If you are new in the vlogging world, you are probably wondering how to start and what equipment you need. Well, this could be the article for you! I am going to explain what it takes to become a successful vlogger. So, let’s begin…
First get a Microphone
Some people will say that the most important thing to record a video is a camera, but I’m going to say that the microphone is also relevant. Just imagine, when you are watching a video, and the sound is bad, you will not continue to watch it. Even if the picture is very good, if you don’t hear it, you will turn off the video, right? A lot of vloggers are using cameras on their laptops or smartphones, so the cameras on these gadgets of yours are probably good for start. But in microphone you should invest at the beginning. The ones on your gadgets have unclear sound, they capture every sound around you, including air. They are noisy and can’t discriminate any sound.
First of all, you should get a unidirectional or bidirectional microphone if you don’t want to record everything that is happening around you. The most common type of unidirectional microphone is the cardioid. These are microphones made for speech, and they will only record sound coming from one direction.
Two kinds of Microphones for vlogging are:
Condenser and Dynamic Microphones: These microphones convert acoustic sounds into electrical signals. Condenser is used to record music, but they are also used for speech recording. Dynamic microphones are better for voice recording of live events because they cut out the background noise because they capture the stronger sounds. USB microphones are very popular mics for YouTube vlogging, and for good reasons. Blue Yeti is the best-seller USB condenser microphone on Amazon. It is also pretty common between YouTubers. It offers a wide variety of sound-capturing pattern modes and its sound quality is pretty good for the price.
Lighting up!
Most cameras can record high quality video as long as there’s good lighting. Investing some money in lighting equipment will improve your camera’s recording quality. You can even get away with a really cheap camera if you just have a good lighting setup. Good lighting will give your video professional look.
If you are lucky enough to have a good amount of windows in your room, you just add some lamp and that’s it! But if not, I recommend you to buy ring light in the market. For the start it can be a cheaper option, and later you can invest in more expensive version. Add background light and you are set up!
LimoStudio 18” Ring Light AGG1774 is very good option because it offers a lot for a good price. It comes with a diffuser, a light stand, a carrying bag and it’s dimmable. It has three levels of light intensity: low, medium and high. This way you don’t have to stick with the highest intensity, which can be uncomfortable.
Best Vlog Camera
Her majesty, the camera. You can not vlog without it, and you should be careful when choosing the right camera for vlogging. One of the most important features a vlog camera needs is autofocus. While the LCD screen that can be moved outward is more than welcome, sharpness video is a key parameter to create a good looking vlog. Don’t worry, you don’t need super expensive camera to create quality video.
With the right microphone and good lighting content will be satisfying, and the audience will appreciate the effort and will come back to see more of content that you make. Camera for vlogging should be carried around easily and it should have optical image stabilisation. This is what allows you to record with the camera while walking and moving around. If your camera doesn’t have OIS, the image will not be good and the videos would be almost unwatchable unless you set the camera on a tripod and keep it still.
Panasonic’s HC-V770K Full HD Camcorder is an excellent place to start, for just about anyone. It’s affordable, and it offers high-quality 1080p video at up to 60 frames per second (fps) and even a slow-mo 120 fps mode. A 20x zoom lens gives you many framing and perspective options when composing your shots. This camera is a great starter because it offers solid video quality and ease of use with its automatic exposure modes.
Support
To support your camera you’re going to need a tripod. It will be your best friend, you will carry it around and be gentle with it. You should carefully pick the tripod, because they can be very heavy to carry all day long, so if you are not a member in the jim, sign up. Absolutely the best tripod for vlogging (has been tried and tested by many vloggers) is a model Gorillapod from Joby, more specifically, Gorillapod Focus. This mini tripod can support the weight up to 11lbs which is more than enough for all requests, and not only that. It weighs only 1lbs and comes with bally head, which significantly facilitates the adjustment angles for camera to do the perfect shot.
You might also consider a selfie stick, but be ready to look like a tourist.
Trimmings
The first and most important thing you need is to memories your work. You will need one or two memory cards to store the videos. Two SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB Micro SD Cards should be sufficient for all your needs. The second card is of course optional, but if you have seriously entered in vlogging waters, get it. It is always good to have a backup. Also, supply with batteries.
And finally, you need a bag in which you’ll put all this equipment. There is a big choice, but recommendation from vloggers is Lowepro Flipside 400AW Pro.
Vlogging apps for smartphones
Clips – it is easy to use, you can edit an entire vlog with its simple functions. The most interesting feature, though, is the ability to flip on automatic subtitles. This is a very powerful tool.
Cinema FV-5 – It turns your smartphone into a much more powerful vlogging tool than your default video recording app could ever be. Adjusting the zoom and focus after recording and it has the various automatic effects such as focus and white balance.
Magisto Video Editor – There is free and paid version of this app. In free version you can trim a video from your phone or uploaded to Google Drive. The paid version It’s mainly about simple cuts and fade-ins, but that kind of restraint is usually what a good vlog needs.The strength of this tool is in the access to Magisto’s library of soundtrack content. The most popular video upload sites are taking down content that breaks copyright. Using Magisto’s offerings gives you a pleasant backing track with no fear of having your vlogs taken down.
Vlogit – Vlogit’s approach is to pile on useful features that give plenty of opportunity for creativity. It helps you to create title cards, add sound effects and quickly editing out “quiet spaces” between speaking. And there is also thumbnail creation. Then, you upload straight to YouTube, and your vlog is fully formed. Also, it’s easy to get your existing content involved. You can scrape your videos from YouTube or Instagram and pull out the clips you need.
FXGuru – For vloggers looking for a quick path to making their videos stand out, FXGuru is a great choice. It helps to trimming down videos and applying simple post-processing It’s packed with filters and effects that mostly serve to vloggers looking for a goofy, cheerful tone. These are professional quality action and sci-fi effects that insert explosions, laser effects, and all sorts of silliness.
YouTube Creator Studio – If you aren’t using YouTube simply as a hosting service, YouTube Creator Studio is a must. This powerful app gives you full control over your uploads, analytics, and comments. It’s the nerve center of any YouTube-focused vlogger.
Now, you have an idea what types of apps you need when building a content to fill your vlog. You just pick what you think it’s right for you and with a quality camera, a basic lighting setup, and an external microphone you are ready to go! Good luck vloggers!
