The wildlife movies seen and experienced by people on TV are captured with the help of highly sophisticated and costly equipment. These cool cameras and gadgets are operated by some of the best cinematographers in the world, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get into the wonderful world of wildlife filmmaking. By choosing the right gear and learning the right technique, you too can capture some incredible natural history moments.
Camerapersons and gear always have to be on hand to capture moments when your subjects are out of your control, so the equipment used to shoot wildlife movies and the people who operate them will be smaller than your regular ones. belong to a different breed. “Wildlife Shooters.”
Gear you can get started with:
cameras
A Red Ranger camera with a Cinema 24mm prime lens
photo credit: Shripad Sridhar
Cameras combined with lenses usually have the most impact on the image being created, in the past Super 16 film cameras were known for most professional wildlife film production, followed by DV cameras / ENG (electronic news gathering) cameras. . These cameras, along with powered zoom lenses, gave the flexibility and cost advantage needed for wildlife film production.
Today, professional wildlife film productions use the same cameras used in blockbuster feature film production such as the ARRI and RED cameras. Specialized sequences that require smaller cameras opt for mirrorless video cameras, they also use specialized cameras such as infrared, thermal and night vision technology.
Although it seems very expensive and out of reach for most people, at the end of the day good wildlife movies tell stories and this can be done with most consumer grade digital cameras nowadays.
Here are a few things to look for in a good mirrorless video/still camera that most people can buy for wildlife filmmaking:
1. Fairly good “high ISO” range
Since most wildlife behavior occurs during the early morning or late evening, it is important to have a camera with good low-light performance, a camera that has a range of settings, such as ISO 800 to ISO 2500 or higher, to shoot relatively clean, noise-free video at high ISOs. have the capacity. A feature to watch.
2. A Higher FPS Setting
The behavior of wildlife on the field can change in a matter of seconds. While slow motion is an effect everyone understands, a camera that can shoot 50 frames per second or more is a great feature to behold. This will allow you to slow down the action to see some interesting behavior that you may fail to notice on the field.
Remember watching Cheetah slow motion running sequences on TV, which were shot on specialized high speed cameras shooting anywhere between 1,000fps or more. Professional high-speed cameras like the Phantom can shoot in full-HD (1,920×1,080 pixels) resolution at up to 12,500fps.
You only need 50fps to get started.
Not all cameras can do everything, some can shoot high fps but perform poorly in low light, others can be great in low light but may not have high fps options. Pick and choose depending on the kind of subjects you want to shoot.
Brands to watch:
Sony A7s (Mk1, Mk2, Mk3) or equivalent in other brands like canon, Panasonic, and Blackmagic.
Shripad’s Tip: Don’t spend much on cameras, there are other pieces of kit that are more important! Full-HD resolution is more than enough to start, don’t spend your money on additional resolutions like 4K, 8K, 12K etc. Look for other features like low light, high speed, reliability, battery life and weather sealing. ,
Lens
It’s important to have the right lens for the story you want to tell.
photo credit: Shripad Sridhar
One of the most important pieces of gear in a wildlife filmmaker kit, lenses really open up new worlds for you. It’s important to have the right lens for the story you want to tell. To create a good sequence you will need to get a whole series of shots like close ups, installation shots, a reveal, pulling the focus on an animal or point of interest and so many more shots. Having the right lens will help you do just that. There are two main aspects to consider when choosing a lens: focal length and aperture.
1. Focal Length
Wildlife can be very dangerous and you need to keep yourself safe and it is equally important not to disturb the animals. Lenses with a focal range of 200mm or more are best to start with. You can get lenses that go up to about 800mm.
Remember, having a bigger lens doesn’t mean you’re a great filmmaker. You need variety, a macro lens is just as important as a long 800mm lens. Macro lenses vary from 15mm to 200mm and mostly as single focal length lenses or block lenses, they allow you to get really close to your subjects and can reveal fascinating details that your eye cannot see. Is.
