My MOST USED Sony Camera Gear & Settings! (Lenses, Picture Profiles, Mic Levels, etc) 2020

So I talk a lot about gear on this YouTube channel, particularly Sony, and I play with a lot of them, whether it be through announcement launches, reviews, tutorials, but I often get asked on DMs, what is it exactly that I use? You know, I get questions like, do you still use the Sigma 24 to 70? Do you still use the Zeiss Bodys 40 millimeter that you talk so highly about? So I wanna make a video dedicated to the exact gear that I'm using on a day-to-day basis, as well as when I travel. Rest in peace, plans to travel in 2020. So if you've seen my studio tour video, then you know I'm using the Sony A7R Mark IV right now with a 16 to 35 G Master for my YouTube studio shoots. But in general, I'm using my Sony A7R Mark IV for all sorts of video stuff because it has the best video features right now. In particular, the autofocus, I have eye autofocus in 4K and it doesn't black out the display when I'm using an external monitor. So I really, really like that. But I did get questions asking me if I'm still using no picture profiles for my videos. Yes, you're seeing it right now. I'm not using any sort of picture profile. The only thing that's changed is I set my dynamic range optimizer to one and for my creative style, I'm using standard, but I've bumped up the saturation and the contrast by one. The only thing that changes constantly when I'm shooting with this picture profile is obviously the white balance, just depending on the type of day. During the hours of the day that I'm shooting, the lighting here changes, so I do have to adjust the white balance, but that's about it. Do I still shoot with Hybrid Lock Gamma? Absolutely, if I'm shooting outdoors where the sun is really bright, where I have no controls of my highlight, then I do have to swap out to Hybrid Lock Gamma 2 profile with the Rec. 709 and it's on that same video that I've made how I grade Hybrid Lock Gamma. So for weddings and for, again, anything outdoors that I don't have control with the lights, I go with the picture profile Hybrid Lock Gamma. Do I still use the Sony a7 III? Yes, as a B cam. Now, I do have two Sony a7 III's and I'm gonna get rid of one really soon. I just have to repair the other first. I dropped my camera and don't worry, I'm gonna sell the one that I didn't drop, okay? Nothing serious, the camera's still working fine. I dropped this one on concrete. I don't know if you can see this, but the exposure dial right here is stuck. So I just have to get that fixed, but otherwise the camera's working just fine. I still have my Sony a7R Mark III, which I'm planning on selling, even though I prefer the 42 megapixel on this camera over the 61 megapixel on the R4. Again, you can't beat the video features of the R4. The improved autofocus and everything, it's just worth it. I'm gonna keep using this camera for my main video stuff until obviously a better thing comes out, whether that be the a7S III or the a7IV. I currently don't own any Sony APS-C cameras, so no a6000, whatever. I sold my a6500 a couple months ago and I plan on picking up another APS-C camera when Sony comes out with one with better video features. At least 4K 60, come on Sony. Until then, I'm rocking off full frames. Before I get into my juicy lens setup, I have to do this really quickly. I wanna plug my sponsor Storyblocks because it keeps a roof over my head and food on the table so I can keep making photography and videography content for you guys. But even though Storyblocks is not a physical gear, the service itself is just as integral to my production as any of the cameras, lenses, and mics that I use. They have a ton of stock footage you can use, whether it's drone footage, time lapses, motion graphics template, they got it all. Unlimited downloads, unlimited usage. I myself, I don't even have a drone anymore. If I can get away with using stock footage from storyblocks.com 100%, I'd rather do that than to go buy a drone, get a drone license, drive to the location, and get the shot. Go to storyblocks.com slash Jason Vong and see how this service can benefit you. But for now, let's get into the lenses. All right, lens time. Obviously 16 to 35 right here. I also use the 20 millimeter F2.8 for some studio stuff. Love that 1.8, but again, for vlogging, for photography in general, I prefer something wider, but the 20 millimeter is actually a really good, nice enough wide lens with that F1.8 aperture for studio setups like this. So yeah, if I need the 1.8 instead of 2.8, I'm pulling the 20 millimeter F1.8. And yes, I'm still using my Zeiss Bodice 40 millimeter that I talk so highly about. This is probably the question I get the most often is whether or not I still use this lens or not. And I get it, it's because I make a lot of videos on other lenses and I talk about