The secret ingredient for a stunning wedding film is the right wedding videography equipment. To shoot my first wedding in 2012, I used two Canon XHA1 camcorders, some Sony wireless mics and a bunch of support equipment my best friend helped me make. Since then, a ton of technology has changed.
As a wedding photographer, I prioritise telling an immersive story through cinematic visuals. I want to focus on what matters most—the pivotal moments; so my wedding videography gear is small and quick to set up. Buying equipment for weddings is one of my favourite things!
So, happily, I’ll cover everything from cameras to microphones, all the must-haves for capturing every moment beautifully as a wedding videographer. At the end of this guide, you’ll understand what tools you need to create professional quality wedding films!
What Is Wedding videography?
Wedding videography is a breathtaking art that records the magic of a couple’s big day on film. This is a fun area for beginners that combines artistic expression, technical skill, and sharing emotional stories.
Conversely, old videography records every moment of the wedding day. It captures soft glances, whispered promises, and joyful laughter that cannot be expressed through pictures alone.
Wedding videography for beginners is about capturing moments – it’s storytelling. For example, during dances between couples who are married now but are just friends, you may take little pieces from their vows or toasts—anything!
In addition, modern, beautiful wedding videography involves different techniques, such as drone footage and time-lapse sequences.
What Is Included In Wedding Videography?
Wedding videography is more than just pictures. It’s an investment in a story that lasts forever. It is surprising how much more a full wedding videography package includes. Most importantly, you will be covered all day, from the excited nerves of getting ready to the happy goodbye at night.
Typically, you get a long film covering the entire event and a professionally edited highlight reel to share with your loved ones. Many videographers also offer drone footage for cinematic wide-angle pictures of your event and its surroundings.
Raw film is often available for those who want to relive every moment without cuts. Packages with extras include a love story film to play before the ceremony or a same-day edit presented at the reception.
Remember that wedding videography is about more than just capturing the festivities; it’s about creating a story you will cherish forever. The best way to immortalize your big day is by hiring the right wedding videographers.
Why Does Quality Wedding Videography Equipment Matter?
Quality wedding videography equipment should capture memorable moments. Here’s what you need to know:
1.Preserve Priceless Moments
The top-of-the-line wedding videography equipment will ensure that every priceless moment from your special day is recorded clearly for you. A high-quality camera or lens will capture all aspects of your wedding, like genuine emotions and subtle details.
2.Create Cinematic Masterpieces
Technology has improved, and videographers can now create high-quality, breathtaking cinematic wedding films. High-end stabilization systems, 4K resolution cameras, and professional audio gear will make your wedding film a masterpiece.
3.Improve low-light performance
Many of the most memorable parts of any wedding happen when no light is present. Such as during sunset photography sessions or receptions held in dark environments. Low-light video equipment captures these magical moments in stunning and clear detail.
4.Future-proof Your Memories
If you immediately buy high-quality gear, your wedding video will never run out of style. You use Premium storage solutions and 4K recording. It will preserve all those beautiful memories from your big day, so you will watch it repeatedly whenever you desire forever!
Don’t settle for less when immortalizing your love story—pick gear worthy for onetime celebrations like yours!
What Equipment Is Needed For Wedding Videography?
Wedding videographers need high-quality equipment to capture the one-of-a-kind moments of the day. A properly outfitted wedding videography kit greatly improves the ability to create stunning footage.
Here’s the best wedding videography equipment list:
- High-end camera for professionals
- Lenses
- 4k Drones
- The Filters
- Gimbal stabilizer
- Tripods and Monopod
- Sound system
- Spotlights and Light Stands
- 4K video drone
- Power
- Support Gear
- Packing materials
- Hardware and software
- Data protection & archives
There is no time for technical difficulties on such lengthy days of excitement like weddings. This list of necessary wedding videography gear will ensure you are ready to document every precious moment throughout the big day.
Pro Tip: Small, easy-to-set-up gear helps you focus on uninterruptedly capturing the day’s magic.
What Camera To Use For Wedding Videography?
There is no ‘best’ camera when planning your wedding’s videography. However, consider some key features before purchasing or renting camera equipment. Essential things to keep in mind include:
- Photographic Colors.
- Camera Resolution.
- ISO Sensitivity.
- Auto Focus Capabilities.
- Camera weight.
- Duration and Battery Type.
- Camera Price.
If you want a cinematic look, get a camera that can shoot at higher resolutions (4K, 60p, etc.) and with higher frame rates (120fps, for example). Before the big day, I advise you to test the camera’s built-in colour science so that you know the vision. You can always change this in post-production, but finding something closer to what you wanted from the start would be much easier.
