Month: February 2026

Got a Panasonic camera? The DMW-DMS1 is the on-camera microphone you’ve always dreamed of!

With 32-bit float recording and six directional modes, this is easily one of the best and most versatile microphones I’ve ever used. In this review, I’m looking at it from two perspectives: a wedding filmmaker who needs high-quality scratch audio, and a YouTuber who occasionally vlogs.

If you want to record high-quality audio with your Panasonic camera and keep a very small footprint, this review is for you.

And for the sake of ethics, this is not a paid or sponsored review by Panasonic. They did send me this microphone so I could make this review, but everything you’re about to read is my honest opinion.

Let’s get into it.

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Build Quality and Design (Yes, It’s Weird)

I have to tell you… this is one of the weirdest looking microphones I may have ever used.

It genuinely looks like Panasonic took their larger Panasonic DMW-XLR2 unit, removed the XLR ports, slapped a spaceship-shaped mic capsule on top, and hit it with a shrink ray.

But as weird as it looks, the mic capsule design actually makes a lot of sense.

The circular portion houses the omnidirectional microphones. Below that, where the capsule connects to the body, is a built-in shock mount that flexes and moves to eliminate mic noise caused by movement or impact.

And I actually like this shock mount design better than how Sony handles many of their on-camera mics, where the entire mic sits in a suspension system that can sometimes bump against itself if you move the camera too aggressively.

Also, this thing is tiny! Seriously tiny. But Panasonic packed a ton of features into it.

Another thing you might not notice until you mount it: the improved hot shoe locking mechanism. Panasonic reworked it from the DMW-XLR2, and it’s significantly better. Less wobble. More stable. It feels solid.

I’m hoping they retrofit this locking system into future versions of the XLR2.

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32-Bit Float: Why This Is a Big Deal

Before we talk about all the buttons and switches, we need to talk about audio quality.

This is a 32-bit float capable microphone system.

If you pair it with a Panasonic camera that supports 32-bit float, like the Panasonic Lumix GH7 or the S1 II series — you basically never have to worry about your audio being too quiet or too loud.

If it’s too quiet, you can raise the levels dramatically in post without introducing hiss or buzzing.
If it peaks, you can usually recover it.

Your limitations aren’t really about digital clipping anymore, they’re about the physical sound pressure level the capsule can handle.

And Panasonic is using high-quality capsules rated up to 120 dB SPL before peaking.

That’s loud. Like, “put it inside a jet engine” loud (not that you should).

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Controls, Gain, and Limiter

On the side, you’ll find:

• Gain switch
• Gain knob
• Limiter switch

If you’re recording in 32-bit float, these don’t matter. The camera handles levels automatically.

That’s one less thing to think about.

If you’re using an older Panasonic body like the S5 II or S5 IIX (which don’t support 32-bit float internally), then you’ll use the gain knob like a traditional mic.

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Wind Cut (And Why It’s Actually Good)

There’s a wind cut switch with Standard and High settings.

Normally, I don’t recommend using wind cut features on most microphones because they just chop out a big chunk of frequencies in a blunt way. You can usually do better in post.

But this is where 32-bit float changes things.

Because of the wider dynamic range, Panasonic was able to make the wind reduction dramatically more effective while preserving more usable audio.

In my testing using the included wind muff (which is designed to stay on permanently) and even blasting the mic with an air blower, the wind reduction was genuinely impressive.

It removes significantly more wind noise than most on-camera microphones I’ve used.

There’s also a noise cut feature that works similarly in loud environments. It helps reduce background noise while keeping voices clear, and it also benefits from the 32-bit float processing.

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The Star of the Show: Six Directional Modes

Now we get to the best part.

This mic has six directional beamforming modes.

On the back, instead of a dial like the Sony ECM-M1, the DMW-DMS1 uses soft-touch buttons. That means you can change directionality mid-recording without physically twisting anything and shaking the mic.

