7 must-have accessories for videographers to shoot HQ video

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We are now used to see things and experiencing them in ways that are larger than life. Even a simple smartphone is now equipped to shoot videos of the best quality making even regular people hobby videographers. After all, we want to see life in the best quality possible.

Every day we see movies being made in dimensions that we never thought were possible. All this is because of the technology at our disposal and how we use it.

One of the best examples of technology being used well is in the cameras and phones we use today, as I mentioned smartphones are an example. We have 1080p and 4K high-quality video because of all the equipment and technology in our hands. Just imagine if we didn’t have all that.

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As technology is progressing things are changing at a rapid rate and we are happily adopting those changes.

Why a camera needs accessories?

A camera itself is quite can be a complicated piece of equipment to handle and adding on accessories means making it more complicated, as one would think. Although, if you wish to shoot videos or take pictures that are extremely high in quality, then you should hustle and learn a little.

Adding accessories to your camera will help you get a good frame in place along with a good resolution for your video. Anything and everything that can cause jitter in your videos are minimized with these accessories.

The kind of videos that are being produced by today’s cameras, whether it’s a DSLR, mirrorless or a normal smartphone camera, is all just way too phenomenal.

The reason behind the marvelous shots are the accessories all these videographers are putting to use with their cameras, along with a bunch of hard work.

videographer
It doesn’t matter how stable you are while holding the camera, you will always feel the need for a tripod or a monopod when it comes to smooth panning and tilting.

Here are the best accessories to go with any camera

1. Tripod: A Literal Support

We all know about this three-legged piece of equipment and probably have seen videographers using it all the time. Every videographer will swear by the help that their tripods have given them.

Even beginners would know about the great support offered by a tripod even at the start of their career.

It doesn’t matter how stable you are while holding the camera, you will always feel the need for a tripod or a monopod when it comes to smooth panning and tilting.

Whenever you go shopping for a tripod don’t forget to look for the below-mentioned features in it because the market is quite huge and varied when it comes to camera equipment.

  • A lockable pan: The flexibility that you get with a lockable pan is amazing. You can simply lock your camera at an angle and pan away from any way you want.
  • A damped fluid effect: To some, the name might seem weird but when you use this feature, you will thank the one who incorporated this. It simply helps you get ultra-smooth pans without much effort.
  • A dolly: It is not a literal doll contrary to what it sounds like. It is the triangular frame that you can use with castor wheels along with mounting your tripod on top of it to make the camera move conveniently. If you need some serious work done, use this for sure.

These three usually come in a kit considering how most videographers would want them in their videography kit.

Along with that, there are other things that you need to keep very customized depending on the kind of videos you would be shooting. For example, the extensibility options with the height of your tripod legs.

Tripod heads also come in various types while tripod legs vary depending on the kind of material they have been made out of.

You have to ask yourself all these questions before buying one, that which features exactly make it easier for you to shoot, what you will be shooting in the future.

2. LCD Hood: See Before You Leap

Videographers in the industry do a lot of live videos where they continuously need to see what is coming into the frame of the camera. Usually, an LCD hood is what most professionals use when they have such a requirement.

A tripod will work well where the camera is sitting at one frame but when you need to have the camera in your hands, then an LCD hood is exactly what you need to get the job done.

You will be continuously monitoring each shot this way and you can adjust anything you want, even mid-way.

It is the most helpful accessory when you are shooting in live view as you can see in the monitor side by side and compose your video exactly how you wish to.

These devices usually have added on equipment that keeps you stable with the camera, otherwise, it might get a little tricky to handle.

3. Wireless mics: Sound Quality Really Matters

The number of times we have hated bad sound quality with good quality video is just countless. A good professional knows how much sound is important to a good quality video.

This is the reason we have mics and wireless options available, to enhance that auditory experience for the end user of the video.

There are numerous accessories available that solve this sound quality problem. Usually, cameras have a small microphone which doesn’t turn out to be enough and adding external mics is the only logical option left.

Making sure you capture the sound beautifully is a very important detail in itself which you can master with the help of an accessory like wireless mics.

You can take your videos to an entirely new level by using lavalier mics and headphones along with your camera as they have built-in transmitters that connect directly to your cameras.

Moreover, they keep your camera kit limited since its obviously not easy to handle too much equipment at once.

Lavalier mics are the most used out of sound supportive devices because you simply attach them to someone’s shirt and have them connected to your camera directly and give you the highest quality sound for your high-quality video.

