I filmed my first wedding in 2010 with two Canon XHA1 camcorders, a set of Sony wireless mics, and a bunch of DIY support gear my roommate at the time helped me build. It’s incredible how far technology has come since then. Not only has wedding videography equipment gotten more advanced with drones and electronic gimbals, for example, it’s gotten smaller and cheaper. The barrier to entry for wedding videography is much lower than it used to be.
When I shoot weddings my prime objective is to tell a compelling story through the use of highly cinematic visuals. My wedding videography equipment is lightweight with quick setup so I can focus on the important things happening throughout the day. The last thing you want is to fight with your wedding gear. It should essentially stay out of your way. Here is my current wedding videography equipment in 2023. Note: as an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases through the links below.
Cameras
Lenses & Filters
Audio Equipment
Lights
Support Gear
Power & Media
Computers & Software
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CAMERAS
- Sony A7SIII is the best camera for wedding videography. It has every feature you could need as a wedding videographer. 4K resolution up to 120 frames per second in 10bit 422 color gives you an astounding image. The dynamic range gives you great detail in the shadows and highlights, especially when shooting in S-Log. The ISO performance is excellent allowing for noise-free low light shooting. There’s also great image stability options and world class Autofocus.
- Sony A7IV is what I use for my B and C cams. It’s a very similar camera to the A7SIII, but much better for stills, which comes in handy when I’m doing any portrait, real estate, and event photography. The only real drawback to this camera is 4K at 60 frames per second has a 1.5x crop requiring you to switch to a wider lens to compensate. However, this can come in handy if you want extra reach on your lenses.
- DJI Mavic 3 Pro is the best drone for wedding videography, hands down. It has a 3 lens system with a 4/3 sensor on the main camera giving incredibly detailed footage and low light performance. With the two telephoto lenses, you can achieve incredible compression and parallax. Combined with the D-Log and D-Log M color profiles, you get massive dynamic range. All this in a compact package and a 43 minute max flight time makes it perfect for filming weddings.
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LENSES & FILTERS
- Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II: establishing shots, ceremony wide/medium shot
- Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II, main lens, versatile and used all day
- Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II: ceremony bride/groom closeup, toasts
- Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN: getting ready, golden hour portraits
- Sony 135mm f/1.8 GM: golden hour portraits, toasts
- Freewell Hard Stop Variable ND 2 to 5 stop 82mm – fits the 16-35, 24-70, and 135
- Freewell Hard Stop Variable ND 2 to 5 stop 77mm – fits the 70-200 and 85
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AUDIO EQUIPMENT
- Zoom F3: this audio recorder is a compact beast! It has 2 XLR inputs and a line out if you want to plug it into your camera. This is great for gigs outside weddings when you want to plug in two lav mics and split/pan them left/right so you can adjust levels on each channel separately. The device records in 32 bit float bit depth, which allows for extreme audio levels without distortion or noise. You don’t even need to set levels, so need to worry about the DJ distorting your recording or the levels being too low during speeches. You can increase the volume in post with minimal to no noise.
- Tascam DR-10L Pro: a tiny audio recorder that I use during the ceremony and as backup for speeches. This device also records in 32 bit float, so you never have to worry about your audio signal. Even if it’s too soft or it distorts, you can restore the audio to perfect cleanliness in post. The Tascams are placed in the jacket pocket of the groom and either the jacket pocket or the top of neckline on the back of the officiant.
- Sanken COS-11D: this lav mic is far superior to the stock lav mic that comes with the Tascam DR-10L Pro. It’s crisper sounding and has more sensitivity. I use Bubblebee wind protectors on them for outside ceremonies and first looks. I have two black ones and a white one. The white one is great when the groom wears a white suit.
- Instamic Pro Plus C (use Discount Code PATRICKJANKA for 10% off): These tiny little mics are incredibly versatile and record in 32 bit float for worry-free audio. I have a white one I use in the bride’s dress for the ceremony. This is a much simpler solution than using a lav, recorder, tape, thigh strap, etc., which I used to do. I also have a black Instamic Pro Plus C that I use on the DJ’s mic during the reception as a backup if the DJ’s mic has dropouts or interference. I got a strap to put it in from Etsy. I have the stereo version of the black Instamic to pick up an acoustic ensemble at the ceremony and/or cocktail hour. I can clip it to a music stand to pick up everyone, or in the case of a solo musician or duo, I can clip it to a guitar strap, etc.
- Roland R-05: this is a fairly old audio device, but it’s served me well over the years. You could opt for a newer Zoom H1essential, which has 32 bit float, but I like the smaller size of the Roland. It has a built-in pair of stereo mics for recording acoustic ensembles during the ceremony and/or cocktail hour, but you can also plug in a feed from a musician’s amp using the 3.5mm input jack.
