Let’s talk about what youtube equipment do you need to start a youtube channel no matter if you are a beginner. To start with, I want to tell you all about the truth.
Well! To start your YouTube channel, you don’t really need a lot of fancy equipment.As you begin gathering your YouTube equipment and honing your video creation skills, it might also be worthwhile to consider the business side of your burgeoning YouTube channel. If you’re serious about turning your content creation into a formal business, it can be beneficial to set up an LLC. For this, online services like Incfile are available, and an incfile llc review can offer insights into the quality of their services and whether they’d be a good fit for your needs.
Now that you are clear, we shall move into the real topic! YouTube is one of the biggest and most popular social media platforms for sharing video content online. I think YouTube is great for expressing your creativity and getting an opportunity to earn some extra money. You can even promote your business and possibly can become a massive “Internet Famous” celebrity.
In case, you are thinking to become a YouTuber, then you need to prepare some basic equipment essential for recording good quality videos. Creating good quality videos isn’t as easy as it may seem. Fortunately, I can say that you don’t require to have a lot of technical know-how to produce great video content. All you need is the right set of equipment.
Do you think you have a great personality and got some unique content to share? If yes, then you probably think that a smartphone will be enough to get away with. Right? Let me tell you that YouTube has become a very competitive space and being a beginner if you don’t put some effort into the visual quality of your videos, you may not get sustainable subscribers.
There are several established and popular YouTubers having a wide range of sophisticated video production equipment. They hire professional video editors as well as camera operators to produce their content. However, I am not telling you to go that far now. So here is a list of basic Youtube Equipment You Need To Start A Youtube Channel.
- Camera
- Microphone
- Lighting
- Tripod or Gimbal Stabilizer
- Video Editing Software
Without further ado, let’s start with detailed information regarding the equipment.
What Equipment Do You Need To Start Youtube Channel?
As I have told you about all the equipment that you need to get for Vlogging, follow below to know more in detail.
– Camera
Now, obviously, the most essential equipment to do Vlogging is to have a good quality camera. However, before you head out to any store for buying a camera, you must know that you don’t really need to buy the most expensive DSLR. You should always opt for a DSLR that gives you great quality videos of at least 1080p.
DSLRs are mostly favored by the big YouTubers as they produce high-quality images. It results in great adaptability even in low light situations and will provide you with the polished video recording quality. They are worth the investment, at least that is what I feel. Moreover, if you are thinking to take YouTube professionally investing in a DSLR is a must.
Here, I am going to share my personal favorites with you. It will help you in choosing the best camera for your Vlog.
1. Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III
There are several Canon DSLRs available in the market but my top favorite is without a doubt the Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III. Even after facing some of the strongest competitors in the market such as Panasonic and Sony, it has succeeded enough to build its name.
The Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark III is the third product in the series of 1″-type sensor. I feel it has completely taken over the rule from it G7 X Mark II predecessor with the 1-inch sensor, and ability to capture pictures at up to 30 fps with the Raw Burst shooting mode. This product further has a fresh 20.1 megapixel and a newer DIGIC 8 processing engine. And it is no surprise that Vloggers are totally in love with this DSLR.
I found the body built of this camera is really great and fits completely into my hands. This has a nicely sculpted grip with rubber coverage to give comfort and security both. I like how the camera starts up instantly and focus nice and prompt. There is face detection that works at a nice speed and adheres to the subjects pretty well.
I found that it can be led to overexposure but still some softness can be seen at the edges of the lens. The images show most softness at both the telephoto ends as well as the wide-angle. What I like more about this DSLR is the EOS style interface, it gives a nice control over image-making too.
The touchscreen is quite responsive and easy to work with. Apart from this, the image quality is pretty nice along with the video quality. This is because of the nice colors, low image noise at the bottom end of the DSLR’s sensitivity range, and a good level of detail in the center frame.
Overall, I feel that this PowerShot G7 X Mark III has a lot more to offer, both as a pocketable stand-in for a larger system camera and as a video first compact camera.
Features:
- It comes with a 20MP 1″-type Stacked CMOS sensor.
- There is a microphone socket.
- It has a built-in 3-stop ND filter.
- I found that the Touchscreen tilts up 180° and down 90°.
- It comes with 24-100mm Equiv. F1.8-2.8 lens.
- This DSLR camera offers you with 4K/30p and 1080/60p video recording.
- I could easily do Live YouTube streaming with built-in support for the same.
