THE GEAR I USE
If you’re looking to break into wildlife filmmaking, having the right gear makes all the difference. Below is a carefully curated list of the equipment I personally use and highly recommend. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to upgrade, these tools will help you capture stunning footage in the wild.
Some of these items may occasionally be unavailable on Amazon, but you can often find similar alternatives through the links provided. If you decide to purchase through these links, I earn a small commission as an Amazon Associate—at no extra cost to you—which helps me continue creating content and sharing my knowledge with you.
👉 Check out my top wildlife filmmaking gear below and start your journey today!
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Camera System - Sony FX6
The Lenses That I Use
I currently use Sigma lenses for my wildlife filmmaking and photography. I love working with their glass, and for the price-points of these lenses, you can’t beat the image quality and performance of the lens itself. When filming wildlife, having a lens that is capable of a long reach is essential, and I highly recommend using either their 60-600mm series (which I use and love!), or their 150-600mm which is very similar. Getting out past 300mm is extremely helpful. I use their 24-70mm for most of my conservation field work, landscapes, and scenic footage. I also love working with their new 70-200mm DG DN for interviews as well as other specific shots in the field where I need a faster lens with reach which the 70-200 excels at.
As a full disclaimer, I am part of Sigma’s Affiliate Program, so by purchasing any of their lenses through the links below, not only will you get a superb lens for your wildlife videography/photography needs, but you also help me continue to produce content on YouTube and share more helpful insights into wildlife filmmaking.
My Audio Equipment
Most of the time when I’m out filming in the wilds, audio is not important to capture – however, there are times when it is vital! Having quality audio in your post production workflow is important. These are the items I use and recommend for capturing natural sound, as well as if you need to interview characters for your production. I highly recommend a lav set up, as well as a shotgun mic for ambient audio. I use the Zoom F3 Recorder, which has 2 XLR inputs, and records in 32 bit float, which for my needs is a life-saver! No more adjusting levels and then coming back to post production and realizing someone’s levels are too hot and distorted, or faint and hollow. 32 bit float is like filming in RAW, only it’s audio, and you can adjust levels in post rather than on your shoot – though it’s still important to get a base level.
My Other Supporting Gear
This gear is non essential, but definitely supports the work that I do. Having an additional camera in the Sony A7s 3 (which has the same sensor as the FX6) is a life-saver for continuity in shots. Other items on this list are very worthwhile, is the CF Express Type A Card reader, and DJI Mavic 2 Pro (or any DJI Drone).