other lenses a whole lot recently, but what do you think I use to shoot videos of those lens reviews? This lens is incredibly versatile. It's like my faux macro lens, not really a dedicated macro lens, but it has that close focusing capability so I can focus on the details of the products that I'm talking about. And I like using this for talking aero shots as well when I'm out traveling. It just kind of shows enough of the environment and the background that I'm in as I'm talking and presenting, and yeah, I like this lens for the versatility and the travel stuff. Still using the Zeiss Bodice 85 millimeter. Need I say more? I already made a whole dedicated video talking about this lens, so click up here to check it out. By the way, I do have other lenses like the 70-200 G Master, 24-70 G Master, and the 55 1.8, but I choose not to talk about them because it's not something that I have been using a whole lot recently. They're just kind of there for whenever I need to make comparisons and if I need to shoot weddings with them, I would pull them out, so. Aside from the travel, hosting, talking, that type of style videos that I like to make, I also do like to do the more on the ball vlogging kind of videos, and for that, I actually do prefer an APS-C setup with the 10-18 ultra-wide angle lens right here. Back when I was borrowing the a6400, the a6100, I always paired up with this lens to do some vlogging along with that Code Shoot Relocator to put the mic to the side of the flip screen. It's really nice, so when I get the APS-C camera again, this is the combo that I'll be pairing for any sort of vlogging setup. However, I am trying to vlog with this setup here a little bit more. This is the Sony RX100 Mark VII with the Small Ray cage, and on top is the Rode mic, and this is the Su-Ray monopod right here that just allows me to pivot this camera really quickly to wherever I need it to be and adjust to do any sort of vlogging and talking. Now, obviously, I won't use this out in public. In public, I would use the setup with this Bluetooth Sony grip right here, but yeah, I'm trying to vlog with this a little bit more. It's just so nice and compact. This camera can record 4K for so long without overheating, which is really, really nice, and the photography capability of the RX100 VII is amazing, 20 frames per second, and I really love the 24 to 200 millimeter lens. I know people kind of complain about losing out on the F1.8 aperture, how they much rather just keep it F1.8 to 2.8 without pushing past the 70 millimeter mark, but hey, I prefer the more telephoto look on this camera, and I know people complain about the ND filter, the lack of an ND filter on this thing, like how the other previous RX100 camera have. I don't really care. I mean, you're running and gunning, vlogging. Who cares if your shutter speed is all jacked up? So it doesn't really matter to me. I really like this setup a whole lot. Now, would I prefer having the F1.8, 2.8 aperture? Absolutely, absolutely, but for the most part, for what it is and for what it can do, I'm happy. If the next one they come out has the ND filters and the 1.8, 2.8, yada, yada, yada, I'll consider it, absolutely. The mic on top is actually an overkill. It makes the setup really big, but I actually prefer using the Rode VideoMic Pro over the VideoMic Micro, or whatever this thing is called, because I feel like this mic here captures more of the background noise than this one. This one gives me the flexibility. It's more directional, so it captures my voice a little bit better without capturing the background. And plus, you can record to two separate channels with two different audio levels. So the back right here, because I have this thing turned on, it records the right channel 15 decibels lower. So in case I do end up peaking or it's too loud, I can just grab the audio from the right side of the channel and just use that instead without worrying about using a really peaked out audio. So I'm trying to use this to vlog a little bit more. Did I also mention this camera has video eye autofocus? That is insane. All right, in the topics of mics, I talked about the Sennheiser MKH416, which is sitting right underneath the camera setup right now. Great, now I messed it up. There we go, okay. And it's recording to the MixPre-3. I also, as you just saw, I have the mic stand that I said I would get for my studio tour. So I have that now. I'm using the Rode NT-USB, like I mentioned in my studio setup tour video. That's for more like live streaming voiceovers. Wireless mic, wireless lav. You guys already know I'm using the Rode Link. But for travel, I actually use the Wireless Go lav mics, which I've misplaced it somewhere. I have it somewhere, but I don't know where I put it. I like using the small ones a little bit more for travel, just because of the form factor. They're