What To Buy For Self Filming Treestand Hunts

[Paridgerunner]

Pretty much says it all. Never filmed b4 it's for myself so I don't need a 4k dollar camera but do want a quality 4k waterproof system. Thanks

 

[BrushyHillGuide]

Lots of ways you can go camera-wise. I’ve done a lot of filming with camcorders but I’m moving to mirrorless cameras for more capability and more cinematic video. I went all-in but you could certainly do something pretty amazing with something like one of the Sony Alpha 6000 series (a6400, a6100,a6600,etc) and a lens or two. I know you can get a A6100 with a couple of lenses for around $1k.

The most difficult thing about self filming is your kill shot. Especially a bow shot out of a tree. I’ve never self filmed that although I’ve filmed a bunch of other folks out of trees. One of the reasons I wanted to switch to the more compact mirrorless cameras is that I want to try using a gimbal that has an ‘active track’ mode! This seems, to me, the obvious way to go for a self-filmer. You can set your gimbal/camera setup to track the animal you intend to shoot and then let it run on its own, while you grab your bow, draw and shoot! I’ve been playing around with this feature on a fairly cheap phone camera gimbal, the DJI Osmo Mobile 3. I’ve been very impressed with its ability to track what I tell it to track and let the camera autofocus. I think that a really first rate gimbal for mirrorless sized cameras (I’m looking at the DJI Ronin S2) will be that much better! I think that mounting a gimbal onto a really good articulating tree arm, made for cameras, will make this setup easy to use. I’m also looking at the Zihuan Weebill 2 as a cheaper option for a gimbal - it’d be great for one of those smaller ASP-C camera setups I mentioned. The key thing will be a gimbal to track your animal so that you can go hands free to shoot. This has always been the biggest stumbling block for self filmed hunts; but these gimbals are almost like having a buddy there to help you.

Last thing… if you’re REALLY on a tight budget, I’ll bet you could actually do a pretty decent job with a good phone camera (iPhone 12pro or a newer Galaxy phone) and a set of Moment lenses. Put that phone into a gimbal line my Osmo Mobile 3 or the new Osmo Mobile 4 and I think you could do really well. Their 58mm telephoto lens will give you quite a bit of zoom (if that’s what you want) and the anamorphic lens will give you a truly cinematic lens. IF you go this route, make sure and get a video app like Filmic Pro because you’ll need to “de-squeeze” your anamorphic lens footage AND you’ll want to be able to use manual settings for your phone cameras - something that Apple (at least) doesn’t provide through their native camera app.

Hope this gives you some ideas. This can be a VERY deep rabbit hole you’re diving into, haha! Good luck and have fun!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Paridgerunner]

Been watching utube vids and have not seen anyone w a tracking gimbal. And not sure why they have 6k dollar cameras. So since u have to manually focus a DSLR how does it stay in focus on and object that may move further or closer to camera? Fourth Arrow carbon fiber arms look like the thing to use. I think the G lenses are electric focus and u can use a button instead of twisting on a DSLR. But adjusting a DSLR and trying to get on vid seems like a lot. Thinkin 4k Sony camcorder that will do 1080p @ 1000fps for awesome slow mo and 2 hero 9s. I have and older Sony camcorder know that shoots 1080p and my wife has a Cannon EOS T5 I believe that she never uses. And I have a small Sony camera have to find it and post what it is, see if it's usable in anyway as maybe 2nd angle camera.