Full Equipment Guide For
Vlogger & YouTubers

Part 1 

You are ready to vlog. Even if you don’t have any followers yet, everything you need to get started is already in your pocket. But if you want to impress and make your home-made videos look like a professional has been laboring over them, keep reading.

In this article, we will share the insider secrets to great videos. We’ll uncover the equipment big name vloggers use to make their videos cutting edge, and how you can use the exact same techniques to make a lasting impression. If you think vlogging is all about having a phone and blabbing away, think again.

The best way to stand out and catch someone’s attention is by getting the right details right. And those details come from having the right equipment for the job. Follow us in this article to find your way to professional-looking videos that bring out the vlogging celebrity that is already inside of you.

Camera or Smartphone?

First, let’s have a look at the most important piece of equipment to start vlogging: the camera. For most beginning vloggers, the camera on your phone can be a great place to start. Especially if you’ve got a newer smartphone, such as an iPhone or a Samsung, the camera will deliver a good video quality right off the bet. This way, you don’t need any extra investment to start vlogging and you can get a feel for finding your voice and get your first followers without investing a lot of money.

Using a beginner’s camera has its drawbacks, of course. Soon enough, you’ll run into limitations when it comes to shooting high quality and in special circumstances. A camera phone is a great place to start, but no place to linger.

Invest in a DSLR Camera

As soon as you can, invest in a DSLR camera. These are the golden standard for vloggers and other professionals who work with video on a daily basis. Most of the equipment we’ll be discussing below is made to work with DSLR cameras. They will upgrade the quality of your videos instantly, and give them a professional feel from the get-go. The moment you get a DSLR camera, your vlogging career has officially begun.

The most popular choices for a first DSLR camera are the Canon Rebel T3i or the Nikon D3200. The internet is full of fans of either Canon or Nikon, but the Canon offers a flip-out screen that helps you shoot better videos when you’re facing the camera.

If you’re just starting out, don’t worry about investing in a high-end camera right away. The most important part of your vlog will be the content, and your smartphone delivers a video quality that gets your message across.

Before you invest in a camera, there are all sorts of tricks you can do that will improve the quality of your videos and give them a polished, professional look, without splurging to buy a brand-new camera. Most of those are listed below, so let’s have a look at the other equipment vloggers can use.

 

Universal Waterproof Vlogging Camera 

When you are vlogging outside, you cannot miss out on capturing precious moments of your experience.

By the time you wait to position your camera and set the angle of capture, the moment that you want to capture may pass away.

A camera stick will ensure you do not miss out on any of the fantastic photographs.

The Professional 10-In-1 Monopod is designed for digital compacts, GoPro, action cams, and even phones.

Its 10 in 1 compatibility is truly universal, and it does more than any other camera stick.

Lenses

Once you get working with a DSLR camera, you will need to consider different types of lenses, too. Having a better lens will considerably upgrade your video quality, and using the right lens in the right situation will make all the difference in the world.

Now, even if you’re not all that familiar with cameras and lenses, but you still want to use the best lenses for your situation, there are a few lenses you need to know about. Which lens is best will depend on your situation and your plans, but there are some standard lenses every vlogger should know about.

The first is a 50mm fixed prime lens. Each brand of DSLR camera comes with their own version of this lens, but they’ll all have one. This lens cannot be zoomed in or out but offers superior quality compared to the default lens that would come with your camera. The 50mm works great in low light situations, has a much better image than the default lens and costs only slightly more when you decide never to get the default lens with your camera. It is perfect for vloggers who stay indoors or spend most of their time behind the camera.

A popular lens you might have seen other vloggers use is ultra-wide angle lens, which lets a lot more of the background into the frame. This is for vloggers who are showing their audience what’s going on around them. It has a great balance of showing your surroundings, while also bringing you sharply into view.

If you want the wide lens effect, but keep the focus on yourself, you’ll want an ultrafast, wide-angle 16mm prime lens. It blurs the background, while still showing a wide angle, and keeps focused on you. This one also works at low light, but it’s hardly a lens for beginners. Not only will the price tag scare off anyone just starting out, most brands don’t come image stabilized, which will make the video a bit shakier.

To see different lenses in action, this video shows the effects of trying four different lenses.

ND Filters

Neutral density filters, or ND filters for short, reduce the intensity of light that comes into your lens without changing the color. If that sounds complicated, think of it like this: the filter keeps everything out of your video or picture that takes away from the crispness of your image. Those things can be UV rays, atmospheric haze, or even moisture that’s hanging in the air.

By using an ND filter, you ensure a crisp image that is focused on what you intend to capture. For a very clear demonstration of what ND filters do, watch this video of a before and after of a variable ND filter. To the layman’s eye, the initial video isn’t bad. It’s focused well enough, and you can see clearly. After the filter is put on, you get an immediate sense of professionalism. Those differences are what convey a great video quality in people’s minds. Because people are used to watching professionally shot videos on TV and in movies, they respond better to your videos when they’re the same standard.