Must Have YouTube Equipment For Beginners
Sharing video content online is more than just a hobby for so many people all over the country.
When I began my YouTube channel, I spent far too much time trying to figure out what equipment I needed to get started.
I’ve written this article, to help you make your YouTube channel successful without spending too much time on research or wasting money on equipment you don’t really need.
Here is a list of the essential YouTube equipment you will need:
- Camera
- Microphone
- Tripod and or Gimbal Stabilizer
- Lighting
- Teleprompter
- Editing Software
Let’s have a look at the gear YouTubers use to grow their social media presence.
Here is the best YouTube equipment for beginners you need to get
What Equipment do you Need to Start a YouTube Channel?
When you are ready to start building your channel, there are some essential pieces of equipment that are favored among YouTubers you will need.
Best Camera For YouTube
There are many options for picking a camera to shoot your video content, so determining which is the best camera for YouTube is the first step.
Camcorders, Webcams, and DSLR cameras are the most popular options among YouTubers for video recording.
Best Webcam For YouTube
If you want an affordable, convenient option, webcams are the best choice. If your channel requires you to film in front of your computer a lot (like gamers), webcams are your best choice. They are also great for live streaming videos if that is your desired niche. The webcam I recommend is the Logitech C920 HD Pro. It records full HD videos.
Best Camcorder For YouTube
Camcorders are great for recording videos, making them an ideal option for creating YouTube videos. They are also small and lightweight and do not cost a lot of money. Camcorders are great for vloggers who are always on-the-go. The Sony HDRCX405 Camcorder is a great pick for full HD recording.
Best DSLR For YouTube
Get Canon EOS Rebel T5i – Body Only
or
Get Canon EOS Rebel T5i – Body Plus Kit
DSLR cameras are the most popular among YouTubers because they produce high-quality content. They are more expensive than the other options, but the investment is worth it if creating YouTube videos is something you wish to take seriously. My go to choice is the Canon EOS Rebel T5i. You can purchase the body only or the body plus kit if you want to add the kit as well.
Best Mirroless Camera For YouTube
Get Panasonic Lumix GH5 – Body Only
or
Get Panasonic Lumix GH5 – Body Plus Kit
Mirrorless cameras have risen in popularity due to their ability to shoot like DSLR cameras but are lighter and more compact. It is much easier to carry a mirrorless camera around when you vlog for example, than a DSLR camera. The Panasonic Lumix GH5 is the best choice for video capturing. You can capture stunning, silky smooth videos in 4K. It also comes with all the bells and whistles you would expect from a mirrorless camera such as image stabilization, real time output with HDMI and a flip out screen so that you can view your footage. You can purchase the body only or the body plus kit.
Best Action Camera For YouTube
These are the most versatile and compact cameras. They are great if you want to capture first person point of view shots when travelling or doing sports. They are small in size so you can carry them easily, durable and produce high quality videos. My recommended brand is GoPro. GoPro Hero 9 is a fantastic choice. You can shoot videos with up to 5K resolution. It comes with a front and rear touch screen making framing easy. Moreover, you can do live streaming in 1080p. It also comes with HyperSmooth stabilization for smoothness. It is waterproof down to 33 feet. You can buy GoPro Hero 9 here.
If you are on the go a lot, you might want to consider purchasing GoPro Hero 9 together with a dual charger, extra batteries, a micro SG card and cleaning kit. You can purchase this bundle here.
Can I Film Using My Smartphone?
If you have access to a smartphone with a good camera and are on a tight budget, you can use it to get started.
The iPhone 11 Pro or Max or iPhone 12 Pro or Max are both great options.
I use an iPhone 11 Pro to film my YouTube videos in 4K using the Filmic Pro app to shoot in log mode to have more room for color grading in post production.
You can get a fully unlocked and renewed iPhone 11 Pro from here.
iPhone 12 or Max allow you to shoot in log so you won’t even need to use an app.
Best Microphone For YouTube
The visual and audio are the two most important components of video creation.
Most YouTubers tend to focus more on the visual stuff, which neglects the audio quality at the end of the day.
Sometimes the microphone on your phone will be good enough, but it is not ideal for long term use.
Instead, consider these external microphones for the best YouTube audio.
Best USB Microphone For YouTube
Get Audio Technica AT2020USB Plus
USB microphones are a fantastic option for voice-overs or on-screen sessions. They are a common choice among YouTubers today. USB or XLR microphones are easy to use and fairly cost-effective. A great option is the Audio Technica AT2020USB Plus.
Best Shotgun Microphone For YouTube
Shotgun microphones are the best choice for conducting interviews and work great outdoors. They cost a little more but are worth the investment. The Rode Microphones Videomic is the best external mic choice for great audio quality.
Best Lavalier Microphone For YouTube
Get RodeLink Digital Wireless System
This lapel microphone provides the most freedom as it is connected to your shirt collar and is cordless. The RodeLink Digital Wireless System is what I recommend as the best wireless lavalier microphone.
