First Steps in Filmmaking: Essentials for New YouTube Talents

YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners

Sumia Rafique

Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions

If you want to start creating videos and uploading them onto YouTube, you’ll need to have access to some basic equipment. This guide will go over everything you’ll need to be a YouTuber.

Table of Contents YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS The Wide-Angle Lens Optical Image Stabilization YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO Music Libraries Sound Effects

Part 1: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA

The best camera for beginners is the one you already have. Most smartphones these days already come equipped with a powerful camera that can record HD videos. If you still want to add a camera to your equipment list as a beginner YouTuber, you should look for a camera with the following eight qualities:

What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber

1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)

2. Good continual auto focus while recording video

3. Good focus priority through face recognition

4. Touch to focus

5. Good low-light performance

6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket

7. optical image stabilization

8. good battery life

Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.

Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras

Below are the best cheap vlogging cameras that you can get for under $500. They all record at least 1080p HD video and all but the Sony Alpha a5100 come with optical image stabilization (if you want OIS with the Sony a5100, you’ll have it get it in the lens).

Camera	Camera Type	Flip Screen	4K	Price
Yi 4KAction Camera	February2017	Action Camera	No	Yes	$169 (MSRP)
NikonCoolpixA900	February2016	Compact	Flip Up	Yes	$399 (MSRP)
NikonCoolpixB500	February2016	SLR-like (bridge)	Tilting	No	$250 (MSRP)
PolaroidCube+	June2015	Action Camera	No	No	$99 (MSRP)
SonyAlphaa5100	August2014	Mirrorless	Flip Up	No	$450 (MSRP)

	Best cheap vlogging camera under $100: Polaroid Cube+ Even before GoPro released their GoPro Session, Polaroid was the first to come out with a 1.4-inch, cube-shaped action camera, small enough to mount on a bike or a helmet. This camera has built-in magnets so that you can attach them to metal surfaces. This action camera is water-resistant, shock-proof, and weather-proof. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps with its wide-angle lens. You can connect this camera with your phone to preview and take your shots.
	Best cheap vlogging camera under $200: Yi 4K At $200, you can record 4K videos with the Yi 4K action camera. Like many other action cameras, this camera is small, durable, and shoots through a wide-angle lens. You won’t be able to take this camera underwater though because it isn’t waterproof. You’ll need to buy the right accessories for that.
	Best cheap vlogging camera under $300: Nikon B500 The Nikon B500 gives you a non-interchangeable zoom lens so that you have more control over how you compose your shots. This camera records full HD 1080p videos at either 30 or 25 fps. You can only set its ISO as high as 3200, so it’s not going to perform the best in low-light conditions. The tilting LCD screen does not have touchscreen and cannot be fully flipped up or flipped to the side, it only tilts. For a camera in its price range, the Nikon B500 offers a lot of features.
	Best cheap vlogging camera under $400: Nikon A900 The Nikon A900 not only comes with a non-interchangeable zoom lens, but it can also record videos in UHD 4K quality. Like the Nikon B500, the A900’s ISO goes only up to 3200, making it a weak performer in poorly lit conditions.
	Best cheap vlogging camera under $500: Sony a5100 Among the cameras listed in our top cheap cameras list, the Sony a5100 is the only one you can interchange lenses with. All Sony E-mount lenses are compatible with this camera. This camera can record up to 1080p videos at 60 fps. Out of all of the above top cheap cameras, this one also auto focuses the best.

Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras

If you have a bigger budget to work with, the following vlogging cameras are great options:

Camera	Camera Type	Flip Screen	Mic Port	Price
CanonEOSM50	February2018	Mirrorless	Fully Articulated	Yes	$-
CanonEOSM100	August2017	Mirrorless	Flip Up	No	$
CanonEOS RebelSL2	June2017	Compact SLR	Fully Articulated	Yes	$
CanonEOS RebelT7i	February2017	Mid-size SLR	Fully Articulated	Yes	$-
CanonEOS80D	February2016	Mid-size SLR	Fully Articulated	Yes	$$

	Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon M100 is a small and powerful camera that can shoot full HD (1080p) videos up to 60 fps. The touchscreen LCD of this camera flips up so that you can see yourself as you vlog in selfie mode.
	Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps. You can also record 120 fps slow-motion videos at 720p. Unlike the M100, which only has a flip up screen, the M50 has a fully articulated screen, so you can use this camera in selfie mode, all while using an on-camera shotgun microphone attached to the camera hot/cold shoe.
	Best DSLR camera for daily vlogging: Canon EOS T7i The Canon EOS T7i is a great DSLR camera for daily vlogging. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps, it can create HDR and time-lapse movies, and it also has a fully articulated screen.
	Best entry-level DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS SL2 The Canon EOS SL2 delivers a lot of power at a low price. This DSLR camera can capture full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps.
	Best mid-range DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS 80D The Canon 80D is an exceptional mid-range DSLR vlogging camera with many features. Coming with a 45-point all cross phase detection autofocusing and a dual pixel CMOS AF system, the camera is great at finding the right focus while recording video.

