Guide to Equipment Selection for YouTube Creators

YouTube Video Shooting Equipment List: What You Need to Start Recording Videos

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Shooting a video has never been easier because there are so many different cameras you can use to capture the footage for your YouTube video. In the past, professional video equipment has been expensive and difficult to operate, but all of this has changed with the invention of digital cameras.

On the other hand, buying the most expensive microphones, lighting equipment or cameras doesn’t guarantee that your videos will be a major success once you post them on YouTube. Instead, you should look for the equipment that is best suited for the type of videos you want to create. Let’s explore the equipment that is necessary for running a successful YouTube channel.

What Equipment Will You Need to Start Your New YouTube Channel?

The process of creating a video can be divided into three different stages, the pre-production, production, and post-production. Each stage has its own tools, without which completing a video would be impossible. In this article, we will be covering the equipment that will make the production stage of the process much smoother, and it will also help you to go through post-production much faster.

Equipment 1: Camera

You can’t shoot a video without a camera, but which camera you’re going to use depends on the type of the video you want to produce. Sometimes the camera that offers the most shooting options is not the best choice, and different factors like size or the weight of the camera can be much more important than the sheer quality of the footage.

1. Cellphone Cameras

If you own a smartphone , you already have a camera you can use to create a YouTube video. Mobile phone cameras are easy to operate and they are perfect for shooting videos while you are on the go. However, most phones are incredibly light and holding the device in your hand while shooting may produce camera shakes that ruin the video. You’ll also need a third-party app in order to control all of the camera settings manually.

You can also make YouTube videos with just your phone , check this video for more details.

2. Action Cameras

If you are a fan of outdoor activities and you want to shoot your YouTube videos while you’re having an adventure action cam may be your best choice. The GoPro and all similar types of cameras are small, lightweight, and they can produce videos in high resolution. Most of these cameras come with mounts and accessories that enable you to shoot perfectly stable footage while you are climbing, running or walking.

We have composed some useful tips and trick of buying and using action camera, in cast that you want to buy an action camera for shooting videos, do check out this ultimate action camera guide .

3. Camcorders

YouTubers that often shoot videos on different locations, can hardly go wrong if they decide to capture their videos with a camcorder. The best models on the market enable you to shoot 4K videos, even in less than perfect light conditions and you can also adjust the camera settings manually. Camcorders are a great choice if you want to make sure that your footage always looks great, regardless of the location on which you recorded it.

If you want to buy a camcorder to shoot your YouTube vlog video, please do check this list of best 4k camcorders that you can buy.

4. Mirrorless Cameras

Besides offering superb image quality, mirrorless cameras also let you change lenses so you get the best shot in every scene you want to include in your video. These types of cameras are a popular choice for vlogging or capturing footage for all types of YouTube videos because they feature professional video recording options while remaining relatively lightweight and easy to carry around. However, the best mirrorless cameras on the market can be quite expensive, and you must be prepared to invest money in lenses and other equipment.

If you want to buy a mirrorless camera to shoot your YouTube vlog video, please do check this list of best 4k mirrorless cameras.

5. DSLR Cameras

Seasoned professionals, as well as the newcomers to the world of video production, can benefit from using a DSLR camera for shooting the content for their YouTube channel. These types of cameras allow you to change lenses, pull focus manually, shoot at different frame rates or capture the footage in 4K and Full HD quality. What’s more, you can use a DSLR camera even in challenging light conditions, because most models support ISO sensitivity values that enable the camera to produce remarkable image quality even when the amount of light in a shot is far from perfect.

With a DSLR camera, you can also use it a webcam for recording your face and your desktop screen at the same time, check how to use a DSLR camera as a webcam .

Equipment 2: Microphones

Moving images are less effective without sound, which is the reason why you should pay close attention to this aspect of the video making process. All cameras have built-in microphones, but the audio quality they produce is often not good enough to actually use it in a YouTube video. That’s why recording sound with an external microphone is a common practice among the most successful YouTubers.

The location at which you’re shooting the video will help you determine which microphone you should use for that project. If you are recording your YouTube video in the exterior an omnidirectional microphone is your best choice because it will eliminate the wind noise. Furthermore, as their name suggests these microphones can pick up sounds from all directions so people in your videos don’t have to speak directly into the microphone.

Shotgun or unidirectional mics are frequently used in studio conditions when you want to eliminate all other sounds except the narrator’s voice. Gamers, tutorial makers and all other YouTube content creators that rely heavily on narration in their videos use shotgun mics because they produce great audio quality. Even though it is easy to overlook the importance of sound for the overall quality of the video you’re working on, a video with great audio quality may actually help you attract more followers on YouTube.

Check: best microphones for YouTube vloggers.

Equipment 3: Video Stabilization Equipment

Holding a camera in your hand while shooting a video is often not the best idea, because even breathing may cause the camera to move and produce camera shakes. That’s where tripods , steadicams, gimbals , rigs and other video stabilization equipment comes in. As a matter of fact, you should only shoot handheld videos when you want to achieve this effect, while all another camera movement should be avoided without the use of appropriate equipment.

Shaky videos are not very pleasant to watch and they can reduce your chances of attracting more followers on YouTube. The video stabilization equipment offers a great solution, and you can get a professional tripod or gimbal at a very reasonable price. However, which video stabilization equipment you are going to use depends on the camera you have and the type of shot you want to get.

Check our list of best camera stabilizer for YouTubers in 2018 .

Equipment 4: Lighting Equipment

Instead of struggling with natural light sources and having to deal with shadows, you can simply use the lighting equipment to equalize the light values in a shot. Of course, whether or not you will use artificial light in your video depends on a number of factors, including the location and the visual style you’re trying to achieve.

Whether you will use an on-camera LED light, ring light or softbox video lights is yet another creative decision you will have to make during the process of shooting your YouTube video. The great majority of video lighting equipment produces the best results in controlled, studio-like conditions, so before you go ahead and buy an on-camera light or a softbox make sure that you know how the equipment will perform on the interior and exterior locations.

Conclusion

Producing YouTube videos on a constant basis requires you to have the right equipment for the job. You don’t have to shoot your videos with the most expensive camera out there or have the best microphone on the market in order to create a great YouTube video, but having the equipment capable of delivering a professional level of video and audio quality won’t hurt your chances of becoming a successful YouTuber.

We’d love to hear all about the gear you’re using to capture your videos, so leave a comment and let us know.

Richard Bennett

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

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Uncover the Best: YouTube’s Top 10 VR Videos

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The pandemic in 2020 was a significant event that disrupted everyone globally. Video calls and virtual events became the run-to for most workers. This caused a lot of people to embrace the idea of virtualization.

Viewers needed new ways to experience performances and shows. Then, new virtual reality (VR) headsets entered the market, making people amazed as they did the best of what an average standalone headset could do. VR videos give real-like visual effects that will amaze and make you feel in the same surrounding as in the video background. And with the arrival of futuristic VR video Youtubers, creative videos are coming all around. Through this article, let’s look over the best YouTube VR Videos and understand how YouTube VR 360 videos differ from each other.

Part 1: What is a VR video on YouTube?

Firstly, it is essential to understand a VR Video on YouTube and how it differs from 360 videos?

VR Videos YouTube – For VR Videos with the YouTube mobile app, you can watch VR videos alongside cardboard. You will have an immersive feeling while watching this as you feel present in the scene actions while having your field of vision covered with a viewing device.

Though both YouTube VR and 360 give an immersive viewing experience with 360-degree coverage, still YouTube 360 videos reflect live actions with modified cameras accessible through 360-degree video-compatible devices. YouTube 360 videos are also viewable on devices such as smartphones, computers, etc., that are compatible. However, here, video progression is not under viewers’ control.

On the other hand, VR videos with VR headsets give options to control the viewing experience, such as interacting, running, walk with the video from the viewer’s end.

Part 2: 10 Best VR Videos on YouTube for 2021

You must be eager to start your voyage to VR YouTube videos. So let’s move ahead with the below-mentioned options that cover the ten best YouTuber VR Videos.

1. 360° VR GALACTUS EVENT | The End of season Fortnite Event

The production of VR videos from the 360 worlds games is becoming a live event model, making video creators keep these incredible experiences with this end-of-season Fortnite event.

2. Around the Planet in 2 Minutes

This video offers viewers a glimpse of other travel videos on the channel while leading them to various locations worldwide.

3. Ascension by David Blaine (YouTube 360 Video)

This version of the YouTube 360 video gives viewers a view of it from the first-person point of view. This video broke YouTube records with its 22+million views within a short while.

4. Beautifully Broken by Warren Haynes and Danny Louis

In this video, Warren Haynes and Danny Louis mirrored the constraints of the moment implicitly, taking their craft outdoors.

5. China, One week before Coronavirus Lockdown

This experience gives one the view of different structures like plants, people, and nature at large.