Best Compact Wireless Microphone System
Rode Wireless Go is a clip-n-go compact wireless microphone system with a built-in microphone for wireless audio. It’s got a 70m range and is very simple to use. It is ideal for vlogging, filmmaking and on-camera presentations.
This is the microphone system I personally use for my YouTube videos.
Its built in microphone is sufficient but if you want to pair it with an external lavalier microphone, I recommend the Rode SmartLav+ Omnidirectional Lavalier for iPhone and Smartphones.
I use my Rode Wireless Go as is, without an external microphone.
Best Tripod or Gimbal Stabilizer For YouTube
Video footage that is not steady is not very professional and can be very distractive for your viewers.
You can use tripods or gimbal stabilizers to take your video production to the next level with buttery smooth footage.
Best Tripod For YouTube
Tripods are more affordable than gimbals. Although, you can just get a basic tripod that just does the job, it is best to purchase a sturdy tripod that is reliable and durable so that you don’t damage your camera equipment. I recommend the iKan E-Image EG01A2. It is a low cost, high quality tripod. It holds up to 11 lbs and you can extend its legs higher than 5 feet. It is also easy to pack and carry when filming on the go. It’s weight is just 10 lbs.
Best Gimbal Stabilizer For YouTube
Get iKan FLY X3 – Plus Gimbal Stabilizer
If you are shooting handheld, chances are you will end up producing shaky footage. You might get away with it if you turn on image stabilzation and edit in post production but why not smoothen out your videos when you shoot to avoid the extra hustle and possible loss of quality. The iKan FLY X3 – Plus Gimbal Stabilizer is great option for action cameras and smartphones of up to 200 grams. It’s a motorized gimbal and its battery can last for up to 5 hours.
Best Lighting For YouTube Videos
If you plan to record your videos outside, building a studio with the correct lighting is not a big deal. However, most YouTubers film inside in low light and require the correct indoor lighting equipment.
Lighting equipment is pricey, but there are some lighting hacks you can try for higher quality video recordings:
- Use natural light from around the house
- Use softbox lights to control the lighting
- Use hangers or other odd objects around the house to hang LED lights
- Alternatively, you can go for a ring light for video recording
- Use RGB led lights to create amazing effects and use as background light to separate yourself from it and give your footage depth
Best Softbox Lighting For YouTube
Get Mountdog Softbox Lighting Kit
With softboxes you can emulate natural light coming form window. What the softbox does is to diffuse and decrease the intensity of direct light. This way, you don’t create harsh shadows on your subject. I recommend the Mountdog softbox lighting kit to get started. It comes with a reflector and a 3-color temperature led bulb with remote control.
Best Ring Light For YouTube
Get TaoTronics Ring Light CL025
With ring light you can eliminate shadows by producing soft light directly on the subject, making their skin look beautiful. When you film, place your camera in the center of the ring to lit your subject evenly. I use a ring light for my YouTube videos placing it 45 degrees away from me and up. I find it is a convenient lighting tool for beginners as you can set it up quickly. I recommend the TaoTronics Ring Light CL025. It’s a 12″ ring light with 78″ tripod stand. Its LED light is dimmable and goes all the way up to 6500K. It comes with a USB charging port, carrying bag and remote control.
Best RGB Pocket Camera Light
Get IVISII G2 Pocket RGB Camera Light
You might have associated RGB LED lights with gamers but they have become mainstream and are currently, widely used in all sorts of filming set ups allowing you to create a more unique look. You can use them as background lights. My recommendation is the IVISII G2 Pocket RGB Camera Light. It comes with an adjustable stand, full color gamut, 2600K – 10000K LED light panel and built-in rechargeable battery. You can set it up quickly and is easy to carry around if you are shooting on the go.
Best RGB Tube Light
Get Godox TL60 Tube Light Two-Light Kit
Great lighting can make a huge difference in creating a stunning shot. There are plenty of techniques to utilize and even more tools available. Using RGB tube lights could give you the creative edge you are looking for. The Godox TL60 Tube Light Two-Light Kit is my preferred choice and is the kit I personally use in my Youtube studio setup. These tube lights offer up to 2,5 hours of ultimate color control due their built-in Li-Ion battery. You can mount them, gaffer tape them, hold them or simply just place them on a surface. Each tube light comes with a power adapter, internal battery, power cable, an RJ-45 cable, a DC power cable, a set of wire ropes in case you want to hang the light tubes, a toggle clip and fixed base as well as a remote control and superb carrying bag.
