Must-Have Gear for Kickstarting Your YouTube Journey

Essential YouTube Equipment For Starting Your Channel - What Do You Really Need?

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Check out our most updated guide on this topic: YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners .

The first thing to make sure of before starting a YouTube channel is having all that you need to record and upload high-quality videos regularly. That doesn’t mean you have to take out a loan and spend thousands to purchase a brand new camera and all other gadgets that professional filmmakers use.

The smartest way to get started is to go through a list of necessary equipment for YouTube and check whether or not you already own some of it. Once your channel starts growing, you can then start thinking about whether you want to invest in upgraded equipment. Here is a quick overview of all items that you need to start entertaining your online audience and gaining subscribers to your YouTube channel:

• Your YouTube Camera
• Microphones and Audio
• Lighting Gear for YouTube
• Tripods and Camera Stands
• Smartphone Camera Gear

YouTube Cameras

The short version: Use whatever you already have, even if it’s your phone or webcam. It’s nice to have sharp, fine-tuned, 4K footage, but viewers will forgive lower visual quality if your content is good.

The long version: You will need a camera, but there are a lot of different devices you can use including DSLRs, point and shoots, webcams, and your smartphone.

Your choice of camera will have a tremendous impact on the visual quality of your content and might drive your decisions regarding other pieces of equipment. However, you shouldn’t feel obliged to work with a top-notch camera from day one, especially since cheaper options can produce great results if used the right way.

On one end of the spectrum, you have basic smartphone cameras and web cameras, which are easy to come by and simple to operate. These days, high-end phones come equipped with quite powerful cameras that are more than sufficient for the needs of the average YouTuber. Better webcams can also do the job, although high-performance webcam models can get pretty expensive too. It is probably wise to resist the urge to start broadcasting with the built-in camera in your laptop and at least get a webcam or use your phone, but your computer’s camera is still always an option. Not having a better camera should never stop you from making YouTube videos.

If you already have a DSLR camera then it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. You have far more freedom to adjust the settings and achieve a professional look for your videos with a DSLR, but that does mean it’ll take some time to become an expert at using it. Ultra-high resolution is not required for YouTube, but it certainly won’t hurt to have additional sharpness and more detail in the scene. If you’re shopping for a DSLR, look for one with a flip screen that allows you to quickly check what your viewers see.

YouTube Microphone and Audio

The short version: Audio quality is extremely important. If you can buy either a new camera or an external microphone, but not both, it might be better to go for the microphone. Click here for advice on upping your audio quality without an external microphone.

The long version: Sound capturing is every bit as important for your success as your video feed. In fact, poor audio can be even more damaging to your subscriber count than grainy video, since people won’t spend their time listening to something they have to put effort into understanding.

Again, most YouTube video makers have a limited budget at their disposal, so professional microphones are mostly off the table. However, investing in a directional microphone (‘shotgun mic’) that can pick up your voice clearly and without background noise is certainly a smart move. Such microphones can be pointed towards you while you speak, and since most YouTubers sit still while doing their shows there won’t be too much need for in-session adjustments.

If you’re not ready to invest in a shotgun mic, you can also find very inexpensive (often under $20) LAV mics. These small microphones can be pinned to your shirt, which allows them to record very clear dialogue because they’re so close to your mouth.

Lights for YouTube

The short version: You need as much light as you can get. Lighting kits can be affordable on Amazon, but you can also achieve a great look using daylight/windows and ‘daylight’ lightbulbs.

The long version: If you’ve ever tried to make a video indoors, you already know that it’s necessary to have additional light. Often just filming with the normal lights in a room will cause your footage to look dark and grainy, and possibly be tinted orange. To overcome these problems you need to increase the amount of light you have available.

Sometimes, it is enough to film near windows and/or bring more household lamps into your filming area. For any household lamps or lighting fixtures you use, make sure to put in white or ‘daylight’ lightbulbs instead of using the orange/tungsten bulbs that you might have for everyday use (this is how you avoid tinting things orange).

If you have the budget available to get some lighting equipment, you can find softbox lights or LED panel lights available fairly inexpensively online. Softbox lights are great because they provide even, diffused, light.

Another useful piece of lighting equipment to have is a reflector. A reflector is usually a piece of white, silver, or gold fabric stretched over a frame. You can use it to bounce light from one light source back towards yourself (this is a great way to fill shadows cast by your main light). Reflectors tend to be inexpensive, but you can also use white cardboard or tinfoil in place of purchasing a reflector.

Tripods and Camera Stands

The short version: You need something to hold your camera. If you mostly film in your own home that can be a desk or a stack of books, but if you make a lot of videos while you’re on the go you probably need a tripod or gimbal. Heavier cameras need heavier tripods.

The long version: While handheld cameras can deliver solid results for vloggers and casual streamers, viewers do expect reasonably stable footage. For many types of videos, the camera needs to be completely still and flatly positioned on a horizontal plane. Tripods and camera stands can cost very little, so it’s a good idea to look into getting some kind of stabilizer.

When you are choosing a tripod, pay attention to how much it weighs. If the camera that needs to be mounted on it is very heavy (like some DSLR models), you want to ensure that the structure itself weighs enough not to be easily tipped over. Too thin tripods can put your camera at risk, and that’s the last thing you want. Smaller cameras such as GoPros are more flexible in this regard and can be placed on a wider range of tripods.

Even if you are using a phone or a webcam to record YouTube videos, you should consider mounting the device on a stable stand. It is possible to find mini tripods ideal for smartphones for as little as $10. These tripods are small enough to carry in your pocket, so you will be prepared to start making a video no matter where your adventures take you. If you are using a web camera, you should attach it to the stand so that it won’t move accidentally after you touch the surface it is placed on.

Smartphone Camera Gear

The short version: There’s a lot of gear out there designed with smartphone photos and videos in mind, including clip-on lenses, tripod mounts, phone-mounted LED lights, and inexpensive microphones that plug into the audio jack.

