Every video shoot starts well before the cameras roll. The prep day — equipment check, battery charging, media formatting, kit organisation — is where shoot day efficiency is built or lost. A camera equipment checklist is not a sign of an inexperienced crew; it is the mark of a professional one. Even the most experienced DOP benefits from a consistent pre-shoot checklist, because fatigue, distraction, and routine familiarity are all reliable paths to leaving something essential behind.
Camera body and lenses
Verify: camera body with firmware up to date, all lenses cleaned and functioning, UV or protective filters fitted, lens hoods packed, extra body caps and rear caps for every lens. For cinema camera setups, check that the LUTs loaded on-camera match the colour pipeline for the project. For zoom lenses, verify the full zoom range is functioning and not stiff or sticky.
Power and batteries
Check: all camera batteries fully charged and labelled, at least two spare battery sets for full-day shoots, battery charger and appropriate power adaptors, dummy battery or DC coupler for mains power setups, power bank for external monitor or wireless transmitter. A single uncharged battery set is not critical if you have spares; a complete charger failure on location is a shoot-stopper. Always pack the charger.
Media and data
Verify: all media cards freshly formatted and checked for errors, sufficient media for the entire day's coverage plus 20% buffer, card reader and backup media for on-set data wrangling, camera media backup in a separate bag from the primary cards. Losing footage to a corrupted card is one of the worst production outcomes imaginable — format cards fresh, never rely on "probably fine from the last shoot."
Monitoring and output
Check: external monitor charged and rigged if required, HDMI or SDI cables in the correct spec for the camera and monitor, false colour and waveform functionality confirmed, wireless monitoring transmitter and receiver charged and tested if the setup uses them.
Rigging and support
Verify: tripod legs and head in working order and clean, spare quick-release plate packed, fluid head pre-set for the expected lens weight, gimbal charged and balanced if in use, shoulder rig configured and screws tightened, mattebox and follow focus rigged and tested if the setup requires them.
Using a shoot day checklist tool
The FileFeedback video shoot day checklist tool on the tools page gives you a customisable template that covers camera, audio, lighting, and production equipment in a single pre-shoot walkthrough. Run it the day before every shoot, not on the morning of, to allow time to resolve any gaps. Last-minute kit scrambles almost always stem from a pre-shoot check that was skipped.
“No professional crew relies on memory alone. The checklist exists because experienced people know their memory is fallible under pressure.”
Camera equipment essentials checklist
- Camera body — firmware updated, sensor cleaned
- All lenses — cleaned, functional, hood packed
- Batteries — all charged, spares packed, charger in bag
- Media cards — formatted, quantity sufficient, card reader packed
- External monitor — charged, cables packed
- Tripod — head and legs checked, QR plate and spare packed
- Rigging — gimbal charged and balanced, rig screws tightened
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should the equipment check be done?
The evening before the shoot for a morning call. This gives enough time to charge batteries, replace a faulty item, or borrow missing kit from a colleague before the next day.
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