be more heavily customized.

And, we can’t gloss over the difference in cost. Michael’s camera starts under $3,000 but is about $7,000 as shown.

That’s around the same price as Nick’s camera stripped down out-of-the-box, while Nick’s full setup runs closer to $15,000 once you tally up all the add-ons.

Less Isn’t Less

Less isn’t necessarily less. It’s all about getting the most out of your budget.

Different camera kits serve different purposes. Michael relies on the flexibility and portability of his gear because he’s often thrown into situations for so-called “run-and-gun” style shoots. Nick also uses his for this type of shooting (and Nick’s rig is one of the standard options for the rigors of reality TV, among other types of shooting).

Still, as we explored in the footage quality comparison, there is not a giant difference in the outcome in certain situations. Michael is able to achieve a similar level of quality with his much smaller and less expensive setup when able to record to external media.

Feeling Flexible

Flexibility is so key. Being able to operate as a single person camera crew can give you many opportunities in the current environment for creative professionals.

If you can be more flexible about the gear you’re using, the type of work you’re doing, and… more or less everything else, it’s a great time to be working in video.

What accessories do you rely on in your camera kit? Are you using any we didn’t mention that you think are worth discussing? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Real World Lessons on the Camera Features That Count appeared first on SproutVideo.

In this episode of our How To Video: Camera series, we’ll walk you through what you can expect from different tiers of video cameras for each of those five factors. We’ll also explain why each one is important to consider when selecting a camera for your project.

Video Camera Technology

Cameras are incredibly complex, and they’re packed with features. So, how do you know which features really matter?

Nick LaClair has the answer in this episode of our How To Video: Camera series. He dissects the five major categories of camera features, and identifies what separates professional cameras from consumer options. Watch the video below to learn what really counts when it comes to camera features.

1. Battery Capacity

Battery capacity is very important to keep in mind as you’re filming. It varies tremendously across types of cameras.

As you go up the chain, battery capacity increases from consumer cameras, up until professional camcorders. Since cinema rigs are so powerful, they require a lot of, well, power. Battery life tends to be short, and batteries tend to be very large and pricey for these models.

Of course, there’s an easy solution for extending your shoot. Bring fully charged extra batteries and a charger, and rotate your batteries in and out as needed. Just keep in mind that charging a large battery can take several hours.

2. Audio Inputs

Lower end cameras typically only accept one audio source, and usually from an 1/8th inch audio jack. This type of audio jack limits the range of microphones you can pick from, and usually doesn’t deliver as high quality sound when compared to XLR audio inputs.

On the other hand, camcorders and cinema rigs accept XLR audio inputs. This type of input provides balanced audio without what is known as cable interference. Cable interference refers to distortion or similar noise issues that certain types of cables can introduce. As a general rule, XLR inputs will give you cleaner audio than 1/8th inch audio jacks.

XLR audio inputs have the additional benefit of providing phantom power for microphones that require it. Some microphones take batteries, while others are powered by the XLR cable if the camera supports it. Offering phantom power opens up the ability to use different mics, and is typically a more professional choice.

Microphone Mounts

Camcorders typically offer a mount for a shotgun microphone. An on-camera mic is a convenient way to capture audio if you aren’t able to use a boom mic.

In comparison, DSLR cameras only allow you to use a hot shoe microphone. While small and easy to use, hot shoe mics won’t deliver the same sound quality that a full-size professional shotgun mic can.

3. Video Outputs

Lower end cameras only include one HDMI output, which can be limiting. HDMI connectors are fragile and break easily, and are limited in terms of the distance of cable through which you can run a signal.

Instead of HDMI, SDI cables are industry standard. Camcorders typically offer multiple options, including both SDI and HDMI, whereas cinema rigs usually offer multiple SDI outputs.

The number of outputs matters most when you have more than one team that requires its own video feed during a shoot. If you’re a single person filming, this likely isn’t a factor for you.

However, if you are on a large production team, you will definitely care about the number of outputs you have available. For example, you will likely want an on-camera monitor, plus another for the director, and another for clients elsewhere in the room.

Also, when there are multiple video outputs, each one usually outputs something different. For instance, one might output all the visual information displayed on the screen (such as lens info, etc.), which is useful for the camera operator. Then, the second output could just be the image. That’s useful for the client or other parties who don’t need to see all that extra info.

4. Ergonomics

Consumer cameras are extremely basic, in that they aren’t particularly customizable. Typically, you can’t even change lenses, though some offer slightly more adaptable features, like movable viewfinders.

Mirrorless and DSLR cameras are perfect for photography, but lack a lot of features required for pro video. Interchangeable lenses are available, but since these small cameras are designed for portability and still images, they lack convenient features like handles and external options for settings.

The most complete, out of the box solution is a professional camcorder. They have handles for handheld work, and offer easily accessible external adjustments that aren’t buried in the menu. They usually also have on-camera monitors or viewfinders that are large, bright, and adjustable.

