I Want to Film My Own Hunts—What Should I Buy?

Derek Testerman

Photo By John Smolko

I’ve been asked this question five times in the past three weeks. Instead of typing it all out each time, I’m just going to give my unprofessional recommendations here. I think there are two main questions you should ask yourself:

    1.    What’s my budget?

    2.    What are my goals?

These two go hand in hand and play off each other pretty heavily. Budget is always the first thing I ask—not because I’m trying to be up in your finances, but because this stuff can get expensive. You’ll need a camera body, lenses, SD cards, card readers, editing software, batteries, chargers… yada yada—you get the point.

Most of the time, I hear budgets around $1,000, which usually leads to my honest response: “Just use your phone.” It’s not that I don’t care—it’s just the truth. The newer iPhones are pretty damn good cameras, and you’ve already got them with you. Why not use it?

Last season, I had some batteries die on me in freezing weather, so I whipped out my phone and started recording. No one said, “You didn’t use your real camera,” or even noticed. So don’t think you need thousands of dollars in gear to make cool stuff.

Now, if you’ve got a bit more financial wiggle room, you open yourself up to more options. But I want to swing back to the second question: What’s your goal?

Do you want to start a YouTube channel? Snap sharp photos for Instagram? Land a job in the outdoor media space?

Figure out your goal and work backward. I’m not going to tell you exactly what to buy—there’s no one-size-fits-all answer—but if working in the outdoor industry is your goal, you’ll probably end up with a few lenses, a lot of media storage, and a solid camera body.

If you came here looking for a line-item list, you’re not getting one—but I will give you a place to start.

Once you’ve got your goal dialed in, start building your dream setup and chip away at it over time. A friend of mine spent four years using every dollar he made from photos before finally buying his dream lens. You don’t have to get it all at once. If you’ve got a big bankroll—send it.

If you’re on a tight budget, start with Facebook Marketplace. Just be cautious—without seeing the gear in person or checking for scratches on sensors and lenses, you’re kind of shooting in the dark.

There are also a few solid online used retailers that inspect and grade gear based on condition. If you don’t mind a camera with a scuffed body or a button that’s lost its lettering, you can score great deals. I’m a fan of KEH.com—I’ve spent a lot there and have always been happy. Other options include MPB.com and B&HPhotoVideo.com—I haven’t bought from them personally, so I can’t vouch for customer service.

Once you’re in buying mode, you’re probably asking, “Which camera is best?” or “Which brand should I shoot with?” I love Sony, but that’s just me. Some folks swear by Canon, Fuji, or Nikon. My advice? Head to YouTube and type in “Sony vs Canon,” etc. There are thousands of videos out there that can give you way more insight than I can.

After you get your gear, that’s when the real fun begins. There’s a saying that goes something like, “It takes 10,000 hours to become a professional at anything.” You might be a rockstar right out of the gate—but chances are, you’re going to struggle at first. I’m still on the struggle bus daily, so don’t let it discourage you.

And don’t compare your work to someone else’s. They might be at hour 9,500, and you’re on hour 8. Do your thing. Create what you love. Stay true to yourself. You’ll grow to know your gear, and you’ll naturally get better at shooting photos and videos.

I’ll leave you with this: The outdoor creative community is full of good people. Ask questions. Seek feedback or advice. Even better—find a mentor in the space who can help guide you. There’s endless information online these days. The only thing holding you back from being great is you.

Get out there, hit the shutter, and enjoy the outdoors.

If you got this far, and are wondering why I didn't mention GoPro... I just hate the footage they record. Can you make cool shit with one? Probably. Go for it if you want, they are just not for me.