Video Gear for Shooting on iPhone
I am a designer.
I don’t want to get into videography.
I am a mediocre editor, at best.
As tempting as it could be, geeking out on video gear is not something that should be core to what I’m working on right now.
For all of these reasons, I’ve been on a journey since 2019 to nail down a list of video gear, tools, principles, and resources to help me create the type of videos I want, without losing focus on my core work.
To (hopefully) save you some time, I’ve put together a greatest hits list of video gear for non video folks. Enjoy!
Video Gear
I shoot EVERYTHING on my iPhone. With that in mind, this list is centered around being easy, inexpensive, and iPhone-compatible.
*****
LIGHT GEAR
2x Fovitech Lights with Softboxes - $99
Super bright. Super affordable. Super simple. This should probably be the first thing you purchase. They will immediately improve the quality of your videos.
Neewer Dimmable 176 LED Video Light (hair light) - $66
This little spotlight can serve several different functions. I grabbed it specifically to serve as a “hair light” to basically create a little glow around my shoulders / head. You can also use it for a mobile setup or a spotlight. This one specifically comes with a rechargeable battery.
*****
MIC & AUDIO
Rode VideoMicro - $55*
Great little mic for the price. You can mount it, but you can also get REALLY nice audio out of it if you hold it close to your face for voice over work or podcasts etc.
*TRS to 3.5mm for Rode VideoMicro with iPhone - $9.95
You’ll need this little guy if you want to use the Rode mic with your iPhone.
*Apple Lightning to 3.5mm Adapter - $7.20
You’ll need this little guy if you want to use the Rode mic with your iPhone. But there’s a good chance you might already have one laying around somewhere, if you’ve been buying iPhones for a while.
*****
STANDS & TRIPODS
If you snag the soft box kit above, it comes with 2 straight stands. It’s nice to have others for your Hair Light and getting “top down” shots with your iPhone. For the most part, you can use any mic stand for this stuff. I’ve got a couple of various sizes and options that I’ve picked up for specific purposes.
Geekoto Tripod - $99
I had a cheaper tripod. After a few months I upgraded to this. It’s got a ball head, level, pretty high max height and a few other features that make it worth it. That being said, you can certainly use a cheaper tripod (or no tripod) for a while and still make some great videos.
Ulanzi U Rig Pro - $19
Another “nice to have, but not necessary” item. This box allows you to mount your mic, lights, etc. to your iPhone.
Joby GorillaPod 3K = $79
This is the tripod I’ll probably be getting next. It seems ideal for on-the-go stuff, but the main reason I’ll be getting it is to get really specific angles on my desk.
Editing
I use Adobe Premier for the most part, but used iMovie for several months.
There’s also some killer videos that I’ve pulled from other creators for things like:
Color grading
Creating your setup / shot
Where to place lights
I might be adding more to this page down the road, just shoot me a DM on Instagram or fill out the contact form on this site if you have any specific questions!