- Sennheiser EW 135P G4: Occasionally a DJ will have a wired mic that doesn’t reach to where I’d ideally like the toast givers to stand. Or the sound person’s mic has interference or other issues. This handheld wireless mic system is the perfect solution. I plug it into an Art SPLITcom Pro and take one feed to my Zoom F3 and the other back to the sound person’s console so they can route the audio to their monitor speakers. This gives me a clean signal that bypasses the DJ’s gear.
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LIGHTS
- CAME-TV Q-55S Boltzen 55w Bi-Color LED’s are the lights I use for illuminating the dance floor for entrances, first dances, and speeches. They come with built-in fresnels for focusing the lights between spot (speeches, cake cutting, grand exit) and flood (dancing, bouquet/garter toss). Built-in barn doors allow me to shape the light and control spill. They are also bi-color, so it allows me to quickly alter color temperature without messing with gels. The best part is they run off of two Sony L-Series batteries, which makes them ultra portable. You can also run them off of V-mount batteries, but that increases the size of the units. Another popular option for lights that many wedding videographers swear by are the Aputure 60X. I find them to be a bit too cumbersome for my liking and they can’t run off the Sony L batteries. I use other Aputure lights, however, for corporate gigs.
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SUPPORT GEAR
- Manfrotto 500 Fluid Head and 190X Tripod: I have three of these fantastic tripods. They’re light, they collapse to a small size, they extend over 6′, have a top loading plate system, ball mount, and telescoping column. This tripod ticks all the boxes a pro needs.
- Manfrotto XPRO Monopod: I primarily shoot on tripods, but occasionally I grab this monopod for certain shots when necessary. It’s great for high tilted down angles and moving around quickly.
- DJI RS 4: this is the best gimbal for wedding videography, in my opinion. It’s compact, lightweight, and you can lock the axes when changing lenses and for storing/transport. I also like that I can control the camera via bluetooth instead of a cable. The movement is incredibly smooth and the joystick is very fluid. I love the automatic locking system and the ability to quickly switch to vertical shooting mode. In 2024 this gimbal has all the modern features you need.
- Edelkrone SliderONE: This motorized slider is my secret weapon. Sliders aren’t as popular nowadays as wedding videographers attempt to recreate classic slider shots with gimbals. However, to get precision detail shots of the rings, accessories, and reception details, you can’t beat this thing. It’s controlled via the accompanying phone app.
- Ulanzi Falcam F38 QR System: I absolutely love these quick release plates. I have them on all my tripods, slider, monopod, gimbal, and pants belt. They lock solidly in place with no wiggle. The plates are low profile and contain little stoppers so my camera bodies don’t shift on them. I find the system better designed and more universal than the one by Peak Design.
- Neewer Pro 9ft Light Stands: These light stands are well made and solid. I also like the tightening system. You need light stands that are portable and won’t easily collapse at a wedding or event.
- Hola! Music HPS-150TB Pro Microphone Stand: This is a must during reception speeches. It keeps the speaker grounded in one spot so you can set up your lighting without them walking into darkness. It also prevents the speaker from roaming around causing you to chase them to keep them in frame. Lastly, it allows them to hold their written speech on paper or phone in one hand and their drink in the other hand. It’s currently out of stock on Amazon, but they currently offer a two pack of stands that don’t have the height adjusting clutch, unfortunately.
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POWER & MEDIA
- Sony NPFZ100: These are the official batteries made by Sony for use in the A7SIII and A7IV. You can buy knockoffs and take your chance, but personally I prefer to use the real thing, especially on live events with no do-over.
- Eneloop Pro AA Batteries: These are great batteries that I use as a backup power source in my Zoom F6, as well as in my Sony wireless system and Roland R-05 units.
- Eneloop Pro AAA Batteries: Same as previous, but used for the Tascam DR-10L Pro audio recorders.
- Powerextra NP-F970 Batteries: These are knockoffs of the more expensive Sony branded originals, but these do just as good a job. I use these in my CAME-TV lights.
- Prograde SDXC: These are top notch SD cards for your Sony cameras.
- SanDisk MAX Endurance microSDXC: This is what I use in my DJI Mavic 3 Pro drone.
- SanDisk Ultra microSDHC: This is what I use in my Tascam DR-10L Pro recorders.
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COMPUTERS & SOFTWARE
- Apple MacBook Pro
- Apple iPhone 15 Pro
- Apple iPad Air
- Apple Final Cut Pro – Video editing software for Apple’s macOS
- Apple Compressor – More sophisticated export software than what’s built into FCP
- Apple Motion – Apple’s version of After Effects for the creation of video effects
- Apple Logic Pro – DAW for audio and music production
- Neat Video – Cleans up video noise from low light environments
- Digital Anarchy Flicker Free – Removes flicker and banding from LED lights
With the ever-changing landscape of filmmaking gear, this list is consistently revisited and updated as my wedding videography equipment gets refreshed. This set of wedding gear will have you stocked and prepared for any wedding or event.
~Patrick
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