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OVERVIEW: This is the 1st version of the DJI Power 1000, which is an 1800 watt power source that has 2 AC outputs, USB outputs, and most interestingly, 2 DJI drone-charging ports. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? It has handles to carry it, but it's really heavy and it's not comfortable to move frequently. So, it's not really portable in my opinion, though it technically is. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? It was on a super good sale for Black Friday, but normally it's a bit more expensive than I would expect for a battery of this size/output. If you ignore the unique DJI drone-charging ports, you can get the same features for a lot less than the normal price. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? It's pretty common on Amazon, but not as common on eBay anymore. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? I've had no problems with it in the year I've used it so far. The top of it does get warm while charging, but I put a small laptop fan on the top to cool it down. PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, it is easy, but it would be easier if it had the UPS function (that's in version 2). The reason that would be an improvement, is that you could just leave it plugged in to the wall, and hopefully not have to worry about it getting hot, because it would automatically switch to passthrough power (but not completely sure, because I haven't tested version 2). PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes, if you would like to charge it in your car, there's an $50 additional cable required (I only mention this because one of my other camping batteries has one included). PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought this one on eBay, but they are more common on Amazon now. RECOMMENDATION: This has been a good product, but if you're going to spend your money, I would recommend getting version 2 (because it has a UPS function, which is better when using with a computer workstation, and has more AC outputs). I probably would recommend getting version 2 because of the additional AC outputs, the UPS function and perhaps other improvements, which I would expect DJI would have made in a v2. REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [NOT IN KIT] DJI Power 1000 (Version 1) This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG No BACKPACK No Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 699 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE ? **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY ? Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL EASY OVERVIEW: This is the 1st version of the DJI Power 1000, which is an 1800 watt power source that has 2 AC outputs, USB outputs, and most interestingly, 2 DJI drone-charging ports. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? It has handles to carry it, but it's really heavy and it's not comfortable to move frequently. So, it's not really portable in my opinion, though it technically is. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? It was on a super good sale for Black Friday, but normally it's a bit more expensive than I would expect for a battery of this size/output. If you ignore the unique DJI drone-charging ports, you can get the same features for a lot less than the normal price. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? It's pretty common on Amazon, but not as common on eBay anymore. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? I've had no problems with it in the year I've used it so far. The top of it does get warm while charging, but I put a small laptop fan on the top to cool it down. PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, it is easy, but it would be easier if it had the UPS function (that's in version 2). The reason that would be an improvement, is that you could just leave it plugged in to the wall, and hopefully not have to worry about it getting hot, because it would automatically switch to passthrough power (but not completely sure, because I haven't tested version 2). PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes, if you would like to charge it in your car, there's an $50 additional cable required (I only mention this because one of my other camping batteries has one included). PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought this one on eBay, but they are more common on Amazon now. RECOMMENDATION: This has been a good product, but if you're going to spend your money, I would recommend getting version 2 (because it has a UPS function, which is better when using with a computer workstation, and has more AC outputs). I probably would recommend getting version 2 because of the additional AC outputs, the UPS function and perhaps other improvements, which I would expect DJI would have made in a v2. These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

OVERVIEW: This is a wallet that was supposed to have slots for the old Compact Flash and SD cards in addition to the normal debit/credit card slots) but the memory card slots were made too small, but there is a workaround... MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, it fits in your pocket, and it's a wallet, so that's a good thing. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes, it wasn't much more than a lot of the other wallets. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? No, it's the only wallet I've found that has memory card slots, but I wish there were more of these out there, but with the sizing corrected on the slots. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The wallet material is nice, has a nice (magnetic) closure flap, and is pretty well made (has a pretty good bolt/rivet holding the sleeves to the leather on the inside of the wallet). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, as a wallet it has been simple and easy to use. As a memory card holder, it doesn't work though, as the pockets/slots are too small. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? No, it works without any add-ons (but you might want to add some debit or credit cards). PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought this one on Amazon. RECOMMENDATION: If you need memory card storage, you can't use the largest size (old Compact Flash) but if you use the bigger slots for the smaller card (use the CF slot for SD, the SD slot for Micro SD) then it's not too bad...but the SD cards tend to move around a bit. If you use it just as a wallet, there aren't any problems. The material (not sure what it really is) has not cracked or become brittle over several months, which is nice. REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [NOT IN KIT] Wisdompro Credit Card Holder (with Memory Card Slots) This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET Yes CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 9 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE ? **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY No Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL EASY OVERVIEW: This is a wallet that was supposed to have slots for the old Compact Flash and SD cards in addition to the normal debit/credit card slots) but the memory card slots were made too small, but there is a workaround... MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, it fits in your pocket, and it's a wallet, so that's a good thing. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes, it wasn't much more than a lot of the other wallets. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? No, it's the only wallet I've found that has memory card slots, but I wish there were more of these out there, but with the sizing corrected on the slots. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The wallet material is nice, has a nice (magnetic) closure flap, and is pretty well made (has a pretty good bolt/rivet holding the sleeves to the leather on the inside of the wallet). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, as a wallet it has been simple and easy to use. As a memory card holder, it doesn't work though, as the pockets/slots are too small. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? No, it works without any add-ons (but you might want to add some debit or credit cards). PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought this one on Amazon. RECOMMENDATION: If you need memory card storage, you can't use the largest size (old Compact Flash) but if you use the bigger slots for the smaller card (use the CF slot for SD, the SD slot for Micro SD) then it's not too bad...but the SD cards tend to move around a bit. If you use it just as a wallet, there aren't any problems. The material (not sure what it really is) has not cracked or become brittle over several months, which is nice. These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

OVERVIEW: This bag has been super useful to me because I put it into the middle section of my backpack, and that turns the backpack into a low-key camera backpack (that also holds a fully assembled multi-camera cage). It's true this camera bag is small, but it holds what I need it to hold (2 cameras and a couple of lav mics/Zoom F2 recorders) and it's really just a way to turn my backpack into a better tool (because the backpack has a place to put a lot of my other stuff). MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes. It's small by itself, and I put it inside of my backpack (most of the time). PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes, and that's the main reason, besides the size, I picked it. There are other camera bags for this price, but this one was just the perfect size to fit in the middle section of my backpack so that's why I chose this one (see the other review of the backpack for more details on how it works). PART 3: IS IT COMMON? Yes, if it stays in stock on Amazon (it has been available for the last year or so as I've been testing it). PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The quality of the fabric is good, the stitching is so-so, and the zippers are so-so, but using it inside of my backpack is making it last a while. I will continue to test. PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, if you just put it into the large, middle section of your backpack (see the review on the backpack for that link). If you use it by itself, some of the zippers are a little slow because the fabric isn't super flexible (which is good for the fabric to last, but it puts strain on some of the zippers). PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes. I put it inside of a backpack (but you can use it by itself). PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought on Amazon (link is above). RECOMMENDATION: The main reason I use this bag is to turn my backpack into a photo & video production backpack, and it works well for that. It works well because it's not only small enough to fit into the center section of my backpack (see backpack review for details) but it also has a hard top, which lets me put my multi-camera cage on top of it inside of the backpack. If you buy it for just a camera back (not to put inside a backpack) it's just an average camera bag, that's not too big. REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: BASIC KIT RAINSMORE Camera Bag This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG No BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 25.49 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE NA **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY No Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL EASY OVERVIEW: This bag has been super useful to me because I put it into the middle section of my backpack, and that turns the backpack into a low-key camera backpack (that also holds a fully assembled multi-camera cage). It's true this camera bag is small, but it holds what I need it to hold (2 cameras and a couple of lav mics/Zoom F2 recorders) and it's really just a way to turn my backpack into a better tool (because the backpack has a place to put a lot of my other stuff). MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes. It's small by itself, and I put it inside of my backpack (most of the time). PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes, and that's the main reason, besides the size, I picked it. There are other camera bags for this price, but this one was just the perfect size to fit in the middle section of my backpack so that's why I chose this one (see the other review of the backpack for more details on how it works). PART 3: IS IT COMMON? Yes, if it stays in stock on Amazon (it has been available for the last year or so as I've been testing it). PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The quality of the fabric is good, the stitching is so-so, and the zippers are so-so, but using it inside of my backpack is making it last a while. I will continue to test. PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, if you just put it into the large, middle section of your backpack (see the review on the backpack for that link). If you use it by itself, some of the zippers are a little slow because the fabric isn't super flexible (which is good for the fabric to last, but it puts strain on some of the zippers). PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes. I put it inside of a backpack (but you can use it by itself). PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought on Amazon (link is above). RECOMMENDATION: The main reason I use this bag is to turn my backpack into a photo & video production backpack, and it works well for that. It works well because it's not only small enough to fit into the center section of my backpack (see backpack review for details) but it also has a hard top, which lets me put my multi-camera cage on top of it inside of the backpack. If you buy it for just a camera back (not to put inside a backpack) it's just an average camera bag, that's not too big. These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

OVERVIEW: I use this folding camping seat both to sit on (I've let other people try it, and they all say it's comfortable) and also to place my backpack on, when I need to keep it off the ground. For that second reason alone, I would consider this one of the most important parts of my photo video production kit. The reason that's important is not only to keep the bottom of the backpack from getting wet. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, it folds up to about 16 inches, and it is super easy to carry under your arm, or in the little bag it comes with. It's not quite small enough to put in the side pouch of my backpack, but it might fit in the tripod spot on other backpacks or camera bags, etc. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes. I think it is (based on competing products). PART 3: IS IT COMMON? On Amazon it is still available (and has been for a couple years) so I would say it is commonly available. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The fabric has never ripped (with light to medium use) and the legs haven't had any problems, yet. PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, it's super easy to use. You pretty much just grab one of the legs and gather it together. There are no locking or unlocking mechanisms. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? No. It does not need any additional items (to make it work). PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought this on Amazon. RECOMMENDATION: As mentioned, I do consider this to be one of the most important things in my content creation tool kit. The first reason was that I use it to place the backpack on it (when I'm getting things out of it). The second reason is that I've used it to sit on (for hours at a time) when doing long shoots (mostly at sporting events). REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: BASIC KIT Forbidden Road Camping Stool This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG No BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE NA *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE NA **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY No Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL EASY OVERVIEW: I use this folding camping seat both to sit on (I've let other people try it, and they all say it's comfortable) and also to place my backpack on, when I need to keep it off the ground. For that second reason alone, I would consider this one of the most important parts of my photo video production kit. The reason that's important is not only to keep the bottom of the backpack from getting wet. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, it folds up to about 16 inches, and it is super easy to carry under your arm, or in the little bag it comes with. It's not quite small enough to put in the side pouch of my backpack, but it might fit in the tripod spot on other backpacks or camera bags, etc. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes. I think it is (based on competing products). PART 3: IS IT COMMON? On Amazon it is still available (and has been for a couple years) so I would say it is commonly available. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The fabric has never ripped (with light to medium use) and the legs haven't had any problems, yet. PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, it's super easy to use. You pretty much just grab one of the legs and gather it together. There are no locking or unlocking mechanisms. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? No. It does not need any additional items (to make it work). PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought this on Amazon. RECOMMENDATION: As mentioned, I do consider this to be one of the most important things in my content creation tool kit. The first reason was that I use it to place the backpack on it (when I'm getting things out of it). The second reason is that I've used it to sit on (for hours at a time) when doing long shoots (mostly at sporting events). These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

OVERVIEW: This backpack was not designed as a photo video backpack, but when you add a small camera bag (with padded inserts, etc.) to it, it works really well. The reason it works well (for me) is the bag has a fairly solid top which helps, because I put my multi-camera cage on top of it, inside of the large, main compartment of the backpack. The backpack is pretty well made, with reasonable storage areas, good zippers, and a heavy duty carrying handle. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, as a backpack, of course. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes. It's around $30 US on Amazon and is sometimes less. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? Yes. There are not only other similar products, but also a few different sizes. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The fabric quality, shoulder straps, zippers and overall build quality are good. PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, but what do I mean by that? For a backpack what I mean is it has a good carrying handle (is metal reinforced) thick shoulder straps, good zippers, enough compartments, and is comfortable to wear (depending on how much camera stuff I load into it, LOL). PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes. I like to add a strong metal s-hook, which I use to hang the backpack under my tripod. PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought this one on Amazon. RECOMMENDATION: I've tried a number of photo & video specific backpacks (which this isn't) and those are better in most circumstances EXCEPT if you're trying to carry a fully-assembled multi-camera cage everywhere you go, like I do (once you try it you'll probably always do it too because it makes it possible to mount 3 cameras, on a single tripod!) So, if you're a normal person, you might be better off using a backpack built for photo or video use (because there would be a lot more padded storage compartments) but to me it's worth it. REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: BASIC KIT YOREPEK Travel Backpack Extra Large This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET NA CAMERA BAG NA BACKPACK NA Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 29.99 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE NA **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY ? Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL MEDIUM OVERVIEW: This backpack was not designed as a photo video backpack, but when you add a small camera bag (with padded inserts, etc.) to it, it works really well. The reason it works well (for me) is the bag has a fairly solid top which helps, because I put my multi-camera cage on top of it, inside of the large, main compartment of the backpack. The backpack is pretty well made, with reasonable storage areas, good zippers, and a heavy duty carrying handle. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, as a backpack, of course. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes. It's around $30 US on Amazon and is sometimes less. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? Yes. There are not only other similar products, but also a few different sizes. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The fabric quality, shoulder straps, zippers and overall build quality are good. PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, but what do I mean by that? For a backpack what I mean is it has a good carrying handle (is metal reinforced) thick shoulder straps, good zippers, enough compartments, and is comfortable to wear (depending on how much camera stuff I load into it, LOL). PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes. I like to add a strong metal s-hook, which I use to hang the backpack under my tripod. PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought this one on Amazon. RECOMMENDATION: I've tried a number of photo & video specific backpacks (which this isn't) and those are better in most circumstances EXCEPT if you're trying to carry a fully-assembled multi-camera cage everywhere you go, like I do (once you try it you'll probably always do it too because it makes it possible to mount 3 cameras, on a single tripod!) So, if you're a normal person, you might be better off using a backpack built for photo or video use (because there would be a lot more padded storage compartments) but to me it's worth it. These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

OVERVIEW: This is the SAMSUNG Gear S3 Frontier Smartwatch, an Android based watch, that syncs with your phone using Bluetooth. It's metal, feels well-built, and it's waterproof...so it is a pretty good tool (or just a watch if that is all you need). You can make phone calls on it like Dick Tracy (as long as you're close enough to your phone) receive and kind of send text messages, and it syncs normal things like your calendar, reminders, etc. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, it's a wristwatch, so it's portable. To make it waterproof it doesn't have an open USB port for charging (requires a magnetic charger) and that part is small, so I guess that's portable too. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? On the used market, for sure! I bought mine used (at shopgoodwill.com) for about $25, but then had to buy a second one to get the charger...and BTW, don't use an aftermarket charger (I tried 2 of them, and both heated up the watch way too much, and that's bad for the battery). PART 3: IS IT COMMON? It's common on the used market. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The quality is good, as I think it was a good watch when new, and it seems to hold up well in terms of wear and tear, but the second one I bought would not charge (so some older ones may have battery issues). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yeah, I think it was. It requires installing the Samsung Gear app, but then after you do, it tells you exactly the steps to take to set it all up. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? It needs the original (OEM) charger... Don't get an off-brand, 3rd party one (two of them made the watch too hot, and one of them didn't even charge). PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? You can buy them used on eBay, etc. but I bought mine (two of 'em) on shopgoodwill.com. RECOMMENDATION: These are way better than buying a no-name "smart watch". For what I paid for this (about $25 used, on shopgoodwill.com) I think it's a good tool, and I use it for OUTDOOR photo & video shoots to see when the sunrise and sunset are going to be. So, if you need an Android-based smart watch, I recommend this one for the price (as long as the battery works on the one you get) and try to get the OEM charger! REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: ADVANCED KIT SAMSUNG Gear S3 Frontier Smartwatch This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET Yes CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE ? *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE ? **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON No ON EBAY Yes Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL MEDIUM OVERVIEW: This is the SAMSUNG Gear S3 Frontier Smartwatch, an Android based watch, that syncs with your phone using Bluetooth. It's metal, feels well-built, and it's waterproof...so it is a pretty good tool (or just a watch if that is all you need). You can make phone calls on it like Dick Tracy (as long as you're close enough to your phone) receive and kind of send text messages, and it syncs normal things like your calendar, reminders, etc. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, it's a wristwatch, so it's portable. To make it waterproof it doesn't have an open USB port for charging (requires a magnetic charger) and that part is small, so I guess that's portable too. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? On the used market, for sure! I bought mine used (at shopgoodwill.com) for about $25, but then had to buy a second one to get the charger...and BTW, don't use an aftermarket charger (I tried 2 of them, and both heated up the watch way too much, and that's bad for the battery). PART 3: IS IT COMMON? It's common on the used market. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The quality is good, as I think it was a good watch when new, and it seems to hold up well in terms of wear and tear, but the second one I bought would not charge (so some older ones may have battery issues). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yeah, I think it was. It requires installing the Samsung Gear app, but then after you do, it tells you exactly the steps to take to set it all up. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? It needs the original (OEM) charger... Don't get an off-brand, 3rd party one (two of them made the watch too hot, and one of them didn't even charge). PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? You can buy them used on eBay, etc. but I bought mine (two of 'em) on shopgoodwill.com. RECOMMENDATION: These are way better than buying a no-name "smart watch". For what I paid for this (about $25 used, on shopgoodwill.com) I think it's a good tool, and I use it for OUTDOOR photo & video shoots to see when the sunrise and sunset are going to be. So, if you need an Android-based smart watch, I recommend this one for the price (as long as the battery works on the one you get) and try to get the OEM charger! These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: BASIC KIT Zoom F2-BT This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK ? HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET Yes CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 229.99 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE $ 195.77** **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY Yes Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL EASY OVERVIEW: This is the Zoom F2, the first 32-bit float lavalier/body pack recorder from Zoom. It records in MONO (wish it was STEREO) and records to a Micro SD card, runs on two (2) AAA batteries. It's really, really small, and I use it not only for LAV mics, but also for mini (3.5mm) shotguns. The first thing I should say about this recorder, is that even though it records a 32-bit float file, it does NOT use dual A/D converters (like the Zoom F3 or F6) that make “clipping” almost never occur. Having said this, I've still got a few experiments to try because I believe this thing could have a real impact on my audio workflow… MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? The Zoom F2 audio recorder is so small (by itself) that it can fit in the tiniest of pockets…in your pants, shirt, or anything. If you include the LAV mic and my favorite furry windscreen (the Comica CVM-MF1) it’s still small but may need a plastic sandwich bag to keep it all safe and together (and sealed from weather). I don’t always use the Zoom F2 with a LAV though, but often with a mini (3.5mm) shotgun mic, and the Comica CVM-VM20 has been its favorite match in this regard. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? This is a difficult question to answer, as the non-Bluetooth version is, at only $159 US, but it seems I NEED the Bluetooth version (to quickly enable or disable the REC. LOWCUT). The low-cut filter on the recorder (REC. LOWCUT) may not SEEM like it's important, but to get some of the mics I use to capture clean, REAL-sounding audio, I really like using the lowcut. It's always a combination of the mic design, wind protection, "proximity" and therefore the resultant sound quality that affect these decisions...and this has led me to conclude I personally do want the Bluetooth version, which is around $229 new. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? When I say “common” I typically mean it’s easy to find one on the used market (locally it’s OfferUp, Craigslist) and so far, I haven’t seen many of these available. That could be a good thing, assuming most who buy it aren’t getting rid of it (I wouldn’t, it’s just so handy) but we’ll see if more hit the used market after a number of years go by. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? I’ll start with durability then move to the output. The durability is okay, but I'm guessing one of the little flaps or battery doors is going to fall off at some point...strange enough this was the case with my Zoom F1 (and a totally different design). The OUTPUT (sound quality) is certainly useable. It's not as full-sounding as the Zoom F1 (which has a bit too much BASS stock) but the files are a good, or should I say great starting point, because of the 32-bit float properties. So, it will need EQ to sound more realistic, but that depends on the mic used (and the included Zoom LMF-2 lavalier mic, plus my favorite furry windscreen, the Comica CVM-MF1 can sound pretty good). I also use it with a mini shotgun mic (the Comica CVM-VM20) and it can do so many tricks it's amazing. That combination is so amazing that it convinced me the Zoom F2 is far more than a LAV mic recorder. What I do is set the gain on the CVM-VM20 mic to 1 at 1 foot, 2 at 2 feet, 3 at 3 feet and 4 at 4 feet, for the cleanest file. Yes, it does matter where you set the gain on the mic...even though the Zoom F2 is a 32-bit float recorder. For more information, check out my custom settings for the Zoom F2 + Comica CVM-VM20 (in the AUDIO database on my website). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, it's really easy to use (all you have to do is position the microphone correctly, and make sure it has wind protection...a FURRY windscreen OUTDOORS). PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? I think it needs a FURRY windscreen, especially if you're using it outdoors, and you'll need a micro SD card (check the manual for the card specifications). PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? When it’s possible, and when the price is good enough, I like to buy AUDIO gear at Sweetwater. The main reason is their extended warranty (and ability to get in touch with the manufacturer quickly, which has come in handy, especially with Zoom). RECOMMENDATION: I consider the Zoom F2-BT to be one of my most valuable pieces in the AUDIO category of my kit, as it works well as not only a LAV mic, but also as a tiny companion for mini (3.5mm) shotgun mics as well, especially my Comica CVM-VM20. These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