Here is my list of the top 4 cameras for wedding videography:
- Sony A7SIII: The best camera for wedding videography is the Sony A7SIII — it has all the features a wedding videographer needs. You can get outstanding pictures in 10bit 422 colours at 4K resolution and up to 120 fps.!
With its dynamic range, the S-Log mode captures incredible shadow detail and highlights during daylight hours.
Hence, everything looks prettier than usual. It also performs well under low-light conditions because of its high sensitivity and low noise levels.
Plus, a built-in fast autofocus system and advanced image stabilization solutions are available (in case someone bumps into your tripod).
2.Sony A7IV: I utilize this camera as my B and C cameras for the Sony A7IV. It can be a better option for portrait, real estate and event photography than the A7SIII’s superior still-image capabilities.
The only true complaint with this camera is that you must use a bigger lens while shooting in 4K at 60 fps because of the 1.5x crop. But this may work for you if you look at lenses with more reach.
3.Panasonic LUMIX GH5: The Panasonic GH5 has an advanced autofocus system that accurately focuses on subjects. Its wide dynamic range captures light and dark portions of an image, resulting in vibrant colours with sharp contrast.
The camera can shoot 4K at 60 or 6 K at 30 frames per second. It has a new Venus Engine processor, a 33-megapixel live MOS sensor, 4K/6K video at 30 FPS, face detection, eye detection, body detection, and autofocus.
4.Canon EOS R5: The Canon EOS R5 allows videographers to shoot 120fps in 4K or 30fps in 8K. This results in never-before-seen clarity levels while filming weddings!
Those who want their hands free while filming all day must consider getting one. The camera has built-in stabilization, so there will be no more shaky footage!
It weighs very light compared to other similar models, so transporting wouldn’t be too difficult either way!
If your camera meets these specifications, filming wedding videos should be easy for you!
Best Lenses for Wedding Videography
For a wedding filmmaker, versatility and quality should be your top priorities. High-quality lenses allow flexibility on hectic wedding days, especially if you’re working solo. To ensure that you have everything covered, I suggest a wide-angle lens, variable-zoom lens, and extra prime lenses.
Many professionals swear by the 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom because it is an ideal wide-angle and telephoto lens. From close-ups during the ceremony to busy reception shots with a wide viewing angle, this lens does it all well.
An 85mm f/1.4 is essential for those cinematic dreamy close-ups, as its large aperture creates beautiful bokeh effects. Pack a wide angle like the 16-35mm f/2.8 when photographing large groups or sprawling spaces.
If you want more options to complete your kit, consider adding something longer, like a 70-200mm f/2 .8 telephoto lens. This will allow you to capture candid moments from afar without being intrusive.
Here are some lens suggestions I’d love to provide:
- Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM: ceremony wide/medium shot establishing photos, etc.
- Sony 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II: ceremony bride/groom closeup, toasts
- XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR – Wide angle prime
- Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 Art DC HSM – Standard zoom
- XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR – Telephoto zoom
- XF56mmF1.2 R WR – Short telephoto prime
- Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN: getting ready, golden hour portraits
Remember that the best wedding videography lenses deliver quick response times to changing situations while capturing high-quality footage.
4k Drones Wedding Videography
Weddings can be filmed with drones, giving the video a new angle and making it look more like a play. You can see the wedding venue and its surroundings from an impressive aerial viewpoint. For instance, I might not fly there if we are too close to an airport.
Likewise, bad weather is no excuse for flying a drone, either. Whenever possible, I love using drone pictures. They work wonderfully to set up photos of the ceremony, reception, and sometimes even the couples themselves.
Instead of using MAVIC Pro 2, which I use, DJI Mini would cost about $800 but still serve as a good beginner-level drone.DJI Air 3sdrons is also good for you.
I don’t use it often, but when I do, it adds amazing cinematic drama and a sense of space, which makes me happy! Oh, and one more thing—don’t forget to pack ND filters.
Special Effects Camera Filters
Filters are very helpful in wedding videography and vital for maintaining a cinematic look with a slight blur in your film. My favourite shooting mode is wide open because it gives me a shutter speed twice my frame rate. I use Nisi’s Pro Nano variable ND filters on all my lenses to control the light.
Tiffen Black Pro-Mist 1/4 is another favourite filter used in videos like this. Digital cameras contrast sharply, but these filters make light sources more dramatic.
Also, a neutral density (ND) filter prevents shaky and choppy footage by giving you the right shutter angle. No matter what lighting conditions you’re working under. When shooting at full speed, I always set it to 25 or 50 fps; when shooting at half speed, I always set it to 50 or 100 fps.
