Crew bag

Everything our critics would pack for a small documentary shoot, stage by stage, from the microphone to the backup drive. Some links here are affiliate links.

How we chose: from published specifications, makers’ documentation and the long record these models have on small crews. We have not tested these exact units, and we review the list about once a month and drop anything that slips.

Sound

Sound is the part of a documentary viewers never forgive. A wireless kit for interviews, a shotgun for everything else, and closed headphones so you hear what the recorder hears.

  • DJI Mic Mini wireless kitTwo clip-on transmitters, one receiver and a charging case; the small, light option for a sit-down interview or a walk-and-talk.
  • DJI Mic 2 wireless kitTwo transmitters, a receiver and a charging case; each transmitter can also record its own backup track.
  • Hollyland Lark M2 wireless kitA compact two-person wireless set that works with cameras and phones.
  • DJI wired lavalier for DJI transmittersA small wired lav that plugs into a DJI transmitter, so the transmitter can hide in a pocket and only the capsule shows.
  • Rode SmartLav+A wired lavalier for recording straight into a phone.
  • Rode VideoMic NTGA camera-top shotgun mic that can also go on a boom pole.
  • Rode VideoMicroA tiny on-camera mic with a shock mount; better than the camera's built-in mic for ambience and run-and-gun shots.
  • Samson MK10 boom standA light boom stand that holds a mic just out of frame during a seated interview.
  • Zoom F3 field recorderA two-input recorder with locking XLR/TRS sockets and 32-bit float recording, so a sudden shout does not clip.
  • Sony MDR-7506 headphonesClosed-back monitoring headphones that have been a location-sound standard for decades.
  • Audio-Technica ATH-M50x headphonesClosed-back studio headphones that also travel well for checking interviews in the field.
  • Zoom H4essential handheld recorderA handheld recorder with stereo mics, two XLR/TRS inputs and 32-bit float.
  • Zoom H6essential handheld recorderFour XLR/TRS inputs and 32-bit float, room for a boom plus wireless lavs.
  • Zoom F6 field recorderA compact bag recorder with six XLR inputs, dual converters and timecode.

Lavalier microphones and wireless kits for documentary interviews · Boom mic and shotgun microphones for small documentary crews

Light

Most interviews need little: one soft key, something to bounce or block light, and panels that run on batteries when the sockets are in the wrong place.

  • Neewer 660 LED panel kit (two lights)Two bi-colour LED panels with stands: a key and a fill for a basic interview setup.
  • Neewer 480 LED panel kit (two lights)A smaller pair of bi-colour panels for tight rooms and travel.
  • Godox SL100D COB lightA 100-watt daylight COB light with a Bowens mount, bright enough to push through a big softbox.
  • SmallRig 35-inch Bowens softboxA quick-release Bowens-mount softbox that turns a hard COB light into a soft, flattering key.
  • Neewer 43-inch 5-in-1 reflectorA collapsible disc with white, silver, gold, black and translucent faces for bounce, fill or negative fill.

Check mains flicker with the shutter angle calculator · LED panel lights, COB lights and softboxes for interview lighting · Variable ND filters for video: how to choose the right ND filter

Camera support

A gimbal earns its place on walk-and-talks and following shots. For everything else a tripod and a steady hand still do the job.

  • DJI RS 4 Mini comboA three-axis gimbal sized for mirrorless cameras with small lenses.
  • DJI RS 4 gimbalA three-axis gimbal for heavier camera and lens combinations.
  • DJI Osmo Mobile 7PA folding three-axis phone gimbal for filmmakers who shoot on a phone.
  • NEEWER 79-inch video tripod with fluid headA tall aluminium tripod with a fluid drag head for smooth pans on interviews and B-roll.
  • SmallRig AD-01 video tripod with fluid headA heavy-duty fluid head tripod for larger camera builds.
  • NEEWER TP74 video tripod with fluid headA 74-inch aluminium video tripod with a quick-release plate, a middle step between the two.

Camera gimbals for documentary: when one helps and what to look for

Filters and monitors

A variable ND keeps a wide aperture usable in daylight, and a small monitor shows focus and exposure the camera screen hides.

