Two things have always vexed me with the videos I’ve done “out and about.”

The first is sound. I just don’t have the personal budget to go out and get a high end microphone, and up until I got the G7 I didn’t have a video capable camera with a decent enough pre-amp to make it worthwhile ¹. I began to solve this vexation when I acquired a Tascam DR-40 this year as payment for a side-job. While I would still love to get a both shotgun and wired lapel microphone, the microphones on the Tascam give me some excellent sound. Even when the wind picks up.

This has left light as my major vexation when shooting video. A lot of the locations in which I film have terrible lighting, and I have neither the money nor the cultural pull to create an environment where I control the light for my shoots ². One of my Christmas Gifts, however may have removed this obstacle. The Provid LED-300 Light Kit is a nice light which doesn’t break the bank. The light is battery powered, and can be mounted on a tripod or to a camera via the shoe adapter. It has a jog dial which controls the power output, as well as a Type-A USB plug which allows the kit to be used as a mobile power-bank. The kit comes with several gels to help with white balance, and it puts out a consistent glow. I’ll be able get some passable field lighting at long last!

I recorded a short demonstration of the lighting kit, which is posted below. This also marks the first time I recorded 4K video on my G7, and I am pleased with the results.