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In 2024, Proven Techniques for Counteracting Virtual Insults
Proven Techniques for Counteracting Virtual Insults
How To Deal with YouTube Trolls and Negative Comments
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
If you have put a lot of work into your YouTube videos then it only makes sense that you have an emotional investment in them. When someone leaves a mean, negative comment on one of your videos it will likely affect you. It may make you angry, hurt your feelings, or just leave you baffled over how someone could come away from your video with out-of-the-blue opinion the hater has posted. ‘Do not feed the trolls’ is a mantra that can be hard to abide by. This article will explain why you should not engage trolls and how to talk to them if you find yourself doing it anyways.
How to Deal with Negative Comments on YouTube
1. Identifying Trolls / When Is A Troll Not a Troll?
The internet is full of trolls and if you continue making YouTube videos – especially videos that get a lot of views – then you are sure to be attacked by a few. Or, alternatively, a troll may attack your other viewers in the comments of your videos. It is extremely easy to be a troll and so there are a lot of them.
Most trolls are easy to spot. They leave comments designed to hurt you or make you angry, often using over-the-top offensive language. Not all trolls are so obvious, though. Some trolls will be nice at first – flatteringly nice, even – and it will take a few comments before they turn on you or your subscribers. They want you to like them so you put more stock in what they are saying later and take longer to start ignoring them. Some trolls will even go back to being nice to reel you back in.
It is important to remember that not everybody who leaves negative comments on YouTube videos is a troll. Step back from your emotional reaction to a comment and make sure there is really nothing constructive in it before you dismiss it. Some people have nasty ways of expressing legitimate opinions, and sometimes even when there is no decipherable meaning behind a rude comment the person is not trying to troll you. Some people just have poor communication skills. For example, if someone leaves a comment on your video that consists of only the word ‘bad’ you cannot know for sure what they meant. It could be that they are agreeing with something you mentioned disliking in the video.
2. Why You Shouldn’t Talk To Trolls
Trolls are bored and looking for attention. When you respond, they win. You may think you are demonstrating to them that they were out of line, or logically proving them wrong, but the troll does not care. Your outraged responses are what trolls want and will only entertain them.
Also, trolls do not care if they are wrong. They almost always seem to think that their opinions are the only ones that count for anything, but quite often their opinions are not even their real opinions. Chances are they do not actually believe anything they are saying to you they just know what to say to make you mad. Remember that you will always be more invested in any interaction you have with a troll than they are. For them it is a game and they cannot lose because they do not really care. If you take the bait it’s fun, and if you do not then they will move on to a target that will. Even if you put hours of effort into chasing off a troll and manage to make them go away they will have enjoyed the whole thing and you will be left exhausted.
3. But If You Do…
While you should avoid talking to trolls, sometimes you cannot. Trolls occasionally start off making kind comments or asking legitimate questions to lure you in. You might be a couple comments into a conversation before a troll reveals their true colors.
There are also times when you respond even though you know you should not because you just cannot let a specific rude comment go unanswered. It is easy to say you should never feed the trolls, but a lot of people cannot help it. If you find yourself engaging a troll there are a few things you can do to try and manage the situation.
First, avoid using any emotional language; they love that. Keep your responses either pleasantly detached or dry and factual. Say what you feel you need to say and ask the troll for more information. If the troll has made a false claim then ask them for evidence as if you are genuinely interested in learning more. It is highly unlikely they will be able to provide any, although they may make something up. If the troll has made a blanket statement about how terrible they think you are then pretend you either value their input or find them funny and ask them to explain. They will either leave or respond with more insults.
You will not get the troll to say they were wrong or apologize so that should never be your goal. What you can do is create a public record of the troll being corrected for others to judge for themselves. If you maintain a calm, unaffected, tone then the troll will find you boring.
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
If you have put a lot of work into your YouTube videos then it only makes sense that you have an emotional investment in them. When someone leaves a mean, negative comment on one of your videos it will likely affect you. It may make you angry, hurt your feelings, or just leave you baffled over how someone could come away from your video with out-of-the-blue opinion the hater has posted. ‘Do not feed the trolls’ is a mantra that can be hard to abide by. This article will explain why you should not engage trolls and how to talk to them if you find yourself doing it anyways.
How to Deal with Negative Comments on YouTube
1. Identifying Trolls / When Is A Troll Not a Troll?
The internet is full of trolls and if you continue making YouTube videos – especially videos that get a lot of views – then you are sure to be attacked by a few. Or, alternatively, a troll may attack your other viewers in the comments of your videos. It is extremely easy to be a troll and so there are a lot of them.
Most trolls are easy to spot. They leave comments designed to hurt you or make you angry, often using over-the-top offensive language. Not all trolls are so obvious, though. Some trolls will be nice at first – flatteringly nice, even – and it will take a few comments before they turn on you or your subscribers. They want you to like them so you put more stock in what they are saying later and take longer to start ignoring them. Some trolls will even go back to being nice to reel you back in.
It is important to remember that not everybody who leaves negative comments on YouTube videos is a troll. Step back from your emotional reaction to a comment and make sure there is really nothing constructive in it before you dismiss it. Some people have nasty ways of expressing legitimate opinions, and sometimes even when there is no decipherable meaning behind a rude comment the person is not trying to troll you. Some people just have poor communication skills. For example, if someone leaves a comment on your video that consists of only the word ‘bad’ you cannot know for sure what they meant. It could be that they are agreeing with something you mentioned disliking in the video.
2. Why You Shouldn’t Talk To Trolls
Trolls are bored and looking for attention. When you respond, they win. You may think you are demonstrating to them that they were out of line, or logically proving them wrong, but the troll does not care. Your outraged responses are what trolls want and will only entertain them.
Also, trolls do not care if they are wrong. They almost always seem to think that their opinions are the only ones that count for anything, but quite often their opinions are not even their real opinions. Chances are they do not actually believe anything they are saying to you they just know what to say to make you mad. Remember that you will always be more invested in any interaction you have with a troll than they are. For them it is a game and they cannot lose because they do not really care. If you take the bait it’s fun, and if you do not then they will move on to a target that will. Even if you put hours of effort into chasing off a troll and manage to make them go away they will have enjoyed the whole thing and you will be left exhausted.
3. But If You Do…
While you should avoid talking to trolls, sometimes you cannot. Trolls occasionally start off making kind comments or asking legitimate questions to lure you in. You might be a couple comments into a conversation before a troll reveals their true colors.
There are also times when you respond even though you know you should not because you just cannot let a specific rude comment go unanswered. It is easy to say you should never feed the trolls, but a lot of people cannot help it. If you find yourself engaging a troll there are a few things you can do to try and manage the situation.
