The public have spoken! I popped a poll onto my Instagram stories asking what article you would rather see next. The choices were “What’s in my kitbag?” Or “A full project breakdown”.
The majority of votes were cast to the kitbag option. So here we are. A comprehensive list of everything in my kitbag in no specific order apart from camera first:
- Sony A7iv Mirrorless Camera
- DJI RS2 Gimbal
- Sigma 56mm f1.4 Lens
- Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art Lens
- Helios 44-2 58mm Lens
- Viltrox DC-550 Pro Monitor
- DJI Dual USB Microphones
- Sennheiser MKE 600 Shotgun Microphone
- Sennheiser HD 25 MK II Headphones
- Sony NP-FZ100 Z Series Rechargeable Batteries
- SmallRig Cage for Sony A7iv
- SmallRig Side Handle
- SmallRig Top Handle
- SmallRig Matte Box Lite
- K&F Concept Nano-X Series Black Mist Diffusion Variable ND Filter
- K&F Concept Variable ND Filter
- Step Up & Step Down Rings Set
- Manfrotto Element MII Aluminium Tripod
- Manfrotto 3N1-25 PL Rucksack
- Lexar Professional 64GB V90 SD Cards
- Konova K1 80cm Camera Slider
- Newer 18inch Ring Light
- For those of you who would like to know a little bit more and where to by any of the above, keep on reading.
Sony A7iv Mirrorless Camera
My pride and joy is the Sony A7iv Mirrorless Camera. It accompanies me on every shoot (I’d seriously struggle without it) and so far has never let me down.
A solid hybrid camera capable of shooting photos to 34 megapixels and video in 4K to 60fps. With the Sony A7iv it’s really easy to switch from photo to video and a variety of presets for each.
DJI RS2 Gimbal
I purchased the RS2 Gimbal by DJI back in 2022 when my main camera was a smaller Sony A6000. Even after upgrading to the larger and heavier Sony A7iv, the DJI RS2 still works a treat.
Made with carbon fibre parts, it’s super lightweight, has plenty of motion options and the battery still lasts ages after almost two years of use.
Sigma 56mm f1.4 Lens
For those who already know me and my work, this lens needs very little introduction. It’s my favourite lens. The first alternative lens I purchased when I first set out on my photography and videography journey.
With it’s crystal clarity, super sharp image and incredible bokeh. It is not only one of the best lenses for starting out, but is capable holding a top spot in anybody’s kitbag regardless of how long you have been shooting.
Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art Lens
The Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art Lens is my go to for shooting talking head and interview style videos. Not to mention a fantastic lens which is super sharp for capturing anything from portraits to architecture photos.
It is a little on the chunky side for a 35mm lens, but well worth the extra weight in your bag and offers incredible imagery from low to high apertures.
Helios 44-2 58mm Lens
This is my bargain beast. It cost me less than £50 on eBay, was made in the 1970’s USSR, is made almost entirely of metal and glass and has manual focus and aperture only.
Not sure if any of the above is selling it to you, so I’ll let the video below do the talking. This was captured with the addition of my K&F Concept Nano-X Black Mist Filter on my recent trip to France.
Viltrox DC-550 Pro Monitor
This is one of my most recent purchased. I’ve only used it a handful of times since buying, but whenever I have, it’s improved the overall framing and composition of my work dramatically.
The bright, 4K HDMI display allows me to see everything my camera sees. Giving me the bigger picture before I hit record and enabling me to make slight adjustments to perfect my composition. Not to mention they’re at the budget end of the spectrum when it comes to external videography monitors.
DJI Dual USB Microphones
How I haven’t picked up a set of these sooner is beyond me. I first used them in November 2023 when I started working on projects with LIND Group for their car and motorcycle dealerships.
Prior to this I had only ever used lav mics that require calibrating in order to get the right recording frequencies. These do not need any of that. Out of the box you plug them in, turn them on and you have almost podcast quality audio without any hassle.
The DJI Dual USB Microphones set comes with two clip on/magnetic microphones, a receiver, the necessary cables and a charging box that lasts for ages!
Sennheiser MKE 600 Shotgun Microphone
The Sennheiser MKE 600 is a reasonably priced shotgun mic that packs plenty of punch. It is a battery operated microphone which takes one single AA battery.
I’ve used the Sennheiser MKE 600 to capture an array of content. From interviews and presentations to live gigs and stock sounds.
Sennheiser HD 25 MK II Headphones
Ever since the dawn of time I’ve owned a set of Sennheiser HD 25 MK II headphones. Well, not quite that far back but I did purchase my first pair back in 2010. This is 11 years prior to me purchasing my first camera just 3 years ago.
The HD 25 MK II headphones are world renowned for being some of the greatest noise-cancelling headphones. Used across a huge variety of industries from on set in film studios, to DJs playing live gigs and even sports commentary’s greatest, Chris Kamara is often pictured using them.
Sony NP-FZ100 Z Series Rechargeable Batteries
I don’t have a great deal to say about these really. They’re not the most exciting thing in my photography kitbag. They are however essential.
Every week I see people asking in Facebook groups what the best budget batteries are for the Sony A7iv. The only batteries you should be putting in your camera are those produced by your camera manufacturer for that model.
Cheap batteries may seem tempting, but they are often not as reliable and could potentially cause damage to your most valuable piece of photography or videography equipment.
SmallRig Cage for Sony A7iv
If you want your camera to looks as cool as Matt Damon in the movie Elysium, get yourself a SmallRig Camera Cage. Not only does it look the absolutely business, it serves a great purpose.
Offering an incredible amount of additional support and mounting points. The SmallRig Cage for my Sony A7iv allows me to attach my SmallRig side handle, top handle, Viltrox DC-550 Pro monitor, Sennheiser MKE 600 mic, DJI Dual USB microphone receiver and more.
