With the meteoric rise of social media and video sharing platforms such as Youtube, the importance of photography and filmmaking has reached its peak.
With social networks – such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and the like, being used daily and on mass, the visual content is ever-present and, arguably, invaluable.
Many people have utilized this opportunity and they are now living the dream by taking photos and creating video content for the platforms mentioned above.
Fame and fortune await talented photographers who enjoy travel and lead extravagant lifestyles. It’s no easy task, not at all!
One needs a lot of hard work, talent, creativity, and good equipment to make a living this way.
But one man has risen to stardom recently and is definitely living this dream. With his unique style and breathtaking content, Sam Kolder is an absolute prodigy of modern photography.
In such a short time, he has gathered a vast number of his ‘wanna-be’ followers, and with good reason. If you are one of those people – then read on, and find out a bit more about Sam Kolder and his camera gear.
Who is Sam Kolder?
Sam Kolder is a young Canadian who specializes in photography and video making (filmmaking).
He has never finished school for what he does, although he tried to enroll in the filmmaking academy (he was rejected).
Passion for photography
But he loves photography and has been doing it since he was a child. After high school, he enrolled in a course for photographers where he learned many new things.
Then he started traveling around the world to exotic destinations, and with the help of his camera, he started making breathtaking content.
Youtube Career
He launched a YouTube channel called ‘Kold’ on which he uploaded all the footage from the trips. The videos have become incredibly popular as well as videos and photos on his Instagram profile where he has millions of followers, and he is now making money from it.
This popularity and talent even led to collaborations with the famous group Chainsmokers and many others.
Photography Style
In terms of style, Sam Kolder goes to tropical places such as Hawaii and Bali and the like, places with lots of beaches, beautiful landscapes, and young people.
Whether it’s a photo or a video, he often puts himself in the frame, but his girlfriend shares the limelight on occasion, as well as other young and handsome people like them.
What is specific to his photographs is that when he photographs a portrait, the background stands out more than the foreground (a person).
The person is never directly at the height of the camera – the camera is at an angle so that the background is more visible and therefore more important than the person. He likes the usual similar poses – a simple body position without looking at the camera.
The backgrounds are much warmer – teal, orange, brown, and other warm colors. This is one of the reasons why most of his content comes from exotic places.
Video Style
As for the videos, he likes back-flips and other jumps (which he often performs himself), slow-motion captures, bright colors, hyper-jumps, dramatic music, and of course, what he is very famous for – the fantastic transitions between shots.
In addition to an incredible talent for photography, this video editing style is one of the most prominent defining characteristics of Sam Kolder.
It is difficult to describe his creation with words. Better to check out his YouTube channel ‘Kold’ and Instagram profile and see for yourself how fantastic everything is.
All of this, of course, must be recorded with good equipment – camera, lenses, gadgets, gimbals, drones, and editing software.
Since it is impossible to list everything Sam Kolder uses, we will stick to the most important thing – the camera.
Related: Best Camera for Snorkeling
What Camera Does Sam Kolder Use?
He uses the amazing Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, the successor to the now legendary Canon EOS-1D X. This newer model brings several improvements and is revolutionary in many respects compared to the class of Canon EOS cameras to which it belongs.
All of these Sam Kolder can utilize perfectly. Let’s see what’s inside this powerful camera.
Above all, there is Canon’s new 20.2MP full-frame sensor, paired with two DIGIC 6+ processors.
The two DIGIC 6+ processors are so powerful that they provide incredible speed capabilities, so the burst is 14 fps in Auto Exposure (AE) mode. In contrast, in LV mode with locked focus and exposure, it adds up to a phenomenal 16 fps!
In numbers, this amounts to 170 consecutive RAW photos at 14 fps, while the number of JPEG photos fired in bursts is virtually unlimited (depending on the memory card).
These values apply when a new LP-E19 battery is used (otherwise, according to CIPA standards, the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II can take up to 1210 photos with this battery).
When using an old LP-E4N battery from its predecessor, the burst values are the same as with the 1D X-12 or 14 fps.
The autofocus system also experienced a revival, which, as with its predecessor, has 61 points, of which 41 are cross, but the frame coverage is now as much as 24% higher.
In Live View mode, the 1D X Mark II uses the latest iteration of Canon’s Dual Pixel AF technology, bringing fast focus in the OneShot mode.
In addition to the AF system, the light metering system has been improved and is equipped with a 360,000-pixel RGB + IR sensor, which brings improvements in target detection and tracking, including human faces.
The next item that elevates Sam Kolder’s camera above other Canon EOS models is the embedding of 4K (DCI) video. 4K video recording (4096 x 2160) takes place at a brilliant 60 fps, using an M-JPEG codec (which makes it very easy to “extract” frames (Frame Grab)), while thanks to the new CMOS sensor Full HD video works with a brilliant 120 fps.
The Frame Grab option allows you to “extract” frames from an already recorded 4K video, thus obtaining 8.8MP JPEG photos.
What is also very useful when it comes to videos is that the already mentioned Dual Pixel AF technology provides continuous autofocus when shooting video, which in combination with the touchscreen screen (3.2 “TFT LCD and a resolution of 1,620,000 dots) brings excellent results since the focus points can be easily selected by touch even during shooting.
As for the screen, it is touch-sensitive only when it comes to selecting AF points in LV mode.
What sets it apart from the rest is the fact that it has a Digital Lens Optimizer option, which corrects chromatic aberrations within the camera itself.
Until now, this option was only available in post-processing or with the help of a computer.
The II did not distance itself from its predecessor in that it still has two memory card slots, but now one is intended for CFast 2.0 cards, while the other is still for Compact Flash cards ice to UDMA 7 standard.
For shooting in 4K resolution with 60 fps, it is necessary to use a CFast card due to the flow of information.
The 1D X Mark II also inherited a sealed housing from the 1D X. The body is made of magnesium alloy and is completely protected from the weather.
Also, there is still an optical viewfinder (pentaprism) with 100% coverage and 0.76x magnification.
However, unlike its predecessor, the new EOS-1D X Mark II also boasts a built-in GPS function, with an electronic compass. Wi-Fi support is only available separately, in combination with the WFT-E8 transmitter.
Related: Best DSLR for Video
What drone does sam kolder use?
Now that we’ve covered Kolder’s camera in detail, let’s turn our attention to the flying camera at his disposal in the form of a drone.
These days to stand out on Youtube as a videographer, 4k is a must, but having a drone for some unique aerial footage isn’t far behind in terms of importance.
According to his website, Sam Kolder uses a DJI Image Professional Inspire 2 Filmmakers Drone, which as you might imagine is one of the best video recording drones on the market.
The DJI Inspire 2 drone improves upon the innovative Inspire 1, adding a host of useful extra features for professional filmmaking.
One such feature is Spotlight Pro, which allows you to capture dynamic images and track a subject in real-time.
Free Quiz: Find Your Ideal Gear Setup in 1 Minute or Less 📷
A Final Word From Run Gun Shoot
If you aspire to be a famous and successful photographer and filmmaker such as Sam Kolder, you will need a lot of hard work, time, ideas, and good equipment like his.
So, take some notes – check out his content, try different things, buy a nice camera such as Canon 1D X Mark II, and start making a name for yourself.
I heard he also uses a GoPro for his drone footage (for example, the videos that made him famous).
Thanks Johnny, yes his Instagram and YouTube vids are incredible! We’re big fans and are studying his course at the moment!