Why something like this would be suggested is that the end result is clearer and better because there is nothing more upsetting than bad sound in a video.

4. Flood lamp: Walk into the light

Whether its videography or photography, everything is about light with them. Getting that perfect light was impossible at a certain point and many other limitations were present too before. Any video can go from good to great if there is a perfect lighting present.

A flood lamp is what solves this problem of yours. If you need that extra light to shoot something like advertisements, you will always see flood lamps around.

Also, the requirements of the amount of light can really vary from project to project, so to make sure you have the right lighting, a flood lamp is a must.

Today’s cameras can easily capture a frame in low light because they are being designed with better apertures, but a little extra light can only be induced with an L-light flood lamp.

With technology progressing you will see a lot of new adjustable features as well. Moreover, it will very easily match up to your requirements in varied situations.

One tip that any videographer will give you is to buy filters for the largest diameter lens if you want flexibility.

5. Density filters: Filter it out

Filters are the third most important thing on the priority list when it comes to shooting videos. Sometimes, the required light can be more than you want. They become really important when you have to shoot in undesirable conditions.

Commonly known as a neutral density filter, this one keeps a check on the number of jitters in your video. It can get really annoying to have a jittery video due to a fast shutter speed when you also can’t do without it.

One tip that any videographer will give you is to buy filters for the largest diameter lens if you want flexibility.

These filters simply make sure that your video isn’t unnatural and you can even slow down your shutter speed a little to get that perfect shot. You can even shoot in really bright environments if you want, with the help of filters like this.

When you buy a density filter you can either choose to buy one with more density or have a number of them stacked up according to the result you wish to achieve with them.

The more filters you add, the better amount of light you will be able to cut out of the portion falling on the lens.

6. Stand-alone recorders: Again, sound matters

As we have established before that most cameras can easily capture a good quality video but can’t match up with sound. You can add numerous mics but a stand-alone recorder will work its magic like anything.

Mostly, there are people who handle the sound part separately but if you are a videographer who gets it all done by yourself, this accessory is much needed.

You get to have that perfect high-quality video with the help of an add on like this, that gives you such versatile options.

You can put it anywhere you want and it will get on with what it is supposed to do and in turn, you will have the crisp, clear sound that will make your video go from great to excellent.

The only drawback you have with this one is that your editing time increases as you will have to sync up the audio with the video using software’s, but the results are still unmatchable and the flexibility is the main benefit you have here. Your recorder might be in one corner while you might be sitting in another corner of the room.

videographers
Many videographers also use a slider for smaller projects, you can think of it as a smaller version of rails.

7. Rails: Move swiftly through the video

This equipment is something that most advanced level videographers use and where a tripod might not be the best option. The camera movement generated through rails is although out of question for comparison.

Most cameramen that work with movies know the importance of rails in their work.

The situation where rails work best is where you need to make transitions like crazy. You can tighten them or make them wider as per your choice. The flexibility offered by this camera accessory is simply crazy.

Many videographers also use a slider for smaller projects, you can think of it as a smaller version of rails.

It is quite affordable equipment as well but works for a smaller scale only, for camera movement especially. Although, overusing it might make your videos monotonous so know the right balance, otherwise all your videos will look like tracking shots at the end.

The price associated with rails of good quality is a bit much sometimes but no one can beat their time-lapse videos for sure.

You can get cheaper ones as well that do the basic function that they are supposed to but advanced models really work well with automatic cameras. It depends on the budget as well you would want to put aside for this.

Wrapping up

If you are totally into videography and wish to make something out of it then having these accessories is a must for you. Most professionals can’t do without them if a high-quality video has to be shot.

The best way to still get great videos is to continuously keep learning in the industry and using these tools at your disposal creatively. You can easily learn how to use them because none of the accessories are as tricky to use, as they might sound.

Once you start using even one of these you will know which one is more important to you and with which one you can do without.

It is all about finding that balance between all the equipment and the skills you put into it. There will always be scope for improvement.

Hope you guys found this post helpful. Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter, or Facebook. You can also comment on our MeWe page by joining the MeWe social network.

Author bio:

Hi, I’m Jennifer, a passionate singer and an audiophile from Detroit, MI. I blog at Sound Maximum. I’m on a mission to help music creators to create fine music that helps them position uniquely in the saturated music space.

Last Updated on February 3, 2021.

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