How to film B-roll with the Nikon Z5II

In sync: when to match and when to adapt

Venturing into the Alpstein range near Mount Säntis, the pair filmed high above a sea of fog, where their careful planning paid off. “For more sophisticated projects, we divide the work,” explains Valentin. “Often, the person who developed the concept films the A-roll, and the other can be more creative with the B-roll. We always try to keep a similar visual style, talk through what we want to record, and check each other’s footage to make sure we’re getting what we need.”

This collaborative approach often extends to their technical setup too. For parts of this project, they matched the settings on the Z8 used for the A-roll with those on the Z5II for the B-roll. “We always record in a flat profile or N-Log with the Z5II; the dynamic range is impressive for such a small camera, and setting the White Balance of both cameras to the same Kelvin value makes editing much easier,” says Valentin, who adds that they sometimes alter the B-roll settings to give the footage its own look. “We usually film at 30fps as this is standard for social media, but for B-roll we flick between 25fps and 30fps for variety, though slow motion at 50fps can also be interesting.”

Film more than you need

Valentin and Roman agree that when it comes to B-roll, more is better. “Capture lots of short clips, just a few seconds each, and give yourself options,” says Valentin. “On one trip, we filmed 300 to 400 B-roll clips and then chose the best ones later. You should also take the same scene from multiple perspectives: one with foreground, one without, one focused near, one far, and when filming interviews, record a second or even third angle of the same person. It makes the edit more dynamic and professional-looking. Capturing different angles is also key to keeping your footage visually engaging, and the Z5II’s vari-angle display makes it easy to find creative perspectives.”

When it comes to achieving those different perspectives, the duo rely on a range of lenses including the NIKKOR Z 20mm f/1.8 S, NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.8 S, NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S, and NIKKOR Z 28–400mm f/4–8 VR. “The 50mm is great for interview scenes that feature in the A-roll, because it offers that middle ground where the subject stands free from the background,” continues Valentin. “For B-roll, we more often use the 85mm, or for wider scenes, the 20mm, and both are great for capturing details, while the 28-400mm lets us zoom in on distant subjects within big landscapes, perfect for complementary scenes that add variety.”

Why the Nikon Z5II is the perfect B-Roll camera

Pairing their lens line-up with the right camera is essential, and for projects like this, the duo say the Nikon Z5II is the ideal fit. “For us, the Z5II is the perfect second camera for B-roll,” says Roman, while Valentin adds, “It’s affordable, delivers 4K video with a good range of frame rates, and is light enough to carry on longer treks that last a few days. Although it doesn’t have the same dynamic range as the Z8, the difference is smaller than you’d expect. Plus, it’s the perfect camera to start with in the world of full-frame.” Roman highlights another advantage: “With Nikon cameras, you have such good in-body stabilisation that you don’t really need a gimbal outdoors, you can just use the motion of your body.” Valentin agrees, but points out that this can also be used as a stylistic tool: “Sometimes we like to add a bit of natural movement, for a slightly ‘shaky’ B-roll look.”

Blending A and B in post

Back home, they weave their B-roll into the main sequence to build a cohesive story. “The most important thing is not to have a big gap between what’s being said and what’s being shown,” says Valentin, who explains how they select different clips filmed in the same location and match them to the moments they’re talking about. “We avoid using scenes that are too visually impressive during voiceovers because they can pull focus from the story. Those more spectacular clips work best in quieter moments or transitions. We also like B-roll to have its own little storyline that starts with establishing scenes, then mid-scenes, then details, so everything feels organic and supports the main narrative. That’s ultimately the main purpose of B-roll.”

Twintheworld’s top tips:

• Think about sound
  “Most of our B-roll is silent, but if you capture audio that fits perfectly, use it, it can really help build atmosphere and make the scene feel more immersive.”
• Control light and movement
  “For blurry foregrounds, we film with a low aperture, so we recommend using ND filters with step-down rings for quick changes on location. And to avoid rolling shutter, keep your pans soft and smooth.”
• Film in N-Log

“The dynamic range of the Z5II is quite impressive for a relatively small camera, especially for intermediate videographers and it creates a great opportunity to get into colour grading.”