Planning to create your own channel soon? When you’re done with all the planning and conceptualizing for your choice of branding, it’s time to dive in a little bit deeper into the world of vlogging and equip yourself. Making a video is more than just pressing the record button. While there are tons of equipment available on the market today, it’s quite difficult to decide which ones you really need. As a video producer, I would like to share a few advice on the basic must-haves when vlogging to help you narrow down your choices and decide which ones to prioritize.
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CAMERA
There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a vlogging camera and it depends on the type of vlog you are producing. If you’re bound to travel, consider choosing one that’s compact – something you can set up even in small spaces, bring anywhere without the hassle, and easy to prepare so you’re always ready to capture. Another is that when you’re filming yourself, it helps if you can use something that lets you see yourself while recording like the front camera of a smartphone or those with a flip screen to make it easier to frame.
TRIPOD
Needless to say, a tripod helps you shoot still images. Tripods vary in size. The factors you’ll need to consider is the weight of your weapon of choice, the mount (smartphones, action cameras, and DSLRs/ digital cameras all have it differently), and the height which depends on what and where you’re shooting. Tripods also make it easy to cut or transition from one clip to another during post-production. Travel vloggers commonly use a Gorillapod for its capability to be molded, bent and wrapped depending on their needs in different places and circumstances.
STABILIZER
Say, your camera has a built-in stabilizer. Why buy an additional stabilizer which costs for, more or less, as much as a basic smartphone? A gimbal provides extra support for those that require huge camera movement. Use it when you’re taking a video while walking or panning from one subject to another. Your viewers will be focusing their eyes on your video and shaky shots will give them a headache. In order to keep them watching, this can do the trick.
LIGHTS
You’ve probably heard or read of this before, but it’s true so I’m repeating it again. When shooting outdoors during the daytime, best to schedule it a couple of hours before sunset. This is popularly known as the golden hour – when the amount of light from the sun is just right and won’t give you overexposed shots or lose your subject’s details. For indoors with low light, a LED video light or ring light will provide enough light source to prevent grainy shots. Positioning and brightness also affect the shot’s overall look.
MICROPHONE
BY-M1 Lavalier Clip-on Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone by Juan Gadget
It is important to be mindful of the audio and make sure that your audience can clearly hear your voice. Cameras have built-in microphones as well just like stabilizers but when it’s set up far from the subject, it registers not only your voice but also noise or unnecessary sounds. A windscreen is useful when shooting with a boom mic outdoors, it’s that huge furry thing attached around the mic.
The evolution of smartphones has enabled more people to take stunning videos just in time with the vlogging era, thus the creation of video equipment fit for any brand or model – tripods, gimbals, and grips. This Compact On-Camera Video Microphone Youtube Vlogging Recording Mic is paired with a Handheld Smart Grip Smartphone Clip Clamp Holder in Juan Gadget’s Vlogger’s Kit, which is the most basic combo every vlogger need! Truth be told, a powerhouse media is right in the palm of our hands (like, literally).
While there are lots of tools which may help you achieve the quality of videos you wish to produce in the future, never forget that the special ingredient a material should possess is a great or unique concept for it to become viral. All of these are also useless if you don’t know how to use them properly. Better start gearing up, do some practice and go get vlogging!
Who’s your favorite vlogger?
JUAN GADGET
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