2. Aperture
Generally lenses with a large minimum aperture, such as f/2.8, are good for low-light scenarios and have good subject-to-background separation compared to lenses with smaller apertures, such as f/5.6 or f/6.3. However, considering how much the sensor’s low-light performance has improved over the years, nowadays you can shoot well into the late evening even with the smaller minimum aperture lens. At focal lengths of 500mm and above, having a smaller aperture like f/6.3 doesn’t matter because the characteristics of long focal length lenses are they tend to put the background out of focus anyway.
Brands to watch:
Each camera manufacturer has their own set of lenses, apart from them great third party manufacturers for wildlife lenses include Sigma (for great zoom range and modest pricing) and Laova (especially for wide angle macros lenses). .
Shripad’s Tip: Lenses have a long shelf life, can be used in multiple generations of cameras and across multiple brands using adapters. Always invest in lenses rather than cameras.
Zoom lenses are better for wildlife because you won’t have time on the field to change lenses when the action is unfolding in front of you.
Look for second-hand lenses on OLX and other websites, looking to pick up gems for very little money.
tripod
Tripod has two parts head and legs
photo credit: Shripad Sridhar
Tripods are some of the most underrated pieces of gear in wildlife filmmakers’ kits, they are the foundation of a good camera rig. Wildlife filming takes place at the two ends of the lens’s focal length and magnification, either you’re shooting a bird at a distance of 500mm or more, or you’re shooting a small insect at 2x magnification on a macro lens. Of course, both require a rock-solid tripod support system.
Here are some things to consider when choosing a tripod:
1. Tripod Head
The tripod has two parts – the head and the legs. Unlike stationary camera tripods, the head can be detached and attached to other support systems. The two most common types of tripod heads are fluid heads and friction heads. Fluid head systems are made up of multiple gears on the inside that allow for buttery-smooth and weighted camera movements, helping to overcome the tiny camera vibrations that can ruin a shot.
A friction head is a type of head that uses friction through a lock on each axle to help it feel like a liquid head, this type of tripod head is cheap but has the same “fluidity” of a professional liquid head. Doesn’t happen.
Fluid heads come in sizes of 75mm, 100mm, and 150mm bowl heads or flat heads. The professional 75mm fluid head can hold a camera package of up to about 8kg. The 100mm can hold up to 15kgs and the 150mm can hold a heavier camera rig. Weight capacity may vary depending on model or manufacturer.
2. Legs and other accessories
Tripod legs need to be equally strong to support the camera rig and tripod head. You can choose a range of tripod legs based on their height, they usually go by the names low leg, high leg, high hat, low base.
Brands to watch:
Popular brands include e-Image, Manfrotto, Benro’s, Sachler and Miller. If you decide to sell your car and other accessories, you may also want to consider premium OConnor fluid heads.
Shripad’s Tip: Spending money on a tripod may seem a waste at first but remember that a good tripod will last you a lifetime or even two if properly cared for, so take your time and choose wisely.
Choose a system that works overall for the project you are shooting, as these overall setups can weigh anywhere between 20kg to 50kg depending on the lens, camera and tripod you choose. If you have to be mobile then go for a lightweight setup, your lower back will thank you.
These are some of the basics before getting into wildlife filmmaking with regards to gear. There are hundreds of other things to do to become a skilled wildlife filmmaker on the field, including animal behavior, field crafts, and habitat proficiency, but hopefully this list will help you take your first steps into the wonderful world of wildlife filmmaking.
Shripad is the Director of Photography/Cinematographer, having worked in the wildlife documentary and digital advertising space for over 8 years. He has shot for brands like National Geographic, Animal Planet and Netflix. Shripad loves exploring camera technology, new mediums of filmmaking and storytelling.
For more queries and to interact with Shripad, you can visit his Instagram page @sripadsridhar. To find out their work you can visit shripadshreedhar.com Or email him at sripadsridhar@gmail.com.
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