By Blair Quane – Published 12th March 2024 for emilyandblair.com
Table of Contents
Video is great if you want to help people accomplish something, provide information on a topic, or just get some attention for yourself, and one of the best ways is to start a YouTube channel. Video is a superior way to engage an audience compared to static content like a simple blog.
YouTube channels are fun to do and can also be quite profitable if you get many subscribers. If you're looking for the best ways to make money on YouTube, building a substantial subscriber base is crucial.
Although a YouTube channel can be both fun and profitable, there are some key equipment for YouTube you'll need to do before getting started. First, if you want a lot of subscribers, there are certain types of equipment for starting a YouTube channel.
This article discusses the equipment needed for starting a YouTube channel. While the amount of equipment for YouTube you will need might not be huge, its quality can make a big difference. So let's get to it.
Equipment for Starting a YouTube Channel – What You’ll Need
1. Camera
By far, the most essential pieces of equipment for starting a YouTube channel is a good camera. There are many different kinds of cameras out there, so let's take a quick look at the types of cameras to choose from and which one might be best for you.
Firstly, with the gains in technology, our mobile phones now come with impressive camera technology, so if your mobile has a good camera on it, then this can be all you need to record with.
Make sure the settings are set to record at a high quality like 4K at 30 frames per second. This will ensure that the video is of sufficient quality to show detail and present well on YouTube.
Firstly, with the gains in technology, our mobile phones now come with impressive camera technology, so if your mobile has a good camera on it, then this can be all you need to record with.
Make sure the settings are set to record at a high quality like 4K at 30 frames per second. This will ensure that the video is of sufficient quality to show detail and present well on YouTube.
There are various app's that you can download onto your phone to help with the video processing and being able to transfer this from the phone to a computer for editing. Alternatively, you can also do a lot of editing on the phone and upload to YouTube directly from there.
Phones are the most flexible and convenient form of equipment for YouTube that you can use.
One option is a simple camcorder. Camcorders are great for recording basic YouTube content because they are specifically designed for video recording. Modern camcorders are very lightweight, compact, and they’re relatively inexpensive.
They work well whether you were filming on the go or working from home. Most camcorders aren't anything too special, but the newer models have some great features and resolution.
If you are only recording at home, a simple webcam will do the job. For example, if you are a gamer who only records in front of your computer for live streaming, a webcam is more than adequate. Although their features usually aren't the best, they’re an affordable type of equipment for YouTube, and they get the job done.
The main benefit of a webcam is that the camera is looking at you when you're working on the computer screen, where as this is harder to set up with the bulkier camera options we mention in this article.
So, for anyone filming themselves doing a screen share video for YouTube (example of this in the below image), like gaming etc, this is a good camera option.
If you are running a YouTube channel that focuses on being the go, such as an active channel, something like a GoPro is what you need. Whether you are a skateboarder, a cycler, a mountain biker, a skier, or anything in between, if it involves fast-paced action, then look for an action camera.
The other camera equipment for YouTube options include DSLR and mirrorless cameras. DSLR cameras are great in terms of their video and photo qualities, although they generally are not the best choice for people who are on the go.
The benefit of these types of equipment for You Tube is that they aren't that expensive and you get a heap of features included for the cost.
If you are on the go a lot, and what matters is video and photo resolution, a slightly more compact mirrorless camera might be what you need.
2. A Tripod or Gimbal Stabilizer
One of the important pieces of equipment for YouTube is something to stabilize your camera, to eliminate the shakiness and blurriness caused by movement. So, whether you're using a camcorder, a mirrorless or a DSLR camera, a tripod can keep things shake free.
Your camera can be the best in the world, but if you don't have a tripod or a gimbal to stabilize it, you’re going to run into issues. Shaky and blurry video is not something people want to watch.
You can pick up a simple tripod like this one for very cheap and they come with a lot of adjustment options in terms of height and angles, to allow for the perfect shot.
If you're using something like a GoPro strapped to your head or body, there are various mounting options you can buy. These allow you to stick the mount to almost any surface and then attach the GoPro camera to it, which gives unlimited creative potential in terms of camera positions.
However, if you want to take action shots, a small handheld gimbal stabilizer is a better option especially if you're using your phone to record from. These are able to be adapted to either a handheld position or with the feet extended as a tripod style set up.
Once you decide whether or not you will be on the go while shooting your videos, you can select between a tripod or a gimbal stabilizer.
3. An External Microphone
The next piece of equipment for YouTube, that you'll need to set up for, is the audio. The visuals are important, but every good video requires good audio. Therefore, you need an external microphone. As with cameras, there are various microphone types, so let's take a look at some that might be good for you.
If you're looking to use a phone to do your YouTube video recording, then you may want to improve the sound quality by adding a plug in mic.
These are designed to plug straight into the phone and some come with wireless microphones which connect to a receiver that plugs into the base of your phone. This allows you to get the sound recording closer to you, rather than relying on the phones location.
One microphone to consider is a simple USB microphone that plugs into your computer. USB microphones are tiny, cheap, simple, and versatile. If you're going to be recording whilst sitting in front of your computer, this is probably all you’ll need.
Another thing that you can use is a lapel mic that you attach to your shirt. These are ideal because they're often wireless, so you can transmit from a distance. This is the kind of mic that people use when giving speeches because it's positioned on your shirt and doesn't need to be handheld.
The quality of these mic's is often not the best, but they're good enough for talking and interviewing people with.
