Smartphone Gear Recommendations for 2021

One of the most common questions I get is, “What is the best camera for me to buy?” My response usually is, “What kind of camera do you feel comfortable using?”

Because the reality is, in our busy world today - you need to work with something you feel comfy with, in order to stick to a new video making schedule. So, why not use your smartphone? Seriously! Most of them have amazing picture, and great capabilities. But, there is gear that will help you get the best out of the phone’s capabilities - without breaking the bank. So, here goes - my recommendations for gear!

1. Gorillapod Universal Smartphone Tripod

I’ve had this tripod for YEARS, and ya know what? It it’s not broke, don’t fix it….right? I love it because it’s so easy to use, and if you’re outside you can bend it around a tree branch, signpost, railing, etc…Incredibly handy!

2. Rode Smartlav+ Omnidirectional Microphone

This is such a workhorse of a mic, I love it. Yes, I understand…it’s not wireless, so that can be a hassle. BUT, ya know what’s good about a wired mic? You don’t need BATTERIES for it - so, it’s one less thing to go wrong on your shoot. The cord isn’t all that long, so I do suggest getting a cord extension and if you have an iphone you’ll need a lightning port adapter.

3. Dimmable Ring Light With Various Color Temperatures

I think ring lights sometimes get a bad wrap for being “cheesy”. But, the honest truth is…they work! They are an easy way to flip on a light, and be camera ready in minutes. I like this one because it also has a stand for your phone, and various color temperatures. Tip: It also has an adjustable head, so if you want to use it to light up your entire room, put it on full blast - and point it at the ceiling!

4. DJI Osmo Mobile Gimbal

Do you capture video on the go? This is the tool for you! It will help you keep things smooth and fluid. It may take a little practice at first, so keep that in mind when you’re planning on using it.

5. Lens Kit

This lens kit is such a great way to vary your video and photos. Plus, it has a telephoto lens - which, we’ll all want to use while social distancing!

6. Softbox Light Kit

So, what’s the difference between a softbox light kit, and a ring light? When you have a kit, you have more flexibility because you can light yourself, and something else in the room at the same time. This could be food, or something in the background of your talking head shot, or just giving the room a more even feel. Also, if you have glasses and are getting a lot of glare from your ringlight- try two softboxes! Simply position them on each side of you, instead of directly in front - and that should solve your glare problem.

7. Sand Bags

Safety is SO important when you are using any kind of lighting. So, if you’re buying a ring light, or a softbox set - you REALLY should be getting sandbags. It’s because lighting equipment is incredibly top heavy - so it’s important to balance things out so your lights don’t tip over.

8. Light Reflector

Doing a lot of shooting outside? A light reflector is your friend! Basically, it helps you take the sun…and make it your lighting assistant! Keep in mind, you will need an extra set of hands to hold it - but, it’s a cheap alternative when you need a little light on your product, or someone’s face when you’re shooting a close up.

9. Daylight Bulbs

Are you noticing that the lamps in the background of your shot are a weird orange color? That’s because the camera sees sunlight, and lightbulbs as different color temperatures, basically. One way to make your shot less distracting, is to change the bulbs where you are usually shooting with your phone, to daylight - so they match the light streaming in front the window!

10. Cleaning Cloths

The number one thing you can do to make a difference in your shots…? CLEAN YOUR LENS. Every single time you’re going to use your phone - because that thing gets realllllly nasty, quick. It may seem like a simple thing, but everyone seems to forget when they are in a rush!

I hope this has been helpful! If you or your team needs help getting up and running with video, I’d be happy to help. I teach many different workshops, including one about using your Smartphone for Professional looking video. Also, these are amazon affiliate links - but, I don’t recommend things that I haven’t already used myself (or have my eye on, if the exact model wasn’t available online). Thanks for visiting, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions about professional video projects, workshops I offer, or using your smartphone to create badass content! Keep puking rainbows, everyone.

Erica Hanna
Owner, Puke Rainbows
6 Time Emmy Award Winning Video Director

DIY Video vs Hiring a Professional (Updated January '18)

Here is a video update with where I stand on DIY vs hiring a professional crew. Not a lot of changes, but - I do have a suggestion for figuring out if it's worth it for your org! 