You can choose:

• Narrow front pickup
• Wider front pickup
• 180° front
• Rear only
• Front and rear simultaneously
• And more nuanced variations

The buttons light up to indicate the active mode (and yes, you can dim them in the camera menu).

For vlogging, this is incredible. But it gets better!

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The Hidden Feature That Makes This Mic Unreal

Because this microphone supports four-channel 32-bit float recording through the hot shoe, Panasonic unlocked something special.

There are two backup recording modes.

The first mode records:

• Channels 1 & 2: normal stereo
• Channels 3 & 4: the same signal at -20 dB

Cool. Safety tracks are always nice.

But the second mode?

Channel 1: Left
Channel 2: Right
Channel 3: Omnidirectional (all directions)
Channel 4: Omnidirectional at -20 dB

This is the mode I would use almost all the time.

You can set the mic to directional mode for yourself, but simultaneously record an omni backup. That means if you forget to switch directions mid-shoot (which I’ve done more times than I can count) you’re covered.

With my Sony mics, once you pick a direction, you’re locked in. If you forget to flip it when something important happens off-axis, you’re stuck fixing bad audio in post.

Not here.

You always have options in editing.

For wedding filmmaking or documentary work, this is huge. Imagine filming someone speaking to camera and another person steps in from the side and says something important. If your mic was too directional, you’d miss it.

But with this backup mode, you just switch to the omni track in post.

That flexibility alone makes this one of the most versatile on-camera microphones available today, especially when you combine it with 32-bit float recording, which Sony still doesn’t offer in this form factor.

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Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?

If you own a Panasonic camera and you’ve been looking for a shotgun mic that mounts directly to the hot shoe, this is easily the one to buy.

Yes, it looks weird.

But the Panasonic DMW-DMS1 packs more functionality than any shotgun mic I’ve ever used.

For wedding filmmakers, YouTubers, and hybrid shooters who want:

• Small footprint
• 32-bit float recording
• Directional flexibility
• Built-in safety tracks
• Legitimately useful wind reduction

You’re going to love using this.

And if you’re building out your wedding filmmaking kit, make sure you download my free Wedding Filmmaker Gear Guide. It walks you through all the equipment I personally recommend.

Thanks so much for reading. If you found this helpful, check out my other gear reviews!

The most time-consuming part of creating any wedding film is editing.

You can film a wedding in one day. Editing it? That can take days, sometimes weeks. And as someone who has edited literally hundreds of wedding films, I can confidently say most of your editing time is spent discovering and shaping the story.

You are digging through ceremony audio, the officiant’s message, vows, toasts, letters, interviews, and all of those emotional in-between moments. You sit there, headphones on, scrubbing through hours of A-roll trying to find the heart of the day.

It is one of the most creative parts of editing.

It is also one of the most time-consuming.

But what if there was a tool that could listen to all of that for you, identify the most powerful moments, and assemble them into a structured story on your timeline?

That tool exists.

It’s called Plotline.

My name is Matt Johnson, and today I want to walk you through what Plotline does, how well it works, and yes, talk about the elephant in the room: it uses AI.

And anytime you say “AI” in a creative space, people have opinions.

For the record, this is not sponsored. Plotline was created by my friend Maclean Carlson of Hello Tomorrow Films, one of the most talented wedding filmmakers I know. He built it because he wanted to save time on one of the most exhausting parts of wedding editing: story assembly.

But, if you signup for Plotline using this affiliate link, I will get a small commission, plus you can use the coupon code “WHOISMATT” for 30% off your first 3 months.

So let’s break it down.

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How Plotline Works

For this test, I used DaVinci Resolve, but Plotline works with all major editing platforms including Adobe Premiere and Final Cut.

Here’s the basic workflow:

1. Import and sync all your footage.
2. Build a timeline with your full A-roll: letters, ceremony, vows, toasts, etc.
3. Export an FCPXML file of that timeline.
4. Export a full MP3 of the timeline audio.
5. Upload both files to Plotline.