If you want the best possible audio quality and plan on being stationary most of the time, you can go with either a shotgun microphone or a condenser microphone. These are pretty expensive microphones, but if you are aiming for top-notch audio quality, these are what you need.
Of course, there are differences between condenser and shotgun microphones you need to be aware of, but these are the two best types for operating a YouTube channel.
Just like the video, the audio may require editing to get the best results for your YouTube clip. There are apps you can download to your phone for this and software you can use to convert the audio into the correct and most efficient formats.
One way to improve your audio quality is to convert your audio to opus. Opus is a high-quality audio codec that can produce better sound than other codecs like MP3. Converting your audio to opus can help you improve the quality of your videos audio without having to spend extra on expensive equipment.
4. Portable Lighting
If you're taking action shots outside, lighting will not be an issue if you’re in sunlight. However, if you're shooting video indoors, then you will probably need extra lighting because even well lit rooms from natural light will look darker on video. As with cameras and microphones, there are different types of lights.
If you have a large professional camera and want great lighting, on-camera lights can be mounted directly to a video camera. These are often used for documentaries and wedding videos. These lights are usually very small and convenient.
A common lighting type is a softbox that is used to emulate soft light from a bulb. Normally these come mounted on top of a tripod stand for flexibility with placement within the room.
This is excellent if you want to add lighting to an area without producing overly harsh shadows. The lighting is diffused through the softbox which spreads out the light source over a wider area.
If you're using a phone to record from then a popular option is the ring light, which is a favorite among video bloggers or vloggers. What's really good about this kind of light is that it eliminates shadows from all directions, which is perfect for recording close up face video. It also has different lighting tone settings and adjustable brightness.
The light is mounted on a tripod stand and can be extended to suit the height of the person being recorded. There is a phone mount located in the centre of the light or below the light. This type of lighting is often used by makeup and beauty vloggers and is one of the most used forms on lighting equipment for YouTube.
Another type of light is the umbrella light, an inexpensive and portable light designed for video makers who like soft lighting. Like the softbox, these come on adjustable tripod stands so are very adjustable to get the right set up for your video.
5. Plain Background
If you plan to shoot videos from home, you might want to invest in a good background. A lot of the time you don't want a cluttered background to your video as this detracts from the thing you're trying to focus on, so a plan background can be the best option here.
This is totally up to you, and it all depends on the visual effect you are going for. A simple wall in your room might be all the background you need, or you can buy a portable screen to use.
6. A Powerful Computer
Yet another important piece of equipment for starting a YouTube channel is a good computer. Whether you go with a PC or a laptop is totally up to you, but you'll need to take into consideration its speed and processing power as well as the software you may need.
With the fast improvements of mobile phone technology and focus on cameras within these, you are now able to do a lot of recording any uploading to YouTube directly from these devices without the need of a computer. Depending on the quality of your mobile phone, this maybe an option for you to try.
7. The Right Video Editing Software
Perhaps one of the most important things for a YouTube channel is good video editing software. Of course, the shooting itself is essential, but you usually have to edit your videos to make them look as good as possible. There are plenty of video editing software's available today so have a look at them online and work out which one suits your needs and budget.
8. A Good Monitor or Two
If you plan on running your own YouTube channel and editing with a computer, you might want to invest in a large monitor with good resolution. It's not critical, but it certainly makes editing easier.
Other YouTube Considerations
This isn't what you'd call equipment for YouTube, but it's an important part of most YouTube videos these days; music. Whether intro or outro music or just good background music, it's an important part to making your video sound more professional and can add a feel to the video being drama, action, or whatever tempo your trying to present.
There are plenty of options for getting music for your video's, whether it's royalty-free music tracks or track you pay for. Do a search and you will find large libraries of tracks available for you to use in your videos today and take them to the next level.
FAQs
What is the Most Important Piece of Equipment for a YouTube Channel?
The only thing that you absolutely cannot do without is a good camera. Most phones, these days have the ability to shoot good quality film, so that's definitely an option.
How Much Money Do You Need to Start a YouTube Channel?
Starting a channel is technically free. The only costs associated with it are the equipment costs.
What are YouTube Shorts?
YouTube Shorts is a short-video section that helps you deliver diverse content easily. YouTube Shorts are highly engaging, can educate the user quickly, and help you portray brand values in a unique manner.
Apart from web pages, you can also repurpose shorts on multiple marketing use-cases like social media, retargeting ads, emailers, and more.
Can My YouTube Channel Make Money?
Yes, YouTube compensates people based on the number of views and subscribers that a channel gets, once you reach a certain level.
Pro Tip
If you want your video to rank well on YouTube, then be sure to set up the video description well in terms of optimization. YouTube is owned by Google and you should treat your video description similar to how you would do SEO on a blog post, because this makes the video easier to find based on keywords that YouTube users are searching for.
Conclusion
These are the eight most important pieces of equipment for starting a YouTube channel. You can start your YouTube clip from scratch quite easily these days, given there's equipment for YouTube set up for exactly this thing.
When it comes down to it, if we have to condense this, the three most important things you need for your YouTube channel are a good camera, a good microphone, and lighting to ensure that you capture the best raw video you can.
Then, the ability to edit the video into a professional quality result is important, so choose some software carefully for this task.
Of course, if you're on a budget, you can always narrow the list even more, just keeping in mind that the camera and microphone are the two most essential components for this online business model.
