As summer winds down, it’s time to get back into the swing of school, studies, and those creative passion projects and side hustles that could one day become your career. This back-to-school season’s lineup of gear is top-notch, with cameras, lenses, microphones, and other gadgets that will help you push your photography, videography, and audio boundaries — and perhaps make a little money on the side.
Whether you’re focused on film, are all about the stills, or are mastering sound, we’ve combined an updated list of all the top back-to-school photo, video, and audio products you’ll want to add to your kit for fall 2019.
Atomos Shinobi ()
With a 4K feed and an all-day run-time, the Atomos Shinobi will help you capture the most precise, high-quality footage at an affordable, () price. The Atomos Shinobi is perfect for vloggers, travel videographers, and run-and-gun documentary filmmakers; it has a versatile horseshoe attachment and an overall weight of less than half a pound. You can monitor waveform, histogram, and vectorscope while filming with the Atomos Shinobi, ensuring your colors are on-point for ease in post-production.
Canon EOS RP Mirrorless Full Frame Digital Camera ()
The new Canon EOS RP Mirrorless Camera packs a big punch in its lightweight, one-pound body. With a 26.2MP sensor and an ISO range of 100 to 40,000, this powerhouse of a camera will help you perfect your photography, not to mention 4K capabilities for videography. This tiny yet impressive camera is great for travel, studying abroad, and capturing memories around campus, not to mention passion projects, blogs, and vlogs. If purchased as a bundle, the Canon EOS RP Mirrorless Camera kit also comes with a versatile 24-105MM f/4 lens.
Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 Planar T* ZF.2 Series Manual Focus Lens ()
Whether you’re shooting portraits or logging your favorite food photos, this 50mm f/1.4 lens will help you capture crisp, eye-catching images with gorgeous blurred-out backgrounds. The Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 bundle delivers top-notch results at (), with neutral density filters included so you can stay at a f/1.4 aperture, even in bright sunlight.
Fujifilm X100F 24.3MP Digital Camera ()
Street photographers, journalists, and travelers need the small-yet-mighty Fujifilm X-100F camera. This versatile camera has a 24.3MP sensor with outstanding, realistic colors, even in low-light situations. The built-in ND filter makes it easy to capture the perfect picture at all times of day, and the compatible wide and teleconversion lenses will help you capture the scene in your preferred frame.
ColorChecker Passport Photo 2 with Balance Target ()
If color perfection is your middle name, you need the ColorChecker Passport Photo 2 in your kit. The ColorChecker Passport Photo 2 has a wide range of targets that are compatible with programs like Lightroom and Photoshop for professional-quality colors. This $119 color-balancing tool includes 24 color patches in a tiny pocket size, making it particularly great for wedding, travel, and on-the-go photographers.
Nikon Z6 FX-Format Mirrorless Camera Body ()
With a small, mirrorless size and a massive ISO sensitivity range of 100 to 51,200, the Nikon Z6 FX-Format Mirrorless Camera will help you capture top-notch photos at all hours of the day. This camera has a 24.5MP sensor with continuous shooting at 12FPS and video capabilities like 4K resolution, as well as 1080 at 120fps. Silent operation makes this camera perfect for wildlife and wedding photography, while the versatile film features will help you dabble into video, too.
Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO Travel Carbon Fiber Tripod ()
If you’re a travel photographer or videographer, you need the portable Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO Travel Carbon Fiber Tripod. This compact tripod weighs under five pounds (4.4 pounds for the aluminum variant and 3.9 pounds for the carbon fiber variant); it packs down to 16.9 inches, making it easy to fit in most carry-on suitcases. The durable Manfrotto Befree GT XPRO Travel Carbon Fiber Tripod can hold up to 22 pounds on its 496 Ball Head. It comes with a 200PL-PRO Quick Release Plate for ease of use, not to mention a versatile, built-in 90-degree column mechanism.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Mirrorless Camera ()
High image quality and quick shooting make the new Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II Mirrorless Camera a photographer’s dream. The high-res shot mode captures images at 50MP, with up to 18 frames per second sequential shooting with precise auto-focus tracking. Even better? These high-quality features come in a tiny body, just under 1.5 pounds. The silent shutter and top-notch image quality — not to mention speed — make this a must-have camera for wildlife and sports photographers.
