Navigating YouTube Setup: A Newbie’s Complete Guidebook

YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners

Sumia Rafique

Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions

0

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.

Table of Contents YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuberBest Cheap Vlogging CamerasBest Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS The Wide-Angle LensOptical Image Stabilization YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO Music LibrariesSound Effects

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:

1. Arkon Tripod Mount
2. FLII Selfie Ring Light
3. RODE VideoMic Me
4. Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
5. iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
6. 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:

1. MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
2. Dell XPS 15
3. 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

1. Filmstock Sound Effects
2. Freesound
3. PacDV
4. Sound Bible
5. Sound Gator
6. Sounds Crate
7. 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

0

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.

Table of Contents YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuberBest Cheap Vlogging CamerasBest Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS The Wide-Angle LensOptical Image Stabilization YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO Music LibrariesSound Effects

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:

1. Arkon Tripod Mount
2. FLII Selfie Ring Light
3. RODE VideoMic Me
4. Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
5. iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
6. 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:

1. MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
2. Dell XPS 15
3. 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

1. Filmstock Sound Effects
2. Freesound
3. PacDV
4. Sound Bible
5. Sound Gator
6. Sounds Crate
7. 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

0

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.

Table of Contents YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuberBest Cheap Vlogging CamerasBest Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS The Wide-Angle LensOptical Image Stabilization YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO Music LibrariesSound Effects

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:

1. Arkon Tripod Mount
2. FLII Selfie Ring Light
3. RODE VideoMic Me
4. Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
5. iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
6. 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:

1. MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
2. Dell XPS 15
3. 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

1. Filmstock Sound Effects
2. Freesound
3. PacDV
4. Sound Bible
5. Sound Gator
6. Sounds Crate
7. 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

0

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.

Table of Contents YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuberBest Cheap Vlogging CamerasBest Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS The Wide-Angle LensOptical Image Stabilization YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO Music LibrariesSound Effects

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:

1. Arkon Tripod Mount
2. FLII Selfie Ring Light
3. RODE VideoMic Me
4. Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
5. iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
6. 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:

1. MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
2. Dell XPS 15
3. 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

1. Filmstock Sound Effects
2. Freesound
3. PacDV
4. Sound Bible
5. Sound Gator
6. Sounds Crate
7. Zapsplat

Sumia Rafique

Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Sumia Rafique

Unlock Audience Potential with Curated Video Shorts

YouTube Shorts are short, 60-second videos that can be shared across all social media platforms. They’re a great way to quickly and easily share your message with your audience. As a result, many creators are turning to YouTube Shorts Templates to help them create professional-looking videos that stand out.

YouTube Shorts Templates can create a wide variety of videos, from product demos and how-tos to vlogs and comedy skits. They can help you create polished and engaging videos without the need for expensive equipment or a lot of editing experience.

This article will explore everything you need to know about YouTube Shorts Templates, including how to use them, tips for creating great videos, and examples of how other creators use them to boost their views and reach.

Overview of YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts is a new feature launched by YouTube in September 2020, which allows users to create short, 15-second videos that can be shared across all social media platforms. According to the statistics of EarthWeb , YouTube Shorts has seen tremendous growth in popularity since its launch, with billions of views every day.

According to YouTube, in the U.S. alone, the watch time for Shorts has grown over 4x since November 2020, and by December 2021, daily active users of Shorts exceeded 200M. As per YouTube’s official blog, In India, Shorts watch time has grown by over 20x since its launch, and by the end of 2021, India had over 150M daily active users.

In addition to the strong growth in views and engagement, YouTube Shorts has also become a powerful tool for creators to reach new audiences and grow their channels.

According to a study by Influencer Marketing Hub, YouTube Shorts have a higher engagement rate than traditional YouTube videos, with Shorts receiving an average of 3x more comments and likes than regular videos. The study also shows that Shorts videos have a higher completion rate of 60% compared to traditional videos with 40%.