The long version: Recording your videos with a mobile phone can be a good decision. It all depends on the phone you have and the range of add-ons and apps that you complement it with. Almost every high-end model released in the past five years can shoot videos in 1080p or higher. Some can even produce 4K footage. If you perfect your smartphone filming technique, your YouTube videos could look as if they were made with pro equipment.

On the flip side, smartphone cameras typically perform poorly in low light. It is possible to download an app that lets you play around with settings to overcome this, but a phone-mounted LED light is probably a better solution. An external microphone might also be a necessity, but there are some good (inexpensive) options that can simply be plugged in through the headphone jack.

Another common downside of smartphone cameras is that most of them use digital zoom, which is vastly inferior to optical zoom. If you intend to shoot anything that’s further away than a few feet, you need a clip-on lens that goes on top of the built-in camera. This inexpensive device will give you a lot of freedom to work in space, and allow you to make spectacular shots even without high-end YouTube equipment.

Equipment with Easy-to-Use Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Check out our most updated guide on this topic: YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners .

The first thing to make sure of before starting a YouTube channel is having all that you need to record and upload high-quality videos regularly. That doesn’t mean you have to take out a loan and spend thousands to purchase a brand new camera and all other gadgets that professional filmmakers use.

The smartest way to get started is to go through a list of necessary equipment for YouTube and check whether or not you already own some of it. Once your channel starts growing, you can then start thinking about whether you want to invest in upgraded equipment. Here is a quick overview of all items that you need to start entertaining your online audience and gaining subscribers to your YouTube channel:

• Your YouTube Camera
• Microphones and Audio
• Lighting Gear for YouTube
• Tripods and Camera Stands
• Smartphone Camera Gear

YouTube Cameras

The short version: Use whatever you already have, even if it’s your phone or webcam. It’s nice to have sharp, fine-tuned, 4K footage, but viewers will forgive lower visual quality if your content is good.

The long version: You will need a camera, but there are a lot of different devices you can use including DSLRs, point and shoots, webcams, and your smartphone.

Your choice of camera will have a tremendous impact on the visual quality of your content and might drive your decisions regarding other pieces of equipment. However, you shouldn’t feel obliged to work with a top-notch camera from day one, especially since cheaper options can produce great results if used the right way.

On one end of the spectrum, you have basic smartphone cameras and web cameras, which are easy to come by and simple to operate. These days, high-end phones come equipped with quite powerful cameras that are more than sufficient for the needs of the average YouTuber. Better webcams can also do the job, although high-performance webcam models can get pretty expensive too. It is probably wise to resist the urge to start broadcasting with the built-in camera in your laptop and at least get a webcam or use your phone, but your computer’s camera is still always an option. Not having a better camera should never stop you from making YouTube videos.

If you already have a DSLR camera then it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. You have far more freedom to adjust the settings and achieve a professional look for your videos with a DSLR, but that does mean it’ll take some time to become an expert at using it. Ultra-high resolution is not required for YouTube, but it certainly won’t hurt to have additional sharpness and more detail in the scene. If you’re shopping for a DSLR, look for one with a flip screen that allows you to quickly check what your viewers see.

YouTube Microphone and Audio

The short version: Audio quality is extremely important. If you can buy either a new camera or an external microphone, but not both, it might be better to go for the microphone. Click here for advice on upping your audio quality without an external microphone.

The long version: Sound capturing is every bit as important for your success as your video feed. In fact, poor audio can be even more damaging to your subscriber count than grainy video, since people won’t spend their time listening to something they have to put effort into understanding.

Again, most YouTube video makers have a limited budget at their disposal, so professional microphones are mostly off the table. However, investing in a directional microphone (‘shotgun mic’) that can pick up your voice clearly and without background noise is certainly a smart move. Such microphones can be pointed towards you while you speak, and since most YouTubers sit still while doing their shows there won’t be too much need for in-session adjustments.

If you’re not ready to invest in a shotgun mic, you can also find very inexpensive (often under $20) LAV mics. These small microphones can be pinned to your shirt, which allows them to record very clear dialogue because they’re so close to your mouth.

Lights for YouTube

The short version: You need as much light as you can get. Lighting kits can be affordable on Amazon, but you can also achieve a great look using daylight/windows and ‘daylight’ lightbulbs.

The long version: If you’ve ever tried to make a video indoors, you already know that it’s necessary to have additional light. Often just filming with the normal lights in a room will cause your footage to look dark and grainy, and possibly be tinted orange. To overcome these problems you need to increase the amount of light you have available.

Sometimes, it is enough to film near windows and/or bring more household lamps into your filming area. For any household lamps or lighting fixtures you use, make sure to put in white or ‘daylight’ lightbulbs instead of using the orange/tungsten bulbs that you might have for everyday use (this is how you avoid tinting things orange).

If you have the budget available to get some lighting equipment, you can find softbox lights or LED panel lights available fairly inexpensively online. Softbox lights are great because they provide even, diffused, light.

Another useful piece of lighting equipment to have is a reflector. A reflector is usually a piece of white, silver, or gold fabric stretched over a frame. You can use it to bounce light from one light source back towards yourself (this is a great way to fill shadows cast by your main light). Reflectors tend to be inexpensive, but you can also use white cardboard or tinfoil in place of purchasing a reflector.

Tripods and Camera Stands

The short version: You need something to hold your camera. If you mostly film in your own home that can be a desk or a stack of books, but if you make a lot of videos while you’re on the go you probably need a tripod or gimbal. Heavier cameras need heavier tripods.

The long version: While handheld cameras can deliver solid results for vloggers and casual streamers, viewers do expect reasonably stable footage. For many types of videos, the camera needs to be completely still and flatly positioned on a horizontal plane. Tripods and camera stands can cost very little, so it’s a good idea to look into getting some kind of stabilizer.

When you are choosing a tripod, pay attention to how much it weighs. If the camera that needs to be mounted on it is very heavy (like some DSLR models), you want to ensure that the structure itself weighs enough not to be easily tipped over. Too thin tripods can put your camera at risk, and that’s the last thing you want. Smaller cameras such as GoPros are more flexible in this regard and can be placed on a wider range of tripods.