Best Smart Led Light Bulb
Get Aputure B7C Smart LED Light Bulb
The Aputure Accent B7c LED RGBWW Light is a deceptively small-looking fixture with a straightforward E26/27 household screw-in base. The bantam fixture offers a white light range of 2000 to 10,000K to blend in with any other lighting or create artistic expression. The high CRI/TLCI rating of 95/96 for this light’s true color rendering demonstrates its exceptional color fidelity. It also includes a few other picture-perfect options. Its RGB mode, for example, which enables users to adjust hue, saturation, and intensity of the image. There’s even a dimmer switch to control the light from 0 to 100. There are a few more advantages as well. This smart LED light bulb has a wireless Bluetooth control ranging up to 164 feet and includes nine lighting effects, including Paparazzi, Fireworks, Faulty Bulb, Lightning, TV, Party, Pulsing, Cop Car and Fire. The Accent B7c is designed for worldwide use and operates on 100 to 240V, but it also includes a rechargeable battery that provides 70 minutes of usage per charge at max output and more than 20 hours at minimum output.
Best Teleprompter For YouTube
Maintaining eye contact with your viewers is crucial. If you need to use a script, it is impossible not to glance away from your viewer’s eyeline.
I used to film with my iPhone11 Pro and use a teleprompter app in my old iphone X, placing each smartphone on different tripods right next to each other.
However, I was always glancing away to the right. That made my video content look unnatural.
That’s when I decided to buy a teleprompter.
A teleprompter allows you to display your script or notes on a glass screen in rolling text.
The glass screen is located right in front of the camera so you look straight at the lens rather than glancing away.
What is cool about it is that while you can see your copy, it doesn’t appear on the recording.
The teleprompter I use and recommend is the Desview T2 Teleprompter for smartphone, tablet, DSLR camera with remote control and lens adapter rings. It allows you to use several shooting/prompting combinations with vertical/horizontal placements and left/right shooting. I use the smartphone/smartphone combination with horizontal placement and right shooting. You can also download their free app and use with the remote controller to easily play/pause the script, speed up/down, turn page, change the text size or background color.
Video Editing Software For YouTube
This is not necessarily required, but utilizing a video editor will make creating YouTube videos much easier for you.
Editing software helps you add music and other cool effects to your videos, which helps them stand apart from those of other video creators.
If you want your videos to be more enjoyable to your audience, editing software can help tremendously.
I use Final Cut Pro X and highly recommend it.
They currently run an 80 day free trial so you can give it a go and see if you like it.
Alternatively, you can use Premiere Pro. However, it tends to crash often when you edit on a laptop.
How Much Money do YouTubers Make?
There are a few ways to calculate a YouTuber’s income, but it comes down to views.
Per View
YouTubers can make between $0.01 to $0.03 per view on their videos. A successful YouTuber can make about $18 for every 1,000 ad views, so that means they make around $3-$5 for every 1,000 video views. YouTubers do not get paid per subscriber, but they are valuable because subscribers direct new traffic to your page.
Top Paid YouTubers
Here are the top paid YouTubers of 2020
- Ryan Kaji – $26 million
- Dude Perfect – $20 million
- Nastya – $18 million
- Rhett and Link – $17.5 million
- Jeffree Star – $17 million
How do You Become a Beginner YouTuber?
There are five steps to becoming a beginner YouTuber.
Pick Your Niche
First, you need to decide what you want your niche to be. Which industries do you want to focus on in your videos? Choose a few niches based on your interests and what you know most about, and go from there.
What is the Goal?
What do you want your channel to achieve? That is the question that you must answer. Outline what you want to achieve with your channel, so your videos have a direction. You will have a consistent process this way.
Content and Content Schedule
Come up with video ideas and create a consistent schedule to maintain your channel. Make sure the content that you are creating will set you apart from other YouTube stars out there. You should set a content schedule that will be easy to follow; daily uploads may seem like a good idea, but they are a great way to burn out fast.
Equipment
Your YouTube equipment will be the deciding factor in the quality of your content, so choose wisely. The more you spend on equipment, the better quality you will produce. However, you can find new ways to make up for a budget when it comes to video equipment.
Create your Channel
If you already have a channel, you will need to optimize it. Spend a lot of time on your name, “about” section, and highlighting keywords to attract as many viewers as possible. After all, views are how you make money.
Can You Start a YouTube Channel With Your Phone?
It is completely possible to start a YouTube channel with nothing more than your phone. Iphones are the best phones for this, but you can use most mobile phone options. You will need a mount for your phone, a tripod, and a stabilizer to make good quality videos. There are some good bundles you can buy that include all of these products.
What Skills Do You Need to be a YouTuber?
There are five skills you will need to be a successful videographer.
- You need to have a thorough understanding of your platform. You will be able to program your videos to reach the most people.
- You need to understand how to research and identify content.
- You need to possess some basic video editing skills. They will improve over time, but going in blind is not recommended.
- You need to have at least some social media presence. Being active on all social media platforms is essential to gain a strong following.
- You need to have a strong understanding of digital platforms to reach larger audiences.
What Next?
If you want to make creating YouTube videos more than just a hobby, you will need a basic understanding of how to make a successful YouTube channel.
Get the best YouTube equipment for beginners and from there, you can use your tools to take over the internet.
In the meantime, go ahead and subscribe to my YouTube channel as I research and review the most profitable ways to make money online.
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