Panasonic Lumix DC-GH5 Mirrorless Camera ()
If you’re an adventure, outdoors, or landscape photographer or videographer, the Panasonic Lumix GH5 will perfectly round out your kit. It’s freezeproof (to -10 degrees), dustproof, and splash proof — but this new camera offers more than durability. Its 20.3MP sensor captures sharp images, with 4K footage at 60p. The built-in rack focus transition also makes capturing professional footages seamless, and its top-of-the-line post-focus function helps you focus after the shot for utmost image precision.
Pelican U105 Urban Laptop Backpack ()
The lightweight, ergonomic Pelican U105 Urban Laptop Backpack will help you stay comfortable while lugging books and gadgets across campus. This watertight, dustproof bag fits a 15-inch laptop, with a concealed water bottle pocket and a protected tablet section in the front compartment. A ventilated mesh back and water-resistant material make this multipurpose bag perfect for weekday classes or weekends exploring the outdoors.
Sigma 18-35mm F/1.8 DC HSM ART Lens ()
Great for wedding, landscape, night, and travel photographers, the fast-yet-powerful Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 lens delivers the results of a prime lens with a versatile wide to normal range. The Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 comes in all mounts; it was built for sharpness, clarity, and speed. The f/1.8 guarantees beautiful bokeh with a strong, rugged build for durability in the field.
Sony Alpha a7 III 24MP UHD 4K Mirrorless Digital Camera ()
The Sony A7III brings the best of the A7SII and A7RIII into one compact-yet-powerful camera. With a 24MP sensor and precise auto-focus capabilities, the Sony A7III will help you perfect just about every image. The ISO range of 100 to 51,200 makes the camera great for low-light situations like weddings or night photography, while the 693 phase-detection auto-focus points — not to mention quick auto-focus speeds — will guarantee your image stays sharp when shooting sports or wildlife. Eye auto-focus also makes the Sony A7III perfect for portrait and fashion photography.
Tamron USA, Inc. 17-35mm f/2.8 Di OSD Wide Angle Lens ()
The Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 lens pairs portability with remarkable quality. This Canon-compatible lens is lightweight with special glass elements that keep wide-angle shots looking natural. With a focal length of f/2.8, the Tamron 17-35mm lens will help you capture a smooth, clean image that focuses the viewer’s eye — perfect for product or portrait photography. The rugged lens is protected from dust, dirt, water, and oil, making it a great addition to your travel photography kit.
Wacom Intuos Pro Creative Pen Tablet ()
Graphic designers and artists can test the limits of their creativity with the high-quality Intuos Pro Creative Pen Tablet. This gadget connects to Mac and PCs for a seamless workspace, with impressive sensitivity and responsiveness to guarantee optimal design results. The Wacom Intuos Pro Creative Pen and the companion tablet are ( combined, and this lightweight, portable duo will take up virtually zero space on your dorm desk.
Joby GorillaPod Starter Kit ()
Whether you’re a travel photographer, blogger, or vlogger, you need the Joby GorillaPod in your kit. This multi-functional lightweight tripod can hold a variety of phones and cameras, with a flexible tripod base that’s easily mounted on trees, bridges, desks — and just about everywhere in between. The Joby GorillaPod Starter Kit has a clamp that holds most smartphones and action cameras, with a compact base that fits nearly every backpack or camera bag.
Tether Tools Starter Tethering Kit ()
The Starter Tethering Kit from Tether Tools gives you the flexibility to adopt a tethered workflow for seamlessly transmitting content from one device to another (e.g., your camera to your laptop). Tethering systems guarantee quick image and video transfer speeds so you can view your content on a larger screen almost immediately after shooting. This starter kit will help you dabble into tethered shooting — which is particularly great for commercial and fashion photographers — while Tether Tools also has a variety of different sets to fit your tethering needs as your business grows.
