How to Upgrade Your YouTube Recording Setup

https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-upgrade-youtube-recording-setup/


You don’t need much to get started on YouTube. A free video editor, maybe a webcam and a microphone, and you’re good to go. However, if you’re ready to step up your game a bit, there’s always more gear to add to your arsenal. Before you drop thousands on equipment, let’s talk about what gear will actually help (and when you can get more out of what you already have).

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The Big One: Upgrade Your Camera

If you appear on camera in your videos—or you shoot someone or something else that does—then getting a decent camera is going to be a top priority for you. However, a good camera won’t magically make your footage better. So the first step in picking a good camera is figuring out whether the one you have really needs to be replaced.

A good place to start is asking whether you’re straining against the restraints on the hardware you have. Taking close-up video of small objects with a shallow depth of field, for example, requires control that your phone camera might not have (although you might have some luck with a cheap macro lens). Try to practice using your current camera to compose good shots before you jump to a new one.

Once you’re ready to make the switch, you have a few options. DSLR cameras often make great video cameras (it’s what I use for my own videos) because they let you use all the lenses and controls that pro photographers use. And usually you can find decent bundles of camera bodies and lenses on used-goods sites for much cheaper than you’d find buying new.

The downside of going the DSLR route is that most of them aren’t designed to record for long stretches of time. For example, I use a Nikon D7500, recording in 4K, and it cuts out after roughly half an hour because it generates too much heat. If you can live with that, it’s an excellent option, but if you need to record continuously—say for a live event—then a camcorder may be a better option for you. Professional-grade camcorders can be a bit more expensive, and most don’t offer the same kind of lens control that you get with a DSLR, but it might suit your needs better.

Alternatively, if you’re doing more vlog-style videos, portability may be more important. GoPro portable cameras are so popular that the GoPro look has become its own aesthetic on YouTube, but they’re not the only company on the block. The Zoom Q2n, for example, is an excellent little 4K recorder that’s not super expensive, and you can pretty easily put it on a selfie stick or a stand and take it anywhere.

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December 29, 2021 at 07:06AM

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