10 Tips for Making Great Build Videos

Photography & Video

build

Lots of people in video production are very gear-focused. While having good equipment can be important, it’s not everything. You should start out making videos on whatever camera you can get your hands on: your phone, your old point-n-shoot, an old camcorder, or your webcam. Learn what you like and don’t like about it before spending a lot of money on new gear.

My go-to gear.
My go-to gear at the moment: Nikon D5100 with 35mm or macro lens, Sennheiser SK 100 G3 wireless bodypack transmitter, and EK 100 G3 wireless audio receiver module. I also use a Manfrotto Magic Arm and Super Clamp over my worktable, plus Final Cut Pro 7 for editing.

Once you’re ready to take the plunge, think carefully about your needs. Do you make projects of varying sizes and contexts? A camera with interchangeable lenses might be for you, like a DSLR. For years of MAKE videos, my trusted buddy was the Olympus E-P2, the first micro four thirds camera to support audio input. Before that was the Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2. Nowadays I mainly use a Nikon D5100 with a 35mm or macro lens. The articulated screen helps you see the shot you’re getting while you’re making the project, and lets me shoot over my head with the screen pointed down. Look for cameras with audio input for adding an external microphone.

Make sure it’s a camera you’ll actually use on a regular basis — Are you always making in the same physical space? If not, will you carry the camera with you? Can you operate it quickly and easily? If you can, go to a store with lots of different cameras so you can test them out. The smallest oversight in the design can have you tearing at the tripod plate every time you need to change the battery, which is not something you’d see in the product description online. Read lots of product reviews before buying anything online, and make sure you can return it.

7 thoughts on “10 Tips for Making Great Build Videos

  1. Pearl Chen says:

    Thanks for this write up! I’ve been slowly building up my own documentation studio equipment and love the cheap alternatives you’re giving. Next on my wish list is a wireless lav mic!

  2. Francisco Mireles says:

    Is it just me, or is it diffcult to read the whole tip? I am using Chrome to watch this article. I really want to read the whole thing :O

    1. sophiacamille says:

      Hey, I’ve just reformatted the gallery. Let me know if you’re still having trouble!

      1. Francisco Mireles says:

        Thank you so much! I can read the whole note now :)

  3. Hari Wiguna says:

    I thought it was just me. The photo descriptions are clipped too :-(

    1. sophiacamille says:

      Hey, I reformatted the gallery so it should be easier to read now!

      1. Hari Wiguna says:

        Thanks Sophia! I can read the whole description now and learned a lot from Becky! Thanks again!!!

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Becky Stern is a Content Creator at Autodesk/Instructables, and part time faculty at New York’s School of Visual Arts Products of Design grad program. Making and sharing are her two biggest passions, and she's created hundreds of free online DIY tutorials and videos, mostly about technology and its intersection with crafts. Find her @bekathwia on YouTube/Twitter/Instagram.

View more articles by Becky Stern

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