That’s it.

Once uploaded, Plotline analyzes the audio, transcribes everything, combines that with your XML data, and starts building a story.

Maclean confirmed that your files are not used to train AI models. They remain private.

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Speaker Detection and Transcripts

Once processing is complete, you get a full transcript with labeled speakers.

You can manually name them, or you can hit “Identify Speakers” and let the AI do it. It’s impressively accurate.

From there, you move into the real magic: the Story Script.

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AI Story Generation

Click “Create Story Script” and you’ll be asked a few questions:

• Short, medium, or long film?
• High dialogue or minimal dialogue?
• Which themes should be emphasized?
• Which moments are must-include or exclude?
• Do certain speakers need guaranteed segments?

You can even weight the edit toward vows, toasts, ceremony, reception, or write a custom focus.

And yes, you can automatically remove things like:

• Legal formalities
• DJ filler chatter
• “For those of you who don’t know me…”

Once you hit generate, it takes about 45–60 seconds.

Then you’re presented with a fully structured story script, broken into emotional beats with clear narrative flow.

Hook.
Origins.
Development.
Emotional peaks.
Resolution.

You can preview the audio, tweak settings, regenerate, or export an XML and drop it directly back into your editing software.

And just like that, you have a fully assembled A-roll timeline.

It honestly feels like magic.

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Is It Actually Good?

This is the real question.

Storytelling is subjective. But from a quality standpoint, I was impressed.

The AI built a competent, emotionally structured story that absolutely would work for a wedding film. It understood tone. It identified recurring motifs. It surfaced powerful lines.

Maclean has said it’s trained on a large dataset of well-edited wedding films, and it shows. It understands pacing and narrative arcs in a way that feels intentional.

What really stood out to me is how much control you have. You are not just pressing a button and accepting whatever it spits out. You can heavily tailor the story to your style.

Can it fully edit your film?

No.

It only handles the A-roll story assembly.

You still need to:

• Add music
• Mix audio
• Layer B-roll
• Color grade
• Shape pacing
• Fine-tune emotional beats

There are still hours of creative work left.

But Plotline removes a massive chunk of the initial heavy lifting.

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The AI Debate

Now let’s talk about the controversial part.

AI.

Some people will love this. Others will hate it.

I can see high-volume wedding filmmakers using Plotline to dramatically speed up their workflow and deliver films faster.

I can see wedding photographers moving into video using this as a bridge, since editing audio-driven stories is very different from editing still images.

I can see filmmakers who primarily use music in their edits using Plotline to finally explore story-driven films.

But I can also see more established wedding filmmakers being frustrated.

Because discovering and structuring the story is arguably the most creative part of the edit.

Yes, it is time-consuming.
Yes, it is exhausting.
But it is deeply artistic.

I think this debate really comes down to philosophy.

Some people approach wedding filmmaking as a business. Efficiency matters. Speed matters. Throughput matters.

Others approach it as art. They would never relinquish creative control over story structure to AI.

Personally?

I love the editing process. Discovering the story is my favorite part.

So I don’t see myself using Plotline in my workflow.

But that doesn’t mean it’s bad. It just means it doesn’t align with how I enjoy creating.

There are two sides to AI right now.

There’s generative AI that creates art from text prompts, trained on millions of artists’ work. That understandably upsets many creatives.

Then there are AI tools that save time on tedious tasks. Think of the auto audio mixer in DaVinci Resolve. It levels everything in seconds instead of hours.

Plotline feels much closer to that second category.

It’s not replacing your creativity.
It’s compressing busy work.

But I genuinely want to know what you think.

Would you use it?
Do you think it could build a wedding story better than you?
Where do you fall on the AI spectrum?

You can check out Plotline and use coupon code “WhoisMatt” to save 30% off your first three months.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks so much for reading, and have a great day.

Sony just made the a7siii better with firmware version 5.0!