- What I like more about the camera is the 8 fps burst shooting with autofocus, and the 30 fps Raw burst mode.
- It gives a 235 shot battery life per CIPA standard.
- With this camera, you can get a 1080/120p slow motion video (with no audio or autofocus).
- It can do Vertical video capture.
- You will find Wi-Fi + Bluetooth wireless connectivity.
- There is a USB 3.1 (with USB-C connector) for data transfer and charging.
2. Canon EOS M6 Mark II
My other favorite from the brand Canon is the Canon EOS M6 Mark II. I found this camera comes along with a 32.5 MP sensor to offer you with very high-resolution images and videos. It is amazing to see such a small and compact body can have such powerful features as a viewfinder. You can any day purchase a detachable OLED viewfinder separately. I like how the DSLR comes along with a good degree of customization.
What I like more about the M6 Mark II is the 14 frames per second continuous shooting mode. In fact, with this DSLR, you can shoot 4K video without any crop factor. It has a dimension of 112.0 x 68.0 x 44.5 mm and weighed in at 390g and I found it great for traveling. And again one of the niftiest additions to this Canon product is the new MF/AF toggle switch.
The DSLR has an amazing grip to retain balance while you use the adapted EF lenses. It changes the perspective of most people. Apart from this, this camera has something new autofocus wise in the form of eye-detection. Moreover, the 180 degree flip-screen looks amazing and serves great for filming. Overall, I suggest it for all the travel Vloggers, and in fact, as a beginner also you can try this out.
Features:
- The Canon EOS M6 Mark II comes with a 32.5MP Dual Pixel AF CMOS sensor.
- This comes along with 30 fps Raw Burst mode (with AF Tracking and pre-shot buffering).
- I found the 3.0″ rear touchscreen flips up by 180° or down by 45° which was pretty great.
- It comes with a UHD 4K video at 30p and 25p that allows you with no crop / full-width feature.
- This has an optional electronic viewfinder.
- I like that the product comes with a USB 2.0 port with a Type-C connector.
- It has 14 fps continuous shooting.
3. Sony A6600
If you love to use Sony DLSRs, then the Sony A6600 is a great option as a follow-up of A6500. Now, it comes under the premium camera range that has the mirrorless interchangeable lens and rangefinder-style and APS-C sensor. I found the product comes along with a 24.2 MP Exmor CMOS sensor along with IBIS that is in-body image stabilization with compensation of around 5 stops. What I like more about the DSLR is the Real-Time Tracking Autofocus for both video and stills. Moreover, it allows you to autofocus and selects dynamically between the eye and face detection AF modes without any additional user input.
Now, coming to the body and the design, I found some changes are made to the ergonomics that include the handgrip. It could now accommodate a higher capacity of around 2280mAh Z battery. The best part as per me is the 180 degrees tilt of the 3-inch, 921k-dot touchscreen LCD for selfie and vlogging use even after the compact design.
What I like about this DSLR is the shooting rate of up to 11 fps with the AF as well as the auto-exposure. It helps you to save the two slots albeit, these are for the SD and Memory Stick Pro. This DLSR has USB 2.0 data transfer, Wi-Fi, along with the NFC features to help you connect to your smartphones and Bluetooth in the case of location data acquisition.
Features:
- It comes with a 24.2-MP APS-C Exmor CMOS sensor.
- I love the Real-Time Tracking AF for stills and video.
- This comes with native ISO 100–32,000, with expansion to ISO 50–102,400.
- It comes along with 11 fps maximum burst.
- This product comes with a 3-inch tilt screen.
- The DSLR comes along with 4K UHD/30fps video, Full HD at up to 120fps.
- What I like is the two card slots: single SD UHS-I + Memory Stick Pro.
- This DSLR comes along with Wi-Fi, USB 2.0, NFC, and Bluetooth.
– Microphone
If you are taking your Vlogging life seriously, then I believe that you can’t avoid the importance of good audio. Yes! Audio is yet another factor that you must consider while making YouTube videos. Your audiences will not watch the video without proper audio quality. Now the inbuilt microphone that comes with the DSLR is not enough to get you the best audio quality. For that you would require a microphone.
A microphone will ensure you have better and proper sound quality that is audible to the viewers. There are so many options available in the market, that you can get any one of your choices. But my personal recommendation will be any day the two listed below. Check out below to get some basic details about their features.