As a result of the popularity of YouTube Shorts, many creators are now turning to YouTube Shorts Templates to help them create professional-looking videos that stand out. YouTube Shorts Templates can create a wide variety of videos, from product demos and how-tos to vlogs and comedy skits. They can help you create polished and engaging videos without the need for expensive equipment or a lot of editing experience.

How To Get Profit from Short Videos

There are a few ways to monetize your YouTube Shorts videos and turn them into a source of profit. One way is through YouTube’s built-in monetization options, such as displaying ads on your videos, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing. Another way is to use your Shorts videos’ popularity to promote your products or services.

You can also use YouTube Shorts to drive traffic to your website, where you can sell products or services. Collaborating with brands and promoting their products in your videos can also be a great way to monetize your content. It’s important to remember that building a sizable audience and creating high-quality content is key to monetizing your YouTube Shorts.

Benefits of Using Templates to Create YouTube Shorts

There are several benefits to using templates to create YouTube Shorts, including:

• Time-saving: Templates provide a pre-designed structure for your video, which saves you time and effort in creating a polished and professional-looking video.
• Consistency: Templates can help you maintain a consistent look and feel for your videos, which helps to build your brand and make your videos easily recognizable.
• Cost-effective: Templates can be cost-effective, eliminating the need for expensive equipment or editing software.
• Increased engagement: Templates can help you create engaging videos that capture your audience’s attention and increase the likelihood of them watching and engaging with your content.
• Access to a wider audience: Templates can help increase your views and reach, which can help you grow your channel and reach a wider audience.
• Easy to use: Templates are easy to use, even if you have yet to gain any prior video editing experience.

Using templates allows you to quickly create high-quality, professional-looking videos while also saving money and reaching a wider audience.

How to Make YouTube Shorts Using a Video Editor With Templates

Creating YouTube Shorts using a video editor with templates is a great way to save time and effort while still producing polished, professional-looking videos. One great video editor that can be used for this purpose is Filmora. Filmora has desktop and mobile versions, so you can create YouTube Shorts using any device.

Video Templates Feature of Filmora

With Wondershare Filmora , users can access a variety of templates for YouTube Shorts, which can be easily customized to fit the style and theme of their videos. These templates include various themes such as travel, vlogs, product demos, and more.

Wondershare Filmora also provides a wide range of editing tools, such as text, music, and effects, to help users create engaging and visually appealing videos. Filmora’s templates are an easy and efficient way to create visually appealing and engaging YouTube Shorts that stand out from the rest.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Step-by-Step Guide to Create YouTube Shorts With Templates Using Filmora for Desktop

Creating professional-looking YouTube Shorts can be time-consuming and daunting, especially if you have limited experience with video editing. However, using a video editor like Filmora, you can easily create high-quality YouTube Shorts using templates. This step-by-step guide will show you how to use Filmora’s video templates feature to create visually appealing YouTube Shorts on your desktop.

Step 1. Start Wondershare Filmora on your computer. On the “Templates” tab, you will find a variety of component templates to choose from.

Step 2. Select the template you want to use and place it on the timeline point.

Step 3. Add your videos, pictures, and audio files to the designated placeholders in the template to replace the sample ones.

Step 4. Trim, edit the clip or add other effects, texts and stickers as you like.

Step 5. Click the “Export“ button on the upper part to save your clip.

When creating YouTube Shorts, it is important to remember that these videos are vertical. You can easily find vertical video templates in Filmora’s template library. So select the one that best fits your needs and style.

Step-by-Step Guide to Use YouTube Shorts Video Templates With Filmora for Mobile

Creating professional-looking YouTube Shorts on mobile devices is now more accessible than ever. This step-by-step guide will show you how to use Filmora’s video templates feature to create visually appealing YouTube Shorts on your mobile device.

Step 1. Install the Filmora app on your device, then open it.

