In this video we look at what is included in a $10,000 vlogging set up and why.
I know a lot of you are starting your own vlogs so I wanted to make this video to share a couple of gear issues I have come across over the last two years of vlogging. Like you I don't just have $10,000 lying around, I've worked hard and built this up patiently. Hopefully it will help you decide which gear is right for you and for your vlog.
A lot of money
The other day it came time to renew my camera insurance and I realised I had left most of my vlogging equipment off. I suddenly realised the gear I am using amounts to about $10,000. I am not saying this to brag, in fact, I found it frightening and so started to reassess and ask ‘why’ am i all this vlogging gear.
It needs to be said that I do not have $10,000 dollars lying around at any one time. I have worked hard and bought these items over time and there’s lots of other things that I don’t spend money on. They are also the tools of my trade that I have expanded as I employ different cinematography techniques.
Canon 800D
The main part of my vlog setup is the Canon 800D/T7i. I use this as my main walk around camera for shooting myself. I use a DSLR over other more compact camera’s because of the bigger sensor and slightly better image quality.The Canon 800D is slightly cheaper than the Sony mirrorless cameras and the interchangeable lenses provides versatility. It doesn't do 4K but I guarantee the vast majority of people are not watching 4K. Its also much harder to edit and store 4k footage. The dual pixel autofocus provided by Canon on all their new cameras is second to none, since I have been using this camera to vlog it has never missed focus on my face once. The Canon T7i also has an external microphone port which is vital for capturing good sound. The on board sound on most cameras sucks.
The Lens
Most compact cameras have a focal length of 24-70mm. This just puts you a little too close to the camera for my liking. I use this Canon10-18mm lens which has an equivalent focal length of 16mm and just gets you abit further away in the image and feels a little more natural and lessintrusive. It’s also cheap, it’s light and it has image stabilisation.
Sound
At the moment I am using two microphone systems. I am looking to keep things as simple as possible so I want sound going directly into the camera. Recording separate audio is the best method when creating video but when shooting by yourself it is an extra hassle that you do not need.
First is the Rode Video Mic pro. This provides high quality sound and is very easy to operate. It is susceptible to wind noise though and can also pick up the sounds generated by the camera and lens autofocusing.
I now mostly use the Rode Filmmaker kit. This gets the mic away from the camera but the wireless system still puts the audio straight into the camera. A lavlier mic is also perfect for windy conditions, simply turn your back to wind and you get nice clean audio even on extremely bad weather.
Next level B-Roll
B-Roll is hugely important to keep the interest up during the course of your vlog. Most of my B-Roll is now captured on my Canon 5D Mark IV. The quality of the image is superb and it also has the ability to capture footage at 120fps which creates some awesome slo mo footage.
Another good tip is getting a variable ND filters. These cut the light entering the lens and let me capture footage with a shallow depth of field even in very bright conditions. Its also a great way to smoothly adjust exposure during a shot so you just don't notice.
DJI Mavic Pro
Next is the drone. Literally taking things to the next level these set the scene with the aerial perspective. Flying this thing is pretty easy. Getting good, cinematic footage is much harder. But it's been a fun learning process for me and they add a lot to my films.
Accessories
I then also have other accessories like bags, tripods, various lenses and you never want to run out of batteries and memory cards.
Is it all necessary?
So is all this gear necessary? if you're thinking about starting your own vlog or making your videos you definitely don't need all this gear. You and the story you are telling are much more important. The phone you are watching this on can do pretty much everything I've described. The most important thing is to start and gear can be improved and developed as your vlog starts to take off.