First, avoid using any emotional language; they love that. Keep your responses either pleasantly detached or dry and factual. Say what you feel you need to say and ask the troll for more information. If the troll has made a false claim then ask them for evidence as if you are genuinely interested in learning more. It is highly unlikely they will be able to provide any, although they may make something up. If the troll has made a blanket statement about how terrible they think you are then pretend you either value their input or find them funny and ask them to explain. They will either leave or respond with more insults.
You will not get the troll to say they were wrong or apologize so that should never be your goal. What you can do is create a public record of the troll being corrected for others to judge for themselves. If you maintain a calm, unaffected, tone then the troll will find you boring.
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
If you have put a lot of work into your YouTube videos then it only makes sense that you have an emotional investment in them. When someone leaves a mean, negative comment on one of your videos it will likely affect you. It may make you angry, hurt your feelings, or just leave you baffled over how someone could come away from your video with out-of-the-blue opinion the hater has posted. ‘Do not feed the trolls’ is a mantra that can be hard to abide by. This article will explain why you should not engage trolls and how to talk to them if you find yourself doing it anyways.
How to Deal with Negative Comments on YouTube
1. Identifying Trolls / When Is A Troll Not a Troll?
The internet is full of trolls and if you continue making YouTube videos – especially videos that get a lot of views – then you are sure to be attacked by a few. Or, alternatively, a troll may attack your other viewers in the comments of your videos. It is extremely easy to be a troll and so there are a lot of them.
Most trolls are easy to spot. They leave comments designed to hurt you or make you angry, often using over-the-top offensive language. Not all trolls are so obvious, though. Some trolls will be nice at first – flatteringly nice, even – and it will take a few comments before they turn on you or your subscribers. They want you to like them so you put more stock in what they are saying later and take longer to start ignoring them. Some trolls will even go back to being nice to reel you back in.
It is important to remember that not everybody who leaves negative comments on YouTube videos is a troll. Step back from your emotional reaction to a comment and make sure there is really nothing constructive in it before you dismiss it. Some people have nasty ways of expressing legitimate opinions, and sometimes even when there is no decipherable meaning behind a rude comment the person is not trying to troll you. Some people just have poor communication skills. For example, if someone leaves a comment on your video that consists of only the word ‘bad’ you cannot know for sure what they meant. It could be that they are agreeing with something you mentioned disliking in the video.
2. Why You Shouldn’t Talk To Trolls
Trolls are bored and looking for attention. When you respond, they win. You may think you are demonstrating to them that they were out of line, or logically proving them wrong, but the troll does not care. Your outraged responses are what trolls want and will only entertain them.
Also, trolls do not care if they are wrong. They almost always seem to think that their opinions are the only ones that count for anything, but quite often their opinions are not even their real opinions. Chances are they do not actually believe anything they are saying to you they just know what to say to make you mad. Remember that you will always be more invested in any interaction you have with a troll than they are. For them it is a game and they cannot lose because they do not really care. If you take the bait it’s fun, and if you do not then they will move on to a target that will. Even if you put hours of effort into chasing off a troll and manage to make them go away they will have enjoyed the whole thing and you will be left exhausted.
3. But If You Do…
While you should avoid talking to trolls, sometimes you cannot. Trolls occasionally start off making kind comments or asking legitimate questions to lure you in. You might be a couple comments into a conversation before a troll reveals their true colors.
There are also times when you respond even though you know you should not because you just cannot let a specific rude comment go unanswered. It is easy to say you should never feed the trolls, but a lot of people cannot help it. If you find yourself engaging a troll there are a few things you can do to try and manage the situation.
First, avoid using any emotional language; they love that. Keep your responses either pleasantly detached or dry and factual. Say what you feel you need to say and ask the troll for more information. If the troll has made a false claim then ask them for evidence as if you are genuinely interested in learning more. It is highly unlikely they will be able to provide any, although they may make something up. If the troll has made a blanket statement about how terrible they think you are then pretend you either value their input or find them funny and ask them to explain. They will either leave or respond with more insults.
You will not get the troll to say they were wrong or apologize so that should never be your goal. What you can do is create a public record of the troll being corrected for others to judge for themselves. If you maintain a calm, unaffected, tone then the troll will find you boring.
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
If you have put a lot of work into your YouTube videos then it only makes sense that you have an emotional investment in them. When someone leaves a mean, negative comment on one of your videos it will likely affect you. It may make you angry, hurt your feelings, or just leave you baffled over how someone could come away from your video with out-of-the-blue opinion the hater has posted. ‘Do not feed the trolls’ is a mantra that can be hard to abide by. This article will explain why you should not engage trolls and how to talk to them if you find yourself doing it anyways.
How to Deal with Negative Comments on YouTube
1. Identifying Trolls / When Is A Troll Not a Troll?
The internet is full of trolls and if you continue making YouTube videos – especially videos that get a lot of views – then you are sure to be attacked by a few. Or, alternatively, a troll may attack your other viewers in the comments of your videos. It is extremely easy to be a troll and so there are a lot of them.
Most trolls are easy to spot. They leave comments designed to hurt you or make you angry, often using over-the-top offensive language. Not all trolls are so obvious, though. Some trolls will be nice at first – flatteringly nice, even – and it will take a few comments before they turn on you or your subscribers. They want you to like them so you put more stock in what they are saying later and take longer to start ignoring them. Some trolls will even go back to being nice to reel you back in.
It is important to remember that not everybody who leaves negative comments on YouTube videos is a troll. Step back from your emotional reaction to a comment and make sure there is really nothing constructive in it before you dismiss it. Some people have nasty ways of expressing legitimate opinions, and sometimes even when there is no decipherable meaning behind a rude comment the person is not trying to troll you. Some people just have poor communication skills. For example, if someone leaves a comment on your video that consists of only the word ‘bad’ you cannot know for sure what they meant. It could be that they are agreeing with something you mentioned disliking in the video.
2. Why You Shouldn’t Talk To Trolls
Trolls are bored and looking for attention. When you respond, they win. You may think you are demonstrating to them that they were out of line, or logically proving them wrong, but the troll does not care. Your outraged responses are what trolls want and will only entertain them.
Also, trolls do not care if they are wrong. They almost always seem to think that their opinions are the only ones that count for anything, but quite often their opinions are not even their real opinions. Chances are they do not actually believe anything they are saying to you they just know what to say to make you mad. Remember that you will always be more invested in any interaction you have with a troll than they are. For them it is a game and they cannot lose because they do not really care. If you take the bait it’s fun, and if you do not then they will move on to a target that will. Even if you put hours of effort into chasing off a troll and manage to make them go away they will have enjoyed the whole thing and you will be left exhausted.
3. But If You Do…
While you should avoid talking to trolls, sometimes you cannot. Trolls occasionally start off making kind comments or asking legitimate questions to lure you in. You might be a couple comments into a conversation before a troll reveals their true colors.