6. The Dawn of Art; AVirtual Journey inside Chauvet Cave

This animated tour is being narrated into a cave by Daisy Ridley. The video is known for holding the best figurative cave painting in the world kept for 36,000 years.

7. Guardians of the Kingdom

This video exposes the relationship between whales and humans by the incidences between two mothers; a human and a whale.

8. HowVolcanoes Affect Earth’s Climate over Millions of Years

Here, viewers get to see how volcanoes spew carbon dioxide and other gases into the air, changing the earth’s climate through that.

9. Inside NYC’s Skinniest Supertall Skyscraper

In this video, the viewers see the views of the central park and the iconic US metropolis.

10. Lockdown Around the World | National Geographic

This video is from National Geographic. It exposes a view of crowded cities in an unprecedented period like the lockdown.

Part 3: Where to Watch VR Videos besides YouTube?

You may wonder whether there are other platforms where you can watch VR videos.

The good news is: Yes! Besides YouTube, we have platforms where viewers can watch VR videos and have an immersive experience. Read on to know them.

1. Vimeo 360

This platform allows users to upload, play, and even share their VR videos with their friends on apps like Facebook and YouTube.

2. Oculus Gear VR store

Users can watch their YouTube VR Oculus videos on this platform with apps like Samsung XR, Skybox VR video player, etc. They are also allowed to download games apps.

3. Steam Powered

Steam Powered is known for VR titles and gets support from good VR headsets.

Part 4: Choose High-Quality VR Headsets

There are quite a good number of VR Headsets, but we have the option of choosing a high-quality VR headset that should be able to deliver a wonderful experience. This is what every user wants. Let’s take a good look at a few of them.

1. Oculus Quest 2

This VR headset is top-notch. Its impressive flexibility, backed by its shocking price, will make one not want to look elsewhere.

No need to worry about screen-door effects as the headset possesses a high per-eye resolution—smooth 90Hz refreshing rate just like the Rift CV1 Oculus. Based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, XR2 resulted in excellent standalone performance. It’s also capable of linking up with gaming PC for desktop experiences.

2. PlayStation VR

A lot of VR games have come out on PlayStation VR. The PlayStation VR gives PS4 users an excellent and quality experience. However, it doesn’t have the highest resolution displays and cannot go for wild, room-scale tracking.

It has a 960 x 1,080 per-eye resolution and offers a 120Hz refresh rate for quality experiences. Its 100-degree field of view, motion controllers, and separate camera are suitable for unlocking immersive gameplay. A fantastic thing about it is that although it was for the PS4 and PS4 Pro, Sony ensured it’ll also run on the PS5.

3. HTC Vive Cosmos

The HTC Vive Cosmos is the latest HTC headset in town. Overall combined 2,880 x 1,700 resolution provides optimally sharp resolution for the eyes that is 1,440 x 1,700.

This headset has an easy-to-wear halo-style headband and attached headphones for spatial audio. It’s a highly versatile headset that allows users to switch which version of the Cosmos they’re using by simply swapping out the faceplate, controllers, and any tracking base station.

Part 5: FAQs about VR Videos

Let’s take a look at some questions by VR viewers.

Who is the Most Popular VR YouTuber?

‘Nathie’ is the most popular VR YouTuber today. He is a Netherland-based content creator whose niche is VR technology. His channel has stupendous 600k subscribers.

Is VR Bad for Your Eyes?

According to research, there is evidence that wearing VR Headsets can cause the eyesight to deteriorate, causing eye strain, discomfort, and making the vision blur.

What is the Future of VR?

VR is known for giving immersive experiences in various aspects of life and career. Education, Sports events, technology, and lots more are fields where VR is in use with artificial intelligence.

Over time, it has been a lifesaver, being helpful to many in various locations worldwide and has been even more accessible than it used to be. The future of VR holds more opportunities for us as it evolves daily.

So, the end is not coming to it anytime soon.

Conclusion

In the world today, everyone has the opportunity to experience technology at its best through VR, and the good thing is that its rapid evolvement is an assurance that it’s not ending soon. Every man and business needs VR to grow as its opportunities are massive. Whether with YouTube VR Oculus or any other platform, getting the real essence of visualization creates a big difference.

The future holds more great ways and opportunities to make things easy for us with VR. Thus, through the article, you will get to know many YouTube 360 videos and VR Videos YouTube platforms so that entertainment does not end with simple videos but goes beyond expectations.