Fujifilm X-S20
$1,199 - $1,349
Hybrid shooters who want one capable, portable body for photo and video.
Skip if: APS-C, not full-frame
Use the retailer for the current price after the kit still fits the rule constraint.
US State
Michigan
Michigan has no statewide film permit; the MFDMO coordinates, MDOT permits highway shoots, and Michigan DNR treats commercial photography as a permitted commercial use of state land.
Verified Jul 1, 2026 2 sources
Permit: conditional
Shoot decision
Depends on setup
Small personal or low-impact work may be fine, but commercial, staged, exclusive-use, tripod, light, or crew-heavy work can cross the permit line.
Permit: conditional
Permit line
Conditional, Michigan Film and Digital Media Office (Michigan Economic Development Corporation)
Public space
Yes: you can photograph what is visible from public space in the US
Drone layer
Commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107
Guidance, not legal advice
Rules change and enforcement varies. Confirm with the issuing authority before you shoot. Drone law depth lives at Drone Authority.
Before you go
The field order that prevents wasted trips
Work in this order. Each step answers a different risk, and skipping ahead is how a simple shoot turns into a permit, flight, or gear problem on site.
Confirm the permit answer
Use the official permit page before you schedule, invoice, or bring a larger setup.
Open permit pageBuild the shot sequence
Turn the rule answer into a route, frame list, and completion checklist before you are standing there.
Build shot listSeparate photo rules from flight rules
If the plan includes a drone, check the flight side separately before you pack batteries.
Check Drone AuthorityKeep the kit easy to explain
Keep the kit small enough to adapt if the answer changes on site.
Match field gear
Aperture workflow
Plan the local shoot
Use the legal answer to shape the kit, route, and fallback plan before the day gets expensive.
Field kit
Kit to keep the shoot flexible
Rules can change the plan. A small, stable kit gives you backup frames without making the setup harder to explain.
9.0
Peak Design Travel Tripod (Carbon)
$599 - $699
Photographers who hike or travel and want full height in a pack-friendly form.
Skip if: Expensive
Use the retailer for the current price after the kit still fits the rule constraint.
Product links may earn a commission at no cost to you. Verify the rules first, then buy only what keeps the shoot practical.
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Michigan Film and Digital Media Office (Michigan Economic Development Corporation)
Cost: Varies by property and locality, see the film office; the DNR commercial use application carries a $50 fee
The Michigan Film and Digital Media Office is a coordination and incentive office, not a permitting authority; it directs productions to verify requirements with the city, township, or county where they are shooting. Filming on state property needs approval from whichever state department manages it: MDOT issues permits for commercial filming in state highway right-of-way, and the layer photographers actually hit is Michigan DNR, which classifies commercial filming and photography as a commercial use of state lands. DNR applications go to the unit supervisor at each individual state park, recreation area, harbor, or boating access site, with a $50 application fee and possible additional usage fees, and a separate application per location.
Drone / airspace
Commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107
Michigan DNR rules govern takeoff and landing on the state lands it manages; check the specific park. For Part 107 and state drone law, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes: you can photograph what is visible from public space in the US
Private property sets its own rules regardless of state law.
Practical notes
- Popular DNR locations like Tahquamenon Falls and Pictured Rocks-adjacent state land each need their own application; there is no bundle permit across parks.
- Sleeping Bear Dunes, Isle Royale, and Pictured Rocks are federal NPS units with their own rules, separate from Michigan DNR.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: