A Minimal Approach to Wedding Videography Equipment
When it comes to filming weddings, without a doubt, the most important thing is having cameras and other pieces of equipment to be able to capture your day. As a wedding videographer, I have built an extensive collection of professional equipment but always apply a minimal approach to equipment and bags when it comes to filming a wedding.
I employ a minimal approach for many reasons, the main one being that I do not want to be in the way at any stage or encroach on your wedding day. Your wedding day should flow naturally, so big and bulky equipment would simply not work.
Find out more about the wedding videography equipment in my kit list below!
Camera Equipment
3 x Lumix S5's
The most important pieces of wedding videography equipment I own are my cameras. I bring with me three Lumix S5 cameras to each and every wedding I film. I do this to ensure that I can ensure I can capture the best angles during your ceremony and speeches. I also bring three cameras for backup purposes, because if one were to break, I have another two I can use.
There are so many reasons why I chose the Lumix S5 as my camera of choice, and if you’re into the technology, I’ve listed some of the reasons why these cameras as amongst the best for wedding videography equipment.
Full-frame Sensor
The Lumix S5 features a full-frame sensor, which provides excellent low-light performance and shallow depth of field, making it ideal for shooting in dimly-lit wedding venues or creating a cinematic look.
High-quality video
The Lumix S5 can shoot 4K video at up to 60 frames per second, which allows me to slow footage down, which is perfect for capturing the fast-paced action of a wedding ceremony or reception. It also features a variety of video recording modes, including 10-bit 4:2:2 internal recording, which delivers high-quality footage with greater color depth and dynamic range.
Dual Image Stabilisation
The Lumix S5 features Dual Image Stabilization (IBIS and OIS), which helps to keep my shots stable and free from unwanted camera shake. This is particularly important when shooting handheld or in low-light conditions.
Compact and Lightweight
The Lumix S5 is relatively compact and lightweight compared to other full-frame cameras, making it easier to carry and maneuver throughout a wedding day.
Aerial Wedding Videography Equipment
DJI Mini 3 Pro Drone
One of the most spectacular and engaging shots I can acheive at a wedding is with the DJI Mini 3 Pro. It’s lightweight whilst being able to produce cinematic 4k video, which makes it ideal to bring to weddings up and down the country, and abroad too!
It weighs 249 grams, which also means I can fly it without too many restrictions (other than certain types of airspace, if a venue refuses or if the weather is bad).
Video from the drone is used for establishing shots of your venue and also, if appropriate used to get some other creative angles of the surrounding area and of your wedding party, if there is a lot going on outside for example.
Here are some shots from Notley Tythe Barn in Oxfordshire to show you some of the shots I am able to achieve with the DJI Mini 3 Pro.
Audio & Microphones
Sony TX660's, Tascam DR-10-x & Zoom H1n
Capturing audio from your day is as important to me as it is to capture great footage. Your wedding film isn’t a music video and will contain the sounds of your wedding ceremony, speeches, and other moments that may not be captured through the cameras I use alone. I capture the entirety of your speeches and ceremony on small, wireless microphones to ensure that all of the laughter and emotion of these special moments are all preserved to help you to relive those special moments for years to come.
I use discreet, wireless Sony TX660’s that I clip into jacket pockets, the back of a tie, a waistcoat, or even a clipboard or onto a microphone that the venue provides for your speeches. This allows me to capture professional audio throughout your wedding day and of course, those all-important moments during your ceremony and speeches.
I also bring with me a Tascam DR10-X, which allows me to plug directly into a DJ booth or speaker to capture speeches, which is particularly good if you’re in a marquee or doing a DIY wedding. Furthermore, I bring a Zoom H1n, which is great for backup audio, and usually place this on your top table during speeches and behind some flowers during the ceremony.
Gimbal for Even Smoother Footage
DJI RSC 3 Mini
I like to remain handheld with my cameras for the majority of your wedding day to ensure a natural, more documentary approach. However, for certain shots that require elongated smooth motion during your wedding such as your confetti moment and establishing room shots, some additional wedding videography equipment is needed to achieve them.
To achieve these smooth shots, I use what is called a gimbal, which again I have opted to be as small and discreet as possible. The gimbal I use is a DJI RS 3 Mini, which is light, compact, and easy to set up so it’s ready to go during those key moments of your wedding day.
Lenses
20-60mm, 35mm, 50mm & 85mm
Throughout the day, you’ll see me with a couple of cameras on me. One in my hand and the other attached to my belt… more about that later! Each camera I use will have a different lens attached to it to achieve a different look including bokeh and depth of field.
In a nutshell, I use the 20-60mm and 35mm lenses for wider shots and the 50mm and the 85mm for when I am further from a subject, or for some really nice close-up details.
Each lens I use is a conscious choice, and you’ll see me swapping things around depending on the light, distance to the subject or simply because I’m feeling creative!
What Other Wedding Videography Equipment Do I bring?
I bring an array of other wedding videography equipment, tools, and gadgets to a wedding to ensure that I am able to work professionally and creatively throughout your day.
This blog would most certainly be far too long to detail each and every element, but here’s a list of all of the other bits of kit I bring! Rememebr, all of this including the wedding videography equipment I’ve listed above, all fits in ONE bag!
- Spare Batteries
- Spare SD Cards
- 2 x Tripods
- Monopod
- Portable Charger
- Various Cables
- Black Electrical Tape
- Lens Cleaning Kit
- UV Lens Filters
- Variable ND Lens Filters
- Allen Keys (so, so handy!)
- Snacks and a Refillable Bottle!
