The Gear Priorities Most People Get Backward

You can waste years buying the wrong gear if you never decide what kind of work you actually want to make. This video helps you sort what’s worth paying for, what can wait, and what will still be useful after your next upgrade cycle.

Coming to you from Tom Jurjaks, this practical video runs through what actually holds up after the novelty wears off, starting with lenses as the “buy once, use forever” category. The advice is simple: start with one strong zoom, then add primes once you know what you reach for. He calls out Sigma, Tamron, and Sony as the obvious zoom lane, then points to Viltrox for primes that no longer feel like “cheap compromises.” You also get a hint that budget does not have to mean disposable, especially if you stop chasing focal lengths you never use. He flags a few Viltrox lines that cover both full frame and APS-C, but he does not spoon-feed a shopping list.

The middle of the video is where the priorities get uncomfortable, in a good way, because Jurjaks spends more time on light and audio than on bodies. On lighting, he splits it into what you need for stills versus what you need once you’re recording clips, then he gets concrete about power and shaping. A small flash like the Godox V480 is mentioned, but the bigger point is that a key light and a modifier change the look faster than almost any camera setting. On audio, he’s blunt: great visuals with bad sound still feels low effort, and you can fix a lot with simple choices like a plug-in wireless kit such as DJI Mic 2 or a Hollyland Mic. He drops one technical feature to watch for in 2026, but leaves enough unsaid that you will want the exact explanation and examples from the video.

Where the list gets more interesting is the “boring” gear that saves shoots: supports, power, storage, and filters. A tripod is framed as a decades-long purchase, and he backs it up with a real timeline, which is rare online. He also argues for separating roles, like a travel tripod versus a heavier studio option, plus proper stands once lights get involved. Then he pivots to the stuff brands overcharge for, and names alternatives he’s used long enough to trust, including Angelbird media and Nitecore batteries with USB-C charging. Filters get a quick but pointed pass: if you shoot video, a variable ND is treated as standard, with names like PolarPro, Freewell, and NiSi, tossed in without pretending there’s a single “correct” pick. He also gets into rigging and monitoring, including the DJI RS 4, a Noxon slider, and a compact monitor that keeps the battery inside the unit. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Jurjaks.