There are also times when you respond even though you know you should not because you just cannot let a specific rude comment go unanswered. It is easy to say you should never feed the trolls, but a lot of people cannot help it. If you find yourself engaging a troll there are a few things you can do to try and manage the situation.
First, avoid using any emotional language; they love that. Keep your responses either pleasantly detached or dry and factual. Say what you feel you need to say and ask the troll for more information. If the troll has made a false claim then ask them for evidence as if you are genuinely interested in learning more. It is highly unlikely they will be able to provide any, although they may make something up. If the troll has made a blanket statement about how terrible they think you are then pretend you either value their input or find them funny and ask them to explain. They will either leave or respond with more insults.
You will not get the troll to say they were wrong or apologize so that should never be your goal. What you can do is create a public record of the troll being corrected for others to judge for themselves. If you maintain a calm, unaffected, tone then the troll will find you boring.
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Master Your Content: A Complete List of Essential Audio-Visual Tools
YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners
Sumia Rafique
Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions
If you want to start creating videos and uploading them onto YouTube, you’ll need to have access to some basic equipment. This guide will go over everything you’ll need to be a YouTuber.
Part 1: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA
The best camera for beginners is the one you already have. Most smartphones these days already come equipped with a powerful camera that can record HD videos. If you still want to add a camera to your equipment list as a beginner YouTuber, you should look for a camera with the following eight qualities:
What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber
1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)
2. Good continual auto focus while recording video
3. Good focus priority through face recognition
4. Touch to focus
5. Good low-light performance
6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket
7. optical image stabilization
8. good battery life
Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.
Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras
Below are the best cheap vlogging cameras that you can get for under $500. They all record at least 1080p HD video and all but the Sony Alpha a5100 come with optical image stabilization (if you want OIS with the Sony a5100, you’ll have it get it in the lens).
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | 4K | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yi 4KAction Camera |  |
February2017 | Action Camera | No | Yes | $169 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixA900 |  |
February2016 | Compact | Flip Up | Yes | $399 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixB500 |  |
February2016 | SLR-like (bridge) | Tilting | No | $250 (MSRP) |
| PolaroidCube+ |  |
June2015 | Action Camera | No | No | $99 (MSRP) |
| SonyAlphaa5100 |  |
August2014 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $450 (MSRP) |
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Best cheap vlogging camera under $100: Polaroid Cube+ Even before GoPro released their GoPro Session, Polaroid was the first to come out with a 1.4-inch, cube-shaped action camera, small enough to mount on a bike or a helmet. This camera has built-in magnets so that you can attach them to metal surfaces. This action camera is water-resistant, shock-proof, and weather-proof. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps with its wide-angle lens. You can connect this camera with your phone to preview and take your shots. |
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Best cheap vlogging camera under $200: Yi 4K At $200, you can record 4K videos with the Yi 4K action camera. Like many other action cameras, this camera is small, durable, and shoots through a wide-angle lens. You won’t be able to take this camera underwater though because it isn’t waterproof. You’ll need to buy the right accessories for that. |
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Best cheap vlogging camera under $300: Nikon B500 The Nikon B500 gives you a non-interchangeable zoom lens so that you have more control over how you compose your shots. This camera records full HD 1080p videos at either 30 or 25 fps. You can only set its ISO as high as 3200, so it’s not going to perform the best in low-light conditions. The tilting LCD screen does not have touchscreen and cannot be fully flipped up or flipped to the side, it only tilts. For a camera in its price range, the Nikon B500 offers a lot of features. |
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Best cheap vlogging camera under $400: Nikon A900 The Nikon A900 not only comes with a non-interchangeable zoom lens, but it can also record videos in UHD 4K quality. Like the Nikon B500, the A900’s ISO goes only up to 3200, making it a weak performer in poorly lit conditions. |
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Best cheap vlogging camera under $500: Sony a5100 Among the cameras listed in our top cheap cameras list, the Sony a5100 is the only one you can interchange lenses with. All Sony E-mount lenses are compatible with this camera. This camera can record up to 1080p videos at 60 fps. Out of all of the above top cheap cameras, this one also auto focuses the best. |
Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras
If you have a bigger budget to work with, the following vlogging cameras are great options:
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | Mic Port | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CanonEOSM50 |  |
February2018 | Mirrorless | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOSM100 |  |
August2017 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelSL2 |  |
June2017 | Compact SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelT7i |  |
February2017 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOS80D |  |
February2016 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $$ |
|
Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon M100 is a small and powerful camera that can shoot full HD (1080p) videos up to 60 fps. The touchscreen LCD of this camera flips up so that you can see yourself as you vlog in selfie mode. |
|---|---|
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Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps. You can also record 120 fps slow-motion videos at 720p. Unlike the M100, which only has a flip up screen, the M50 has a fully articulated screen, so you can use this camera in selfie mode, all while using an on-camera shotgun microphone attached to the camera hot/cold shoe. |
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Best DSLR camera for daily vlogging: Canon EOS T7i The Canon EOS T7i is a great DSLR camera for daily vlogging. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps, it can create HDR and time-lapse movies, and it also has a fully articulated screen. |
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Best entry-level DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS SL2 The Canon EOS SL2 delivers a lot of power at a low price. This DSLR camera can capture full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps. |
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Best mid-range DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS 80D The Canon 80D is an exceptional mid-range DSLR vlogging camera with many features. Coming with a 45-point all cross phase detection autofocusing and a dual pixel CMOS AF system, the camera is great at finding the right focus while recording video. |
Part 2: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS
A lot of compact cameras already come with the lens as a part of the camera body. When it comes to these kinds of cameras, you won’t have to worry about which lens is right for you since the decision has already been made for you!
When you start looking into bigger cameras, though, you’ll have to think about which lens you want to shoot with.
The Wide-Angle Lens
Every YouTuber should have a wide-angle lens. With this kind of lens, you can fit much more of a scene into your camera frame, including your own face when you’re just an arm’s length away from your camera. This is especially important for YouTubers because most YouTubers have to operate their camera on their own, without the assistance of an additional camera person.
Optical Image Stabilization
You should also look for a lens with optical image stabilization if you’re shooting a lot of your YouTube videos handheld.
For more information on camera lenses, check out my Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses .
Part 3: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD
 |
Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free. |
|---|---|
 |
Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot. |
Part 4: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE
Most vlogging cameras come with a built-in microphone that gets the job done. If you want higher quality audio recordings, though, you should check out the following list of top microphones.
| Top Condenser Mics For Music and Singing | Top Condenser Mics For Voiceovers-Podcasts, Interviews | Top On-Camera Shotgun Mics | Top Shotgun Mics | Top Low-Profile Lavalier Mics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-Technica AT2035 Rode NT1-A AKG C214 | Apogee Mic 96K Blue Yeti Rode NT-USB Blue Snowball Audio-Technica AT2020 Rode Procaster | Rode VideoMic Go Shure VP83 Rode VideoMic Pro+ Sennheiser MKE 440 | Rode NTG-3 Audio-Technica AT4053B Sennheiser MKH416 | Rode SmartLav+ Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Sennheiser ME2 |
To read more about each of these microphones, check out our post on The 19 Best YouTube Microphones 2018 – Options for Music, Voiceovers, Vlogging, and more!
