> Cameras, lenses, audio and lighting — what to buy to shoot a documentary on any budget.

*Source : https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/*

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# Gear

Cameras, lenses, audio and lighting — what to buy to shoot a documentary on any budget.

Affiliate link · Gear

We test and recommend documentary gear independently. Buying through our partner links helps fund the magazine, at no extra cost to you.

[Browse gear at B&H](https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Video-Cameras/ci/13518/N/4029491958)

[![A videographer with a mirrorless camera](https://indianpointfilm.com/images/covers/best-camera-documentary.webp)](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/best-cameras-for-documentary-filmmaking/)

Gear

### [The Best Cameras for Documentary Filmmaking](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/best-cameras-for-documentary-filmmaking/)

Forget the spec-sheet wars. Here's what a documentary camera actually needs to do, and the bodies that do it.

18 Feb 2022

[![A clip-on lavalier microphone](https://indianpointfilm.com/images/covers/best-lavalier-mic.webp)](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/best-lavalier-microphones-interviews/)

Gear

### [The Best Lavalier Microphones for Interviews on a Budget](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/best-lavalier-microphones-interviews/)

Bad sound kills a documentary faster than bad pictures. Here are the lav mics that'll save your interviews without draining the budget.

14 Dec 2021

[![A portable audio field recorder](https://indianpointfilm.com/images/covers/best-field-recorder.webp)](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/best-audio-recorders-documentary/)

Gear

### [The Best Audio Recorders for Documentary Sound](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/best-audio-recorders-documentary/)

Your camera records sound. It records it badly. Here's why a dedicated field recorder belongs in your bag, and which one to buy.

20 Oct 2021

[![A camera on a gimbal stabiliser](https://indianpointfilm.com/images/covers/best-budget-gimbal.webp)](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/best-budget-gimbals-filmmaking/)

Gear

### [The Best Budget Gimbals for Run-and-Gun Shooting](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/best-budget-gimbals-filmmaking/)

A gimbal turns shaky handheld into smooth, moving footage — if you pick the right one and don't fight it. Here's what to buy.

3 Aug 2021

[![A studio lighting setup](https://indianpointfilm.com/images/covers/interview-lighting.webp)](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/interview-lighting-setup-guide/)

Gear

### [How to Light an Interview: A Practical Setup Guide](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/interview-lighting-setup-guide/)

A well-lit talking head separates a real documentary from a webcam call. Here's the setup, the gear, and the thinking behind both.

25 May 2021

[![A camera gear kit laid out](https://indianpointfilm.com/images/covers/documentary-gear-kit.webp)](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/documentary-gear-kit-under-2000/)

Gear

### [A Complete Documentary Gear Kit Under $2,000](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/documentary-gear-kit-under-2000/)

Camera, lens, sound, light, support — a real, usable documentary kit that comes in under two grand. Here's exactly how I'd spend it.

16 Mar 2021

[![A collection of camera lenses](https://indianpointfilm.com/images/covers/best-lens-documentary.webp)](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/best-lenses-documentary-interviews/)

Gear

### [The Best Lenses for Documentary and Interview Work](https://indianpointfilm.com/gear/best-lenses-documentary-interviews/)

The lens shapes your image more than the camera does. Here's the glass that earns its place in a documentary bag.

8 Dec 2020