This is the English edition of a video from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets and camera gear from my home in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.
Quick take
For my kid’s kindergarten stage performance, I packed two cameras, a telephoto zoom, a monopod, a tripod and two mics into a big leather bag I already owned. No dividers, no padded inserts: everything was simply wrapped in towels. My conclusion is that any bag that is large, sturdy and okay to get dirty works fine for school events.
What I took
| Gear | Job | How I used it |
|---|---|---|
| Sony α1 + Tamron 50-400mm | Main camera | On a monopod, switching between stills and video for close-ups of my child |
| Sony FX30 + E PZ 16-50mm | Wide record | On a tripod, filming the whole stage |
| Monopod with a photo ball head | Stability | Keeps telephoto video steady |
| Tripod | Fixed shot | Holds the FX30 |
| Two shotgun mics | Audio | One on each camera |
| Towels | Padding | Wrap each piece of gear |
What I tested
This is a real-world packing list from one event in a gym-sized hall, not a lab test. I also brought a 24-70mm standard zoom, but I never used it that day.
What I found
Speed beats organization. At school events you rarely have room to spread out your gear, so pulling towel-wrapped items straight out of one bag was faster than opening separate cases. A soft bag that squashes down to fit its contents is ideal. Mine is sturdy but heavy, so a lighter one would be better. If you really can’t risk a scratch, take just one camera instead.
Shoot from the back with a long zoom. The Tamron 50-400mm reaches far enough in a gym-sized space, and with an APS-C crop in 4K it goes to about 600mm equivalent. Standing at the back keeps a big camera out of other parents’ way and puts you at stage height, which looks better than shooting upward from the front. At 50mm you can still get the whole stage.
A monopod is a must for telephoto video. Handheld stills were fine, but telephoto video shook too much. A video head wasn’t necessary; a normal photo head on a monopod moves freely enough.
Set the fixed camera’s focus area to center. With a wide focus area, the FX30 on the tripod could lock onto audience members in front of it. Center area avoided that, though focus can still hunt when the hall goes dark. I like the small 16-50mm because it keeps the bag light and is sharp for its size.
Prioritize shutter speed. Noise can be cleaned up later, but motion blur can’t, so freeze the subject first and let ISO rise. In older buildings, lights may flicker on video; depending on your local power frequency, a shutter speed of 1/50 or 1/100 sec reduced it a lot for me.
Who it’s for
Parents who want both stills and video at school events and care more about quick setup than a tidy bag. If the event offers a professionally filmed DVD or Blu-ray, I recommend buying it for the wide shots and focusing your own camera on close-ups of your child, which needs only the telephoto camera and a monopod.
Watch the video
The video is in Japanese, but you can see every item come out of the bag. Lenses start around 3:10, the monopod around 4:35, focus settings around 7:00 and flicker around 11:00.
Limitations
This is one event in one venue, with Sony gear. Towel wrapping is fast but offers less protection than a padded bag, and my bag is on the heavy side. The flicker setting depends on the lighting and the power frequency where you live.
Products
Tamron 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD for Sony E (A067): on Amazon Japan
Sony α1 (ILCE-1): on Amazon Japan
Sony FX30: on Amazon Japan
Sony E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS (SELP1650): on Amazon Japan
Sony ECM-B1M: on Amazon Japan
Sony ECM-M1: on Amazon Japan
The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.
More reviews in English
All Camera & Desk Setup (42) →Browse all English reviews →
This review is also available in Japanese.