Part 5: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES
Using your smartphone’s camera to film your YouTube videos is a great idea since it’s light, portable, and most likely always with you. The following six smartphone accessories can help you make better YouTube videos:
- Arkon Tripod Mount
- FLII Selfie Ring Light
- RODE VideoMic Me
- Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
- iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
- Manfrotto TwistGrip System
Read about each one of these items and more in The 9 Best Smartphone Camera Accessories For Vloggers .
Part 6: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT
Lighting for home living and lighting for filming is very different. If you try to make use of just the lights you have at home, you may find that your footage is too dark, grainy, and orange-tinted.
The solution to this problem is getting additional video lighting equipment with daytime light bulbs.
 |
Daytime Light Bulbs Your home is most likely lit with incandescent light bulbs that illuminate orange-tinted light. You can remove those light bulbs and replace them with daytime light bulbs that illuminate more of a white colored light. |
|---|---|
 |
On-Camera LED Light If you need more light just in front of the camera and you need this light to be portable, LED lights that attach to your camera’s hot/cold shoe will do the job. |
 |
LED Ring Light If you need more light just in front of the camera, you don’t have a lot of space, and you don’t need this light to be small and portable, an LED ring light is the best piece of equipment for you. You can position your camera inside the circular space of the ring light. This kind of light also gives your eyes the circular shaped highlight that many people like to see. |
 |
Softbox Video Light If you need more light and have more space, another piece of lighting equipment good for beginners is a softbox video light. |
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Umbrella Video Light Umbrella video lights are very portable and affordable. The direction of the light from umbrella lights are more difficult to control than the light from softbox video lights. |
If you’re looking for recommendations on which piece of lighting equipment to buy, check out my list of the Top 17 Video Lighting Equipment For YouTubers .
Part 7: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER
After you’ve recorded all your footage, you’ll need a computer to edit your video clips together. You can perform basic video editing tasks and upload your video onto YouTube with any computer less than ten years old.
Laptop computers are popular among YouTubers because their portability allows you to work on your videos from anywhere. This way, you can finish and upload your videos more frequently, which is another important part of being a YouTuber.
The following three laptop computers handle video editing very well:
- MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
- Dell XPS 15
- Microsoft Surface Book 2
Read more about these laptop computers for 4K video editing in The Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing .
Part 8: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE
| FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES | PAID VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES |
|---|---|
| OpenShot Video Editor (Windows, Mac, Linux) ShotCut (Windows, Mac, Linux) Hitfilm Express (Windows, Mac) VideoPad Video Editor (Windows) Lightworks (Windows, Mac, Linux) VSDC Video Editor (Windows) Machete Video Editor Lite (Windows) Avidemux (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) Read more about each of these softwares in our post about The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube . | Filmora Video Editor (Windows, Mac) - $40 one year license, $79.99 perpetual license. Free trial Final Cut Pro (Mac) - $299.99, Free trial Vegas Movie Studio (Windows) - $49.99 |
YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO
Music Libraries
Music is an important part of YouTube video creation. Here’s where you can get access to music:
| ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID SUBSCRIPTION MUSIC LIBRARIES |
|---|---|---|
| Audionautix Bensound dig.ccMixter Free Music Archive Free Stock Music Incompetech Josh Woodward Moby Gratis Musopen Purple Planet Music TeknoAXE YouTube Audio Library | Premium Beat Audio Jungle | Audio Network Audio Blocks Epidemic Sound |
Sound Effects
Free Sound Effect Sites
- Filmstock Sound Effects
- Freesound
- PacDV
- Sound Bible
- Sound Gator
- Sounds Crate
- Zapsplat
Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique
Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions
If you want to start creating videos and uploading them onto YouTube, you’ll need to have access to some basic equipment. This guide will go over everything you’ll need to be a YouTuber.
Part 1: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA
The best camera for beginners is the one you already have. Most smartphones these days already come equipped with a powerful camera that can record HD videos. If you still want to add a camera to your equipment list as a beginner YouTuber, you should look for a camera with the following eight qualities:
What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber
1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)
2. Good continual auto focus while recording video
3. Good focus priority through face recognition
4. Touch to focus
5. Good low-light performance
6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket
7. optical image stabilization
8. good battery life
Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.
Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras
Below are the best cheap vlogging cameras that you can get for under $500. They all record at least 1080p HD video and all but the Sony Alpha a5100 come with optical image stabilization (if you want OIS with the Sony a5100, you’ll have it get it in the lens).
