Black Friday Means Sales, Here are Five Impulse Buys I Don’t Regret

Here in the United States, the fourth week in November usually means two things: a large turkey dinner, and a lot of sales being advertised. Even on this website, you might have come across a sale round-up or two. While I can’t help you improve your Thanksgiving Day dinner, I can share some insights into a few impulse purchases I’ve made that I don’t regret.

A Really Good Mounting Bracket and Arm

A little over a year ago, I found myself wanting to use my phone for a very specific shot. It’s a shot that’s been done ad nauseam on YouTube, but it was something I felt worked for a product shoot campaign. I found myself being served an ad for the SmallRig Magic Arm with Crab-Shaped Clamp, and it was on sale! I instinctively hit add to cart without a second thought; at worst, I’ll resell it when I’m done with it to recoup some of what I spent.

In that year, since it first arrived, I found myself using this tiny yet mighty arm and clamp to do everything from acting as a makeshift tripod for video calls to serving as an overhead camera mount for streaming, and even to mount a “hair light.” Yes, it even worked for that now overdone POV camera shot that has been popular on social media. All for less than $40.

LED Panel Lights to Elevate Live Streaming or Zoom Calls

Like many remote workers, I spend a lot of time on Zoom calls. And while I’ve personally witnessed how much better laptop cameras have gotten over the past decade, they often still suffer, especially in poor lighting conditions. To enhance your Zoom setup, consider investing in a capture card and utilizing a DSLR or Mirrorless camera. You could buy a dedicated web camera. Alternatively, you could save a significant amount of money by purchasing the Lume Cube Broadcast Lighting Kit, as I did. For under $65, you get two bi-color LED panel lights, two silicone diffusers (which you’ll need unless you prefer a harsh, horror movie look), two telescoping stands, and a tripod base. Best of all, unlike a dedicated web camera that does only one job, you can use these lights for streaming, at your desk for calls, or on your camera as an on-camera video light.

A Good Variable ND Filter

Several years ago, I began learning how to put together quick, run-and-gun style videos for social media (I worked in social media marketing in a previous life), and one piece of gear absolutely changed my life – a Tiffen 2-8 Stop Variable Neutral Density Filter. While many people may scoff at the idea of paying upwards of $100 for a lens filter, considering that I’ve been using the same filter for various projects over at least a ten-year span, the actual cost of this filter goes down with each year and each project completed. Being able to maintain your look’s consistency and control light, even in midday sun, is game-changing once you experience it for yourself.

Portable Constant Lighting

Reliable, constant lighting is something that can turn an average-looking video project and elevate the final product. Professional lighting, however, has historically been too expensive for those of us who might need a Hollywood production-level lighting solution, that is, until I found the GVM SD80D Bi-Color LED Monolight kit. The GVM SD80D features an 80W LED lamp with adjustable color temperature ranging from 2700 to 7500K, both DC and battery-powered options (battery is sold separately). Last summer, I was contracted by a local university to shoot a welcome video for their nursing students, which meant shooting in very dark (for photography/videography) rooms where I would not necessarily be able to plug in a light where I wanted to. The GVM SD80D was compact enough to set up almost anywhere without being hindered by wires and extension cords. The NP-F970 battery packs are relatively inexpensive, and if you’re already shooting video, you probably have a few in your bag.  

Camp Snap CS-8

Let me lay out the scenario: you’ve gone out one evening, and you had a really good time. Drinks were had, you’re bleary-eyed and unable to sleep, so you start scrolling on Instagram. And then it happened, a scroll-stopping video that felt nostalgic and solidly fixed in today’s current cultural moment. You click the “Learn More” button, and before you realize what happened the night before, you’ve made a $179 pre-order for Camp Snap’s first video camera, the CS-8. It’s designed to be a throwback to the old Super 8 film cameras that your parents or grandparents owned, but fully digital. I genuinely didn’t remember buying it, but when it arrived, it was the most fun I’ve had with a camera in a long time. I don’t really consider myself a videographer outside of work, but this camera was so hard to let go of that it found its way with me to cookouts, birthday parties, and everything in between. Easily the best doom-scrolling purchase I’ve ever made.

Getting the Most Out of the Season’s Sales

As we approach the end of the year, now might be the time to make that purchase you’ve been holding off on. Remember, to get the most bang for your buck, always be sure to know what the non-sale price of the item is and, if possible, set up price alerts on tools like Honey Droplist or Google Shopping. So, make sure to leave room this Thanksgiving for new gear for you… and yeah, your loved ones too.

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