You probably clicked on the title of this post because you’ve been thinking about starting your very own vlog channel. Well, you’ve come to the right place. Let me show you how to choose the right gear before jumping in front of just any lens so that you can take the vlogosphere by storm!
The very first thing you are going to want to purchase is a camera suited to your vlogging aspirations. Keep the following three questions in mind when browsing for one:
Do you need a flip display?
Flip displays are great if looking good at all times and from any angle is crucial to you. A word of warning about flip displays: make sure not to focus on your face too much. Looking into the lens will come across as more confident and natural.
What lifestyle are you conveying?
If you want to feature adventurous content, then an action cam is the thing for you! Action cams have wide-angle lenses for you to capture more excitement in one frame. If you plan on doing sit-down videos like makeup tutorials, however, an affordable compact camera will suffice.
Is the audio important?
If the audio is an essential part of your vlog, get a camera that allows you to attach an external microphone. If your ideal camera has no microphone jack, simply record the audio on a separate device and sync it to your video on the computer.
Found your ideal camera? Great! Now it’s time to consider camera settings. Your settings will depend on personal preference. If you love movie-like motions and want to work with slow motion, go for 60 FPS. FPS stands for frames per second, or the individual shots being taken within one second of filming. If you want to keep it more relaxed, stick with 30 FPS.
Shaky camera action probably won’t be the best look for your vlog, so I highly recommend investing in a decent selfie-stick or, better yet, a bendy tripod. It’s important to have portable gear to be able to film wherever and whenever you want. Having that extra stability for your camera will really make a difference!
Lastly, never underestimate the power of lighting. Good lighting makes such a difference when it comes to the quality of your footage. A movie shot on a smartphone in natural light will look better than a clip filmed on a fancy DSLR in artificial lighting.
Do you have aspirations to be a viral vlogger? Let me know in the comments down below!
