Gear

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

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Gear

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

18 Feb 2022

Gear

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

Gear

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

Gear

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

Gear

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

Gear

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

Gear

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