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | 4K | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yi 4KAction Camera | |
February2017 | Action Camera | No | Yes | $169 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixA900 | |
February2016 | Compact | Flip Up | Yes | $399 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixB500 | |
February2016 | SLR-like (bridge) | Tilting | No | $250 (MSRP) |
| PolaroidCube+ | |
June2015 | Action Camera | No | No | $99 (MSRP) |
| SonyAlphaa5100 | |
August2014 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $450 (MSRP) |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $100: Polaroid Cube+ Even before GoPro released their GoPro Session, Polaroid was the first to come out with a 1.4-inch, cube-shaped action camera, small enough to mount on a bike or a helmet. This camera has built-in magnets so that you can attach them to metal surfaces. This action camera is water-resistant, shock-proof, and weather-proof. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps with its wide-angle lens. You can connect this camera with your phone to preview and take your shots. |
|---|---|
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $200: Yi 4K At $200, you can record 4K videos with the Yi 4K action camera. Like many other action cameras, this camera is small, durable, and shoots through a wide-angle lens. You won’t be able to take this camera underwater though because it isn’t waterproof. You’ll need to buy the right accessories for that. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $300: Nikon B500 The Nikon B500 gives you a non-interchangeable zoom lens so that you have more control over how you compose your shots. This camera records full HD 1080p videos at either 30 or 25 fps. You can only set its ISO as high as 3200, so it’s not going to perform the best in low-light conditions. The tilting LCD screen does not have touchscreen and cannot be fully flipped up or flipped to the side, it only tilts. For a camera in its price range, the Nikon B500 offers a lot of features. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $400: Nikon A900 The Nikon A900 not only comes with a non-interchangeable zoom lens, but it can also record videos in UHD 4K quality. Like the Nikon B500, the A900’s ISO goes only up to 3200, making it a weak performer in poorly lit conditions. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $500: Sony a5100 Among the cameras listed in our top cheap cameras list, the Sony a5100 is the only one you can interchange lenses with. All Sony E-mount lenses are compatible with this camera. This camera can record up to 1080p videos at 60 fps. Out of all of the above top cheap cameras, this one also auto focuses the best. |
Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras
If you have a bigger budget to work with, the following vlogging cameras are great options:
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | Mic Port | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CanonEOSM50 | |
February2018 | Mirrorless | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOSM100 | |
August2017 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelSL2 | |
June2017 | Compact SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelT7i | |
February2017 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOS80D | |
February2016 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $$ |
|
Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon M100 is a small and powerful camera that can shoot full HD (1080p) videos up to 60 fps. The touchscreen LCD of this camera flips up so that you can see yourself as you vlog in selfie mode. |
|---|---|
|
Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps. You can also record 120 fps slow-motion videos at 720p. Unlike the M100, which only has a flip up screen, the M50 has a fully articulated screen, so you can use this camera in selfie mode, all while using an on-camera shotgun microphone attached to the camera hot/cold shoe. |
|
Best DSLR camera for daily vlogging: Canon EOS T7i The Canon EOS T7i is a great DSLR camera for daily vlogging. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps, it can create HDR and time-lapse movies, and it also has a fully articulated screen. |
|
Best entry-level DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS SL2 The Canon EOS SL2 delivers a lot of power at a low price. This DSLR camera can capture full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps. |
|
Best mid-range DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS 80D The Canon 80D is an exceptional mid-range DSLR vlogging camera with many features. Coming with a 45-point all cross phase detection autofocusing and a dual pixel CMOS AF system, the camera is great at finding the right focus while recording video. |
Part 2: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS
A lot of compact cameras already come with the lens as a part of the camera body. When it comes to these kinds of cameras, you won’t have to worry about which lens is right for you since the decision has already been made for you!
When you start looking into bigger cameras, though, you’ll have to think about which lens you want to shoot with.
The Wide-Angle Lens
Every YouTuber should have a wide-angle lens. With this kind of lens, you can fit much more of a scene into your camera frame, including your own face when you’re just an arm’s length away from your camera. This is especially important for YouTubers because most YouTubers have to operate their camera on their own, without the assistance of an additional camera person.
Optical Image Stabilization
You should also look for a lens with optical image stabilization if you’re shooting a lot of your YouTube videos handheld.
For more information on camera lenses, check out my Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses .
Part 3: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD
|
Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free. |
|---|---|
|
Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot. |
Part 4: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE
Most vlogging cameras come with a built-in microphone that gets the job done. If you want higher quality audio recordings, though, you should check out the following list of top microphones.
| Top Condenser Mics For Music and Singing | Top Condenser Mics For Voiceovers-Podcasts, Interviews | Top On-Camera Shotgun Mics | Top Shotgun Mics | Top Low-Profile Lavalier Mics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-Technica AT2035 Rode NT1-A AKG C214 | Apogee Mic 96K Blue Yeti Rode NT-USB Blue Snowball Audio-Technica AT2020 Rode Procaster | Rode VideoMic Go Shure VP83 Rode VideoMic Pro+ Sennheiser MKE 440 | Rode NTG-3 Audio-Technica AT4053B Sennheiser MKH416 | Rode SmartLav+ Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Sennheiser ME2 |
To read more about each of these microphones, check out our post on The 19 Best YouTube Microphones 2018 – Options for Music, Voiceovers, Vlogging, and more!
Part 5: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES
Using your smartphone’s camera to film your YouTube videos is a great idea since it’s light, portable, and most likely always with you. The following six smartphone accessories can help you make better YouTube videos:
- Arkon Tripod Mount
- FLII Selfie Ring Light
- RODE VideoMic Me
- Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
- iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
- Manfrotto TwistGrip System
Read about each one of these items and more in The 9 Best Smartphone Camera Accessories For Vloggers .
Part 6: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT
Lighting for home living and lighting for filming is very different. If you try to make use of just the lights you have at home, you may find that your footage is too dark, grainy, and orange-tinted.
The solution to this problem is getting additional video lighting equipment with daytime light bulbs.
|
Daytime Light Bulbs Your home is most likely lit with incandescent light bulbs that illuminate orange-tinted light. You can remove those light bulbs and replace them with daytime light bulbs that illuminate more of a white colored light. |
|---|---|
|
On-Camera LED Light If you need more light just in front of the camera and you need this light to be portable, LED lights that attach to your camera’s hot/cold shoe will do the job. |
|
LED Ring Light If you need more light just in front of the camera, you don’t have a lot of space, and you don’t need this light to be small and portable, an LED ring light is the best piece of equipment for you. You can position your camera inside the circular space of the ring light. This kind of light also gives your eyes the circular shaped highlight that many people like to see. |
|
Softbox Video Light If you need more light and have more space, another piece of lighting equipment good for beginners is a softbox video light. |
|
Umbrella Video Light Umbrella video lights are very portable and affordable. The direction of the light from umbrella lights are more difficult to control than the light from softbox video lights. |
If you’re looking for recommendations on which piece of lighting equipment to buy, check out my list of the Top 17 Video Lighting Equipment For YouTubers .
Part 7: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER
After you’ve recorded all your footage, you’ll need a computer to edit your video clips together. You can perform basic video editing tasks and upload your video onto YouTube with any computer less than ten years old.
Laptop computers are popular among YouTubers because their portability allows you to work on your videos from anywhere. This way, you can finish and upload your videos more frequently, which is another important part of being a YouTuber.
The following three laptop computers handle video editing very well:
- MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
- Dell XPS 15
- Microsoft Surface Book 2
Read more about these laptop computers for 4K video editing in The Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing .
Part 8: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE
| FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES | PAID VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES |
|---|---|
| OpenShot Video Editor (Windows, Mac, Linux) ShotCut (Windows, Mac, Linux) Hitfilm Express (Windows, Mac) VideoPad Video Editor (Windows) Lightworks (Windows, Mac, Linux) VSDC Video Editor (Windows) Machete Video Editor Lite (Windows) Avidemux (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) Read more about each of these softwares in our post about The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube . | Filmora Video Editor (Windows, Mac) - $40 one year license, $79.99 perpetual license. Free trial Final Cut Pro (Mac) - $299.99, Free trial Vegas Movie Studio (Windows) - $49.99 |
YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO
Music Libraries
Music is an important part of YouTube video creation. Here’s where you can get access to music:
| ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID SUBSCRIPTION MUSIC LIBRARIES |
|---|---|---|
| Audionautix Bensound dig.ccMixter Free Music Archive Free Stock Music Incompetech Josh Woodward Moby Gratis Musopen Purple Planet Music TeknoAXE YouTube Audio Library | Premium Beat Audio Jungle | Audio Network Audio Blocks Epidemic Sound |
Sound Effects
Free Sound Effect Sites
- Filmstock Sound Effects
- Freesound
- PacDV
- Sound Bible
- Sound Gator
- Sounds Crate
- Zapsplat
Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique
Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions
If you want to start creating videos and uploading them onto YouTube, you’ll need to have access to some basic equipment. This guide will go over everything you’ll need to be a YouTuber.