Similar to the first two categories, cinema rigs aren’t as well equipped out of the box, which has its pluses and minuses. They require thousands of dollars of add-ons to get the same functionality. However, you’ll have a highly customized solution when you’re done configuring your rig.

5. Image Control

Finally, there’s image control. Neutral density filters (known as ND filters) and signal monitors are important tools for videographers.

While in photography you use ISO, shutter speed, and aperture to change the exposure of your image, in videography, your shutter is locked in place. So to bring your exposure down past where your aperture or ISO can go, you need a ND filter.

Consumer cameras only give you histograms for image control, which is a tool designed primarily for photographers.

Only camcorders offer internal ND filters for controlling exposure. Camcorders and cinema cameras include other tools like a waveform monitor and a vectorscope, which give you a lot more information about the image you’re recording.

While a histogram will give you a general idea of the brightness of your image, waveforms will give you exposure values for specific areas of your frame. This is handy in case you need to know how bright that window’s getting, or how dark the shadows are below it. A vectorscope will give you an idea of color values, which are useful for dialing in the correct white balance.

The advanced image control functionality of higher end cameras allow you to more precisely capture the image the way you want.

Each of these five factors is key to understand to get to grips with the video camera of your choice. Questions about choosing the right camera for your project? Get expert advice in the comments below.

The post The Five Video Camera Features You Need to Know appeared first on SproutVideo.

However, a lot of the difference also comes down to what happens to the image data after it hits the sensor. There are three main factors: bit rate, bit depth, and chroma subsampling.

If you’re already lost, don’t worry. We’ll break down what each of those terms means, and how they impact footage quality. Watch the video below and keep reading to gain an in-depth understanding of what really makes a difference for pixel perfection.

Three Factors For Fantastic Footage

A lot goes into making a great-looking video. You need the right set, talent, lighting, hair and make-up, and more.

However, none of that matters if your video camera isn’t capturing all the details you so meticulously arranged. Watch as Nick LaClair, head of video production for SproutVideo, explains why bit rate, bit depth, and chroma subsampling are key to understanding the differences between footage quality from different cameras.

Better Bit Rate

In this context, bit rate refers to the amount of data the camera records per second. Cameras process tons of data about every single second of a video. After all, each second contains multiple frames composed of millions of bits of information.

Unsurprisingly, a higher bit rate equates to higher quality footage. It allows the camera to record more details about each frame.

Still, bit rate only matters to a certain extent. The media the camera records to (e.g. a memory card or external drive) can only support up to a given bit rate. Once you hit that point, you no longer gain any benefits from higher bit rates. Here’s how that shakes down across different tiers of cameras:

Once you hit the maximum bit rate the recording media can handle, bit rate levels off as a factor in image quality. When that happens, image compression becomes more important than bit rate for image quality.

Colorful Bit Depth

Bit depth is less well-known than bit rate, but every bit as important (see what we did there?). Bit depth refers to the number of colors your camera can read per pixel.

Common bit depths are 8-bit and 10-bit, which enable a camera to read 256 million or 1.07 billion colors respectively. That’s per pixel!

The more colors your camera can read, the more life-like the resulting image will appear. Higher end cameras typically offer greater bit depth than consumer options:

On some professional camcorders and cinema cameras, you can even bump up the bit depth when recording to external media. This enables you to capture even more colors per pixel than the camera supports otherwise.

Still, that’s not the whole story, because capturing all those colors requires a lot of processing power. That’s where chroma subsampling comes in.

Chroma Subsampling

Chroma subsampling sounds much more complicated than it is. Essentially, to save processing power, many cameras don’t capture color information about every single pixel. Instead, they fill in the gaps by “guessing” what’s in between.

Most consumer cameras offer 4:2:0 chroma subsampling. It means that for the first row of four pixels, the camera will capture information from two of them. For the second row, it won’t capture any. Here’s what that looks like for each pixel:

The next step up would be 4:2:2 chroma subsampling. In this case, the camera would capture color information from two pixels in each row of four.

And finally, in only the very top-of-the-line cinema cameras, you can find cameras that capture information from every single pixel. That’s referred to as 4:4:4 chroma subsampling, and it looks like this:

Adding to the complexity, and much like bit depth, you can often capture a higher quality of footage when recording to external media. Here’s how your chroma subsampling options break out across different tiers of cameras:

Bringing It All Together

A lot happens to the image the camera captures after it hits the sensor. The camera’s bit rate, bit depth, and chroma subsampling all impact the footage quality that results. By better understanding these factors for image quality, you can make a wiser choice when selecting your next camera for a video project.

Questions about image quality for video? Please share in the comments below!

The post Pixel Perfect: Understanding Image Quality for Video appeared first on SproutVideo.

The plain and simple answer is a definite NO. As Nick LaClair explains in this episode of our How To Video: Camera series, a lot of the difference in footage quality comes down to the role sensors play in processing visual information. Keep reading for a deep dive into how camera sensor size impacts everything, from depth of field and the size of the frame to the level of noise in your image.

Making Sense of Sensors

A camera sensor is the part of the camera that converts whatever you see through the viewfinder or monitor into a digital image. Basically, a sensor captures light entering the lens and converts it into a tiny electronic signal that the camera’s software can use to generate an image.

Each image constitutes a single frame of video. A second of video contains multiple frames. The exact number depends on your camera’s setting, typically anywhere from 24 – 240 frames per second.

In this video, Nick LaClair breaks down the differences between sensors in a range of camera options, and provides guidance on selecting the right camera and sensor for your project.

Deep Dive on Sensors

In order to understand the difference the sensor size makes to your image quality, you also have to understand two key concepts: depth of field, and effective focal length.

Sensors and Depth of Field

Depth of field refers to the camera’s ability to focus within the frame. 

A shallow depth of field means that the subject will be in focus, while the background will appear blurry. This can lend a beautiful and professional look to your footage. It gives a cinematic feel to your shot.

A deep depth of field enables you to capture more of the image in focus. For instance, if your subject is in front of something important you want the audience to be able to see, you’ll need a deep depth of field to keep it in focus.

Generally speaking, the larger the sensor, the shallower the depth of field at any aperture. Aperture is a camera setting that controls how much light hits the sensor.

When working with a large sensor with a correspondingly shallow depth of field, you need to close down the aperture in order to deepen the depth of field. Because that reduces the amount of light hitting the sensor, you need to add lighting to your shot to compensate for the aperture setting.

This increases the complexity of your production significantly. In certain circumstances, selecting a camera with a smaller sensor would be a better choice.

Effective Focal Length

Effective focal length is created by the image cropping that results when you combine a specific lens with a specific camera. The same lens can be a wide on one camera or a telephoto on another depending on the size of the sensor. Let’s break down how that works.

Basically, the smaller the sensor, the wider the lens you need to capture the same scene as a full frame camera. And, the wider the lens, the deeper your depth of field at any given aperture. Put another way, the longer the focal length of the lens, the shallower the depth of field, and the more compressed the background. Got it?

Here’s an example that illustrates the point. The kit lens included with many basic consumer cameras varies according to the sensor size in order to deliver a similar range, from a wide angle to a zoomed in shot.

Because of the image cropping that occurs, the combination of each lens with each sensor size gives you a similar ability to shoot a wide angle or to zoom in on a subject. The effective focal length is similar across these pairs.

Which Sensor is in Which Camera?

Today, there is greater variation in sensor size within price tiers than there used to be. Here’s how sensors typically differ across different types of cameras:

In the image above, the full frame sensor is grayed out for the DSLR / mirrorless cameras because they don’t truly offer full frame sensors. Although this setting is available on some consumer models, they have to “cheat” to record video on a full frame sensor. As a result, there is a trade-off in terms of overall image quality.

At the bottom of range, portable consumer cameras typically have small sensors, which result in a lower quality image, and less control over the depth of field. At the very top, you’ll find full frame cinema cameras, which produce incredibly high quality images, with plenty of control over depth of field.

However, there is also a significant difference in terms of the level of technical expertise required to operate these different cameras, as well as the price. As a general rule, the larger the sensor, the higher the price, and the more complex it is to film with the camera.

Selecting a Sensor Size

What size sensor is right for your project? It all depends on your budget, and the level of control required over your depth of field.

Considering Budget

Budget is clearly a factor when selecting a camera, and larger sensors are associated with higher prices. Think through the type of investment you’re willing to make in video. Do you plan to produce high quality video on a regular basis? If so, it might be worthwhile to invest in a camera with a larger sensor since it will provide more flexibility and value over time.

However, it’s certainly true that sometimes, the best camera is the one you already have – usually your phone. It all comes down to what you’re looking to achieve with video. It’s possible your audience cares more about your ideas than whether your footage looks truly polished.

Factoring in Depth of Field

If your shoots vary significantly, you likely need more control over depth of field. That’s because you’ll need the ability to selectively focus and adjust to different settings.

On the other hand, if you’re mainly filming very simple videos with a fixed perspective, depth of field might not be a significant factor in your decision. There are even certain scenarios where a smaller sensor can even be advantageous.

For example, say you’re shooting a corporate presentation. You’ll probably need to keep the presenter in focus as well as the visual aids behind them. An iPhone would capture everything clearly.

As mentioned above, on a professional camera with a big sensor, you’ll need more light to close down the aperture enough to get a deeper depth of field. That means more equipment, setup time, and light. Otherwise you risk losing focus on important parts of the scene.

After weighing your budget and production needs, you should be able to select an optimal sensor size. Of course, whether you need other bells and whistles in a camera is a different matter.

Understanding camera sensors is key to understanding the difference between tiers of camera models, as well as the difference in the image quality they can produce. If you have questions about camera sensors, please share in the comments below.

SproutVideo supports UltraHD video playback – up to 8K! We also accept file sizes up to 100 GB. So, bring on the high quality footage and let your videos shine with a free trial.

The post Camera Sensors: Does Size Matter? appeared first on SproutVideo.