What are your top 5 accesories?

[Ryan Luna]

In order of importance, what would your top 5 accessories be for your camcorder besides the items that came with it in the box? Also, exclude a case, bag or tapes in this list as that is a given.

I fairly new to capturing light and would like to know this question from people with experience. This is what I would assume to be the top 5 in order;

1. UV filter/protective cap
2. Extra battery
3. Tripod
4. Polarizer filter
5. Hood

[J. Clayton Stansberry]

Depends on what you are doing with it. Let us know what your intended use(s) will be and then I think everyone will give you what they think. What you said is good, but...

1. Better Mic
2. On Camera Light
3. Filter Set
4. Wireless Mics
5. Etc...

[Bryan Beasleigh]

It's an evolutionary thing. The 5 top Widgets will always change.

1. Camera support: i I use a tripod and a monopod, but my all time favorite is the Marzpak.
http://www.marztech.com/
This has to be the very best. This is one well thought out device, it works and the customer support and workmanship are superb .
Use only what floats your boat, to hell with everyone else.

2. lens I have a VX2K and my Optex Wide Angle is superb. It's got a bayonet mount and the elements are coated all of the way through.

3. My camera bag is a PortaBrace , as are all of my equipment bags. You buy the bag and it lasts a lifetime. They're actually a pleasure to use, they're laid out so well.

4. If you do get serious, then audio takes on a whole new meaning. Buy what you can afford. An off camera , professional microphone will literally, blow you away.

5.. Don't get too caught up with filtration, but do buy quality rqther than quantity. For my basic filters i buy only UV with a multi coating.

I have Hoya SMC UV lenses on my standard and wide angle. Pay a few extra bucks, I have a 3mm thick filter , as compared to a 6mm filter made from green coke bottle glass and they have 12 coatings as opposed to one or none, with thje competition. my wide looks as though there is no filter in front of it. Look at your eye glasses and compare coated with uncoated

In an effort to save money , i've gone to one size, and it's expensive, but i only do it once. I've also bet the farm on a matte box with a 4x4" bellows and filtration system.

When I need the filtration, I load up the matte box and go to town. If i don't need the filtration i use a very reasonable sun shade, made by the same people that made the matte box.

[Edward Troxel]

Don't forget the zoom controller along with the tripod and fluid head. I guess lights and wireless mic would give me 5 for the list.

[Aaron Rosen]

1. Good night's sleep
2. Vision
3. Perseverance
4. Nice Mic. and Good Lighting
5. Charged Bats.

[Chris Hurd]

Here are my top five:

1. Water.
2. Mouthwash.
3. Ibuprofen.
4. Plenty of rest.
5. Comfortable shoes.

Works for video shoots and trade shows.

[Bill Pryor]

Do you mean accessories for the camera, or other stuff you need to make movies with? The camera is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to actually doing anything with it--ie., you need tripod, lights, microphones, mixer, cables, monitors, power supplies, batteries, chargers, maybe a dolly and jib, perhaps a Marzpak or Stedicam type device, filters, matte box, C-stands, flags, gobos, etcetcetcetcetc. And a van to haul all the stuff in.

If you mean just camera accessories, well...a protective filter for the lens, maybe some warming and softening filters, obviously batteries and charger, maybe a matte box and/or French flag, and a Portabrace bag or two. It all depends on the camera and what you are doing with it. If it's for home movies, you don't really "need" much more than what you got when you bought it.

[Chris Hurd]

I did an accessories article for the XL1/XL1S awhile back... some of these items adapt well to other camcorders and some don't:

http://www.dvinfo.net/canon/articles/article79.php

I didn't consider a tripod and batts as accessories, but essentials.

[Edward Troxel]

Chris, I like your list.

I'm still working on #4 but have plenty of #3 to make up for it.

[Don Bloom]

My top 5 are all pretty much like Chris' and Edwards except Chris's number 5 is my number 1.

You know what this means?

We're getting "older" when comfortable shoes are the first thing you think about before going off to do a job. YIKES!

Don

WAIT!!!! Not older, Just BETTER!!!!!!! :-)

[Arthur To]

1. steadicam
2. matte box with all possible 4x4's, rods, and follow focus
3. sennheiser shotgun mic
4. p+S with many lenses
5. 300 spare batteries

[Dylan Couper]

There have been a fwe threads like this one before.

Here are mine. I'm excluding a good case, batteries and tapes because they are ESSENTIALS, not ACCESSORIES.

1. Tripod
2. Headphones
3. Lens cloth
4. White balance card
5. Head cleaning tape

Thats it.

[Mike Rehmus]

Cannot make it with just 5 items.

But my #1 item is my wife.

That's because of the old truth you've all probably heard:

The definition of a videographer is a person with 2 cameras and a working mate!

#2 is my van to haul the top items to the next shoot.

[Ryan Luna]

Many of your answers are great although I think some of you are not recognizing the simplicity of the question. Is a van really an accessory to your camera? Hahaha.

[J. Clayton Stansberry]

What about his wife???? :)

Can anyone tell me where I can find one of those wife camera accessories? Please! Will pay big bucks...