Part 1: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA
The best camera for beginners is the one you already have. Most smartphones these days already come equipped with a powerful camera that can record HD videos. If you still want to add a camera to your equipment list as a beginner YouTuber, you should look for a camera with the following eight qualities:
What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber
1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)
2. Good continual auto focus while recording video
3. Good focus priority through face recognition
4. Touch to focus
5. Good low-light performance
6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket
7. optical image stabilization
8. good battery life
Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.
Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras
Below are the best cheap vlogging cameras that you can get for under $500. They all record at least 1080p HD video and all but the Sony Alpha a5100 come with optical image stabilization (if you want OIS with the Sony a5100, you’ll have it get it in the lens).
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | 4K | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yi 4KAction Camera | |
February2017 | Action Camera | No | Yes | $169 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixA900 | |
February2016 | Compact | Flip Up | Yes | $399 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixB500 | |
February2016 | SLR-like (bridge) | Tilting | No | $250 (MSRP) |
| PolaroidCube+ | |
June2015 | Action Camera | No | No | $99 (MSRP) |
| SonyAlphaa5100 | |
August2014 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $450 (MSRP) |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $100: Polaroid Cube+ Even before GoPro released their GoPro Session, Polaroid was the first to come out with a 1.4-inch, cube-shaped action camera, small enough to mount on a bike or a helmet. This camera has built-in magnets so that you can attach them to metal surfaces. This action camera is water-resistant, shock-proof, and weather-proof. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps with its wide-angle lens. You can connect this camera with your phone to preview and take your shots. |
|---|---|
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $200: Yi 4K At $200, you can record 4K videos with the Yi 4K action camera. Like many other action cameras, this camera is small, durable, and shoots through a wide-angle lens. You won’t be able to take this camera underwater though because it isn’t waterproof. You’ll need to buy the right accessories for that. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $300: Nikon B500 The Nikon B500 gives you a non-interchangeable zoom lens so that you have more control over how you compose your shots. This camera records full HD 1080p videos at either 30 or 25 fps. You can only set its ISO as high as 3200, so it’s not going to perform the best in low-light conditions. The tilting LCD screen does not have touchscreen and cannot be fully flipped up or flipped to the side, it only tilts. For a camera in its price range, the Nikon B500 offers a lot of features. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $400: Nikon A900 The Nikon A900 not only comes with a non-interchangeable zoom lens, but it can also record videos in UHD 4K quality. Like the Nikon B500, the A900’s ISO goes only up to 3200, making it a weak performer in poorly lit conditions. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $500: Sony a5100 Among the cameras listed in our top cheap cameras list, the Sony a5100 is the only one you can interchange lenses with. All Sony E-mount lenses are compatible with this camera. This camera can record up to 1080p videos at 60 fps. Out of all of the above top cheap cameras, this one also auto focuses the best. |
Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras
If you have a bigger budget to work with, the following vlogging cameras are great options:
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | Mic Port | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CanonEOSM50 | |
February2018 | Mirrorless | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOSM100 | |
August2017 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelSL2 | |
June2017 | Compact SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelT7i | |
February2017 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOS80D | |
February2016 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $$ |
|
Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon M100 is a small and powerful camera that can shoot full HD (1080p) videos up to 60 fps. The touchscreen LCD of this camera flips up so that you can see yourself as you vlog in selfie mode. |
|---|---|
|
Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps. You can also record 120 fps slow-motion videos at 720p. Unlike the M100, which only has a flip up screen, the M50 has a fully articulated screen, so you can use this camera in selfie mode, all while using an on-camera shotgun microphone attached to the camera hot/cold shoe. |
|
Best DSLR camera for daily vlogging: Canon EOS T7i The Canon EOS T7i is a great DSLR camera for daily vlogging. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps, it can create HDR and time-lapse movies, and it also has a fully articulated screen. |
|
Best entry-level DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS SL2 The Canon EOS SL2 delivers a lot of power at a low price. This DSLR camera can capture full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps. |
|
Best mid-range DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS 80D The Canon 80D is an exceptional mid-range DSLR vlogging camera with many features. Coming with a 45-point all cross phase detection autofocusing and a dual pixel CMOS AF system, the camera is great at finding the right focus while recording video. |
Part 2: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS
A lot of compact cameras already come with the lens as a part of the camera body. When it comes to these kinds of cameras, you won’t have to worry about which lens is right for you since the decision has already been made for you!
When you start looking into bigger cameras, though, you’ll have to think about which lens you want to shoot with.
The Wide-Angle Lens
Every YouTuber should have a wide-angle lens. With this kind of lens, you can fit much more of a scene into your camera frame, including your own face when you’re just an arm’s length away from your camera. This is especially important for YouTubers because most YouTubers have to operate their camera on their own, without the assistance of an additional camera person.
Optical Image Stabilization
You should also look for a lens with optical image stabilization if you’re shooting a lot of your YouTube videos handheld.
For more information on camera lenses, check out my Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses .
Part 3: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD
|
Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free. |
|---|---|
|
Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot. |
Part 4: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE
Most vlogging cameras come with a built-in microphone that gets the job done. If you want higher quality audio recordings, though, you should check out the following list of top microphones.
| Top Condenser Mics For Music and Singing | Top Condenser Mics For Voiceovers-Podcasts, Interviews | Top On-Camera Shotgun Mics | Top Shotgun Mics | Top Low-Profile Lavalier Mics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-Technica AT2035 Rode NT1-A AKG C214 | Apogee Mic 96K Blue Yeti Rode NT-USB Blue Snowball Audio-Technica AT2020 Rode Procaster | Rode VideoMic Go Shure VP83 Rode VideoMic Pro+ Sennheiser MKE 440 | Rode NTG-3 Audio-Technica AT4053B Sennheiser MKH416 | Rode SmartLav+ Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Sennheiser ME2 |
To read more about each of these microphones, check out our post on The 19 Best YouTube Microphones 2018 – Options for Music, Voiceovers, Vlogging, and more!
Part 5: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES
Using your smartphone’s camera to film your YouTube videos is a great idea since it’s light, portable, and most likely always with you. The following six smartphone accessories can help you make better YouTube videos:
- Arkon Tripod Mount
- FLII Selfie Ring Light
- RODE VideoMic Me
- Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
- iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
- Manfrotto TwistGrip System
Read about each one of these items and more in The 9 Best Smartphone Camera Accessories For Vloggers .
