.png)
This guide is designed to help you choose the right equipment for your needs, regardless of budget.
There are three core components to a strong video setup: camera, lighting, and audio. Each plays a crucial role in creating high-quality videos that will engage your viewers. We'll break down the best options for each category across three budget tiers:
<aside> 💡 Do I Need to Upgrade My Equipment?
The short answer is ‘no’. You don't necessarily need to upgrade your equipment to be successful on YouTube.
Several YouTubers have built successful channels just using their iPhones… but here's the thing.
Upgrading your gear will massively increase your chances of success on YouTube.
A high-quality setup can give your videos a professional edge that grabs viewers' attention and keeps them engaged.
In fact, a great setup can elevate your videos by 10-20% compared to an average setup. This improvement in quality can translate to better audience retention, increased engagement, and ultimately, a faster growing channel.
Just ask yourself - how many YouTubers do you love and follow who have a really average setup? My guess is not many.
Therefore, the bottom line is that you should try and upgrade your gear as soon as you are able to do so.
Upgrading your equipment is an investment in your YouTube journey, that will improve the quality of your videos and potentially accelerate your channel's growth.
</aside>
<aside> 💡 What Should I Upgrade First?
Your microphone.
Remember, audio makes up over 50% of the viewing experience - people will watch a video with bad camera quality, but they will NEVER watch a video with bad audio quality.
Therefore, upgrade your audio setup immediately and do not use the internal mic built into your camera or phone.
Thankfully, audio is the cheapest thing to upgrade. Invest in their ears first, then conquer the lighting and camera setup later. Checkout my recommendations below.
</aside>
<aside> 💡 I don’t want to read all this and I’m on a tight budget - what combo of camera, lens, audio, and lighting gives me the most bang for my buck?
Here's the best setup you can get for the cheapest price, considering a balance between quality and affordability. This equipment will give you a super high quality setup, and will put you in the top 1% of YouTubers from a production stand point.
🎥 Camera - Sony ZV-E10 - $700 - Buy Here
🔎 Lens: Sigma 16mm f1.4 - $369 - Buy Here
🎙️ Audio: Rode VideoMic Go II - $79 - Buy Here
💡 Lighting: Godox SL60IIBi with Softbox - $250 - Buy Light Here + Softbox here
Total Cost: $1400
Remember, you can always buy used equipment to bring the total cost down to under $1000.
</aside>
The right camera can make a big difference in your videos. Here are my recommendations:
<aside> 👉 There is no point buying a dedicated camera that is cheaper than $600. The camera quality isn’t worth it, so just use your phone and save up until you can afford something that is $600 or more.
</aside>