Even if you are using a phone or a webcam to record YouTube videos, you should consider mounting the device on a stable stand. It is possible to find mini tripods ideal for smartphones for as little as $10. These tripods are small enough to carry in your pocket, so you will be prepared to start making a video no matter where your adventures take you. If you are using a web camera, you should attach it to the stand so that it won’t move accidentally after you touch the surface it is placed on.

Smartphone Camera Gear

The short version: There’s a lot of gear out there designed with smartphone photos and videos in mind, including clip-on lenses, tripod mounts, phone-mounted LED lights, and inexpensive microphones that plug into the audio jack.

The long version: Recording your videos with a mobile phone can be a good decision. It all depends on the phone you have and the range of add-ons and apps that you complement it with. Almost every high-end model released in the past five years can shoot videos in 1080p or higher. Some can even produce 4K footage. If you perfect your smartphone filming technique, your YouTube videos could look as if they were made with pro equipment.

On the flip side, smartphone cameras typically perform poorly in low light. It is possible to download an app that lets you play around with settings to overcome this, but a phone-mounted LED light is probably a better solution. An external microphone might also be a necessity, but there are some good (inexpensive) options that can simply be plugged in through the headphone jack.

Another common downside of smartphone cameras is that most of them use digital zoom, which is vastly inferior to optical zoom. If you intend to shoot anything that’s further away than a few feet, you need a clip-on lens that goes on top of the built-in camera. This inexpensive device will give you a lot of freedom to work in space, and allow you to make spectacular shots even without high-end YouTube equipment.

Equipment with Easy-to-Use Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Check out our most updated guide on this topic: YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners .

The first thing to make sure of before starting a YouTube channel is having all that you need to record and upload high-quality videos regularly. That doesn’t mean you have to take out a loan and spend thousands to purchase a brand new camera and all other gadgets that professional filmmakers use.

The smartest way to get started is to go through a list of necessary equipment for YouTube and check whether or not you already own some of it. Once your channel starts growing, you can then start thinking about whether you want to invest in upgraded equipment. Here is a quick overview of all items that you need to start entertaining your online audience and gaining subscribers to your YouTube channel:

• Your YouTube Camera
• Microphones and Audio
• Lighting Gear for YouTube
• Tripods and Camera Stands
• Smartphone Camera Gear

YouTube Cameras

The short version: Use whatever you already have, even if it’s your phone or webcam. It’s nice to have sharp, fine-tuned, 4K footage, but viewers will forgive lower visual quality if your content is good.

The long version: You will need a camera, but there are a lot of different devices you can use including DSLRs, point and shoots, webcams, and your smartphone.

Your choice of camera will have a tremendous impact on the visual quality of your content and might drive your decisions regarding other pieces of equipment. However, you shouldn’t feel obliged to work with a top-notch camera from day one, especially since cheaper options can produce great results if used the right way.

On one end of the spectrum, you have basic smartphone cameras and web cameras, which are easy to come by and simple to operate. These days, high-end phones come equipped with quite powerful cameras that are more than sufficient for the needs of the average YouTuber. Better webcams can also do the job, although high-performance webcam models can get pretty expensive too. It is probably wise to resist the urge to start broadcasting with the built-in camera in your laptop and at least get a webcam or use your phone, but your computer’s camera is still always an option. Not having a better camera should never stop you from making YouTube videos.

If you already have a DSLR camera then it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. You have far more freedom to adjust the settings and achieve a professional look for your videos with a DSLR, but that does mean it’ll take some time to become an expert at using it. Ultra-high resolution is not required for YouTube, but it certainly won’t hurt to have additional sharpness and more detail in the scene. If you’re shopping for a DSLR, look for one with a flip screen that allows you to quickly check what your viewers see.

YouTube Microphone and Audio

The short version: Audio quality is extremely important. If you can buy either a new camera or an external microphone, but not both, it might be better to go for the microphone. Click here for advice on upping your audio quality without an external microphone.

The long version: Sound capturing is every bit as important for your success as your video feed. In fact, poor audio can be even more damaging to your subscriber count than grainy video, since people won’t spend their time listening to something they have to put effort into understanding.

Again, most YouTube video makers have a limited budget at their disposal, so professional microphones are mostly off the table. However, investing in a directional microphone (‘shotgun mic’) that can pick up your voice clearly and without background noise is certainly a smart move. Such microphones can be pointed towards you while you speak, and since most YouTubers sit still while doing their shows there won’t be too much need for in-session adjustments.

If you’re not ready to invest in a shotgun mic, you can also find very inexpensive (often under $20) LAV mics. These small microphones can be pinned to your shirt, which allows them to record very clear dialogue because they’re so close to your mouth.

Lights for YouTube

The short version: You need as much light as you can get. Lighting kits can be affordable on Amazon, but you can also achieve a great look using daylight/windows and ‘daylight’ lightbulbs.

The long version: If you’ve ever tried to make a video indoors, you already know that it’s necessary to have additional light. Often just filming with the normal lights in a room will cause your footage to look dark and grainy, and possibly be tinted orange. To overcome these problems you need to increase the amount of light you have available.

Sometimes, it is enough to film near windows and/or bring more household lamps into your filming area. For any household lamps or lighting fixtures you use, make sure to put in white or ‘daylight’ lightbulbs instead of using the orange/tungsten bulbs that you might have for everyday use (this is how you avoid tinting things orange).

If you have the budget available to get some lighting equipment, you can find softbox lights or LED panel lights available fairly inexpensively online. Softbox lights are great because they provide even, diffused, light.

Another useful piece of lighting equipment to have is a reflector. A reflector is usually a piece of white, silver, or gold fabric stretched over a frame. You can use it to bounce light from one light source back towards yourself (this is a great way to fill shadows cast by your main light). Reflectors tend to be inexpensive, but you can also use white cardboard or tinfoil in place of purchasing a reflector.

Tripods and Camera Stands

The short version: You need something to hold your camera. If you mostly film in your own home that can be a desk or a stack of books, but if you make a lot of videos while you’re on the go you probably need a tripod or gimbal. Heavier cameras need heavier tripods.