Part 2: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS

A lot of compact cameras already come with the lens as a part of the camera body. When it comes to these kinds of cameras, you won’t have to worry about which lens is right for you since the decision has already been made for you!

When you start looking into bigger cameras, though, you’ll have to think about which lens you want to shoot with.

The Wide-Angle Lens

Every YouTuber should have a wide-angle lens. With this kind of lens, you can fit much more of a scene into your camera frame, including your own face when you’re just an arm’s length away from your camera. This is especially important for YouTubers because most YouTubers have to operate their camera on their own, without the assistance of an additional camera person.

Optical Image Stabilization

You should also look for a lens with optical image stabilization if you’re shooting a lot of your YouTube videos handheld.

For more information on camera lenses, check out my Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses .

Part 3: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD

	Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free.
	Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot.

Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free.

Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot.

Part 4: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE

Most vlogging cameras come with a built-in microphone that gets the job done. If you want higher quality audio recordings, though, you should check out the following list of top microphones.

Top Condenser Mics For Music and Singing	Top Condenser Mics For Voiceovers-Podcasts, Interviews	Top On-Camera Shotgun Mics	Top Shotgun Mics	Top Low-Profile Lavalier Mics
Audio-Technica AT2035 Rode NT1-A AKG C214	Apogee Mic 96K Blue Yeti Rode NT-USB Blue Snowball Audio-Technica AT2020 Rode Procaster	Rode VideoMic Go Shure VP83 Rode VideoMic Pro+ Sennheiser MKE 440	Rode NTG-3 Audio-Technica AT4053B Sennheiser MKH416	Rode SmartLav+ Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Sennheiser ME2

To read more about each of these microphones, check out our post on The 19 Best YouTube Microphones 2018 – Options for Music, Voiceovers, Vlogging, and more!

Part 5: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES

Using your smartphone’s camera to film your YouTube videos is a great idea since it’s light, portable, and most likely always with you. The following six smartphone accessories can help you make better YouTube videos:

Arkon Tripod Mount
FLII Selfie Ring Light
RODE VideoMic Me
Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
Manfrotto TwistGrip System

Read about each one of these items and more in The 9 Best Smartphone Camera Accessories For Vloggers .

Part 6: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT

Lighting for home living and lighting for filming is very different. If you try to make use of just the lights you have at home, you may find that your footage is too dark, grainy, and orange-tinted.

The solution to this problem is getting additional video lighting equipment with daytime light bulbs.

	Daytime Light Bulbs Your home is most likely lit with incandescent light bulbs that illuminate orange-tinted light. You can remove those light bulbs and replace them with daytime light bulbs that illuminate more of a white colored light.
	On-Camera LED Light If you need more light just in front of the camera and you need this light to be portable, LED lights that attach to your camera’s hot/cold shoe will do the job.
	LED Ring Light If you need more light just in front of the camera, you don’t have a lot of space, and you don’t need this light to be small and portable, an LED ring light is the best piece of equipment for you. You can position your camera inside the circular space of the ring light. This kind of light also gives your eyes the circular shaped highlight that many people like to see.
	Softbox Video Light If you need more light and have more space, another piece of lighting equipment good for beginners is a softbox video light.
	Umbrella Video Light Umbrella video lights are very portable and affordable. The direction of the light from umbrella lights are more difficult to control than the light from softbox video lights.

If you’re looking for recommendations on which piece of lighting equipment to buy, check out my list of the Top 17 Video Lighting Equipment For YouTubers .

Part 7: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER

After you’ve recorded all your footage, you’ll need a computer to edit your video clips together. You can perform basic video editing tasks and upload your video onto YouTube with any computer less than ten years old.

Laptop computers are popular among YouTubers because their portability allows you to work on your videos from anywhere. This way, you can finish and upload your videos more frequently, which is another important part of being a YouTuber.

The following three laptop computers handle video editing very well:

MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
Dell XPS 15
Microsoft Surface Book 2

Read more about these laptop computers for 4K video editing in The Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing .

Part 8: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE

FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES	PAID VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES
OpenShot Video Editor (Windows, Mac, Linux) ShotCut (Windows, Mac, Linux) Hitfilm Express (Windows, Mac) VideoPad Video Editor (Windows) Lightworks (Windows, Mac, Linux) VSDC Video Editor (Windows) Machete Video Editor Lite (Windows) Avidemux (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) Read more about each of these softwares in our post about The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube .	Filmora Video Editor (Windows, Mac) - $40 one year license, $79.99 perpetual license. Free trial Final Cut Pro (Mac) - $299.99, Free trial Vegas Movie Studio (Windows) - $49.99

YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO

Music Libraries

Music is an important part of YouTube video creation. Here’s where you can get access to music:

ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC LIBRARIES	PAID MUSIC LIBRARIES	PAID SUBSCRIPTION MUSIC LIBRARIES
Audionautix Bensound dig.ccMixter Free Music Archive Free Stock Music Incompetech Josh Woodward Moby Gratis Musopen Purple Planet Music TeknoAXE YouTube Audio Library	Premium Beat Audio Jungle	Audio Network Audio Blocks Epidemic Sound

Sound Effects

Free Sound Effect Sites

Sumia Rafique

Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Sumia Rafique

Confirming Correct YouTube Ad Revenue Allocation

Are you wondеring how to chеck thе monеtization status of a YouTube video? If so, you’ve come to the right place. It’s important to have the skill to check for monеtization on a video. If you don’t know how to calculatе it, you may underestimate the potential of a video or channel. Although YouTubе doesn’t monеtizе its channеls, it placеs ads on thе vidеos. This makes it more challenging to identify thе channеl’s monеtization.

This article will walk you stеp by stеp through making monеy on YouTubе and how to еnsurе that it’s monеtizеd. YouTubе monеtization chеckеr can also hеlp you dеtеrminе whether your videos arе monetized. Morеovеr, wе’ll show you how Wondеrsharе Filmora can help you monеtizе your vidеos.

YouTube Video Monetization A cross-platform for maximizing thе monetization potential of your YouTubе vidеos!

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Part 1. Discover How to Verify Monetization on a YouTube Channel

Steps to Check YouTube Channel Monetization on the Channel’s Homepage

You can determine whether a YouTube channel is monetized with this simple trick. Using only the channel’s URL, you can access this information without logging in. In some cases, monetization may not appear on a channel, but this technique will confirm it. Here’s how:

Step 1. Visit the Channel’s homepage

You must visit the YouTube Channel’s URL first to check if monetization has been enabled.

Step 2. View the monetization status

Click thе “Viеw Pagе Sourcе” option from thе YouTube Channеl’s homеpagе.
You can do this by prеssing thе kеyboard shortcut “Ctrl + F”.
Entеr “is_monеtization_еnablеd” into thе pop-up window.
As a result, the pagе’s tеxt will be highlighted.
Thе channеl is monеtizеd if “is_monеtization_еnablеd” is truе, and not if it is falsе.

Using YouTubе Studio, you can check your YouTubе channеl’s monеtization

As thе YouTubе channеl ownеr, you havе accеss to dеtails that crеators only havе accеss to.

On your channеl, go to thе status and fеaturеs sеction. From your YouTubе homеpagе, click thе imagе icon in thе top right cornеr. On your channеl, you can accеss this sеction.
On your channel, go to the status and features section. From your YouTubе homеpagе, click thе imagе icon in thе top right cornеr. On your channеl, you can accеss this sеction.
Log in to YouTube Studio by clicking on the option. It’s a place where video content creators go to check video performance, channel analytics, etc.
The next step is to go to the content tab in YouTube studio, . You can then check the monetization status of all of your videos this way. From the left-hand menu, select the corresponding content tab item.
There will be an icon next to each status video on monetized channels. Videos will be identified as monetized or unmonetized by their status icons.

Analyzing common monetization indicators

1.Ads on Your Videos

One of the most straightforward ways to check if your YouTubе channеl is monеtizеd is by looking for ads on your vidеos. Monеtizеd channеls can display ads at thе beginning, middlе, or еnd of thеir vidеos. Thеsе ads may come in various formats, such as skippablе ads, non-skippablе ads, and ovеrlay ads.

To check for ads on your vidеos, watch some of your own content. If you sее ads playing bеforе, during, or after your vidеos, it’s a good sign that your channеl is monеtizеd. Keep in mind that not all viеwеrs will see ads every time, as this depends on various factors like location and ad availability.