We are talking big improvements to vertical filmmaking, autofocus, and more! Lets go through all of them!

But before we jump in, quick plug. If you want to fully optimize your Sony camera for fast filmmaking, I have a settings preset file that gives you the absolute best filmmaking setup for the a7S III. I have tested it and confirmed it works perfectly with firmware version 5.0. You can download it for free and install it directly on your camera.

Alright, let’s dive into the firmware updates.

Vertical Menu Display

The first thing you’ll notice after updating to firmware 5.0 is the new vertical display. As soon as you rotate the camera vertically, the menus and settings automatically rotate with it.

This is fantastic news if you’re filming vertical video. No more awkwardly tilting your head sideways just to check your settings. Everything stays oriented correctly, and it honestly works really well.

Sony, you know what else would work really well?!

Open gate.

Sadly, that’s still not here. I doubt we’ll see it until an a7S IV or maybe an FX3 Mark II. I’ve already made videos talking about when those cameras might be released, if you want to go down that rabbit hole.

New Autofocus Options: Spot XL and Custom AF Boxes

The next two updates live in roughly the same menu, so we’ll bundle them together.

First, Sony added a new spot focus size option called Spot XL. If you use spot focus but have always been annoyed by how small the focus box could get, congratulations. You now have an extra large option.

But maybe you’re thinking, that’s cool, but what if I need something even bigger? Or smaller? Or some weird custom shape that I want to keep in focus?

That’s where the second autofocus update comes in, and honestly, this one is even better.

Sony added three custom autofocus boxes that you can create yourself. You can make them as large or as small as you want and place them anywhere on the screen.

I really love this feature. I’ll be honest, I don’t use spot focus very often, but the ability to fully customize it actually makes me want to use it more.

And if you’re a spot focus lover, I know you’re out there, you weirdo, you’re going to love this update.

New Accessibility Feature: Enlarged Menus

Sony also added a new accessibility feature, and I’m always a big fan of companies doing this.

There is now an option to enlarge the screen display on the a7S III, which makes menu text larger and easier to read. It’s a simple feature, but it can make a big difference for a lot of people.

Big thumbs up to Sony for including this!

Individual Memory Card Recording Time Display

Next up is a smaller update, but arguably one of the most requested ones. And it’s kind of weird.

Sony added back a feature that existed in earlier firmware, disappeared in versions 3.0 and 4.0, and has now returned in 5.0.

If you’re recording video using dual memory cards, the camera will now show you the remaining recording time for each card individually.

In firmware versions 3.0 and 4.0, it only showed a combined remaining time for both cards. Now you can see exactly how much space is left on each card, which is way more useful.

So… thanks, Sony?

I’m not sure if we should be thanking them for adding something back that was already there, but hey, at least it’s back now. It’s kind of like if Apple removed the headphone jack and then later said just kidding, you can have it again. That would be wild, right? Right…

USB Streaming and Webcam Support

We’re not done yet! The a7S III now supports USB streaming, meaning you can use it as a webcam.

All you have to do is go into the setup menu, enable USB streaming, connect the camera to your computer, and it should just work.

If it doesn’t work for you, it’s probably because you secretly like Nikon, and Sony somehow knows that you’ve been adapting E-mount lenses to other cameras. They’re very disappointed in you.

Digital Signature for Video Authentication

This next update is going to be incredibly exciting for roughly seven people, but it’s actually pretty interesting.

Sony added a digital signature feature for video. No, you’re not signing your camera like Peter McKinnon signing someone’s gear at NAB. True story, I watched that happen in 2019. Wild moment.

This digital signature is used to verify that a video was actually recorded with your camera and not generated or altered by AI. Considering how realistic AI video is getting, this is a genuinely useful feature.

Being able to prove that a moment really happened and was captured with a real camera is going to matter more and more moving forward, and I’m glad Sony is thinking ahead here.

Bug Fixes and Stability Improvements

Yes, there are bug fixes, baby!

