Fundamental Equipment for Channel Foundations

Essential YouTube Equipment For Starting Your Channel - What Do You Really Need?

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Check out our most updated guide on this topic: YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners .

The first thing to make sure of before starting a YouTube channel is having all that you need to record and upload high-quality videos regularly. That doesn’t mean you have to take out a loan and spend thousands to purchase a brand new camera and all other gadgets that professional filmmakers use.

The smartest way to get started is to go through a list of necessary equipment for YouTube and check whether or not you already own some of it. Once your channel starts growing, you can then start thinking about whether you want to invest in upgraded equipment. Here is a quick overview of all items that you need to start entertaining your online audience and gaining subscribers to your YouTube channel:

Your YouTube Camera
Microphones and Audio
Lighting Gear for YouTube
Tripods and Camera Stands
Smartphone Camera Gear

YouTube Cameras

The short version: Use whatever you already have, even if it’s your phone or webcam. It’s nice to have sharp, fine-tuned, 4K footage, but viewers will forgive lower visual quality if your content is good.

The long version: You will need a camera, but there are a lot of different devices you can use including DSLRs, point and shoots, webcams, and your smartphone.

Your choice of camera will have a tremendous impact on the visual quality of your content and might drive your decisions regarding other pieces of equipment. However, you shouldn’t feel obliged to work with a top-notch camera from day one, especially since cheaper options can produce great results if used the right way.

On one end of the spectrum, you have basic smartphone cameras and web cameras, which are easy to come by and simple to operate. These days, high-end phones come equipped with quite powerful cameras that are more than sufficient for the needs of the average YouTuber. Better webcams can also do the job, although high-performance webcam models can get pretty expensive too. It is probably wise to resist the urge to start broadcasting with the built-in camera in your laptop and at least get a webcam or use your phone, but your computer’s camera is still always an option. Not having a better camera should never stop you from making YouTube videos.

If you already have a DSLR camera then it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. You have far more freedom to adjust the settings and achieve a professional look for your videos with a DSLR, but that does mean it’ll take some time to become an expert at using it. Ultra-high resolution is not required for YouTube, but it certainly won’t hurt to have additional sharpness and more detail in the scene. If you’re shopping for a DSLR, look for one with a flip screen that allows you to quickly check what your viewers see.

YouTube Microphone and Audio

The short version: Audio quality is extremely important. If you can buy either a new camera or an external microphone, but not both, it might be better to go for the microphone. Click here for advice on upping your audio quality without an external microphone.

The long version: Sound capturing is every bit as important for your success as your video feed. In fact, poor audio can be even more damaging to your subscriber count than grainy video, since people won’t spend their time listening to something they have to put effort into understanding.

Again, most YouTube video makers have a limited budget at their disposal, so professional microphones are mostly off the table. However, investing in a directional microphone (‘shotgun mic’) that can pick up your voice clearly and without background noise is certainly a smart move. Such microphones can be pointed towards you while you speak, and since most YouTubers sit still while doing their shows there won’t be too much need for in-session adjustments.

If you’re not ready to invest in a shotgun mic, you can also find very inexpensive (often under $20) LAV mics. These small microphones can be pinned to your shirt, which allows them to record very clear dialogue because they’re so close to your mouth.

Lights for YouTube

The short version: You need as much light as you can get. Lighting kits can be affordable on Amazon, but you can also achieve a great look using daylight/windows and ‘daylight’ lightbulbs.

The long version: If you’ve ever tried to make a video indoors, you already know that it’s necessary to have additional light. Often just filming with the normal lights in a room will cause your footage to look dark and grainy, and possibly be tinted orange. To overcome these problems you need to increase the amount of light you have available.

Sometimes, it is enough to film near windows and/or bring more household lamps into your filming area. For any household lamps or lighting fixtures you use, make sure to put in white or ‘daylight’ lightbulbs instead of using the orange/tungsten bulbs that you might have for everyday use (this is how you avoid tinting things orange).

If you have the budget available to get some lighting equipment, you can find softbox lights or LED panel lights available fairly inexpensively online. Softbox lights are great because they provide even, diffused, light.

Another useful piece of lighting equipment to have is a reflector. A reflector is usually a piece of white, silver, or gold fabric stretched over a frame. You can use it to bounce light from one light source back towards yourself (this is a great way to fill shadows cast by your main light). Reflectors tend to be inexpensive, but you can also use white cardboard or tinfoil in place of purchasing a reflector.

Tripods and Camera Stands

The short version: You need something to hold your camera. If you mostly film in your own home that can be a desk or a stack of books, but if you make a lot of videos while you’re on the go you probably need a tripod or gimbal. Heavier cameras need heavier tripods.