The long version: While handheld cameras can deliver solid results for vloggers and casual streamers, viewers do expect reasonably stable footage. For many types of videos, the camera needs to be completely still and flatly positioned on a horizontal plane. Tripods and camera stands can cost very little, so it’s a good idea to look into getting some kind of stabilizer.

When you are choosing a tripod, pay attention to how much it weighs. If the camera that needs to be mounted on it is very heavy (like some DSLR models), you want to ensure that the structure itself weighs enough not to be easily tipped over. Too thin tripods can put your camera at risk, and that’s the last thing you want. Smaller cameras such as GoPros are more flexible in this regard and can be placed on a wider range of tripods.

Even if you are using a phone or a webcam to record YouTube videos, you should consider mounting the device on a stable stand. It is possible to find mini tripods ideal for smartphones for as little as $10. These tripods are small enough to carry in your pocket, so you will be prepared to start making a video no matter where your adventures take you. If you are using a web camera, you should attach it to the stand so that it won’t move accidentally after you touch the surface it is placed on.

Smartphone Camera Gear

The short version: There’s a lot of gear out there designed with smartphone photos and videos in mind, including clip-on lenses, tripod mounts, phone-mounted LED lights, and inexpensive microphones that plug into the audio jack.

The long version: Recording your videos with a mobile phone can be a good decision. It all depends on the phone you have and the range of add-ons and apps that you complement it with. Almost every high-end model released in the past five years can shoot videos in 1080p or higher. Some can even produce 4K footage. If you perfect your smartphone filming technique, your YouTube videos could look as if they were made with pro equipment.

On the flip side, smartphone cameras typically perform poorly in low light. It is possible to download an app that lets you play around with settings to overcome this, but a phone-mounted LED light is probably a better solution. An external microphone might also be a necessity, but there are some good (inexpensive) options that can simply be plugged in through the headphone jack.

Another common downside of smartphone cameras is that most of them use digital zoom, which is vastly inferior to optical zoom. If you intend to shoot anything that’s further away than a few feet, you need a clip-on lens that goes on top of the built-in camera. This inexpensive device will give you a lot of freedom to work in space, and allow you to make spectacular shots even without high-end YouTube equipment.

Equipment with Easy-to-Use Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Check out our most updated guide on this topic: YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners .

The first thing to make sure of before starting a YouTube channel is having all that you need to record and upload high-quality videos regularly. That doesn’t mean you have to take out a loan and spend thousands to purchase a brand new camera and all other gadgets that professional filmmakers use.

The smartest way to get started is to go through a list of necessary equipment for YouTube and check whether or not you already own some of it. Once your channel starts growing, you can then start thinking about whether you want to invest in upgraded equipment. Here is a quick overview of all items that you need to start entertaining your online audience and gaining subscribers to your YouTube channel:

• Your YouTube Camera
• Microphones and Audio
• Lighting Gear for YouTube
• Tripods and Camera Stands
• Smartphone Camera Gear

YouTube Cameras

The short version: Use whatever you already have, even if it’s your phone or webcam. It’s nice to have sharp, fine-tuned, 4K footage, but viewers will forgive lower visual quality if your content is good.

The long version: You will need a camera, but there are a lot of different devices you can use including DSLRs, point and shoots, webcams, and your smartphone.

Your choice of camera will have a tremendous impact on the visual quality of your content and might drive your decisions regarding other pieces of equipment. However, you shouldn’t feel obliged to work with a top-notch camera from day one, especially since cheaper options can produce great results if used the right way.

On one end of the spectrum, you have basic smartphone cameras and web cameras, which are easy to come by and simple to operate. These days, high-end phones come equipped with quite powerful cameras that are more than sufficient for the needs of the average YouTuber. Better webcams can also do the job, although high-performance webcam models can get pretty expensive too. It is probably wise to resist the urge to start broadcasting with the built-in camera in your laptop and at least get a webcam or use your phone, but your computer’s camera is still always an option. Not having a better camera should never stop you from making YouTube videos.

If you already have a DSLR camera then it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. You have far more freedom to adjust the settings and achieve a professional look for your videos with a DSLR, but that does mean it’ll take some time to become an expert at using it. Ultra-high resolution is not required for YouTube, but it certainly won’t hurt to have additional sharpness and more detail in the scene. If you’re shopping for a DSLR, look for one with a flip screen that allows you to quickly check what your viewers see.

YouTube Microphone and Audio

The short version: Audio quality is extremely important. If you can buy either a new camera or an external microphone, but not both, it might be better to go for the microphone. Click here for advice on upping your audio quality without an external microphone.

The long version: Sound capturing is every bit as important for your success as your video feed. In fact, poor audio can be even more damaging to your subscriber count than grainy video, since people won’t spend their time listening to something they have to put effort into understanding.

Again, most YouTube video makers have a limited budget at their disposal, so professional microphones are mostly off the table. However, investing in a directional microphone (‘shotgun mic’) that can pick up your voice clearly and without background noise is certainly a smart move. Such microphones can be pointed towards you while you speak, and since most YouTubers sit still while doing their shows there won’t be too much need for in-session adjustments.

If you’re not ready to invest in a shotgun mic, you can also find very inexpensive (often under $20) LAV mics. These small microphones can be pinned to your shirt, which allows them to record very clear dialogue because they’re so close to your mouth.

Lights for YouTube

The short version: You need as much light as you can get. Lighting kits can be affordable on Amazon, but you can also achieve a great look using daylight/windows and ‘daylight’ lightbulbs.

The long version: If you’ve ever tried to make a video indoors, you already know that it’s necessary to have additional light. Often just filming with the normal lights in a room will cause your footage to look dark and grainy, and possibly be tinted orange. To overcome these problems you need to increase the amount of light you have available.

Sometimes, it is enough to film near windows and/or bring more household lamps into your filming area. For any household lamps or lighting fixtures you use, make sure to put in white or ‘daylight’ lightbulbs instead of using the orange/tungsten bulbs that you might have for everyday use (this is how you avoid tinting things orange).

If you have the budget available to get some lighting equipment, you can find softbox lights or LED panel lights available fairly inexpensively online. Softbox lights are great because they provide even, diffused, light.

Another useful piece of lighting equipment to have is a reflector. A reflector is usually a piece of white, silver, or gold fabric stretched over a frame. You can use it to bounce light from one light source back towards yourself (this is a great way to fill shadows cast by your main light). Reflectors tend to be inexpensive, but you can also use white cardboard or tinfoil in place of purchasing a reflector.

Tripods and Camera Stands

The short version: You need something to hold your camera. If you mostly film in your own home that can be a desk or a stack of books, but if you make a lot of videos while you’re on the go you probably need a tripod or gimbal. Heavier cameras need heavier tripods.

The long version: While handheld cameras can deliver solid results for vloggers and casual streamers, viewers do expect reasonably stable footage. For many types of videos, the camera needs to be completely still and flatly positioned on a horizontal plane. Tripods and camera stands can cost very little, so it’s a good idea to look into getting some kind of stabilizer.

When you are choosing a tripod, pay attention to how much it weighs. If the camera that needs to be mounted on it is very heavy (like some DSLR models), you want to ensure that the structure itself weighs enough not to be easily tipped over. Too thin tripods can put your camera at risk, and that’s the last thing you want. Smaller cameras such as GoPros are more flexible in this regard and can be placed on a wider range of tripods.

Even if you are using a phone or a webcam to record YouTube videos, you should consider mounting the device on a stable stand. It is possible to find mini tripods ideal for smartphones for as little as $10. These tripods are small enough to carry in your pocket, so you will be prepared to start making a video no matter where your adventures take you. If you are using a web camera, you should attach it to the stand so that it won’t move accidentally after you touch the surface it is placed on.

Smartphone Camera Gear

The short version: There’s a lot of gear out there designed with smartphone photos and videos in mind, including clip-on lenses, tripod mounts, phone-mounted LED lights, and inexpensive microphones that plug into the audio jack.

The long version: Recording your videos with a mobile phone can be a good decision. It all depends on the phone you have and the range of add-ons and apps that you complement it with. Almost every high-end model released in the past five years can shoot videos in 1080p or higher. Some can even produce 4K footage. If you perfect your smartphone filming technique, your YouTube videos could look as if they were made with pro equipment.

On the flip side, smartphone cameras typically perform poorly in low light. It is possible to download an app that lets you play around with settings to overcome this, but a phone-mounted LED light is probably a better solution. An external microphone might also be a necessity, but there are some good (inexpensive) options that can simply be plugged in through the headphone jack.

Another common downside of smartphone cameras is that most of them use digital zoom, which is vastly inferior to optical zoom. If you intend to shoot anything that’s further away than a few feet, you need a clip-on lens that goes on top of the built-in camera. This inexpensive device will give you a lot of freedom to work in space, and allow you to make spectacular shots even without high-end YouTube equipment.

Equipment with Easy-to-Use Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

The Ultimate Guide for Smartphone Cinematography Enhancements

Smartphone Camera Accessories Vloggers Should Try to Improve Recording

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

As smartphone camera technology is rapidly advancing, more and more people are using smartphones as their primary vlogging device. They’re convenient and they draw the least amount of attention. But since most smartphones weren’t made specifically for vlogging, there’s a lot of room to make them more suitable for that purpose. Here is a list of the nine best smartphone camera accessories for vloggers.

Table of Contents 1. PORTABLE CHARGER2. TRIPOD MOUNT3. ANTI-GRAVITY CASE4. SELFIE RING LIGHT5. DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE6. LENS SET7. FILMMAKING RIG8. FILMMAKING RIG9. GIMBAL

1. RAVPower Portable Charger

Vlogging uses a lot more power. If you’re planning to vlog all throughout your day with your phone, you need a portable way to charge it back up. RAVPower has a great line up of portable chargers with multiple USB inputs that hold a total charge of more than 20,000 mAh. With that amount, you can fully charge your smartphone more than 6 times! I own one myself and it’s been great for me during my travels. A 22,000 mAh charger goes for about $42 USD.

2. Arkon Tripod Mount

The Arkon tripod mount is a great portable tripod option that you can get at the fair price of around $20 USD. Not only does it have bendable legs, like the more expensive Joby GorillaPod tripod, that you can wrap around all kinds of structures, but it also comes with the smartphone mount, which Joby sells separately. Another great thing about the Arkon tripod is that its smartphone mount can be rotated so that you can position your phone to film in either widescreen or portrait mode.

3. Mega Tiny Anti-Gravity Case

For all the flat surfaces that the bendable legs of the Arkon tripod mount can’t wrap around, Mega Tiny’s anti-gravity cases will do the job of holding your iPhone or Android phone in one fixed position. These cases can stick to glass, mirrors, metal, and more. They range from $20 to $30 USD.

4. FLII Selfie Ring Light

As much as smartphone camera technology has advanced, phone cameras still underperform when it comes to filming video in low-light. In low-light, your footage is very grainy because your phone is equipped with a small camera sensor, an engineering choice by the manufacturers to keep the size of the phone small. A handy accessory that you can use to get more light is the FLII selfie ring light. This ring light clamps onto your phone and emits a neutral white light. You can clamp this light to either side of your phone, depending on whether you want to use your rear-facing camera or your front-facing camera. This selfie ring light sells for around $16 USD.

5. RODE VideoMic Me

The mic that is already built into your phone is equally sensitive to the sounds that come from behind the phone as it is to the sounds that are in front of the phone. This can be problematic when you’re trying to vlog in selfie mode while there’s a loud concert on the other side. One smartphone accessory that can improve the sound that you record from your phone in these situations is the RODE VideoMic Me. This mini directional shotgun mic plugs right into your phone’s headphone jack and sells for around $60 USD. In windy conditions, the dead cat windshield that it comes with does a great job of minimizing noise from the wind. In quiet, indoor conditions where you are the only person speaking, this device performs no better than your phone’s internal microphone. Your phone will also have to be in airplane mode to prevent the Rode VideoMic Me from recording unwanted clicking noise caused by background processes performed by your phone. So you wouldn’t want to use this for livestreaming.

6. Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set

Aukey makes a 3-in-1 lens set that you can clamp onto your smartphone so that you can vlog at different focal lengths. The 3-in-1 set comes with a wide-angle lens, a fisheye lens, and a macro lens. The clamp it comes with is long enough for these lenses to reach any camera on a smartphone, not just those of iPhones which are positioned close to the phone’s outer edge. To get the most out of these lenses, you’ll have to use them without your phone’s protective case on. Although you are free to use this lens set on either your phone’s rear-facing camera or front-facing camera, the metal housing of these lenses is likely to show up in your footage when you use them with your front-facing camera. So, instead of having your recorded image stretch to the ends of a 16:9 ratio rectangular frame, your recorded image will look as if it is contained inside a circle. This lens set sells for around $30 USD.

7. iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone

There’s many more accessories that you can take advantage of if you don’t limit yourself to just smartphone camera accessories. Sound and lighting equipment made for stand-alone cameras perform much better too. Many of these accessories are meant to connect to the camera “shoe” (a bracket on top of the camera that accessories can be attached to). Smartphones don’t come with these kinds of shoes. So, to take advantage of these higher quality accessories, you’ll need some kind of camera rig for your smartphone that also comes with shoes. The iOgrapher Go offers this at around $60 USD. This accessory comes with three shoes.

8. Manfrotto TwistGrip System

Manfrotto’s TwistGrip System does a similar job to the above iOgrapher Go. This system also comes with three shoes. An advantage the TwistGrip System has over the iOgrapher Go is that it is much more portable. Its three connected parts can be detached to take up less space in your bag. This system sells for around $50 USD.

9. Zhiyun Smooth-Q 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer for Smartphones

My favorite smartphone camera accessory that I own is the Zhiyun Smooth-Q gimbal stabilizer. This gimbal is very effective in helping you record smooth video. Using the app that it comes with, you can even preset this gimbal to smoothly pan and rotate from a starting position to an ending position, giving you the opportunity to film beautiful time lapses. You can get this device at around $100 USD.

Polish Your YouTube Videos with Filmora

As one of the most widely used video editing software in YouTube video editing, Filmora provides lots of templates and effects with an intuitive interface, which saves much time. Download the free trial version and get started now.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

As smartphone camera technology is rapidly advancing, more and more people are using smartphones as their primary vlogging device. They’re convenient and they draw the least amount of attention. But since most smartphones weren’t made specifically for vlogging, there’s a lot of room to make them more suitable for that purpose. Here is a list of the nine best smartphone camera accessories for vloggers.

Table of Contents 1. PORTABLE CHARGER2. TRIPOD MOUNT3. ANTI-GRAVITY CASE4. SELFIE RING LIGHT5. DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE6. LENS SET7. FILMMAKING RIG8. FILMMAKING RIG9. GIMBAL

1. RAVPower Portable Charger

Vlogging uses a lot more power. If you’re planning to vlog all throughout your day with your phone, you need a portable way to charge it back up. RAVPower has a great line up of portable chargers with multiple USB inputs that hold a total charge of more than 20,000 mAh. With that amount, you can fully charge your smartphone more than 6 times! I own one myself and it’s been great for me during my travels. A 22,000 mAh charger goes for about $42 USD.

2. Arkon Tripod Mount

The Arkon tripod mount is a great portable tripod option that you can get at the fair price of around $20 USD. Not only does it have bendable legs, like the more expensive Joby GorillaPod tripod, that you can wrap around all kinds of structures, but it also comes with the smartphone mount, which Joby sells separately. Another great thing about the Arkon tripod is that its smartphone mount can be rotated so that you can position your phone to film in either widescreen or portrait mode.

3. Mega Tiny Anti-Gravity Case

For all the flat surfaces that the bendable legs of the Arkon tripod mount can’t wrap around, Mega Tiny’s anti-gravity cases will do the job of holding your iPhone or Android phone in one fixed position. These cases can stick to glass, mirrors, metal, and more. They range from $20 to $30 USD.

4. FLII Selfie Ring Light

As much as smartphone camera technology has advanced, phone cameras still underperform when it comes to filming video in low-light. In low-light, your footage is very grainy because your phone is equipped with a small camera sensor, an engineering choice by the manufacturers to keep the size of the phone small. A handy accessory that you can use to get more light is the FLII selfie ring light. This ring light clamps onto your phone and emits a neutral white light. You can clamp this light to either side of your phone, depending on whether you want to use your rear-facing camera or your front-facing camera. This selfie ring light sells for around $16 USD.

5. RODE VideoMic Me

The mic that is already built into your phone is equally sensitive to the sounds that come from behind the phone as it is to the sounds that are in front of the phone. This can be problematic when you’re trying to vlog in selfie mode while there’s a loud concert on the other side. One smartphone accessory that can improve the sound that you record from your phone in these situations is the RODE VideoMic Me. This mini directional shotgun mic plugs right into your phone’s headphone jack and sells for around $60 USD. In windy conditions, the dead cat windshield that it comes with does a great job of minimizing noise from the wind. In quiet, indoor conditions where you are the only person speaking, this device performs no better than your phone’s internal microphone. Your phone will also have to be in airplane mode to prevent the Rode VideoMic Me from recording unwanted clicking noise caused by background processes performed by your phone. So you wouldn’t want to use this for livestreaming.

6. Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set

Aukey makes a 3-in-1 lens set that you can clamp onto your smartphone so that you can vlog at different focal lengths. The 3-in-1 set comes with a wide-angle lens, a fisheye lens, and a macro lens. The clamp it comes with is long enough for these lenses to reach any camera on a smartphone, not just those of iPhones which are positioned close to the phone’s outer edge. To get the most out of these lenses, you’ll have to use them without your phone’s protective case on. Although you are free to use this lens set on either your phone’s rear-facing camera or front-facing camera, the metal housing of these lenses is likely to show up in your footage when you use them with your front-facing camera. So, instead of having your recorded image stretch to the ends of a 16:9 ratio rectangular frame, your recorded image will look as if it is contained inside a circle. This lens set sells for around $30 USD.

7. iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone

There’s many more accessories that you can take advantage of if you don’t limit yourself to just smartphone camera accessories. Sound and lighting equipment made for stand-alone cameras perform much better too. Many of these accessories are meant to connect to the camera “shoe” (a bracket on top of the camera that accessories can be attached to). Smartphones don’t come with these kinds of shoes. So, to take advantage of these higher quality accessories, you’ll need some kind of camera rig for your smartphone that also comes with shoes. The iOgrapher Go offers this at around $60 USD. This accessory comes with three shoes.

8. Manfrotto TwistGrip System

Manfrotto’s TwistGrip System does a similar job to the above iOgrapher Go. This system also comes with three shoes. An advantage the TwistGrip System has over the iOgrapher Go is that it is much more portable. Its three connected parts can be detached to take up less space in your bag. This system sells for around $50 USD.

9. Zhiyun Smooth-Q 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer for Smartphones

My favorite smartphone camera accessory that I own is the Zhiyun Smooth-Q gimbal stabilizer. This gimbal is very effective in helping you record smooth video. Using the app that it comes with, you can even preset this gimbal to smoothly pan and rotate from a starting position to an ending position, giving you the opportunity to film beautiful time lapses. You can get this device at around $100 USD.

Polish Your YouTube Videos with Filmora

As one of the most widely used video editing software in YouTube video editing, Filmora provides lots of templates and effects with an intuitive interface, which saves much time. Download the free trial version and get started now.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

As smartphone camera technology is rapidly advancing, more and more people are using smartphones as their primary vlogging device. They’re convenient and they draw the least amount of attention. But since most smartphones weren’t made specifically for vlogging, there’s a lot of room to make them more suitable for that purpose. Here is a list of the nine best smartphone camera accessories for vloggers.

Table of Contents 1. PORTABLE CHARGER2. TRIPOD MOUNT3. ANTI-GRAVITY CASE4. SELFIE RING LIGHT5. DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE6. LENS SET7. FILMMAKING RIG8. FILMMAKING RIG9. GIMBAL

1. RAVPower Portable Charger

Vlogging uses a lot more power. If you’re planning to vlog all throughout your day with your phone, you need a portable way to charge it back up. RAVPower has a great line up of portable chargers with multiple USB inputs that hold a total charge of more than 20,000 mAh. With that amount, you can fully charge your smartphone more than 6 times! I own one myself and it’s been great for me during my travels. A 22,000 mAh charger goes for about $42 USD.

2. Arkon Tripod Mount

The Arkon tripod mount is a great portable tripod option that you can get at the fair price of around $20 USD. Not only does it have bendable legs, like the more expensive Joby GorillaPod tripod, that you can wrap around all kinds of structures, but it also comes with the smartphone mount, which Joby sells separately. Another great thing about the Arkon tripod is that its smartphone mount can be rotated so that you can position your phone to film in either widescreen or portrait mode.

3. Mega Tiny Anti-Gravity Case

For all the flat surfaces that the bendable legs of the Arkon tripod mount can’t wrap around, Mega Tiny’s anti-gravity cases will do the job of holding your iPhone or Android phone in one fixed position. These cases can stick to glass, mirrors, metal, and more. They range from $20 to $30 USD.

4. FLII Selfie Ring Light

As much as smartphone camera technology has advanced, phone cameras still underperform when it comes to filming video in low-light. In low-light, your footage is very grainy because your phone is equipped with a small camera sensor, an engineering choice by the manufacturers to keep the size of the phone small. A handy accessory that you can use to get more light is the FLII selfie ring light. This ring light clamps onto your phone and emits a neutral white light. You can clamp this light to either side of your phone, depending on whether you want to use your rear-facing camera or your front-facing camera. This selfie ring light sells for around $16 USD.

5. RODE VideoMic Me

The mic that is already built into your phone is equally sensitive to the sounds that come from behind the phone as it is to the sounds that are in front of the phone. This can be problematic when you’re trying to vlog in selfie mode while there’s a loud concert on the other side. One smartphone accessory that can improve the sound that you record from your phone in these situations is the RODE VideoMic Me. This mini directional shotgun mic plugs right into your phone’s headphone jack and sells for around $60 USD. In windy conditions, the dead cat windshield that it comes with does a great job of minimizing noise from the wind. In quiet, indoor conditions where you are the only person speaking, this device performs no better than your phone’s internal microphone. Your phone will also have to be in airplane mode to prevent the Rode VideoMic Me from recording unwanted clicking noise caused by background processes performed by your phone. So you wouldn’t want to use this for livestreaming.

6. Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set

Aukey makes a 3-in-1 lens set that you can clamp onto your smartphone so that you can vlog at different focal lengths. The 3-in-1 set comes with a wide-angle lens, a fisheye lens, and a macro lens. The clamp it comes with is long enough for these lenses to reach any camera on a smartphone, not just those of iPhones which are positioned close to the phone’s outer edge. To get the most out of these lenses, you’ll have to use them without your phone’s protective case on. Although you are free to use this lens set on either your phone’s rear-facing camera or front-facing camera, the metal housing of these lenses is likely to show up in your footage when you use them with your front-facing camera. So, instead of having your recorded image stretch to the ends of a 16:9 ratio rectangular frame, your recorded image will look as if it is contained inside a circle. This lens set sells for around $30 USD.

7. iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone

There’s many more accessories that you can take advantage of if you don’t limit yourself to just smartphone camera accessories. Sound and lighting equipment made for stand-alone cameras perform much better too. Many of these accessories are meant to connect to the camera “shoe” (a bracket on top of the camera that accessories can be attached to). Smartphones don’t come with these kinds of shoes. So, to take advantage of these higher quality accessories, you’ll need some kind of camera rig for your smartphone that also comes with shoes. The iOgrapher Go offers this at around $60 USD. This accessory comes with three shoes.

8. Manfrotto TwistGrip System

Manfrotto’s TwistGrip System does a similar job to the above iOgrapher Go. This system also comes with three shoes. An advantage the TwistGrip System has over the iOgrapher Go is that it is much more portable. Its three connected parts can be detached to take up less space in your bag. This system sells for around $50 USD.