Gimbal Transitions
A gimbal allows my camera to move freely and smoothly. It’s one of my wedding videography items that I rarely use. Most of the time, I shoot handheld all day because all my cameras have built-in stabilization.
Without this, I could never get lively, interesting shots like I could with a handheld or tripod.
My wedding films will be polished and artistic with a gimbal camera, like –Drone RS3 Combo.
Why Use Dependable Tripods & Monopods?
I love to use a gimbal, but sometimes, I use tripods and monopods. There are a three main reasons why I do this.
- Reliability: A tripod or monopods keep my camera rock solid, which makes my footage look professional and not wobbly or fuzzy.
- Control: Using a tripod or monopods helps me control my photos’ composition better.
- Flexibility: Even shooting alone, I can get a different perspective by taking the same picture at various angles with a tripod.
I don’t typically use tripods daily, but they are essential for first looks, ceremonies, and toasts.
I use tripods when I take pictures, but I occasionally need to use this Manfrotto XPRO monopod. It is excellent for fast movement and shooting from high-tilted angles.
Now, let me tell you about the best dependable tripods for wedding videography in Ireland:
- Peak Design Travel Tripod – Carbon Fiber
- Peak Design Travel Tripod – Aluminum
- Manfrotto Nitrotech 608 Fluid Video Head with Aluminium 645 Fast Twin Video Tripod
This is a simple reminder that a good tripod isn’t an accessory—it’s an essential piece of equipment that will make or break your wedding video.
Professional Audio Equipment
A high-quality audio recorder is essential equipment for wedding videographers. I usually bring one out for the first look, the ceremony, and the toasts during the reception. I also use a shotgun microphone on my main camera to record background noise throughout the day.
If you want your wedding film to be decent quality, invest in a good sound kit, set it up properly, and monitor the audio. Here are my four favourite audio equipment.
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Sony ICD-TX650
When you connect a portable mic to it, the ultra-thin Sony device is ideal for reception toasts. I switch to this as my backup when the DJ’s main microphone goes out and produces static or dies altogether.
The newest TX660 model has two small upgrades: better sound quality and a USB-C port. An audio recorder is a miniature monster known as Zoom F6!
With its 32-bit floating bit depth and six XLR inputs, you can record even at high volumes without noise or distortion.
It’s ideal for best man speeches and wedding music ranging from loud dancing tunes to barely audible toasts.
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Sanken COS-11D
If you are looking for a microphone other than Tascam DR-10L Pro’s stock mic, look no further than Sanken COS-11D. It has a sharper tone and is more attuned.
For outdoor ceremonies and first impressions, I put Bubblebee wind guards on them.
There are four different colours, one black and one white, gray, so usually, my brides get mixed with white.
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Roland R-05
My favourite audio recorder is the Roland R-05. It has a built-in stereo microphone and can connect to a DJ’s mixer via RCA wires.
I can easily capture acoustic solos and ensembles with the built-in stereo microphone and RCA wires.
Although I own two of these devices, the newer version, the R-07, still works well.
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Tascam DR-10L Pro
I use a Tascam DR-10L Pro little audio recorder during the ceremony and when I need backup talks. Since it records in 32-bit floating, the device will never have audio-level issues.
Tascams can save weak or distorted signals, so the groom and officiant must wear them. My other creation, the white URSA thigh strap, can be attached to the bride or white suit.
Get some great-quality sound gear to ensure your recorded memories sound as good as they look!
Wedding Videography Lighting And Light Stands
Natural light is my preferred option. I can make the photo look beautiful no matter where we are located—by a window, shade, or in full sun.
I use minimal lighting equipment primarily for the reception dance floor. Two lights placed in different spots on the floor would be best. Then, when the couple and friends are dancing, they can shoot into the light and get those amazing, dramatic lens flares.
A video spotlight, such as the Flashpoint XPLOR300 Pro Monolight 2-Light Kit or NanLite FS-300B Bi-Color LED, has filters and softboxes to create desired effects.
I try not to use harsh artificial lighting while filming party preparations or receptions. So that attention is paid to fun times instead of harshness.
Weddings should always be filmed with a 12-foot Manfrotto light Stand about twelve feet long.
No matter how difficult, any place can become a stunning location. Light stands empower us to adjust for height angle intensity. So we get every tiny detail captured perfectly, displaying an expression beautifully, even if there was none before.
