Less Hassle, More Footage: My Journey Back to Filmmaking

2 minutes reading time.

Reviving a Project: Filming Without the Hassle

Back in November 2021, I started a project with my Fujifilm gear, titled “How to Set Up Your Fujifilm X-T1, X-T20, X-H1… for Video.” Those Fujifilm cameras, along with my video cage, matte box, follow focus, and other gear, are long gone. The focus back then was why video setups often feel so complicated. That project never really took off – my gear back then was too big, too heavy to carry everywhere, and too fragile and complex to use – but the urge to simplify video recording stayed with me. Now, I’m diving back in—with a simpler, more portable setup and a fresh perspective on how to film with minimal hassle.

Since switching to Olympus, I’ve toyed with the idea of documenting my photo trips more thoroughly, but I never acted on it. Have you ever been out walking, spotted a beautiful scene or landscape, and thought, “I should capture this,” only to move on without doing so? It happens to me often.

This year, I’ve decided to change that. I want to start filming short clips during my outings. At the end of 2024, I evaluated my gear for video suitability. I have a few options: the Olympus E-PL9 (the simplest), E-M10 Mark III, E-M10 Mark IV, E-M5 Mark III (which I often use for lightweight bird and wildlife photography), and the E-M1X, the largest and heaviest but also the most capable for video.

For lenses, I’ll stick to what I already own. Autofocus is key for simplicity, making the Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO and 12-45mm f/4 PRO my top choices. While the 12-45mm is less bright, it’s smaller and lighter—a significant advantage. And then there’s the manual Kamlan 15mm f/2.0, which I actually have a good feeling about.

My plan is to always have one setup ready to go and see how things evolve. Filming directly with the Olympus camera works well thanks to its excellent internal stabilization, but having more grip makes it easier to work stably. That’s why I invested in a new, simpler cage, the Neewer CA016T. It’s compact, sturdy, and fits even large cameras with battery grips, like the Olympus E-M1X. This cage is perfect for filming and easy to take on my e-mountain bike—portable, robust, and versatile.

The entire setup—Neewer film cage with handle with Olympus E-M1X, and Olympus 12-45mm f/4 Pro—fits perfectly into the panniers of my e-mountain bike. No need to disassemble or adjust anything—just pack it, and it’s ready to go!

With this streamlined setup, I’m ready to explore filming with fewer complications. Let’s see where it leads!

In future posts, I’ll cover the basics you need to know to start with video, the technical issues I’ve encountered, the differences between the cameras and lenses I’ve used (and which ones were better or more enjoyable), and the final video results.