9. Zhiyun Smooth-Q 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer for Smartphones

My favorite smartphone camera accessory that I own is the Zhiyun Smooth-Q gimbal stabilizer. This gimbal is very effective in helping you record smooth video. Using the app that it comes with, you can even preset this gimbal to smoothly pan and rotate from a starting position to an ending position, giving you the opportunity to film beautiful time lapses. You can get this device at around $100 USD.

Polish Your YouTube Videos with Filmora

As one of the most widely used video editing software in YouTube video editing, Filmora provides lots of templates and effects with an intuitive interface, which saves much time. Download the free trial version and get started now.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

As smartphone camera technology is rapidly advancing, more and more people are using smartphones as their primary vlogging device. They’re convenient and they draw the least amount of attention. But since most smartphones weren’t made specifically for vlogging, there’s a lot of room to make them more suitable for that purpose. Here is a list of the nine best smartphone camera accessories for vloggers.

Table of Contents 1. PORTABLE CHARGER2. TRIPOD MOUNT3. ANTI-GRAVITY CASE4. SELFIE RING LIGHT5. DIRECTIONAL MICROPHONE6. LENS SET7. FILMMAKING RIG8. FILMMAKING RIG9. GIMBAL

1. RAVPower Portable Charger

Vlogging uses a lot more power. If you’re planning to vlog all throughout your day with your phone, you need a portable way to charge it back up. RAVPower has a great line up of portable chargers with multiple USB inputs that hold a total charge of more than 20,000 mAh. With that amount, you can fully charge your smartphone more than 6 times! I own one myself and it’s been great for me during my travels. A 22,000 mAh charger goes for about $42 USD.

2. Arkon Tripod Mount

The Arkon tripod mount is a great portable tripod option that you can get at the fair price of around $20 USD. Not only does it have bendable legs, like the more expensive Joby GorillaPod tripod, that you can wrap around all kinds of structures, but it also comes with the smartphone mount, which Joby sells separately. Another great thing about the Arkon tripod is that its smartphone mount can be rotated so that you can position your phone to film in either widescreen or portrait mode.

3. Mega Tiny Anti-Gravity Case

For all the flat surfaces that the bendable legs of the Arkon tripod mount can’t wrap around, Mega Tiny’s anti-gravity cases will do the job of holding your iPhone or Android phone in one fixed position. These cases can stick to glass, mirrors, metal, and more. They range from $20 to $30 USD.

4. FLII Selfie Ring Light

As much as smartphone camera technology has advanced, phone cameras still underperform when it comes to filming video in low-light. In low-light, your footage is very grainy because your phone is equipped with a small camera sensor, an engineering choice by the manufacturers to keep the size of the phone small. A handy accessory that you can use to get more light is the FLII selfie ring light. This ring light clamps onto your phone and emits a neutral white light. You can clamp this light to either side of your phone, depending on whether you want to use your rear-facing camera or your front-facing camera. This selfie ring light sells for around $16 USD.

5. RODE VideoMic Me

The mic that is already built into your phone is equally sensitive to the sounds that come from behind the phone as it is to the sounds that are in front of the phone. This can be problematic when you’re trying to vlog in selfie mode while there’s a loud concert on the other side. One smartphone accessory that can improve the sound that you record from your phone in these situations is the RODE VideoMic Me. This mini directional shotgun mic plugs right into your phone’s headphone jack and sells for around $60 USD. In windy conditions, the dead cat windshield that it comes with does a great job of minimizing noise from the wind. In quiet, indoor conditions where you are the only person speaking, this device performs no better than your phone’s internal microphone. Your phone will also have to be in airplane mode to prevent the Rode VideoMic Me from recording unwanted clicking noise caused by background processes performed by your phone. So you wouldn’t want to use this for livestreaming.

6. Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set

Aukey makes a 3-in-1 lens set that you can clamp onto your smartphone so that you can vlog at different focal lengths. The 3-in-1 set comes with a wide-angle lens, a fisheye lens, and a macro lens. The clamp it comes with is long enough for these lenses to reach any camera on a smartphone, not just those of iPhones which are positioned close to the phone’s outer edge. To get the most out of these lenses, you’ll have to use them without your phone’s protective case on. Although you are free to use this lens set on either your phone’s rear-facing camera or front-facing camera, the metal housing of these lenses is likely to show up in your footage when you use them with your front-facing camera. So, instead of having your recorded image stretch to the ends of a 16:9 ratio rectangular frame, your recorded image will look as if it is contained inside a circle. This lens set sells for around $30 USD.

7. iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone

There’s many more accessories that you can take advantage of if you don’t limit yourself to just smartphone camera accessories. Sound and lighting equipment made for stand-alone cameras perform much better too. Many of these accessories are meant to connect to the camera “shoe” (a bracket on top of the camera that accessories can be attached to). Smartphones don’t come with these kinds of shoes. So, to take advantage of these higher quality accessories, you’ll need some kind of camera rig for your smartphone that also comes with shoes. The iOgrapher Go offers this at around $60 USD. This accessory comes with three shoes.

8. Manfrotto TwistGrip System

Manfrotto’s TwistGrip System does a similar job to the above iOgrapher Go. This system also comes with three shoes. An advantage the TwistGrip System has over the iOgrapher Go is that it is much more portable. Its three connected parts can be detached to take up less space in your bag. This system sells for around $50 USD.

9. Zhiyun Smooth-Q 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer for Smartphones

My favorite smartphone camera accessory that I own is the Zhiyun Smooth-Q gimbal stabilizer. This gimbal is very effective in helping you record smooth video. Using the app that it comes with, you can even preset this gimbal to smoothly pan and rotate from a starting position to an ending position, giving you the opportunity to film beautiful time lapses. You can get this device at around $100 USD.

Polish Your YouTube Videos with Filmora

As one of the most widely used video editing software in YouTube video editing, Filmora provides lots of templates and effects with an intuitive interface, which saves much time. Download the free trial version and get started now.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

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