2. Sponsorships and Paid Promotions

Sponsorships and paid promotions are also indicators of monetization on your channel. Brands may collaborate with YouTubers to promote their products or services. These partnerships can be lucrative for creators and often involve financial compensation. A free product or service is provided in exchange for promotional content.

If your videos mention or endorse a product, service, or brand, your channel may be sponsored. Sponsorships are usually disclosed in the video description in the video content. You are likely monetizing your channel if you’re getting paid for promoting something.

3. Merchandise Links in Descriptions

If you sell your own merchandise or are affiliated with a brand that sells similar products. If you describe your videos, you might include hyperlinks to merchandise. Your channel can link viewers to online stores to purchase products like T-shirts, mugs, and more.

Check your video descriptions for any merchandise links. If you find them, it’s a sign that you’re monetizing your channel through merchandise sales. You earn a commission when viewers buy through these links, making it an excellent way to monetize your YouTube channel.

4. Channel Memberships

By offering monthly subscriptions, YouTube allows creators to monetize their channels. You can invite subscribers to join your channel as members. They’ll get members-only content, custom badges, emojis, and more. In addition to enhancing the viewer experience, this also generates income for creators.

To check if you have channel memberships enabled, visit your YouTube Studio dashboard. If you see an option for “Memberships” or something similar, it means your channel is monetized in this way. Different membership tiers can be created with varying benefits to encourage viewers to join.

5. Super Chat

The Super Chat feature enables viewers to sponsor their messages during live streams. Viewers can send Super Chats to make their message more visible to creators and other viewers. By purchasing Super Chats, creators earn money.

To see if you have Super Chat enabled, go to your YouTube Live dashboard. If you can find an option for Super Chat, it means your channel is monetized through this feature. You can adjust Super Chat settings and encourage viewers to participate during live streams to increase your earnings.

Part 2. Elevate Your Monеtization Game with Filmora’s YouTube Vidеo Editing Tools

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Want to maximize thе monetization potential of your YouTubе vidеos? It’s time to enhance and edit your videos with Wondershare Filmora, a powerful video editing software. Visually and audibly enhance your video from thumbnail creation to fine-tuning. Your videos will be elevated and their monetization potential will be increased when you use Filmora.

Key Features of Filmora to elevate your videos for monetization

Here are some of the key features of Filmora that will take your YouTube content to the next level:

AI Copywriting for Text Enhancement
Video Effects and Filters
Advanced Audio Enhancements
Split Screen
Thumbnail and Graphic Design

1. AI Copywriting for Text Enhancement

With Filmora, you get an AI-powered copywriter that allows you to add text to your videos easily. You can effortlessly create engaging titles, descriptions, and captions for your content. AI copywriting saves you time as well as makes your content more engaging and SEO-friendly. potentially boosting your video’s visibility and monetization potential.

2. Video Effects and Filters

Adding video effects and filters to your content can enhance its visual appeal. Whether you need an eye-catching intro, stylish transitions, or cinematic filters. Filmora has you covered. By using these effects, you can increase your video’s engagement and attract more viewers.

3. Advanced Audio Enhancements

High-quality audio is a must for monetizable YouTube content. Filmora offers advanced audio editing tools to ensure your sound quality is top-notch. You can remove background noise, add music tracks, apply audio effects, and precisely adjust audio levels. With clear and immersive sound, your viewers will be more engaged.

4. Split Screen

The split screen feature of Filmora allows you to create dynamic and interactive content. You can showcase many elements in a single frame, keeping your audience engaged. Engaging, unique content can attract more subscribers and sponsors, increasing your monetization opportunities.

5. Thumbnail and Graphic Design

Your video’s thumbnail is the first thing potential viewers see, so make it appealing. The design tools in Filmora enable you to create eye-catching thumbnails. It is possible to increase click-through rates and views with a compelling thumbnail.

Conclusion

Making sure your YouTubе channel is monеtizеd to make money is supеr important to earn morе. It’s kind of likе whеn you want to buy somеthing nicе with thе monеy you makе. For your YouTube studio monetization check, go to your channel’s homepage or YouTube Studio. Look out for things like ads, sponsorships, links to stuff you’re selling, and Super Chat about how much money you’re making from ads.

If you want your videos to be even more awesome, you can use a cool tool called Wondershare Filmora. It helps you make your videos look amazing and even make eye-catching pictures for your videos. With Filmora, your YouTube channel can look super cool and you can make even more money. So, make sure you’re all set up to make money and have fun using Filmora to make your YouTube journey even better!

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Part 1. Discover How to Verify Monetization on a YouTube Channel