Photoshop Elements 2019 & Premiere Elements 2019 ()
Whether you’re a photographer or videographer, a novice or a pro, the Photoshop Elements 2019 and Premiere Elements 2019 bundle will help you amplify your work to deliver top-notch results. Photoshop Elements 2019 has the same beloved features of previous Photoshop editions, with a step-by-step guided edits feature to help you try new techniques as well as a meme creator to help your content connect with viewers. With Premiere Elements 2019, you can expect new and unique transitions like luma fade plus animated social post tools to help you break into social videos. This total bundle costs ().
Tascam DR-22WL Portable Handheld Recorder with Wi-Fi ()
With the Tascam name, it’s not surprising this tiny recorder delivers top-of-the-line audio. The Tascam DR-22WL recorder is the first of its kind to include WiFi for seamless transport control, file transfer, and audio streaming to a smartphone and PC. It also includes a scene dial for capturing perfect recordings based on the specific situation. The Tascam DR-22WL is great for bands and videographers — particularly those shooting weddings or music. It can record loud sounds like rehearsals without distortion, and has a 128×128 LCD screen (larger than other models), which makes controlling the device even more seamless.
Audio-Technica Podcasting Studio Microphone Pack ()
Aspiring podcasters and streamers can take their creative audio recording from average to amazing with the Audio-Technica Podcasting Studio Microphone Pack. At (), this kit comes with an At2020 cardioid condenser microphone, a pair of ATH-M20x professional monitor headphones, and a studio boom arm with an XLR cable. This pack is built to fit on desks and other flat surfaces, with a condenser microphone built for extended frequency and top-notch voice pickup.
Rode VideoMic Me Compact TRRS Cardioid Directional Microphone ()
Shooting iPhone videos can become entirely more professional with the Rode VideoMic Me Compact TRRS Cardioid Directional Microphone. This flexible microphone mounts to a variety of smartphone sizes, with a directional microphone that records high-quality audio at an affordable (). This must-have vlogger and videographer kit comes with a furry windshield for outdoor shooting.
Sennheiser HD 280 PRO Headphones + Clar Smart Gimbal ()
With top-of-the-line Sennheiser headphones and a smooth-moving gimbal, this affordable kit — right around $160 — will level up your filmmaking game from every angle. The Sennheiser HD 280 Pro headphones are the prestigious brand’s most significant, closed headphones that guarantee sound quality and modular design with noise isolation in even the harshest of settings. The CLAR 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal will also deliver smooth and stable smartphone shots, perfect for b-roll as a travel or documentary filmmaker. These affordable gadgets are also portable; they both pack up to easily fit in backpacks and carry-on luggage.
Rotolight NEO II On-camera LED Lighting Fixture ()
Portrait and product photographers can use the Rotolight NEO-II on-camera light to naturally illuminate their subjects. The Rotolight NEO-II light has no recycle time, with a lightweight and compact build for on-the-go work. Beyond photographers, cinematic filmmakers will also benefit from these lights, as the CineSFX provide unique effects like lightning, fire, gunshots, or paparazzi flashes, with custom fade up/ fade down effects for interviews.
MagBox 24 Octa Starter Kit ()
Whether you’re lighting products or people, the MagBox 24 Octa Starter Kit will deliver soft, evenly-diffused light that naturally puts your subject in focus. This softbox kit, which costs less than $290, comes with two diffusers and unique features like magnets that make attachment quick and durable. In fact, you can quickly and safely switch between speedlights in just a matter of seconds. The MagBox’s built-in gel holder also makes adding hues via polycarbonate gels much more efficient.
Behringer Audio/MIDI Interface Bundle ()
Music producers, singers, songwriters, and DJs will delight over this affordable and high-quality audio interface bundle. With the MIDAS-designed mic preamps, you can record pristine vocals directly to your computer’s digital audio workstation; these preamps include +48 Volt phantom power with studio-grade 24-Bit/192 kHz converters for impressive sound quality. The UMC404HD mix control has zero-latency monitoring, which means there’s no delay or lag in the returning signal — a major perk for recording musicians. The 4-input, 4-output USB recording interface was also built to make every recording and mix flawless.
The back-to-school gear hardly stops here. For more ideas and inspiration, check out our Adorama TV Gear series, which is chock-full of reviews, tips and tricks about the latest and greatest film and video gadgets.
Feature image via Shutterstock