1. Rode NT-USB
The new Rode NT-USB is an amazing and power pack microphone. It comes with a cute tiny tripod along with an integrated pop shield. In fact, some experts claim that it gives you much more than a podcasting mic. This is because the product comes with the feature of condenser capsule that usually comes in the studio level microphones. I found the body built is super amazing with superior durability and classy look. However, there is no suspension cradle but it has a good engineered standard mounting. With the help of that, you can easily angle it anywhere within a range of 180 degrees.
Furthermore, I found the USB connection quite stable that allows you to connect the XLR cable on a conventional mic. You don’t require any extra drivers to be installed if you are using it with Mac, Windows, or even iPad. What I like the most about this microphone is the easy interface. All you need to do is plugging and connect it to the device and you are ready to record the audio.
Coming to the sound quality, this product has an inbuilt headphone amp which was loud and clear and gives plenty of volumes. And on sung vocals and spoken voice, you get it delivered without any lack of bottom end warmth or the top-end clarity. And yes, there you will find no tonal anomalies. I think the pop shield does a pretty decent job and allows me to get close in. Moreover, it exploits the low-end from the proximity effect. Apart from all of these, the microphone is decently priced and can be a great buy for Vloggers.
2. Blue Yeti
When I was researching about best microphones available in the market, my fellow Bloggers told me to try out Blue Yeti. And today I am going to share you with all a review about the same product. Well! This has impressed me a lot with the appearance as well as the packaging. It is designed keeping in mind simplicity with well-illustrated explanations of its functions. Thus, I feel it is perfect for a beginner or a first-time buyer.
With this product, I could easily plug it onto my PC and my DSLR without much hassle. And I found there is no need for a preamp or mixer to operate it. Moreover, this microphone has a stand on its own and I feel it is a plus point for any mic. I found the underside of the stand is well cushioned with rubber padding for extra support.
Coming to the features, this product has a 3.5mm port on the underside and allows you to plug in your monitor headphones or earbuds. With this product you are going to have three different dials such as the Gain, Headphone Volume, and the Polar Pattern. There is a mute button as well which is pretty helpful for Vloggers I believe. In fact, I saw a red light on it that will light up when you plug in into your PC or DSLR. Pressing the mute button, you can see a flash and it means the mic is muted. So, it is quite beginner-friendly and a perfect buy for Vloggers.
Now talking about the sound quality, I found it quite decent at the price point. It does quite a good job and accurately captures the voice. At the price you invest, you get a good deal buying this Blue Yeti microphone. So without thinking more, just go and buy it.
Tripod
Tripod is yet another equipment that I must say a Vlogger or a videographer must consider buying. It is one of the most affordable choices that you must check if you are considering Vlogging as a full-time business. Unsteady footage is not a professional way to produce videos as it can make you lose viewers. Tripods are one of the best tools to get if you want to stabilize the videos and photos. Having a tripod will ensure you get a stable video and photo and as a result, it will increase the channel’s production value.
Tripods usually come in different sizes and weights. In fact, you can find tripods for your smartphones as well. Here, I am going to talk about my favorite tripod that you can opt for both as a beginner and as an expert.
1. GorillaPod SLR Zoom Camera Tripod
The GorillaPod SLR Zoom Camera Tripod is one of my personal favorites among the tripods available in the market. I found it light in weight with a weight of around 5.8 ounces and very much portable. This is a great option for the Vloggers who travel constantly. It has leg straightened and folded together to give this a height of just under 10 inches.
I found that this tripod is generally made up of a bunch of ball and socket joints. This is to allow the legs to bend down and take whatever shape you need. Moreover, the tips of the legs are covered completely with the rubber. It gives an amazing grip so that it holds onto the ground properly. And you will find the rest of the ball joints are covered with rings of rubber to give you the grip so that you can wrap anything around comfortably. There is a slim-line attachment that allows easy hot of your camera.
Performance-wise this Gorillapod does exactly what it is meant for. It is very much flexible and can handle several positions. However, not all the positions are as stable as you want but with the little adjustment you can get there. What I like about the product is that it is decently priced so that even a beginner can afford it.
Overall, it is fun to use this tripod even if you are not shooting any video. You can enjoy playing with this tiny tool to see what all angles give you the best shots. There is an option to buy extra slim-line attachment clips, in case you want to leave it on multiple cameras.
Gimbal Stabilizer
Another important piece of equipment that you require to buy in case you plan to Vlog is a Gimbal Stabilizer. Yes! No matter how steadily and effortlessly you are holding the camera, if you are doing handheld shooting it might get shaky. As a result, you will end up having jarring videos. Gimbals are a kind of product that helps in stabilizing your hand. It comes with an inbuilt motor or weights than can balance your camera. As a result, you will get smooth videos even if you get sudden movements. I feel YouTubers must have this stabilizer as they are constantly moving.
There are so many products already available in the market that may confuse you. However, I am going to mention my favorite one here below. Do check out the detailed review.
1. FeiyuTech a1000 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer
The FeiyuTech a1000 3-Axis Gimbal Stabilizer is the Gimbal that caught my eyes and I have been using it for a very long time. I feel every enthusiast videographer should opt for this one.
Now coming to the features, this product comes along with a single handle grip. I found the grip very smooth and motorized. It is a little bigger in size but fits amazingly. However, you can always opt for the two-handle kit as it is available and optional. Again, the product is designed for an entry-level gimbal stabilizer. It allows the user to control the interface effortlessly. I found the joystick of this product quite responsive. It designed keeping mind the simplicity and basic to make it beginner-friendly.
The load capacity of this camera is huge and is up to 3.74 pounds of payload weight. Thus, I feel this product can easily hold and support a huge number of mirrorless camera setups that are right now available in the market. In fact, the gimbal comes with an auto-calibration technology that helps you to deal with longer lenses. This product is powered by two batteries that are powerful enough to last you longer. Moreover, you will get four rechargeable batteries with this gimbal. You can charge them inside the gimbal or you can use the charger that it comes with in the packaging.
The joystick is really enjoyable and can help you control the tilt and rotation of the camera swiftly. You will further receive cables that allow you to connect the cameras with the gimbal. So that the shutter is fired by a control on the grip. What I like the most about this gimbal is the smartphone app it comes with. It allows you to control all the features smoothly.
– Lighting
One of the most essential equipment that you must own while you plan to Vlog is having a set of proper lighting. Moreover, if you are planning to shoot indoors and in an area with less or dim light, then it is a must to have a good lighting setup. In fact, having ample ambient light isn’t enough to shoot great quality videos.
Trust me on this note, lighting can make a huge difference in your videos. It can even out the brightness of your setup and furthermore, it makes the videos bright and modifies the coloring as well. If you are finding it difficult to get proper lighting equipment, then here is the one that I personally prefer.
1. Aputure 120D II
Aputure is an amazing brand that launches a huge number of good quality light setups. This time Aputure came back with their powerful release Aputure 120D II. I found it more professional and effective than the original 120D. This is re-designed to give users the best experience. It comes with features like the combined power as well as a controller in a single unit. Apart from this, it comes with inbuilt creative lighting FX. The hand-grip is amazing and quite comfortably sits into our hands.
For added flexibility, the product comes along with a color-coded Neutrik cable system. That allows you to lock the light and thus, I feel the product is quite safe to use in any circumstances.
Now, let me tell you that the original 120D was rated around 6000k whereas the new Aperture 120D comes with more industry standard of 5500 Kelvin rating. I found the product gives you 25% more brightness than the original 120D light. This product gives the brightest equivalent to 1000 watt tungsten light. Moreover, this product has gone through intense color quality testing. And I found it is done not by using CRI ratings but they have used the industry-standard TLCI or the Television Lighting Consistency Index.
And if you ask me, then my favorite feature of the 120D II is its the ability to dim the light. Yes! It can dim the light from 100 % to 1% and thus, it can be both the dimmest and the brightest light on the set. Apart from this, I found that the product has an integrated controller or power unit. What I like is that the 120D II is made up of aircraft-grade aluminum. However, it is light in weight and has less cabling and power components. Thus, as a Vlogger you have to spend less time setting up the lights and you can keep your focus on creating creative content.
Features:
- 1000-watt Tungsten Equivalent
- Wireless Remote with 328′ Range
- 18 dB Quiet Fan, Onboard DMX
- Built-In Handle
- V-mount Battery Plate
- Integrated Power/Controller Box
- 25% Brighter than Original Light Storm 120d
- Seamlessly dimmable from 100% to 1%
- Includes Dedicated Carrying Bag
– Video Editing Software
Now, that you have got all the hardware you require to Vlog, it is the correct time to find a good video editing software. Having a good video editing software is a must for post-production. Let me tell you that YouTube do come with their own video editing software but it is always great to have one of your own. Yes! I suggest you check out some video editing software apart from YouTube editor. This will allow you the freedom to modify your videos as per your own preference.
