Reddit mentions: The best video camera supports & stabilizers

If you need the extra stop of light and wafer thin depth of field the Sigma+Metabones provides, sure, go for it. Otherwise go with the Panasonic 18-35. It's lighter, weather sealed (not important in this situation but VERY nice to have if you're filming outdoors). Honestly, I'd seriously consider the Panasonic 18-35 for this application, paired with the Laowa because you might actually want that super wide FOV. You can probably get away with using the kit lens that comes with the G85 for the sit-down interviews, it's actually not bad but won't be as fast as your other lenses - keep that in mind.

Sound - that's a tough one. I don't know if I'd use the Wireless GO for this. I have one, I bought it for "fun" project and youtube series. It works great - but the battery isn't replaceable. If you're trying to build a generally useful kit I think I'd go with the Rode Filmmaker kits - they cost twice as much, true, but they're less visually intrusive and use AA batteries. If the budget will stretch I've found a the Zoom H5 to be great bang for the buck - it's a very flexible, affordable, recorder that can act as an audio interface to a PC as well as a standalone recorder. If you're doing a 2 person podcast you can easily record it all on the zoom and just move to the PC for editing. For video production you can run a shotgun mic and 2 wireless to it easily. I usually use an inexpensive shotgun mic on my B cameras since I sync with audio. I've had good luck with the TAKSTAR SGC-598 for this purpose. It's $25-30, runs for a long time on a single AA battery, and picks up much better sound than the internal mics which makes syncing much easier.

As far as shotgun/wired mic versus wireless for sit-down interviews - it depends. One thing to consider is a hypercardioid pencil mic could be a better choice than a shotgun mic indoors in a smaller space. They're less expensive too:

https://soundslikejoe.com/2014/05/when-not-to-use-shotgun-mic/

You can use a couple of c-stand, boom-holders, and boom poles to mic talent sitting down. A single mic *might* suffice as well. Honestly, even if I were going wireless, I'd put a single mic on a boom above them and try to aim it to best pick up both voices - just as a backup.

I've had really good luck with Watson brand batteries.

I'm shopping for decent inexpensive motorized sliders for myself. I don't have a good answer/recommendation yet. something "on the cheap" that might work for you is getting one of the $60 "auto dolly" gadgets and plopping the G85 down on it. You can have it make a big circle around the room or slowly move in a straight line.

For example: https://www.amazon.com/Andoer-Motorized-Indication-Adjustable-Smartphone/dp/B07H862JKP/ref=pd_cp_421_2?pd_rd_w=UEbel&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=9FG60JPCH90YE315MYPA&pd_rd_r=e0753309-a855-48b2-be50-196243e206d5&pd_rd_wg=dRdWe&pd_rd_i=B07H862JKP&psc=1&refRID=9FG60JPCH90YE315MYPA

On tripods, I also work at a community TV station - so "no budget" is the rule. We've had good luck with the Davis and Sanford Provista 7518B. It's around $130, has a good head for the price point (it's not going to compare to a $4000 pro head, but with a little practice even our inexperienced operators can get smooth pans and tilts out of it - there's no grinding and catching, but it can be a little stiff to start the motion). Check the reviews online in various places - this model seems to be generally considered an excellent value and a good workhorse. It is bulky and heavy, but I'd rather they went with heavier, less expensive materials and good workmanship on the moving parts than the alternative.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1240923-REG/davis_sanford_provista7518b_provista_7518b_tripod_with.html/?ap=y&smp=y&lsft=BI%3A514&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4PaytJXH5AIVh4bACh1DzwDhEAQYASABEgIp3_D_BwE

So, to summarize:

Possibly consider the Panasonic 12-35 over the other options, pair it with the Laowa 7.5 if you need that super wide FOV. Use the G85 kit lens for interviews and make sure to match DOF between cameras.

Consider a Zoom H5, plus 2 Rode Filmmaker kits, plus one or two pencil mics. For podcasting you can actually get a good sound out of a dynamic mic like the Shure SM58 or Behringer XM3800 (basically a clone of the shure), they're $50 or less. You might want to pick up inexpensive shotgun mics like the Takstar for each camera to ensure consistent sound when you sync.

Watson batteries.

Davis and Sanford 7518b tripods.

Though not obligatory, a cage is a good option because it provides additional mounting points around the camera. If you get something like SmallRig's VersaFrame cage, then you can use these micro rods and this 15mm clamp to mount the cage's baseplate on the shoulder pad's rods.

Alternatively, you can use this small baseplate to attach the camera to the rods without a cage.

That said, the shoulder pad is not going to be incredibly useful unless the weight is balanced over it. Otherwise, it will be front-heavy with the camera in front of you (as opposed to directly on top of your shoulder), and your arms and shoulders will quickly become fatigued. This is just an example of a counterweight that can be mounted behind the shoulder pad, but you'll want to choose a weight that balances with the weight of the gear in front of the shoulder (camera, lens, handles, etc.).

If I have a large enough setup where shoulder mounting is appropriate, I prefer having the camera directly on my shoulder (e.g. Zacuto's Recoil, though of course you can build a similar setup yourself from rig parts). The balance is much better and it's more comfortable, but it also requires a monitor or EVF to monitor what you're shooting.