Part 6: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT
Lighting for home living and lighting for filming is very different. If you try to make use of just the lights you have at home, you may find that your footage is too dark, grainy, and orange-tinted.
The solution to this problem is getting additional video lighting equipment with daytime light bulbs.
|
Daytime Light Bulbs Your home is most likely lit with incandescent light bulbs that illuminate orange-tinted light. You can remove those light bulbs and replace them with daytime light bulbs that illuminate more of a white colored light. |
|---|---|
|
On-Camera LED Light If you need more light just in front of the camera and you need this light to be portable, LED lights that attach to your camera’s hot/cold shoe will do the job. |
|
LED Ring Light If you need more light just in front of the camera, you don’t have a lot of space, and you don’t need this light to be small and portable, an LED ring light is the best piece of equipment for you. You can position your camera inside the circular space of the ring light. This kind of light also gives your eyes the circular shaped highlight that many people like to see. |
|
Softbox Video Light If you need more light and have more space, another piece of lighting equipment good for beginners is a softbox video light. |
|
Umbrella Video Light Umbrella video lights are very portable and affordable. The direction of the light from umbrella lights are more difficult to control than the light from softbox video lights. |
If you’re looking for recommendations on which piece of lighting equipment to buy, check out my list of the Top 17 Video Lighting Equipment For YouTubers .
Part 7: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER
After you’ve recorded all your footage, you’ll need a computer to edit your video clips together. You can perform basic video editing tasks and upload your video onto YouTube with any computer less than ten years old.
Laptop computers are popular among YouTubers because their portability allows you to work on your videos from anywhere. This way, you can finish and upload your videos more frequently, which is another important part of being a YouTuber.
The following three laptop computers handle video editing very well:
- MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
- Dell XPS 15
- Microsoft Surface Book 2
Read more about these laptop computers for 4K video editing in The Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing .
Part 8: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE
| FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES | PAID VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES |
|---|---|
| OpenShot Video Editor (Windows, Mac, Linux) ShotCut (Windows, Mac, Linux) Hitfilm Express (Windows, Mac) VideoPad Video Editor (Windows) Lightworks (Windows, Mac, Linux) VSDC Video Editor (Windows) Machete Video Editor Lite (Windows) Avidemux (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) Read more about each of these softwares in our post about The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube . | Filmora Video Editor (Windows, Mac) - $40 one year license, $79.99 perpetual license. Free trial Final Cut Pro (Mac) - $299.99, Free trial Vegas Movie Studio (Windows) - $49.99 |
YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO
Music Libraries
Music is an important part of YouTube video creation. Here’s where you can get access to music:
| ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID SUBSCRIPTION MUSIC LIBRARIES |
|---|---|---|
| Audionautix Bensound dig.ccMixter Free Music Archive Free Stock Music Incompetech Josh Woodward Moby Gratis Musopen Purple Planet Music TeknoAXE YouTube Audio Library | Premium Beat Audio Jungle | Audio Network Audio Blocks Epidemic Sound |
Sound Effects
Free Sound Effect Sites
- Filmstock Sound Effects
- Freesound
- PacDV
- Sound Bible
- Sound Gator
- Sounds Crate
- Zapsplat
Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique
Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions
If you want to start creating videos and uploading them onto YouTube, you’ll need to have access to some basic equipment. This guide will go over everything you’ll need to be a YouTuber.
Part 1: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA
The best camera for beginners is the one you already have. Most smartphones these days already come equipped with a powerful camera that can record HD videos. If you still want to add a camera to your equipment list as a beginner YouTuber, you should look for a camera with the following eight qualities:
What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber
1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)
2. Good continual auto focus while recording video
3. Good focus priority through face recognition
4. Touch to focus
5. Good low-light performance
6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket
7. optical image stabilization
8. good battery life
Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.
Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras
Below are the best cheap vlogging cameras that you can get for under $500. They all record at least 1080p HD video and all but the Sony Alpha a5100 come with optical image stabilization (if you want OIS with the Sony a5100, you’ll have it get it in the lens).
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | 4K | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yi 4KAction Camera | |
February2017 | Action Camera | No | Yes | $169 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixA900 | |
February2016 | Compact | Flip Up | Yes | $399 (MSRP) |
| NikonCoolpixB500 | |
February2016 | SLR-like (bridge) | Tilting | No | $250 (MSRP) |
| PolaroidCube+ | |
June2015 | Action Camera | No | No | $99 (MSRP) |
| SonyAlphaa5100 | |
August2014 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $450 (MSRP) |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $100: Polaroid Cube+ Even before GoPro released their GoPro Session, Polaroid was the first to come out with a 1.4-inch, cube-shaped action camera, small enough to mount on a bike or a helmet. This camera has built-in magnets so that you can attach them to metal surfaces. This action camera is water-resistant, shock-proof, and weather-proof. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps with its wide-angle lens. You can connect this camera with your phone to preview and take your shots. |
|---|---|
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $200: Yi 4K At $200, you can record 4K videos with the Yi 4K action camera. Like many other action cameras, this camera is small, durable, and shoots through a wide-angle lens. You won’t be able to take this camera underwater though because it isn’t waterproof. You’ll need to buy the right accessories for that. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $300: Nikon B500 The Nikon B500 gives you a non-interchangeable zoom lens so that you have more control over how you compose your shots. This camera records full HD 1080p videos at either 30 or 25 fps. You can only set its ISO as high as 3200, so it’s not going to perform the best in low-light conditions. The tilting LCD screen does not have touchscreen and cannot be fully flipped up or flipped to the side, it only tilts. For a camera in its price range, the Nikon B500 offers a lot of features. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $400: Nikon A900 The Nikon A900 not only comes with a non-interchangeable zoom lens, but it can also record videos in UHD 4K quality. Like the Nikon B500, the A900’s ISO goes only up to 3200, making it a weak performer in poorly lit conditions. |
|
Best cheap vlogging camera under $500: Sony a5100 Among the cameras listed in our top cheap cameras list, the Sony a5100 is the only one you can interchange lenses with. All Sony E-mount lenses are compatible with this camera. This camera can record up to 1080p videos at 60 fps. Out of all of the above top cheap cameras, this one also auto focuses the best. |
Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras
If you have a bigger budget to work with, the following vlogging cameras are great options:
| Camera | Release Date | Camera Type | Flip Screen | Mic Port | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CanonEOSM50 | |
February2018 | Mirrorless | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOSM100 | |
August2017 | Mirrorless | Flip Up | No | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelSL2 | |
June2017 | Compact SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $ |
| CanonEOS RebelT7i | |
February2017 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $- |
| CanonEOS80D | |
February2016 | Mid-size SLR | Fully Articulated | Yes | $$ |
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Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon M100 is a small and powerful camera that can shoot full HD (1080p) videos up to 60 fps. The touchscreen LCD of this camera flips up so that you can see yourself as you vlog in selfie mode. |
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Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps. You can also record 120 fps slow-motion videos at 720p. Unlike the M100, which only has a flip up screen, the M50 has a fully articulated screen, so you can use this camera in selfie mode, all while using an on-camera shotgun microphone attached to the camera hot/cold shoe. |
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Best DSLR camera for daily vlogging: Canon EOS T7i The Canon EOS T7i is a great DSLR camera for daily vlogging. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps, it can create HDR and time-lapse movies, and it also has a fully articulated screen. |
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Best entry-level DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS SL2 The Canon EOS SL2 delivers a lot of power at a low price. This DSLR camera can capture full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps. |
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Best mid-range DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS 80D The Canon 80D is an exceptional mid-range DSLR vlogging camera with many features. Coming with a 45-point all cross phase detection autofocusing and a dual pixel CMOS AF system, the camera is great at finding the right focus while recording video. |
Part 2: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS
A lot of compact cameras already come with the lens as a part of the camera body. When it comes to these kinds of cameras, you won’t have to worry about which lens is right for you since the decision has already been made for you!