The long version: While handheld cameras can deliver solid results for vloggers and casual streamers, viewers do expect reasonably stable footage. For many types of videos, the camera needs to be completely still and flatly positioned on a horizontal plane. Tripods and camera stands can cost very little, so it’s a good idea to look into getting some kind of stabilizer.

When you are choosing a tripod, pay attention to how much it weighs. If the camera that needs to be mounted on it is very heavy (like some DSLR models), you want to ensure that the structure itself weighs enough not to be easily tipped over. Too thin tripods can put your camera at risk, and that’s the last thing you want. Smaller cameras such as GoPros are more flexible in this regard and can be placed on a wider range of tripods.

Even if you are using a phone or a webcam to record YouTube videos, you should consider mounting the device on a stable stand. It is possible to find mini tripods ideal for smartphones for as little as $10. These tripods are small enough to carry in your pocket, so you will be prepared to start making a video no matter where your adventures take you. If you are using a web camera, you should attach it to the stand so that it won’t move accidentally after you touch the surface it is placed on.

Smartphone Camera Gear

The short version: There’s a lot of gear out there designed with smartphone photos and videos in mind, including clip-on lenses, tripod mounts, phone-mounted LED lights, and inexpensive microphones that plug into the audio jack.

The long version: Recording your videos with a mobile phone can be a good decision. It all depends on the phone you have and the range of add-ons and apps that you complement it with. Almost every high-end model released in the past five years can shoot videos in 1080p or higher. Some can even produce 4K footage. If you perfect your smartphone filming technique, your YouTube videos could look as if they were made with pro equipment.

On the flip side, smartphone cameras typically perform poorly in low light. It is possible to download an app that lets you play around with settings to overcome this, but a phone-mounted LED light is probably a better solution. An external microphone might also be a necessity, but there are some good (inexpensive) options that can simply be plugged in through the headphone jack.

Another common downside of smartphone cameras is that most of them use digital zoom, which is vastly inferior to optical zoom. If you intend to shoot anything that’s further away than a few feet, you need a clip-on lens that goes on top of the built-in camera. This inexpensive device will give you a lot of freedom to work in space, and allow you to make spectacular shots even without high-end YouTube equipment.

Equipment with Easy-to-Use Video Editor

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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How to Create Alluring Haul & Try-On Videography: A Comprehensive Overview

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You’re probably familiar with haul videos if you’re highly familiar with YouTube in recent years. This type of content can offer immense benefits to both influencers and small retail businesses.

Though they may not be quite as existent as they once were, it’s still essential to know the potential effect of these try-on-haul videos. They are valuable to spread the word about your brand and attract helpful content for your target audience. Here’s a quick guide to learn the ins and outs of haul videos.

Part 1: What is a Haul Video?

Generally, a haul video is a recording of someone showcasing a collection of purchases. They may go into depth about what each product is, their shopping experience, and their initial impressions as a whole. A haul generally consists of products from a single retailer, a specific collection of shops, or at least a particular category. The products can be confined to one niche or brand, or type.

Such haul videos initially gained importance or hype around 2006/2007 through the community of beauty vloggers on YouTube as YouTube try-on-haul videos. And since the market for them isn’t that saturated, it could be an exciting time for businesses to dive in.

Haul videos generally contain products that the influencer has selected to define why they liked each item promptly. In certain sections or niches like makeup or clothing haul videos, the person may even try to offer the viewer an honest whole first impression.

Part 2: Why is Haul Videos Popular?

Having YouTube as a source of everyone’s daily dose of entertainment, we can’t help but wonder why haul videos tend to be so famous. Most YouTubers create at least one haul video regardless of their niche. They could be grocery hauls; underwear hauls, weird candy hauls, face mask hauls, candle hauls, and more. And the list goes on and on.

They are popular because they can help you connect to potential consumers via influencers as a small retail business. Generally, viewers watch and subscribe to YouTube videos of influencers or creators they trust or share similar preferences in products.

So when that influencer shares a collection of their favorite products, the viewers might decide to purchase one as well.

On the influencer side, haul videos can offer a way to share valuable content with your audience. If you have a YouTube channel, Instagram account, Facebook page, or blog, providing insights on the products you love can help your audience shape their own purchasing decisions.

It also creates a natural way to infuse some brand-related content into your content creation strategy. This can lead to profitable connections for your business in the future.

And since we’re very much intrigued by the glorifying fast fashion, excessive materialism, and hoarding, I’m getting my hands dirty with information. So, here’s what I’ve gathered:

Part 3: Get Inspired from Fashion YouTubers to Find Out the Point of Try on Hauls

Admit it; we gather most of our fashion inspiration from celebrities or YouTubers who know what’s cooking in the fashion scenes. They’ve become trendsetters, and thus we follow in their footsteps as all of us want to look great, which is why we’ve culled up a shortlist of YouTubers who you can follow for your seasonal or daily fashion or beauty inspiration! So, read on and put your glam on!