Sony fixed an audio recording bug where the camera could tell you it was not recording audio even though it actually was. That could definitely lead to some awkward clips, so I’m very glad that one got fixed.

Sony also mentioned general operational stability improvements. That usually means they fixed a few bugs behind the scenes. We may never know exactly what changed, but more stability is always welcome.

Should You Update to Firmware 5.0?

I’ve had a lot of people ask two main questions.

First: will updating delete all of your custom settings?

The good news is no, as long as you’re updating from firmware version 3.0 or newer. Since Sony moved to updating via memory card, your settings will stay intact.

Second: should you even update at all?

If you’re nervous, it’s totally fine to wait a month and see if any bugs pop up. Personally, I haven’t experienced any issues with firmware 5.0 so far, but it also hasn’t been out that long.

Look at the features Sony added and decide for yourself if any of them matter to your workflow. If not, you can stay on your current firmware and be completely fine. You don’t have to update just because a new version exists.

That said, if you want a guaranteed, bug-free way to dramatically improve your footage quality and the speed at which you can film, you should absolutely check out my free a7S III settings preset.

You can download it, install it on your camera, and immediately have everything optimized for fast filmmaking.

Feeling brave? You can download the latest a7S III firmware here. Good luck, and reach out if you need help with anything filmmaking!

If you’re looking to buy a budget monitor for video editing, photo editing, and gaming, you’re in the right place. I’ve done the research for you and put together this buyer’s guide to help you find the perfect monitor without blowing your budget.

Every monitor on this list is $500 or less. Many of them are a lot less. I focused heavily on color accuracy, which is critical for video and photo editing, while also prioritizing high refresh rate screens so you can game at high frame rates.

To save you time, I’ve linked all of these monitors where I found them at the cheapest prices. Also, just to be clear, this is not a paid or sponsored post. None of these companies paid to be here. I do have full reviews of many of these monitors on my YouTube channel though, so consider subscribing if you want deeper dives.

We’re starting with the cheapest option and working our way up to the most expensive.

The Cheapest Option That Still Gets the Job Done

If you’re on a very tight budget but still want something color accurate with a high refresh rate, take a look at the Dell S2425H.

This monitor is about as budget as it gets. At the time of recording, it was around $109. For that price, you’re getting a 24-inch 1080p display that covers 99% of the sRGB and Rec.709 color spaces. That means it’s surprisingly color accurate.

Even better, Dell somehow squeezed a 100Hz panel into this monitor. If you want to game at up to 100fps, it handles that just fine. Yes, it’s only 1080p, but for the price, it’s an incredible value.

A Small Price Jump for a Big Refresh Rate Upgrade

For about $30 more, Dell offers another option, the Dell S2425HSM. Same size, same 1080p resolution, and the same 99% sRGB and Rec.709 coverage.

The upgrade here is simple but meaningful. You get a 144Hz panel. That’s it. But if you care about gaming performance, that extra smoothness is absolutely worth it.

If you want a cheap, color accurate monitor with a higher refresh rate, this is a solid step up.

Bigger Screen and Faster Performance

Next up is the BenQ EX271, and honestly, this is where things start getting interesting.

The screen size jumps from 24 inches to 27 inches, which makes a noticeable difference for editing. It’s still 1080p, but it now covers 100% sRGB and Rec.709, plus 95% DCI-P3. That wider color gamut makes it much better for color grading and working with HDR or RAW footage.

For gaming, it gets even better. This monitor has a 180Hz refresh rate, which is insanely fast for the price.

If your budget is tight, stick with one of the Dell options. But if you can spend a bit more, the larger screen alone makes this BenQ worth it.

The Budget Unicorn Monitor

Now we need to talk about one of the most impressive monitors on this entire list. The AOC Q27G40XMN.

This is a 27-inch monitor with a big jump in resolution, moving from 1080p up to 1440p. Everything looks sharper. Editing feels better. Gaming looks crisper.