  • K&F Concept 77 mm variable ND (ND2 to ND400)A wide-range variable ND for shooting at a wide aperture in daylight; the strongest end of any variable ND is where trouble starts.
  • K&F Concept 72 mm True Color variable ND with polarizerA narrower 1 to 5 stop range with a polarizer built in, for exteriors and interviews near a window.
  • Tiffen 52 mm variable NDA long-running variable ND in a small thread size for compact lenses.
  • FEELWORLD FW568 6-inch field monitorA light 6-inch monitor with focus assist and waveform, best indoors and in shade.
  • VILTROX DC-550 5.5-inch bright monitorA touch screen bright enough for daylight, with a sunshade in the box.
  • FEELWORLD F5 Prox 5.5-inch 1600-nit monitorA very bright small touch monitor for exteriors and harsh sun.

Pair the ND with the right shutter: shutter angle calculator · Variable ND filters for video: how to choose the right ND filter · Camera monitors for documentary: how to choose a small field monitor

Cards, drives and backups

Two verified copies before any card is formatted, and a third that leaves the building.

  • SanDisk Extreme PRO 128 GB SD cardA UHS-I V30 card, the common baseline for 4K recording on mirrorless cameras.
  • SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 2 TBA rugged USB-C SSD for offloading cards and editing from on the road.
  • Samsung T7 Portable SSD 2 TBA palm-sized USB-C SSD, a common choice for a second backup copy.
  • WD My Passport 5 TBA portable hard drive for the third copy of everything you shot, the one that leaves the building.
  • UGREEN UHS-II SD card readerA USB-C reader for SD and microSD cards, so offloads are not limited by a slow built-in slot.

For an office archive that several editors share, a network drive (NAS) keeps the second copy in one place. See at UGREEN

Size the drives for your shoot with the video file size calculator · SD cards for 4K video, SSDs and backups for a documentary shoot

Power

Count batteries per shoot day, then add one. Away from the wall, a portable power station keeps lights, laptops and chargers running.

  • Anker 20,000 mAh power bankA power bank with a built-in USB-C cable for wireless mic kits, phones and recorders.
  • Neewer NP-F970 batteries with chargerTwo large NP-F style batteries and a charger for LED panels and monitors that take them.

EcoFlow makes portable power stations in several sizes, from carry-on units to whole-day packs. See at EcoFlow

BLUETTI makes power stations in similar sizes, many with solar inputs for long days off the grid. See at BLUETTI

Camera gimbals for documentary: when one helps and what to look for · Camera monitors for documentary: how to choose a small field monitor · LED panel lights, COB lights and softboxes for interview lighting

Bags

A sling for the run-and-gun day, a backpack for flights and long walks; padded dividers matter more than pockets.

  • K&F Concept camera sling bagAn everyday crossbody sling for a mirrorless body, a spare lens and the small things.
  • MOSISO camera sling bagA sling with custom dividers, quick access and a tripod holder.
  • CADeN camera backpackA padded camera backpack with dividers for a body, lenses and a mic kit.
  • TARION 15 L side-access camera backpackA small backpack with side access to the camera, a laptop sleeve and a rain cover.
  • Lowepro Tahoe BP 150 camera backpackA light, compact backpack for a mirrorless kit.

Books for the long nights

Long reads for the edit suite and the train home, each one tied to a guide on the site.

  • In the Blink of an Eye, by Walter MurchA short, much-quoted book on film editing from the editor of Apocalypse Now.
  • Voices from Chernobyl, by Svetlana AlexievichOral history built from interviews with people who lived through the disaster.
  • Touching the Void, by Joe SimpsonThe climber's own account of the accident that became Kevin Macdonald's documentary.
  • Alone on the Wall, by Alex Honnold with David RobertsHonnold's account of his climbing life, from before the film Free Solo.
  • The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs, by Steve BrusatteA palaeontologist's history of the dinosaurs, a good companion to any dinosaur documentary.
  • 1776, by David McCulloughA narrative history of the war's pivotal year.
  • Five Days at Memorial, by Sheri FinkReporting on what happened inside a New Orleans hospital after Hurricane Katrina.
  • The Looming Tower, by Lawrence WrightA history of the road to the September 11 attacks.
  • On Photography, by Susan SontagThe essays that still frame most arguments about documentary images.

Chernobyl documentaries worth watching, and what each one shows · Climbing documentaries, from Touching the Void to Free Solo · Dinosaur documentaries for every age, and how to tell bone from guesswork · Hurricane Katrina documentaries: the films that stayed with New Orleans

Watching

The best training for a documentary maker is other people’s documentaries. Your library card and the NFB’s free collection at nfb.ca go a long way; each of our Film Notes ends with where to look for the film.

For history, science and nature documentaries on demand: Watch on CuriosityStream