so incredibly tiny. It's like, why not? And you can recharge it with a USB-3, sorry, USB-C. Heck yeah. I do find that I peak with that mic a little bit more when I start talking a little bit louder, when I get excited. It does tend to peak, often peak a little bit more than if I were to use this. This one has a little bit more control. But for the form factor of that kind of mic, it's like, whatever. I can live with that. Small price to pay for a smaller form factor. So I forgot to mention this mic right here. This is the brand new Sony shotgun mic that I bought when I was in Japan. And this one is really nice because it takes advantage of the multi-interface hot shoe. As you can see, there's no cable connecting to the camera. It's taking advantage of the hot shoe technology on the camera. Now this is the brand new improved version of the multi-interface hot shoe. They've done it before with the A6000, but it just didn't sound that great. But now it sounds a whole lot better because the A7R Mark IV and the A9 uses a newer advanced version of the multi-interface hot shoe. So it actually uses DIGITO. I don't know if you can really see that right here. I have an option between DIGITO and analog. And with the DIGITO on this, it sounds really, really nice. It sounds really clean. And I have an option for a low cut filter or noise cancellation filter. And it works great. Unfortunately, I don't vlog with the bigger full frame cameras. Otherwise, this would make a nice vlogging mic. But for the most part, video, run and gun shoots, this is a really nice mic to use. Okay, so you guys already know, I talked about the Westcott lights that I use for my YouTube studio setup. But for weddings, I still prefer to use the KAME TV 55 Bolts and Lights. This is great for lighting receptions because it is incredibly lightweight, compact, and it powers through Sony NPF batteries. There are better and more powerful lights, but because I can put this on a small little light stand and being nimble with it just makes this a lot more appealing. We've shot a ton of weddings to know that wedding couples don't stay in the same spot for receptions, speakers, toasters, or whatever. We gotta be moving lights constantly and for us to use a better and powerful light that needs to be plugged into the wall, it's just not very, very practical. So can't beat the versatility, portability, and the lightweightness of the KAME TV Bolts and Lights. Now, I don't do a whole lot of portrait work, but for when I do, I like using the Stella Pro Lights right here. And I honestly prefer these over strobes. I come from a video background, so I like to see when I'm changing the lights, how it affects the lighting of my subject rather than dialing different power levels just to see if I'm over or underexposed. Now, of course, if you're looking to overpower the sun, you might wanna still use something like a powerful strobe light, but these do get incredibly bright and we have used these outdoors in a really sunny situation and they work fantastic. But gosh darn, these are really, really expensive. I did get a pair of these in exchange for making a couple of videos for them, but to be honest, the reason why I said yes to it was because I tested out the lights, I really liked it, and I was like, yeah, for sure, I would do an exchange with you guys if I can use these to do any sort of future portrait work for the YouTube channel, so not bad. Good bartering right there. For tripods, I am still rocking the Peak Design Everyday Travel Tripod, the carbon fiber version, still my go-to. I know a lot of people hate it on this tripod because of how expensive it is and yeah, I don't know what to say. I mean, it's ultimately up to you if you think this is worth it or not, but for me, I feel like for travel, for the size and the form factor and the light weightness of it, it's super worth it. Again, I gotta be honest, I'm still rocking the review unit version that they sent me, but I'm sure the retail version that they have out is so much better than what I'm using, but honestly, it still function and works fine. I only mainly use this for time lapses and stationary shots, right? I wouldn't use this for panning and tilting for video. This is not the tripod for that. For any of those types of work, I would have a bigger Manfrotto tripod, which I'm not even gonna bother telling you what the motto is because I don't recommend it. My friend Tam has this Benro tripod that is super fluid, like really nice fluid video head for smooth pans and smooth tilts. Now, I would get it, but I'm actually saving up my money for the Sachtler tripod. It's really expensive, but the appeal of that tripod is instead of unlocking these legs one by one, there's like a three-latch system that allows you to adjust the height of the tripod, and I really would prefer that for any sort of