The real magic here is the panel. It keeps the fast 180Hz refresh rate but adds a mini LED backlight. That means much better contrast, brighter highlights, and deeper shadows. Mini LED is still relatively new tech, so seeing it at this price is honestly shocking.

Color performance is excellent. You get 100% DCI-P3, 100% sRGB and Rec.709, and 95% AdobeRGB. That makes this monitor especially strong for photo editing.

There are two downsides you should know about. First, it uses a VA panel. VA panels do not have viewing angles as good as IPS, so you’ll want to sit directly in front of it while editing. Second, it’s mostly color accurate out of the box, but I highly recommend using a color calibrator to dial it in perfectly.

Also worth noting, in the US this monitor is only available at Best Buy. Internationally, it’s available on Amazon.

At around $230, this monitor feels like a unicorn.

If You Want IPS Instead of VA

If you’re telling me you don’t want a VA panel and you’re willing to spend about $10 more, take a look at the BenQ EX271Q.

This monitor is very similar to the earlier BenQ, but now you get a 1440p resolution. It still has a 180Hz refresh rate, 95% DCI-P3, and 100% sRGB and Rec.709.

It’s not as exciting as the AOC mini LED option, but if IPS is important to you, this is a solid alternative.

The Cheapest OLED Monitor You Can Buy

Now we’re jumping up in price, but stay with me, because this is special.

If you have around $419 to spend, the AOC Q27G4ZD is hands down the monitor I would buy.

This is a 27-inch, 1440p OLED monitor. OLED means unlimited contrast, perfect blacks, and incredible color. For gaming, it has a 240Hz refresh rate, which is the fastest on this list.

For editing, it’s on another level. You get 99% DCI-P3, 142% sRGB and Rec.709, and 99% AdobeRGB. This is world-class color accuracy.

Yes, there is a newer version of this monitor, but it uses the exact same OLED panel. You’re not gaining image quality by spending more, so my recommendation is to save the money and buy this one.

At this price, it’s absurdly good.

Budget 4K Monitors Under $500

If you need 4K resolution for editing or gaming, there are some trade-offs under $500. There’s no OLED. No mini LED. But there are still good options.

The ASUS ProArt PA279CRV is a strong editing-focused monitor. It offers 100% sRGB and Rec.709, 99% DCI-P3, and 99% AdobeRGB. Color accuracy is excellent.

The downside is gaming performance. You’re limited to a 60Hz panel. It does support VRR, but that’s about it.

If you edit far more than you game, this is still a great choice.

Another option is a BenQ PD2706U 4K monitor that regularly sells for $499 but often drops to around $399. It’s very similar to the ASUS in terms of color accuracy, but also limited to 60Hz with no VRR. It’s only on this list because of the sale price.

The One 4K Monitor That Does It All

If you want 4K, good color accuracy, and high refresh rate gaming, there is one option.

The BenQ EX271U is a 27-inch 4K monitor with 95% DCI-P3 coverage and a 165Hz refresh rate. It’s normally $600, but if you can find it on sale around $440, it becomes an easy recommendation.

If you see it discounted, grab it.

My Final Recommendations

Let’s simplify everything.

If you are on a tight budget, buy the AOC Q27G40XMN. At around $230, it delivers incredible color accuracy, mini LED contrast, and a 180Hz refresh rate. Pair it with a color calibrator and you will love it.

If you want the absolute best monitor under $500, get the AOC Q27G4ZD OLED. Perfect blacks, insane color accuracy, and a 240Hz refresh rate. It punches so far above its price it’s ridiculous.

Just buy it. Stop thinking about it.

If you want to see a higher-end version of this buyer’s guide with a $1,000 budget or more, let me know in the video comments. Like the video, subscribe, and check out my free “Edit Videos Like a Pro” guide linked below. It’s quick to read and will instantly improve your editing.

Thanks for reading, and have a great day.