Batteries & Power
Stock up on batteries beforehand to prepare for anything. Keep a charging station handy in case you need them and don’t have time to charge them first. Some best options are:
- Eneloop Pro AA Batteries: I use high-quality Eneloop Pro AA batteries in my Zoom F6, Sony wireless system, and Roland R-05. So that they will be powered during emergencies.
- Sony NPFZ100: The official Sony batteries for the A7SIII and A7IV are the NPFZ100 ones. For live events with no do-overs, I stick with the originals.
- Powerextra NP-F970 Batteries: Power extra NP-F970 Batteries work just as well as their more expensive Sony counterparts. These work awesome in my CAME-TV spotlights.
- Eneloop Pro AAA Batteries: If you own a Tascam DR-10L or DR-10L Pro audio recorder, you’ll need these same AAA batteries from Eneloop Pro too!
- Powerextra NP-F550 Batteries : These are smaller but similar to their bigger brother. I use this battery model primarily when powering my Zoom F6 or an Aputure panel while corporate shooting.
We can use two sets of batteries per camera and a Speedlight for weddings that require around fifty to sixty gigabytes of footage. Make sure all the batteries are fully charged before starting!
Bags & Cases To Meet Your Needs
I try to move with as little equipment as possible, so I always have my essentials and something extra. However, I still take great care in packing and organizing my gear before starting a project.
Because it is during post-production that I save time and effort blending in better at weddings. I usually get better videos while taking only the bare minimum. Here are two of them:
When you invest in our exceptional bag and case collection, you invest in quality, versatility, and safety. Experience it by using it today and enhancing your carrying game to a new level.
Computers & Software
Do you want your wedding films to look amazing? Then, it’s all about the right gear and applications. A computer is essential for any videographer, as they need to edit high-resolution films smoothly. When buying a computer, you should check if it has enough RAM, processing speed, and fast storage options for video editing software. Also, you need:
- Apple MacBook Pro
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Apple Final Cut Pro
- Apple Compressor
- Apple Logic Pro
- DaVinci
- Digital Anarchy Flicker Free
This list constantly changes because my wedding videography equipment keeps improving and the film industry upgrades. With these must-have accessories in your hands, you’re ready for any wedding or event.
Storage And Backup Solutions: Protecting Your Treasures
Preserving your precious wedding moments for eternity requires finding the right storage and backup solutions. Wedding videographers in Ireland and worldwide rely on reliable SD cards. High-quality options like SanDisk Extreme PRO or Lexar Professional 2000x are great for writing fast vows and happy dances.
But you can’t rely on SD cards alone. Irish wedding videographers use portable hard drives for backups; stylish Samsung T7s or tough LaCie rugged series drives will do just fine. From castles to coastal places, these guys take their work everywhere.
Do RAID systems need extra protection? Consider studio installations like Synology DiskStation and QNAP TS-series as potential solutions.
Finally, cloud storage protects your wedding footage from physical damage or theft. Scalable services that meet your company’s growth requirements include Backblaze B2 or Amazon S3. Irish wedding cameras follow a detailed storage plan to record each couple’s special day forever.
Final Thoughts
In this guide, you’ll learn about wedding videography equipment and tools essential for capturing high-quality footage. It’s always best to rent your own equipment before making a purchase. Your goal here is to try out different cameras until you find one that works best.
Professional-grade cameras, lenses, stabilization gear, and audio equipment are necessary to capture the spirit of the big day. Remember: simply owning the newest devices isn’t enough—you need to know how to use them to create an engaging story.
As you train as a professional wedding videographer or refresh your current kit, consider the return on investment (ROI) you can achieve.
Even with low-end equipment, you can make unforgettable wedding videos. Contact DC Media today, and let us help take your wedding videography to the next level.
Frequently Asked Question
Are drone shots necessary for wedding videography?
They’re not mandatory, but they can add beautiful aerial shots to your wedding video. Ensure you have all the right permits and licenses before using one of those devices. Also, choose a good-quality camera that’s easy to operate on a trusty model.
What lighting equipment should I bring to a wedding shoot?
Include at least two dimmable diffused LED panel lights in your kit. This will ensure consistency in illumination across different indoor and outdoor spaces.
Should I use a second camera for wedding videography?
Yes, another camera captures multiple perspectives and angles simultaneously. It makes the camera useful, especially during critical moments like the marriage ceremony.
How can I effectively capture both candid and posed shots?
You should always look for interesting happenings to take spontaneous pictures. But remember also to allocate some time for posing with other guests and around happy couples.
What kind of backup plan should I have for equipment failure?
It’s wise to carry backup gear, including extra lens bodies and audio recorders. So, even if your tools break down during an event, you can still shoot.