1. Tanya Burr

Tanya is a UK-based influencer who continuously posts all you need to know about fashion and makeup. Her sense of style, comfy outfits, and easy-going personality will surely attract you and give you a good idea of some unique international brands as well.

2. Heli Ved

With her tons of try-on-haul videos and vlogs, she will entertain you like no other. A lively diva who preaches fashion, style, shopping, and much more.

3. Debasree Banerjee

This YouTuber can be your long-distance shopping and makeup partner by showing you a diverse range of products that’ll suit you best, from high-end styles to skincare basics.

4. Kathleen Lights

Kathleen is a 22-year-old beauty Youtuber who discusses everything from comparisons to product reviews to collection videos and entire product hauls.

5. Alexandra Garza

Alex Garza is a licensed cosmetologist, and she also works as a makeup artist for Benefit Cosmetics. Her channel features a cornucopia of reviews, haul videos, tutorials, and even wedding advice.

Part 4: How to Make a Catchy Haul Video?

Haul videos are easy and fun to shoot. It’s a great way of showcasing your followers and subscribers your personal style, how you shop and what your favorite stores are. Keeping in mind the mantras used by famous haul video creators, we’ve gathered a step-by-step guide below using which you can instantly create a catchy try-on haul video.

1. Create a good setup

Have ideal filming set up or area. Make sure that the lighting is accurate – not enough light will make the video dark. It is often best to film such haul videos during the day, using natural sunlight. However, you can also use desk lamps to help enhance the lighting situation.

2. Do a test video first with your shooting equipment

Put your camera on a flat surface if available. You can also use your computer’s webcam to shoot your haul video, once it is of excellent quality. You can sit on a chair or desk while facing the camera or even on the floor.

You can even take someone else to film the video for you! Try filming some test videos to check if the camera position is fine and the microphone is working. You’re ready to film once you’re satisfied.

3. Speak clearly and perform better

Speak in a clear voice, and gaze directly at the camera. You need to crack a few jokes or smile often throughout the video – you don’t want to come across as a serious or boring person to your viewers! Make sure that you’re comfortable presenting in front of a camera.

Begin by greeting the viewers (a simple “Hello, everyone!”), then you can offer a prompt description of your shopping trip. You can tell them the stores you visited or in-store events that occurred while there, like giveaways.

Act as if you’re directly conversing with one of your friends – it’s one of the comfy tricks you can follow. You can write some keywords if you think it would help and pin it somewhere where you can look through it quickly, such as the camera tripod or on the wall surface behind the camera or computer.

4. Clearly show off the products you bought

Show off the products you got! Hold the camera and show them to the audience in depth. You can also describe why you purchased each item, the price, plus any special discounts. Moreover, it is a great idea to keep all of your receipts and bills.

5. Don’t forget to use an ideal video editor

Use a video editing program to revamp your raw footage and make it look more professional. In excitement, you’d want to upload it as quickly as you can, but it’s better to invest a little time editing it so that you can publish a video with superb quality.

If there are any sections in your video that you don’t look for in the finished product, you can remove them. Plus, you can add special effects such as floating text and captions. All of this can be instantly done with the beginner-friendly and popular video editing program by Wondershare Filmora.

Within the new era of Filmora! Wondershare Filmora X is here with features like keyframing, motion tracking, audio ducking, and more. The audio ducking element is reliable for haul videos, notably as it lowers the background volume when a voiceover appears. And, this can be implemented in different ways while editing the video.

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If you have a social network page or a blog that you would like your YouTube viewers to consider worth checking, you can create short-form content either at the beginning or end of the video, with the short message and a URL. They’ll indeed check out your blog if your subscribers enjoy your content! And, it’s a friendly manner to build an audience and get traffic to your other pages!

Conclusion

Our final verdict is that haul videos are just entertaining to make and fun to watch with all the discussion above! Such videos can manipulate consumer trends and shape the meaning-making of individuals. They allow you to explore fun even just by living vicariously and shopping all the way long! Also, it’s equally important to consider further beautifying video through the most accessible yet professional editing programs like the Wondershare Filmora. What’s your favorite haul video to watch? Comment them down below.

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Part 1: What is a Haul Video?

Part 2: Why is Haul Videos Popular?

So when that influencer shares a collection of their favorite products, the viewers might decide to purchase one as well.

It also creates a natural way to infuse some brand-related content into your content creation strategy. This can lead to profitable connections for your business in the future.

And since we’re very much intrigued by the glorifying fast fashion, excessive materialism, and hoarding, I’m getting my hands dirty with information. So, here’s what I’ve gathered: