Quick take: Ten inexpensive things I actually use every day, all under $25: lav mic undercovers, a blade-free SmallRig multitool, mirror selfie screens, Bongo ties, spare lens caps, superclamps, a small RGB light with a phone/webcam mount, gray cards, the right mic cables and a water bag instead of a sandbag.
Everyone shows Amazon products around Prime Day, me included, but these are things I really use, and some never leave my bag. For a few of them I'm giving you options, in case you already own one or use it differently than I do.
1. Lav Mic Undercovers
A lav clipped on the collar can muffle your voice, rub against your neck and look unprofessional. Undercovers let you stick the lav under your shirt on your chest. The audio is clean, it's protected from wind, it isn't a distraction, and it adds a layer of refinement to talking-head and client videos. There are also overcovers for cold weather, so you can put the mic on a base layer instead of under a jacket.
They come in different colors, which matters if your subject is wearing something thin or see-through. Some brands still let fabric noise through on certain materials, so I recommend the brand linked below. They're single use, and a 30-pack is only a couple of dollars, so don't try to reuse them.
2. SmallRig Multitool
If you shoot video with a camera cage, this is a necessity. There's a fancier version for twice the price with the same seven tools. It's easier to get torque on, but I'm not sure that's worth the premium. Most importantly, there's no blade, so you can fly with it. Having one is a necessity, and having more than one means you can leave one in each bag.
3. Mirror Selfie Screens
Mount a mirror to your camera and you can see a reflection of the screen while the lens points at you. It's a cheap way to frame yourself without a monitor. For a long time I shot YouTube and review videos this way on my X-T3, and it has cold shoes for a mic or light. With a shotgun mic, mount it to the side, since the top shoe is offset.
JJC mirror: adjustable, so it works with cameras that have offset screens, unlike earlier designs.
NiceyRig mirror: a wider field of view and better for desk talking heads with centered flip screens. It also works on phones, so you can frame yourself with the much better rear cameras when you don't want to bring pro gear. It packs down small and needs no power.
4. Bongo Ties
Walk onto any production floor and you'll find these. It's just a rubber band with a little wooden toggle, but I have bags of them in my car and every bag. I've used them to bundle cables, make emergency rig fixes, strap a mic with a broken mount to a camera and, most often, anchor small lights to odd-shaped or non-magnetic fixtures. Use them once and they're in your bag permanently.
5. Spare Lens Caps
Replacement lens caps are a tiny investment in protecting expensive glass. It only has to happen once: lose a cap while traveling and you're stuck babying a lens all the way home. I keep one in every filter size I use. I like Breakthrough Photography's caps because they grip with a lot more tension than many stock caps, so I keep them on full time and use the originals as backups.
6. Superclamps
SmallRig makes an original superclamp and a newer, larger one with a crab-claw jaw and a bit more grip. Either works. I've mounted GoPros and 360 cameras with them, but mostly I use them for background and practical lights, especially at night or for night portraits, where a small backlight in frame can be cloned out or blurred away. I just wish the newer one came in black, since it can draw attention in a shot.
7. Small RGB Light and Phone/Webcam Mount
This small RGB light isn't great at any one thing. It's magnetic, but the magnet isn't super strong, and there's some color fringing at the edges. It's still handy as a cheap accent light, and the mount lets you put it on a phone or webcam.
8. Gray Cards
A gray card makes setting a custom white balance quick and consistent. I've linked a large one, a folding one and a set of small gray and white cards.
9. The Right Mic Cable
Cameras use TRS cables for external mics, but phones need TRRS. Use the wrong one and you'll find out you have no audio after you've recorded. I've linked both.
10. Water Bag Instead of a Sandbag
A water bag does the job of a sandbag for weighing down stands, but you can travel with it empty and fill it on location.
Final Thoughts
None of these are exciting, but they solve real problems for very little money. For more, see 5 cheap camera tools that make shooting video easier.
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