ESSENTIAL GEAR is a regular feature produced in collaboration with StudioDaily’s exclusive retail partner, Adorama.
Camera support may not be the fastest-evolving area of the production industry, but the state of the art keeps moving forward. Even in the relatively prosaic world of tripods and video heads, technical innovation can make a big difference in your comfort and creativity on a shoot. Here is some camera-support gear that’s making a difference on today’s shoots.
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DJI Osmo Pocket 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilized Handheld Camera
No, you’re probably not going to shoot a feature film with a consumer camera — although if Steven Soderbergh can make High Flying Bird for Netflix on his iPhone, there may be ways consumer gear can work for you, too. Director Mark Cousins recently told us he used a DJI Osmo camera to shoot scenes for his documentary The Eyes of Orson Welles in part because of its small form factor. With 4K recording, three-axis gimbal stabilization, and an easy time-lapse setting, it’s a remarkable amount of camera for $349.
Learn more about the DJI Osmo Pocket 3-axis gimbal-stabilized handheld camera at Adorama | SHOP NOW
Manfrotto Nitrotech Fluid Heads
The “Nitro” in Manfrotto’s Nitrotech is nitrogen gas, the key ingredient in an innovative nitrogen piston system driving the fluid heads’ continuous counterbalancing. The technology comes in two different head designs — the Nitrotech N8, which holds up to 8 kg, and the Nitrotech N12, which holds from 4 kg to 12 kg — that squarely address the need for lightweight video heads for smaller camera form factors.
Learn more about Manfrotto Nitrotech Fluid Heads at Adorama | SHOP NOW
Sachtler Flowtech 100 Carbon Fibre Tripod
Sachtler calls them the “world’s fastest tripod legs,” and they’re designed to make a single camera operator happy — in part by putting the brake levers for deploying the legs and adjusting the height up at the top of the tripod, near the camera itself. Flowtech fans swear by the combination of ease of use and stability. The original design had a 75mm bowl, but this newer, beefier 100mm version holds up to 48 lbs. (22 kg), depending on configuration.
Learn more about the Sachtler Flowtech 100 carbon fibre tripod at Adorama | SHOP NOW