For a small camera like an A7S, I much prefer shooting with a chest brace rig. It less bulky than a shoulder rig, but it still provides a good amount of stability. I use a customized Zacuto Target Shooter/Striker, but there are other options like Edelkrone's PocketRig that you can look into.

Focusing is actually quite easy, just buy a macro rail. It attaches to your tripod and will allow you to slide the whole camera forward and backward in tiny increments by turning a knob, so you can get the perfect focus.

Here's one for $14.

http://www.amazon.com/DSLRKIT-Macro-Focusing-Slider-Camera/dp/B007L41QZG

Photoshop. I've also used Helicon, it is decent, and has a free trial version.

I use a manual focus lens and this very cheap rail to make small adjustments in focus, it is more accurate than trying to turn the lens barrel a tiny amount. On an autofocus lens, you can tether to a computer, and use DigicamControl software, which is free, to make tiny steps in focus.

I actually had an old v-plate that I had lying around and repurposed for the rig. The SmallRig v-plate should work fine, but it's a dead plate. Has no d-tap of it's own, so would need batteries with dual d-taps or a splitter.

This one I've also heard is good, but can't vouch for it first hand. Wouldn't need the cable I provided earlier either as it's built in. Do something with dedicated d-taps to make switching batteries easier (no unplugging cables form battery)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K1M23QN/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_V3NMDb2FYEKRQ

This is the shoulder wedge I have it attached to (both are vertical) in order to press into the front of my shoulder for controlled movement.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N4OZUPO/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_q6NMDbRY0D66N

I'd recommend:

1. A 4K-capable video camera
   
2. A video tripod, slider, and desktop dolly
   
3. 3 lights (left, right, backlight) & a mini photo booth
   
   ​
   
   Camera equipment: ($650 CAD total)
   
   I'd look at the Canon PowerShot SX740, which has:
   
   

• An integrated lens
  
• Shoots 4K video
  
• Has a 40x zoom
  
• $475 CAD
  
  https://www.amazon.ca/Canon-PowerShot-Digital-Camera-Optical/dp/B07FXXVC74/
  
  Two extra batteries & a spare charger: ($55 CAD)
  
  https://www.amazon.ca/Newmowa-NB-13L-Battery-Charger-PowerShot/dp/B0752HZ8TZ/
  
  Two memory cards: ($60/ea x2 = $120 CAD)
  
  https://www.amazon.ca/SanDisk-128GB-Extreme-UHS-I-SDSDXXY-128G-GN4IN/dp/B07H9DVLBB
  
  ​
  
  Tripod equipment: ($450 CAD total)
  
  As far as a camera tripod goes, a good 2-way fluid-head bowl-mount tripod will do what you want: ($290 CAD)
  
  https://www.amazon.ca/Cayer-BV30L-Professional-Mid-Level-Camcorder/dp/B0784CWMP4
  
  A gliding track for sliding shots on a flat surface or tripod: ($70 USD)
  
  https://www.amazon.ca/Neewer-centimeters-Stabilizer-Camcorder-Photography/dp/B06Y3MKC7C
  
  A motorized desktop dolly: ($90 CAD)
  
  https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07JJ3F12H/
  
  ​
  
  Lighting equipment: ($545 CAD total)
  
  As far as lighting goes, I'd check out an adjustable-temperature (color temp) LED set. Here's one that includes 3 lights (left, right, backlight - standard set of 3 lights): ($345 CAD)
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Pieces-Bi-Color-Video-Light/dp/B0744H2CWG/
  
  If you're going to be doing a lot of product shots, you'll want a compact photo booth. Amazon has their own brand with built-in LED lighting: ($200 CAD)
  
  https://www.amazon.ca/AmazonBasics-EP53-010723-Portable-Photo-Studio/dp/B01GIL6EU4/
  
  ​
  
  Going cheaper:
  
  If you need to go cheaper, I'd stick with the camera kit as-is, but just do this tripod instead & skip the slider & dolly: ($175 CAD)
  
  https://www.amazon.ca/Neewer-Monopod-Rotatable-Panoramic-Shooting/dp/B0734ZZN61/
  
  And if you're going to mostly be focusing on small game boards & cards, then you can probably just get away with the photo booth, instead of the full lighting kit. So $650 camera + $175 tripod + $200 photo booth = $1,025 CAD for everything.
  
  ​
  
  part 1/2

i recommend another one, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078PBD8VP

It's called a dolly.

If you're looking to recreate that effect for cheap, there's really no need for a big system like that. It's more for longer range of motion and supporting a heavy camera rig. For most people, a simple camera slider gets the job done.

Is your shoulder pad this one... SmallRig Universal Camera Shoulder Pad with 15mm Rail Block w/Memory Foam Comfortable Neck&Shoulder Protection Shock Proof Camera Run-and-Gun Shooting Support System- 2077 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N4OZUPO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_eJzaCbMHG6JVR

I think that’s what a camera crane is for.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M8FR5ZR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_IFFCDbEX6RYCK