When you’re shooting on the go, you can’t grab just any camera. You need a camera that has the features necessary to meet the demands of run and gun shooting.

When you don’t know what you’re going to encounter, you need quick and easy control of your camera so you can be ready for anything. These here are the 5 run and gun features that you need to look for in a camera:

Multiple media card slots

The first feature you need to look in a camera is multiple media card slots. Imagine traveling all the way to a location, just to fill up your memory card in the first half of the shoot. Using a camera with multiple slots gives you the ability to switch full cards with fresh ones without having to stop the recording. You’ll never run out of recording space as long as you have extra memory cards on hand.

Also, it’s best to use a camera that can record in multiple formats since this gives you more flexibility in post. It’s always better to have options. Some of the file formats you’ll want to keep your eyes open for are ProRes, MOV and MP4.

ND filters

Run and gun shoots are spontaneous. There are going to be a lot of things you can’t control; you just have to be ready for what’s thrown at you. If your shoot begins indoors and then goes outdoors, a neutral density filter will be invaluable. Think of an ND filter as sunglasses for your camera. ND filters reduce the amount of light entering your camera’s lens. They allow you to be able to keep the same exposure settings, even when more light is in the scene. Additionally, it’s helpful to have a few NDs to choose from to be ready for different amounts of additional light. 

XLR inputs

When shooting run and gun, it can be easy to just focus on the image your capturing, but you don’t want to neglect the audio that is also being captured. XLR inputs allow you to use professional mics, while keeping signal inputs easy and fast. An additional bonus easy-to-access exterior gain control. 

IP Connectivity

IP connectivity allows you to transmit video from your camera directly over the internet. Cameras that have IP Connectivity will allow you to use the camera in live broadcasting situations. We recommend a system that can stream up to at least 24 megabits per second. 

Long zoom range

Run and gun shooting requires a camera that can frame the shot, regardless of how far away the subject matter is. When you can’t get up close to the action, it’s essential to have a zoom that can reach it. 

What camera should you use?

Like we said earlier, you can’t grab just any camera for run and gun shooting. One good option is the JVC GY-HC500U. It offers all five of the features presented above. With its 1 inch CMOS sensor, it has a 20X optical zoom — the 35mm equivalent of a 28mm-560mm lens — and a 40x lossless dynamic zoom. So, if you find yourself trying to film the bride and groom at a wedding but can’t get to the front, the GY-HC500U will get you there.

The GY-HC500U also offers a wide variety of shooting resolutions: UHD 4K, HD, SD, and even SD-proxy recording. Plus, when shooting in UHD 4K, it has a top frame rate of 60p, while also offering 50p, 30p, 25p, and 24p. To top it off, you can shoot in ProRes in MOV or MP4, and it supports IP streaming.

Additionally, the GY-HC500U has two SDHC/SDXC Card Slots, so no worrying about running out of memory while in the heat of a shoot. Plus, it has two XLR Mic/Line inputs and 2 Stop, 4 Stop and 6 Stop ND filters. 

There is only so much planning you can do for a run and gun shoot; you’ll need a camera that’s ready for anything you throw at it. To learn more about the JVC GY-HC500U visit pro.jvc.com/

1 COMMENT

  1. The irony is if you had a video titled Run and Gun Shoot – you’d get demonitized or have the video pulled before you knew it.

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