There is no question that, over time, technology has given birth to several careers and has diversified the work space.

YouTube has become the biggest and most popular platform for sharing video content online.

With this, many individuals have opted to become YouTubers by expressing their creativity and promote themselves or business on the platform.

Numerous YouTubers, both local and abroad, have become household names and huge ‘Internet sensation’ celebrities.

YouTubers such as Dutty Berry, RushCam, Dhar Mann, Romario Facey and Chloe Ting make it look easy, but creating quality YouTube videos is not as easy as it looks.

Fortunately, you don’t need to have a lot of technical experience in order to produce the kind of content that people will enjoy watching. You only need to have the correct equipment and a positive mindset.

YouTube has become a very competitive platform and, because of this, most YouTubers bring their A-game.

If you’re thinking along the line of becoming an official YouTuber, there are several things that you must have in place. The most important, of course, being video equipment.

If you have a great personality and truly unique and amazing content, you could probably get away with using just a smartphone (many YouTubers started out with just their phone).

But bear in mind that YouTubers nowadays are producing quality videos, so you’ll have them to compete with.

As a novice, it’s best to put some amount of energy into the visual quality of your videos to ensure that your channel gets views and subscribers.

If you have ever watched videos produced by established YouTubers, chances are you would have observed that they use a wide collection of sophisticated video production equipment.

There are even those who hire professional video editors and camera operators to produce their videos.

It may sound like you’ll need a lot of equipment but you don’t need to go that far, at least not yet.

Here is a list of the basic video production equipment you will need when you start your YouTube channel:

Camera

Understandably, the most significant piece of YouTube equipment to have is without a doubt a camera.

Hold on, before you dash to the store to purchase your camera, know that you don’t have to purchase the most expensive camera around town.

You can get a budget-friendly camera or anything that can record high-quality (at least 1080p) video.

Also, based on the content that you’ll be creating, quality camcorders or webcams would suffice seeing that you’re just starting out.

However, DSLRs and mirrorless cameras are a good investment for when you’re ready to upgrade.

External Microphone

Remember that your audio quality is as important as your video quality and therefore it is crucial that your audio complements your video.

Viewers are easily turned off by terrible audio, have you ever seen the comment section of a video that has terrible?

Even if you record high-quality cinema footage, you’re going to have trouble keeping your viewers interested if the audio is poor.

That is why your microphone is the next most important thing to have for creating YouTube content.

Built-in laptop or camera microphones usually have bad audio quality as they are not able to record or eliminate background and surrounding sounds effectively.

But, before you go out and purchase one, make sure to learn more about the different types of microphones and select the one that best suits your needs.

Tripod or Gimbal Stabiliser

If you have shaking hands, you are definitely going to need a tripod or gimbal.

Unsteady footage is a no-no for professional video production as it can distract your viewers or even make them dizzy. You sure don’t want that to happen.

Tripods and gimbal stabilisers are great tools for steadying your photos and videos.

Based on how you will be recording your video, you can choose either of them to increase the production value of your YouTube videos.

Lighting

Lighting is everything when it comes to videography and photography. Bad lighting can literally ruin everything.

If you will be recoding mostly indoors and in dimly lit spaces, you will definitely need proper lighting equipment.

Even if you’re shooting where there’s ample surrounding light, lighting equipment can modify the mood and even out the brightness of your footage.

Ring lights have become popular among YouTubers. Ring lights are inexpensive and are available in different sizes.

When its ring shape emits light all around a subject, it eliminates shadows from every direction, making anyone look great in front of the camera.

This is why this type of YouTube lighting equipment is often used by beauty and makeup vloggers, primarily because they are able to beautifully light up the face and eliminate shadows that tend to highlight blemishes.

Laptop or Smart phone

Once you have recorded your content, you will need a laptop or smartphone to carry out editing and upload your videos.

Ensure that you purchase a device with enough storage space, this will allow you to work smoothly when it comes to storing and uploading your videos.

Now that you are set and ready to start your YouTube channel, keep in mind that as your channel grows there will be other things that you’ll need to invest in overtime, but for now this YouTuber starter kit should get you going.

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