SmallRig Side Handle
This little beauty comes in handy when my camera is so loaded with gear that my gimbal doesn’t quite know what to do with it. The SmallRig side handle fits beautifully onto my SmallRig camera cage.
As well as looking rather beastie on my rig, it serves a brilliant purpose. From offering an extra carrying point when transporting the camera rig, to reducing lateral movement while shooting videos on the run.
SmallRig Top Handle
As with the side handle, the SmallRig top handle also makes my rig look rather beastie while remaining practical. As well as being another sturdy contract point to hold while filming and carrying, you can also mount other accessories to it.
Most recently I attached my Viltrox monitor to it while on a run and gun outdoor shoot. Leaving plenty of space to grip it while having a shotgun mic or mic receiver attached elsewhere to the cage.
SmallRig Matte Box Lite
Add a SmallRig Matte Box Lite to your set up and everybody thinks you’re filming for a movie or TV show. They look Hollywood and that’s good enough for me.
Oh, and they do serve a purpose. The SmallRig Matte Box is a budget friendly way to block out unwanted glare or light that hits your lens from the wrong angles. Thus, giving you more depth to your footage when filming in harsh light conditions.
Unlike many other matte boxes, the SmallRig Matte Box Lite screws directly onto the filter screw at the end of your lens. Meaning you don’t have to invest in additional clamps, rods and more.
K&F Concept Nano-X Series Black Mist Diffusion Variable ND Filter
This is a really cool filter that gives your photos and video a bit of haze around the harshly lit parts. There’s a time and a place for using the K&F Concept Nano-X Series Black Mist Diffusion filter. And that’s any time you want to add a slightly surreal, dreamy feel to your images.
Whether you’re filming or taking photos, it can transform a standard street scene into something special. The Variable ND version is perfect for capturing video where you cannot adjust your shutter speed.
K&F Concept Variable ND Filter
The K&F Concept Variable ND Filter is my go to for every day filming where I want to maintain a super sharp and accurate to life shot. I have the 67mm version of this to fit my largest lens filter found on the Sigma 35mm f1.4 art lens.
Using step up and step down rings I can make use of this flyer on all of my other lenses which are a little bit smaller. As with the Nano-X Black Mist Diffusion filter, the standard K&F Concept Variable ND Filter means I can adjust the exposure of my image with ease. Without touching any of the on camera settings.
Step Up & Step Down Rings Set
An essential bit of equipment that should be found in almost every photographer’s or videographer’s kitbag. You can get a 15+ pc set on eBay or Amazon for less than £20.
Step Up & Step Down Rings allow you to put smaller filters on bigger lenses and vice-versa. Although I do recommend buying lenses typically bigger than most of your lenses filter sizes.
I.e, if your biggest filter size is 67mm, try to buy filters that are of this size or bigger. That way you can use it on every other lens you have by attaching step up or step down rings.
Manfrotto Element MII Aluminium Tripod
I purchased the Manfrotto Element MII Aluminium Tripod back in 2021 when I first start out on my photography journey. I’ve had it ever since and it’s served me well for photography with the lenses I have and shooting video from a fixed spot.
Although I’ll soon be investing in a larger tripod with an adjustable moving head and handle, I’ll still keep the Element MII in my kit bag for hiking, camping and other projects that need me to be carrying less weight.
Manfrotto 3N1-25 PL Rucksack
The Manfrotto 3N1-25 PL photography rucksack I purchased second hand from eBay a year ago for about £50. The sender wrapped it in two bags for life and slapped a portable label on it. I still have the bags for life and they server a different purpose now.
But back to the rucksack. If you’re looking for something to fit all of your photography gear into and your 15 inch or bigger laptop, this is not it. I mean, it carries most of my gear, just not the laptop unfortunately. Maybe if you’re working from a 13 inch MacBook Pro or tablet, you could get those in there with everything else.
To give you an idea of what I can carry easily in this rucksack, on any typical project I pack in there: Camera, two or three lenses, side handle, top handle, monitor, shotgun mic, mini mics, spare batteries, filters, matte box and some cables.
Lexar Professional 64GB V90 SD Cards
This is a beast. I’ve seen some negative reviews about the Lexar Professional 64GB V90 SD Cards. But it’s one item I’ve had in my photography kitbag for over a year and never experienced a single issue.
When shooting in 4K, or shooting anything for that matter. I do recommend spending a little bit more on your SD Cards. Also don’t go for larger volume SD Cards unless you really really have to.
Shooting on smaller SD Cards means that you are likely to back up the work more often. And, if something does go wrong, you haven’t lost as much.
Konova K1 80cm Camera Slider
Another eBay bargain is the Konova K1 80cm slider. I bought this for £30 plus postage second hand and I call it my £30 Hollywood in a bag. This is another videography essential that transforms your shots without breaking the bank.
With the slider, I attach my camera, point it at the scene, then slide it forwards or backwards. From this motion I get super smooth push in or pull out shots without the need for large tracks or dollies.
Neewer 18 inch Ring Light
The Neewer 18 Inch Ring Light was another second hand online find. This one from Facebook Marketplace for less than £50. Although I’ve only used it a handful of times on paid projects, I’ve more than got my money’s worth back from it.
It may not offer a soft box feel or emit as much light as some more expensive but larger lighting sets. But it’s great to play about with and is very handy for doing creative personal shoots with.
In my Photography and Videography Kitbag Summary
There you have it ladies and gents. That is a quick breakdown of absolutely every bit of photography and videography equipment I own.
If you would like to know more about any specific item or think I should add something else to this list, please let me know in the comments.
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