OVERVIEW: This is a Bluetooth keyboard that has a 3-position dial that lets you switch between different devices. So, not only you can use it with a couple computers, but also with your phone! MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, it's portable because it's a small keyboard but it's just big enough to have almost regular sized keys, but no 10-key number pad. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes, especially compared to other compact Bluetooth keyboards. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? It's on Amazon, and it's made by a fairly large, reputable company, so my guess is they have a lot of them to sell. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The build quality is good and feels like good plastic, but you do need to be a little careful with the battery cover (not that you couldn't duct tape it on if the little index tab broke). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, it even has a sticker with the setup instructions on it, and they're pretty easy to follow. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? I switched to rechargeable batteries, so that the only upgrade you can do. PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought it on Amazon. RECOMMENDATION: This is one of my favorite products, and I even use it for my workstation at home (because my desk space is limited) but it's portable enough that I can take it on-location as well. REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: WORKSTATIONS Logitech K480 Wireless Multi-Device Keyboard This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG No BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 29 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE ? **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY No Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL EASY OVERVIEW: This is a Bluetooth keyboard that has a 3-position dial that lets you switch between different devices. So, not only you can use it with a couple computers, but also with your phone! MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? Yes, it's portable because it's a small keyboard but it's just big enough to have almost regular sized keys, but no 10-key number pad. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes, especially compared to other compact Bluetooth keyboards. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? It's on Amazon, and it's made by a fairly large, reputable company, so my guess is they have a lot of them to sell. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? The build quality is good and feels like good plastic, but you do need to be a little careful with the battery cover (not that you couldn't duct tape it on if the little index tab broke). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? Yes, it even has a sticker with the setup instructions on it, and they're pretty easy to follow. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? I switched to rechargeable batteries, so that the only upgrade you can do. PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I bought it on Amazon. RECOMMENDATION: This is one of my favorite products, and I even use it for my workstation at home (because my desk space is limited) but it's portable enough that I can take it on-location as well. These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [INDOOR ONLY] Panasonic GH4 This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK Yes Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 799.00 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE $ 305.00** **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON No ON EBAY Yes Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL MEDIUM OVERVIEW: For STUDIO work (with a heavy tripod) I still recommend this camera. For on-location work, I don't. The reason I still recommend this old camera, is you can get decent results from the GH4 (especially with my custom, lens-sensor settings) but the lack of IBIS makes it a big bother to use in the field, because you need either a big tripod, or a gimbal (neither of which I use or like to carry, anymore). I have been testing camera alongside the G7, GX85 and G85, and the shirt version is I would say to buy a Panasonic G85 before a GH4... especially if it's your first camera. (Another reason I don't recommend the GH4 as a first camera is that the screen is so inaccurate you need an external monitor to judge exposure and focus (the GX85 and G85 are much better). MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? No, because the sensor isn't stabilized, so you also need to pack a sturdy tripod and/or a gimbal. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? Yes! It's a bargain, if you don't mind the lack of IBIS...I totally recommend it for studio work, especially because it's so inexpensive you can buy it and then leave it set up in your studio (then take your other cameras with IBIS on-location). PART 3: IS IT COMMON? Yes, most likely because it sold so well initially (it was the only 4K capable camera in it's price range for a long time). PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? While it takes learning the sensor's limitations, it is capable of creating an excellent image (for video purposes especially). The screen isn't very accurate, and the sensor has noise issues, but as you learn what it can do, you'll probably be happy with the quality...as long as you have enough light because the low-light capabilities aren't good (that's another reason I only use it INDOORS, with added lighting). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? No, but that's just compared to cameras with IBIS (because you don't need a tripod or gimbal with those). As far as the GH4 menu system and other things, it's pretty easy to learn. It does have more advanced video features (and more complex menu systems) than lower-end models like the G7, G85, GX85, etc. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes, it needs a sturdy tripod, or a gimbal (because it doesn't have IBIS). An example of why this matters (to me) is that I was shooting with my normal travel-sized carbon fiber tripod, in an OUTDOOR situation, where there was wind...and the videos were unusable (shaky footage, etc.) PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I've purchased it 2 times, both from local people (from OfferUp) and they were really good deals! One interesting things is that this camera is older, but people really like them so a lot of them were taken care of, and are in pretty good condition! RECOMMENDATION: In conclusion, I should mention one more reason why I only like using the GH4 INDOORS (in the studio, especially). It's because the AF isn't very good, and I can overcome that in the studio (by pre-focusing a manual focus lens, taping it, and leaving it set)...so that's pretty much the way I use it. I'm not saying it's impossible to use OUTDOORS, but it's certainly not as easy to use as a newer camera, that has IBIS. These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [NOT IN KIT] Tascam DR-60d mkII This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK Yes HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 179.00 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE $ 100.00** **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY Yes Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL DIFFICULT OVERVIEW: This is the Tascam DR-60D ii, and it's an affordable, 4-channel XLR (and 3.5mm mini plug) audio recorder. It's a popular recorder, that looks impressive (and is CAPABLE of capturing good audio) but it's not as portable or easy to use as I would prefer, so it didn't make it into my final KIT PLAN. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? It isn't for me, but my requirement for portability includes the ability to mount an audio recorder onto my "dual-camera cage" and due to the fact it holds two (2) cameras already, it has little room left for this DSLR-sized audio recorder. So, it's not portable according to me, but it might fit into your kit plan okay...it takes up about the same amount of space as a (Micro Four Thirds) camera with lens in my camera backpack. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? I think it is, especially for a 4-channel audio recorder that has both XLR and 3.5mm (mini plug) inputs. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? It’s fairly easy to find used (on Ebay, OfferUp, etc.) so I would say it’s “common”. It's also available new on Amazon, but it was difficult to find, until I went directly to the Tascam store (on Amazon). Version 1 (with silver vs. red handles) is also out there, but people like this one (version 2) better so make sure to pick up the “Mark 2” version if you’re going for this recorder. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? This recorder IS capable of producing high quality audio files, but I must rush to say that it requires a bit of skill and experience to make this happen. The reason is there are two ways to adjust the gain, and if you don't get it right, the audio isn't very clean (and low signal levels are part of the problem, not just high levels). The two ways to control gain are MENU PRESETS (such as LOW, MID, HIGH, etc.) and then the GAIN DIALS (KNOBS). So, you might think all you would need to do is to read the audio level (the meters) and use these two controls to keep it in range, but THE GAIN DIALS ARE NOT GRADUAL (they kind of jump betweem 3 or 4 main levels when you turn the dial). So, it's tough to fine-tune the level to manage the peaks. Plus, the lows aren't clean enough to trust so you have to always monitor with headphones to find the sweet spots of these pre-amps. It's a struggle, and it's certainly not fun or stress-free like using a 32-bit float recorder (which requires no more than turning it on to get quality...though mic placement is still important, of course). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? My systems are all about not being stressful to use, and this recorder wasn’t what I consider easy to use (when compared to my other budget audio recorders). There are a number of reasons I say this but remember they all come down to the ability to operate it quickly while you're under stress. The first thing is, the battery life is really short. I was using Energizer rechargeables, which are pretty good, and it lasted for about an hour. To work with this, I power it from a power bank as often as I can, but this makes it even less portable. Also, it’s important to make sure you always put batteries inside too (so it won’t shut off if the power bank gets unplugged). Next, there are just way too many buttons for me to like. I appreciate all of the options, but it just seems like it makes there more things that you can do wrong. I felt like I did understand most of the features after diving through the menus, but there was just too much information for me to be able to process everything under stress. Then, there's the strange gain knob situation; as I mentioned above, the knobs seem to adjust the gain level in STAGES, not gradually (as a knob/dial would suggest). That makes fine-tuning sort of...impossible. Then, there are the multiple output options (on the right side of the recorder). They are fun to have, and can actually be helpful if you're trying to get tricky, but there just seems to be no simple way to use this recorder, and that's why I'm having to categorize this as an ADVANCED level audio recorder. PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? RECOMMENDATION: I think this is a good tool for an ADVANCED user, who doesn't have a lot of money but needs XLR input and a bunch of 3.5mm output options. I don't personally like the idea of mounting it underneath my camera (because I'm using a "dual-camera cage") and I don't typically do XLR audio (for budget "fake filmmaking") so, for me there are better options available, so I'm giving this one up. These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: [NOT IN KIT] Yamaha Steinberg UR22MKII This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK No MEDIUM USE OK NA HEAVY USE OK NA Portable? POCKET NA CAMERA BAG NA BACKPACK NA Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE NA *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE NA **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON NA ON EBAY NA Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL MEDIUM RECOMMENDATION: I’m not recommending this product, because stopped working after light use. Plus, the headphone amplifier was too noisy, so I couldn’t depend on this as an accurate output (listening) device for audio testing, which is the main reason I use a USB audio interface. These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .

REAL REVIEWS Long-term reviews of budget photo & video gear. KIT PLAN RECOMMENDATION: ADVANCED KIT Zoom H2n This image is 100% REAL, and no A.I. (or Photoshop compositing) were used to make it, and I know because I took it myself. Quality? LIGHT USE OK Yes MEDIUM USE OK ? HEAVY USE OK ? Portable? POCKET No CAMERA BAG Yes BACKPACK Yes Affordable? AVERAGE NEW PRICE $ 114.95 *Indicates SALE price. Amazon AFFILIATE LINK AVERAGE USED PRICE $ 59.99** **Indicates BUY NOW price. Ebay AFFILIATE LINK Common? ON AMAZON Yes ON EBAY No Easy To Use? SKILL LEVEL DIFFICULT OVERVIEW: This is a 4-channel (surround sound) audio recorder that also can record in mid side or just X/Y stereo. My primary use of this recorder is for capturing ambient audio using the built-in XY and MS (Mid-Side) mics. So far, I prefer to only use the 4-channel (XY + MS) recording mode because I think it provides a more "REAL" sound, and more channels to work with in post. MAIN POINTS: PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? PART 3: IS IT COMMON? PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? PART 1: IS IT PORTABLE? It's mostly portable, but to work well it really needs some kind of shock mount, or a stand with some rubber dampening as the shock mount. PART 2: IS IT AFFORDABLE? This is version 2, and version 3 has 32-bit float recording is taking over the market, so the price of this one is getting pretty good. PART 3: IS IT COMMON? This version 2 is pretty common (the H2n) on both the new and used markets. PART 4: HOW’S THE QUALITY? It's a little bit difficult to get a recording with a high enough level to use AS-IS (without post-processing it) and I haven't worked with the files much (gave it to a family member). PART 5: IS IT EASY TO USE? There is some learning you need to do, if we're talking about using it for more than just an X/Y stereo recorder, but if you're just recording 2 channels (stereo) it's similar to the Zoom H1n. If you go beyond 2 audio channels, there are a lot of really good features available, such as 4-channel surround and mid side recording (fun stuff!) PART 6: NEEDS ADD-ONS? Yes, it needs a shock mount, and there are a couple of options from Movo, but keep in mind that the one I recommended for the Zoom H1 won't work. PART 7: WHERE DO I BUY? I've seen used ones on almost every buying platform (Craigslist, OfferUp, eBay, and Amazon) and there are still new ones on Amazon right now, too. RECOMMENDATION: 4-channel recording can be fun and difficult, especially when you're not using 32-bit float and need to set audio levels for all of the channels while you're recording! Therefore, just get the new 32-bit float version, and it will be a lot easier to know you're getting good audio on all of the channels...and then you can "fix it in post". These reviews are just my opinion and are focused on my Q.P.A.C.E. packing method, so they're not comprehensive. I wrote these mostly to help me remember what items worked for my KIT PLANS (and which didn't). If I said anything negative I apologize, as these products still may work well for you in your situation, but they were not Q.P.A.C.E (Quality, Portable, Affordable, Common, Easy-to-Use) enough for my budget filmmaking KIT PLANS .