Here, I am going to talk about my personal favorites. In fact, these are the most popular video editing Softwares among the Vloggers. So, if you are confused regarding what to select, here is what you need to the lookout.
1. Final Cut Pro
If you are looking for a professional video editing software that works like charm, then the Final Cut Pro is your choice. I personally prefer using this and it is one of the best video editing software for macOS users. This software is known to give your seamless video editing feature with all the professional touch to your videos. I found the editor has a Magnetic Timeline to allow the user to trim and move the clips but without disturbing the rest of the video. What I like more is that you can easily color-code them to identify the content easily and efficiently.
Editing can be done smoothly as the Final Cut Pro runs on a very powerful architecture. It allows the software to handle complex and heavy projects along with that adds more effects. Now, coming to the VR handling, the software is great for creating spectacular VR videos with immersive experiences. The best part about this is that it has a 360-degree viewer. It allows us to see the video in every possible angle and we could easily make the changes as per need with simple tools. Moreover, it makes it easy to apply graphics and effects such as blurs and texts.
The next feature is the impeccable sound that it gives. Yes! I think there is no requirement for a separate audio editing program when you have this Final Cut Pro. It allows you to modify the audio using the inbuilt tools and removes the background noise. This further helps in optimizing the sound levels and gives a more dynamic video that comes with appropriate audio.
What I like the most about this video editing tool is the amazing motion graphics templates, video effects, and video filters. All these are great to enhance the videos you publish. In fact, you can expand the inbuilt features using the third-party tools and templates to get additional control and flexibility.
Apart from all of these, the final cur pro has something more to offer you. It allows you to carefully organize the assets such as audio and video files. You can find a tagging facility for easy pull-up of clip portions and entire clips. Thus, you will get more time to work on the video than wasting time on searching the assets.
Features:
- Moving & Trimming Clips
- Multicam Editing
- Presets
- 360 Degree VR Editing
- VR Headset Playback
- Effects
- Advanced Color Grading
- Asset Management
- HDR Video Support
- Plug-Ins
- Motion Graphics Templates
2. Adobe Premiere Pro
When we are talking about video editing software, I can’t simply miss out on the Adobe Premiere Pro. It is one of the most professional video editing software for your PC. So in case, you are a professional video editor, you must check out this software. Let me tell you, this is used by the Hollywood workers to turn their raw footage into some dramatic products. Amazing Right?
Coming to the design, the Adobe editor gives you an intuitive and easy to use interface. It works amazingly to give you the highest efficiency and productivity. I like how the editor is constantly updated and gives a more responsive interface. Now, the best part of using this editor is that you get other Adobe products that will give you a smoother workflow. If you are having a team, you can handle each other’s projects without creating any disturbance to the files. Moreover, it allows you to communicate with your colleagues without turning off the application.
I found the product is integrated with the Microsoft Teams, so we could easily exchange notes on projects. What I like more is the multiple formats option that it gives. I could easily convert my videos from one to another format. Apart from this, the video editor enables users to have multiple projects access at once. You can easily switch between scenes and I found the option of lifting clips from one to another project great. It saves me a lot of time and extra effort.
Now the best feature of this Adobe video editor is the immersive VR support. Yes! I truly love how the use of VR can transform the videos to the next level. It comes with all the advanced features to support the complex VR editing factors.
Features:
- Simultaneous Projects
- Shared Projects
- VR Editing
- VR Audio Editing
- Video Titling & Graphics
- Labels
- VR Rotate Sphere
- Effects
- Regional Closed Caption standards
- Motion Graphics Templates
- Type Tool
- Transitions
- Lumetri Support
- Libraries
- Multiple Video Types
- Direct Publishing
- Multiple Formats Support
Conclusion
So these are the basic Youtube Equipment You Need To Start A Youtube Channel. I hope this article is perfect for you to understand every detail about which product you need to buy and why. I tried my best to give you the solution as per my own experience in the field of Vlogging. In fact, I did thorough research and consulted with my fellow Vloggers to know their personal preferences. And I made sure I give you the best valuable information so that you can start with your Vlogging journey flawlessly.
If you still have any questions left, do comment below in the comment section. I will be happy to answer them. Till then Happy Vlogging!