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I’ve been working in India as a cameraman, filming for . It’s a light and fast operation. We have two directors, a translator, and only the gear we can fit in our backpacks. Last week we were filming up in the Himalayas in below- freezing temperatures.  We’re in Haridwar now, shopping for a rickshaw to pedal down to Kanpur, and it’s 85 degrees and humid. We need to be ready for anything, and able to capture everything.

Basically, all you really need are a couple low-profile, light-weight cameras that can shoot 1080x1920p HD video, and the audio hook-ups to bring the video to life.

Here are the essentials:

• 1 with an and (The SLR body makes this a great undercover-camera. You just look like another tourist snapping stills, but you’re really shooting 1080x1920p HD video. The eyepiece is key for maintaining the focus, which is often a bit tricky.)
• 1 (Simple to use with awesome auto functions. It’s light, and shoots 1080x1920p. Best of all: it’s relatively cheap.)
• 2 and waterproof casings (I’m in love with these little guys. They shoot surprisingly good video in well-lighted situations, and you can huck ‘em down a class V rapid and not worry about it!)
• 1 with (It’s great to be able to review your footage in the field. Final Cut allows us to even edit short videos to update our blog as we go along.)
• 1 (Key for attaching pro-audio to cams with only mini-inputs)
• Spare Batteries
• 1 UV Filter (To protect the lens, mostly)
• 1 Polarizing Filter (To capture true-color while shooting outside, it’s worth the $55)
• 5
• 2 (One is just a clone for redundancy)
• 2 (Perfect for run-and gun shooting.)
• 2 Wireless Microphones (Because sometimes you just don’t want to hear what’s going on in the background.)
• 1 pair of Headphones (A must for any cameraman serious about quality audio.)

Dave Costello is a former �����ԹϺ��� Intern. Follow .  You can also check out his photo- gallery on Climbing In Yosemite at �����ԹϺ��� Online.