production or video weddings, so I would probably get that over that Benro tripod, but for the most part for travel, for time lapses, for stationary shots, still using the Peak Design tripod here. All right, let's see what's next. Gimbos. I am so tired of talking about gimbos. They're very necessary for productions and weddings, but for the most part, if I don't have to use them, I would choose not to use them. The one that I use is the Zhiyun Weibo S. I just don't wanna use heavy. See, there's a theme with me going on in this YouTube channel, right? It's just like if it's heavy and big, I don't wanna bother with it, so the Weibo S is perfect in that regards. It's a small little gimbal that can handle a decent heavy lens setup, like a 24-70 G Master, but for the most part, I still use the lighter prime lenses on that, and that's what I would prefer. Now, some people have been asking me about live streaming, how I've been doing it, so I've been using my Sony a7R Mark IV, like I've been saying. I'm using the Cam Link right here. Hi, my face. I'm using the Cam Link right here to get that feed of my camera to my laptop. I use a thing called OBS. Actually, I've been using Streamlabs, but it's like some variation of OBS that gives you a little bit more control, but it's this streaming software that allows me to broadcast this setup, this footage right here, to YouTube, to yeah, whatever, but that's only for solo lives. For the lives that I do with Danny, the Monday Live podcast, I have to use a different service called BeLive. Back then, we would have Google Hangouts, which has that automated switcher where whoever's talking, it would just load up that person's screen, but unfortunately, they abandoned that on YouTube, and they forced you to use a third-party service, which is BeLive. I mean, it's fine, but we have to pay a separate subscription for that, which is kind of annoying, but that's the only way to sort of get us to be on the screen at the same time, which is nice, because there's a split screen for the both of us, but yeah, if we could wire ourselves and maintain a fairly decent quality through OBS, we would, but for now, BeLive is just an easier option. I think it's like 20 bucks a month just to have that service, but editing. I like to edit my photos on the iPad Pro with Lightroom CC. This is actually the 2020 iPad Pro with the new keyboard and everything I upgraded, but before that, I was using the previous version iPad Pro, and how I would get the raw files from my Sony cameras is with a GNARBOX, this little device right here, so what I would do is plug in the SD card in here, offload all my photos and videos here. It does create a nice little backup, and then what I would do is connect the Wi-Fi of the iPad Pro to this thing and grab the raw files and put it into here. Now, I wish there was an easier setup where I can just, I think they were developing this, I don't remember, but you can use a USB Thunderbolt to SD card dongle and just zap it in directly into the iPad Pro, but I don't know if that's available now, but what I did for my whole Japan trip was doing the GNARBOX method, and honestly, this method is slightly better just because the GNARBOX itself has the bigger storage, depending on the model of iPad that you have. If you have a smaller space iPad, then it's not wise to have 61 megapixel photos on your iPad, because it's gonna fill up the space, so having a dedicated hard drive for that is really nice, and you can also use this to edit 4K videos on LumaFusion. I haven't done that yet. I would like to try, but there is an option, so there is use cases with the GNARBOX to make your editing workflow in terms of video and photo a lot easier, but for the most part, as for a simple setup, I would just get the photos onto here, load it onto Lightroom CC on the iPad Pro, and edit, and I much prefer editing on an iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil. It's just a much funner way to edit. Of course, if you're doing a bunch of photos, like weddings, where you have thousands and thousands of photos, it's probably better to do it on a dedicated laptop, but for the most part, I'd rather just edit my photos on an iPad Pro. It's just more fun, so iPad Pro for photos. For videos, I still gotta use a dedicated laptop machine like my MacBook Pro to edit, just because I throw in a lot of 4K video files, and organization and everything-wise, it's just better on a dedicated laptop versus trying to do it all on GNARBOX and LumaFusion on the iPad Pro, so yeah. Is there anything else about my Sony gear workflow? Nope, I think that's it. If you guys have any questions about how I work with my Sony cameras, just drop in the comments down below, and I'll try to make a follow-up video as soon as possible. Guys, thank you so much for watching. I'll see you guys in my next video. Peace.