When you start looking into bigger cameras, though, you’ll have to think about which lens you want to shoot with.
The Wide-Angle Lens
Every YouTuber should have a wide-angle lens. With this kind of lens, you can fit much more of a scene into your camera frame, including your own face when you’re just an arm’s length away from your camera. This is especially important for YouTubers because most YouTubers have to operate their camera on their own, without the assistance of an additional camera person.
Optical Image Stabilization
You should also look for a lens with optical image stabilization if you’re shooting a lot of your YouTube videos handheld.
For more information on camera lenses, check out my Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses .
Part 3: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD
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Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free. |
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Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot. |
Part 4: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE
Most vlogging cameras come with a built-in microphone that gets the job done. If you want higher quality audio recordings, though, you should check out the following list of top microphones.
| Top Condenser Mics For Music and Singing | Top Condenser Mics For Voiceovers-Podcasts, Interviews | Top On-Camera Shotgun Mics | Top Shotgun Mics | Top Low-Profile Lavalier Mics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audio-Technica AT2035 Rode NT1-A AKG C214 | Apogee Mic 96K Blue Yeti Rode NT-USB Blue Snowball Audio-Technica AT2020 Rode Procaster | Rode VideoMic Go Shure VP83 Rode VideoMic Pro+ Sennheiser MKE 440 | Rode NTG-3 Audio-Technica AT4053B Sennheiser MKH416 | Rode SmartLav+ Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Sennheiser ME2 |
To read more about each of these microphones, check out our post on The 19 Best YouTube Microphones 2018 – Options for Music, Voiceovers, Vlogging, and more!
Part 5: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES
Using your smartphone’s camera to film your YouTube videos is a great idea since it’s light, portable, and most likely always with you. The following six smartphone accessories can help you make better YouTube videos:
- Arkon Tripod Mount
- FLII Selfie Ring Light
- RODE VideoMic Me
- Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
- iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
- Manfrotto TwistGrip System
Read about each one of these items and more in The 9 Best Smartphone Camera Accessories For Vloggers .
Part 6: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT
Lighting for home living and lighting for filming is very different. If you try to make use of just the lights you have at home, you may find that your footage is too dark, grainy, and orange-tinted.
The solution to this problem is getting additional video lighting equipment with daytime light bulbs.
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Daytime Light Bulbs Your home is most likely lit with incandescent light bulbs that illuminate orange-tinted light. You can remove those light bulbs and replace them with daytime light bulbs that illuminate more of a white colored light. |
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On-Camera LED Light If you need more light just in front of the camera and you need this light to be portable, LED lights that attach to your camera’s hot/cold shoe will do the job. |
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LED Ring Light If you need more light just in front of the camera, you don’t have a lot of space, and you don’t need this light to be small and portable, an LED ring light is the best piece of equipment for you. You can position your camera inside the circular space of the ring light. This kind of light also gives your eyes the circular shaped highlight that many people like to see. |
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Softbox Video Light If you need more light and have more space, another piece of lighting equipment good for beginners is a softbox video light. |
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Umbrella Video Light Umbrella video lights are very portable and affordable. The direction of the light from umbrella lights are more difficult to control than the light from softbox video lights. |
If you’re looking for recommendations on which piece of lighting equipment to buy, check out my list of the Top 17 Video Lighting Equipment For YouTubers .
Part 7: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER
After you’ve recorded all your footage, you’ll need a computer to edit your video clips together. You can perform basic video editing tasks and upload your video onto YouTube with any computer less than ten years old.
Laptop computers are popular among YouTubers because their portability allows you to work on your videos from anywhere. This way, you can finish and upload your videos more frequently, which is another important part of being a YouTuber.
The following three laptop computers handle video editing very well:
- MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
- Dell XPS 15
- Microsoft Surface Book 2
Read more about these laptop computers for 4K video editing in The Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing .
Part 8: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE
| FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES | PAID VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES |
|---|---|
| OpenShot Video Editor (Windows, Mac, Linux) ShotCut (Windows, Mac, Linux) Hitfilm Express (Windows, Mac) VideoPad Video Editor (Windows) Lightworks (Windows, Mac, Linux) VSDC Video Editor (Windows) Machete Video Editor Lite (Windows) Avidemux (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) Read more about each of these softwares in our post about The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube . | Filmora Video Editor (Windows, Mac) - $40 one year license, $79.99 perpetual license. Free trial Final Cut Pro (Mac) - $299.99, Free trial Vegas Movie Studio (Windows) - $49.99 |
YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO
Music Libraries
Music is an important part of YouTube video creation. Here’s where you can get access to music:
| ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID MUSIC LIBRARIES | PAID SUBSCRIPTION MUSIC LIBRARIES |
|---|---|---|
| Audionautix Bensound dig.ccMixter Free Music Archive Free Stock Music Incompetech Josh Woodward Moby Gratis Musopen Purple Planet Music TeknoAXE YouTube Audio Library | Premium Beat Audio Jungle | Audio Network Audio Blocks Epidemic Sound |
Sound Effects
Free Sound Effect Sites
- Filmstock Sound Effects
- Freesound
- PacDV
- Sound Bible
- Sound Gator
- Sounds Crate
- Zapsplat
Sumia Rafique
Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Sumia Rafique
- Title: In 2024, Proven Techniques for Counteracting Virtual Insults
- Author: Thomas
- Created at : 2024-05-31 12:39:52
- Updated at : 2024-06-01 12:39:52
- Link: https://youtube-help.techidaily.com/in-2024-proven-techniques-for-counteracting-virtual-insults/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
