Industry Trends Retrospective: The Most Popular Gear of 2019
Take a look at the most rented and purchased gear of 2019, and get a sneak peek at how the trends are looking like for 2020.
If you haven’t checked out the absolutely stunning Creative Trends 2020 put together by the Shutterstock team, it’s a must. It’s a good way to get a heads up on what you’ll be seeing (and what you’ll be asked for) in the coming content year. In the same vein, I decided to take a look back at the camera trends of 2019, and where they’re heading as we dive deeper into 2020. I used ShareGrid’s continually updated rankings of the most rented and purchased cameras and camera gear as my reference, so shout out to them.
I found some interesting trends this year compared to 2018, but honestly, the most shocking thing is the similarities between the two lists. Below, I’ve broken the information down into two sections: gear and cameras and rentals vs. purchases.
So let’s take a look.
Top Camera Rentals of 2019
Affordability reigned supreme at rental houses in 2019, as we take a look at the cameras at the top of the rental rankings. Our craft is constantly welcoming wave after wave of amateur filmmakers, and more affordable cameras for more modest budgets was quite the hit this past year.
Sony Alpha a7S II Mirrorless Digital Camera — Current Average Rental Cost: $17/day
Image via Sony.
For more on the Sony a7S II, check out this review.
Sony PXW-FS7 XDCAM Super 35 Camera — Current Average Rental Cost: $25/day
Image via Sony.
Check out the official tutorial here.
Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 Digital Camera — Current Average Rental Cost: $8/day
Image via Panasonic.
Learn more with this guide to the Panasonic GH5.
Top Gear Rentals of 2019
A wireless lav kit, a versatile lens, and a cost-effective dolly made up the most sought-after items from rental houses last year.
Sennheiser Ew 100-ENG G3 Wireless — Current Average Rental Cost: $10/day
Image via Sennheiser.
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM — Current Average Rental Cost: $10/day
Image via Canon.
Dana Dolly Dolly Kit – Current Average Rental Cost: $15/day
Image via Dana Dolly.
For more on how to build a dolly track, check out this tutorial.
Top Camera Purchases of 2019
It seems quite a few people were so pleased with renting the Sony a7S, they decided to go out and buy one themselves, as it also finished first in sales. The Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro and the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K were not among the top three rentals; however, they were in the top three for cameras that operators decided to own.
Sony Alpha a7S II Mirrorless Digital Camera
Image via Sony.
In case you missed it earlier, check out the review here.
Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro
Image via BlackmagicDesign.
Check out this great review here.
Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K
Image via BlackmagicDesign.
Learn more about the BMDPCC 4K here.
Top Gear Purchases of 2019
The DJI Ronin-M finishes first as the piece of gear video professionals decided to have on-hand at all times. The lightweight gimbal is a great piece of gear for stabilized video at nearly 1/10th the price of the Ronin 2 Professional Combo, for a camera lens combo of up to eight pounds. The highly capable Aputure LS C300d LED Light took second as their products continue to trend upward in popularity every day. Tilta finished third with their Nucleus-M Wireless Follow Focus that has near flawless reviews online, at a competitive price.
DJI Ronin-M 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer
Image via DJI.
For a discussion on how to mount the BMPCC 4K, check out this article.
Aputure LS C300d LED Light
Image via Aputure.
Tilta Nucleus-M Wireless Follow Focus
Image via Tilta.
For more on the Tilta Nucleus, check out their website.
ShareGrid also offers information on the trends of the last thirty days. As of this writing, gear rentals and purchases are trending almost exactly the same as they did in 2019. With NAB quickly approaching, we may see a change as we get the new gear announcements. But, as it stands, the 2019 gear will very much be part of the 2020 filmmaker’s toolkit.
Looking for more on video gear? Check out these articles.
- What to Buy for Green Screen Kit (and Where to Buy It)
- A Shortage in NAND Flash Memory Could Lead to Increase in SSD Prices
- Learning Curve: Getting Started Using a Light Meter
- Learning Curve: The Mysteries Behind the LUT Box Unveiled
- Z-CAM: Affordable Cinema Cameras You Might Not Know About
Cover image via Sony.