(original post from Feb, 2015 is as follows)

In January I had the privilege to sit on a panel with some amazing video experts in the Twin Cities, at Social Media Breakfast. We gave DIY tips, tricks, and resources to check out. We talked about the evil thing that is autoplay (in my opinion), and which brands we think are doing a great job when it comes to video content. But, we ran out of time before getting to one question.

"When should you hire a professional? When should you just do it yourself?"

Great question. Of course, being a professional that would like to work with you (hint hint, I like your new outfit...you look great!), of course I lean towards the "You should always hire a professional," camp. But, with the technology and creative spirit that is out there, I don't think you should go without video content...just because your budget doesn't allow for a professional. So, here are a few scenarios where...if playing the part of content strategist, I'd make the decision to hire versus doing it in house.
 

First, what videos are best done in house?

1. Behind the scenes videos: anything meant for social media/candid content.Are you reacting to a current event? What about office games, singing happy birthday, off the cuff reviews of a product? Why? These videos are meant to show the current personality of your team. They show how real you are. Spontaneous. Back during my days at BringMeTheNews.com we took a video of our newsroom when our website was down. We were playing paddleball, reading, dancing, juggling...of course it was staged, but it was fun content to throw on social media, to curb the complainers while our IT folks worked their magic to get us up and running again.

2. 7-15 second vine/instagram style posts. Again, this will be very "inside baseball" content of your team. Of course, if you want these to appear polished and if they have any type of comedic timing whatsoever...I'd say hire a pro to shoot a bunch of them at once to maximize the time you're paying for.

3. Challenges. Think: ice bucket challenge, the lutefisk challenge. These are easy to do with your smart phone (Just remember to turn it sideways! Vertical video is evil! Do you suffer from vertical video syndrome?)

4. Media moments. Is your boss being interviewed? Take a quick video before, during or after the interview, to post to your website and/or social media accounts to get some extra PR out of the deal. Build buzz.

When should you hire a professional?

1. For everything else. (ok, just kidding...)

2. Videos starring people who have never been on camera before. Seasoned directors know what it takes to get new talent to feel at ease, and deliver in an authentic/non-salesy manner.

3. Content with staying power. Do you have a great video idea that will resonate with your audience and share for a long time due to the timeless content? Or, something that will live on your website/be sent to potential clients or partners, for a good chunk of time? Remember, if people are seeing something from your brand for the first time, you want that initial impression to be a good one.

4. B2B Content. Research shows that 65% of executives will visit the website of a vendor, after viewing a video from them. Boom.

5. When your other content is no longer helping you achieve the goals you set out to tackle. Are things stagnant? Nobody watching? A professional can step in with an objective/honest opinion. Some are only comfortable on the production end of things, but folks like Puke Rainbows (shameless plug, yes!) also handle strategy, and look at market research to help figure out where things could be goin' South.

6. When you want to take a creative risk. Video professionals live for this stuff. We want to help you stand out, and push our creative chops as well. With so much content out there, taking a risk...really isn't as risky as it once was. Want to cut through the clutter? Ask a professional for help.

7. Training videos. If you are going to make staff sit through these things...the worst thing is watching something that has horrible audio, or questionable craftsmanship. In fact, it detracts from the idea of training the employee.

8. When the expense makes sense. Many companies think that DIY video in house "saves money"...this is not always the truth. Just like any profession, video professionals are much more efficient at what they do, than the average bear. This is the same reason why I hire an accountant to do my taxes. Because it's just not worth it for me to try to do it...it takes me days, it takes him 45 minutes. Back in my TV days I'd write/shoot/edit more than six videos per day. I've held the hands of teams of 3-4 inexperienced folks attempting DIY video, and it takes them 2 full weeks, 80 hours/per person to put together a 2 minute video. That's more than $6,000 for employees making $25/hour. I'm willing to bet, their time would have been more valuable to said company, spent actually putting together a distribution/PR plan for the video, instead of producing/shooting/editing it. Weigh the cost of your employee's time, before you scoff at giving them a budget for video.

I know these are just a few examples, but it's a good start! Let me know if you have any questions or comments. This is just a simple conversation starter. :) Keep puking rainbows, my friends...and thanks for reading!