MY CAMERA GEAR BREAKDOWN 1-24-23

So this morning I woke up ready to take on the town. Feeling great, looking amazing and downright rocking forward towards another outstanding day. And then the reality of the day began and before long that same reality had knocked me on my butt for the full count. How many times does that ever happen you? For me it seems like sometimes its almost an everyday happening around here, especially the harder and harder I continue to run. I'm a performance driven kind of guy and when I'm not having an extraordinarily productive morning then even the smallest hick-ups in the day start to wear me down. AND especially when it comes down to being miles away from civilization, on the side of some remote mountain in the wild, the last thing you have patience to focus on is filming a dang hunt. Especially when its the HUNT that you're there for in the first place.  

I've had this same struggle of balance between cameraman and hunter ever since I haphazardly started the SOLO HNTR TV show and brand. But I'll share more on that story another time. Today I want to explain the camera gear and accessories that I use as well as a couple small tips on how I've taught myself to use them. Self-filming is a chore, a curse, a lofty challenge and an absolute dreadful addiction. But the tens of thousands of images and hundreds of videos I've been able to log over nearly two decades have been well worth the additional mental and physical demands. 

THE CHANGE FROM VIDEO CAMERA TO DSLR

I was far from the first outdoor producer to make the change from a traditional video camcorder to the more cinematic options of a DSLR. I think it was Jeff Simpson, the original Heartland Bowhunter that really started the DSLR craze among producers and vlogers in the hunting space that we so often see now. I'm going to keep away from going into great details for now on the pros and the cons of any particular style or brand, rather focusing for now on the cameras and gear that I currently have. In later videos and posts I plan on going over each camera or piece individually to explain the hows and whys. And heres the list breakdown...

MAIN CAMERA

  • Panasonic Lumix GH5
  • Panasonic Leica 12-35mm f/2.8 Lens  
  • Panasonic Leica 100-400mm f/4-6.3 Lens
  • Sennheiser MKE 400 Camera Mount Shotgun Mic gen 2
  • Gitzo Mountaineer Tripod w/Gitzo two Way Fluid Head gen 1

SECOND CAMERA

  • GoPro Hero Black 9
  • GoPro Media Mod w/Built-in mics, mounts + ports
  • GoPro "old school" handle bar mount for my trekking poles
  • GoPro Head Strap

There might be a few other trinkets here and there that I sometimes use but for the most part this is it. I am thinking about changing things up a bit but mostly just some upgrades and a thing or two I've been researching that can help lighten up my load. But I'll probably do an update post once I make those changes later this spring or summer. 

In the video below I show my camera and accessories a little bit more since it is easier to show what I use and how I use it rather than to spend a frustrating afternoon typing it all out. Simplicity is key when filming SOLO and knowing how to use your gear is well is probably more important than video quality or camera brand. 

I've really taught myself over the years to keep my system simple. Edit more with my camera and really focus more on immersing myself into the hunt. Some hunts and films turn out better than others but for me as a creature of habit and attitude it seems like the quality of hunt and film is effected more by my mood than anything else. For this next season I am going to try and focus more on the overall production rather than just on the documenting.  

I hope this gives you a starting point into basic self-filming gear. Everything changes up just a bit depending on the individual adventure. From whitetail hunts in a tree stand to a 10 day living off your back Alaskan adventure. I'm going to really try to break it all down and hopefully give you some tips that will make you more successful at self documenting more of you adventures. 

Thank you all!!  - TIM BURNETT

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