Step 2. Tap the “Template“ button on the screen’s bottom right.

Step 3. Select the template you wish to use.

Step 4. Press the “Make Video“ button to download the chosen template.

Step 5. Add the necessary footage to edit the template, then tap “Next.”

Step 6. You can preview the video and make any necessary changes.

Step 7. Tap the “Export“ button to save the completed video.

If you want to learn more about using Filmora’s video templates feature to create YouTube Shorts on your mobile device, we recommend watching this video tutorial:

YouTube Shorts Video Template Resources in Filmora

Filmora offers a wide variety of video templates that can be used to create YouTube Shorts. These templates include various themes such as an event, sports, fashion, lifestyle, and more. These templates can be found in Filmora’s library, making it easy for users to find the perfect template for their YouTube Short.

1. Event YouTube Shorts Template

Event YouTube Shorts Templates are an interactive way for creators to showcase their events dynamically and engagingly. These templates come with pre-designed elements such as animations, backgrounds, and text styles that are perfect for highlighting the key moments and creating excitement among the audience. It’s an effective way to make the event more engaging and interactive for the audience.

2. Sports YouTube Shorts Video Template

Sports YouTube Shorts video templates are pre-designed, customizable video templates for creating short, engaging sports-related content for YouTube’s Shorts feature. These templates often include scoreboards, team logos, and highlights footage and can be easily customized with your text, images, and videos. They are ideal for sports teams, athletes, and content creators looking to quickly and easily create professional-looking videos.

3. Fashion YouTube Shorts Template

Fashion YouTube Shorts templates are pre-designed video templates that can be used to create visually appealing and engaging content for fashion-related YouTube Shorts. These templates often include elements such as fashion models, clothing and accessory displays, and trendy backgrounds and can be easily customized to suit the creator’s specific needs and aesthetic. They can be used to create various types of videos, including fashion lookbooks, product reviews, and styling tutorials.

4. Life Style Shorts Template

Lifestyle YouTube Shorts templates often include elements such as different lifestyle scenes, like traveling, cooking, home decor, and DIY projects, and can be easily customized to suit the creator’s specific needs and aesthetic. They can create various videos, including travel vlogs, recipe videos, and DIY tutorials.

Conclusion

YouTube Shorts are a great way to connect with your audience and promote your brand. Using a video editor like Filmora, you can easily create high-quality YouTube Shorts using templates. Filmora offers various video templates that can be used to create YouTube Shorts, including templates for events, sports, fashion, and lifestyle.

Filmora templates are fully customizable, meaning you can change the text, images, and colors to match your brand. These templates can be found in Filmora’s library, making it easy for users to find the perfect template for their YouTube Short. With the help of Filmora, you can easily create professional-looking YouTube Shorts that stand out and capture your audience’s attention.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Step-by-Step Guide to Create YouTube Shorts With Templates Using Filmora for Desktop

Creating professional-looking YouTube Shorts can be time-consuming and daunting, especially if you have limited experience with video editing. However, using a video editor like Filmora, you can easily create high-quality YouTube Shorts using templates. This step-by-step guide will show you how to use Filmora’s video templates feature to create visually appealing YouTube Shorts on your desktop.

Step 1. Start Wondershare Filmora on your computer. On the “Templates” tab, you will find a variety of component templates to choose from.

Step 2. Select the template you want to use and place it on the timeline point.

Step 3. Add your videos, pictures, and audio files to the designated placeholders in the template to replace the sample ones.

Step 4. Trim, edit the clip or add other effects, texts and stickers as you like.

Step 5. Click the “Export“ button on the upper part to save your clip.

When creating YouTube Shorts, it is important to remember that these videos are vertical. You can easily find vertical video templates in Filmora’s template library. So select the one that best fits your needs and style.

Step-by-Step Guide to Use YouTube Shorts Video Templates With Filmora for Mobile

Creating professional-looking YouTube Shorts on mobile devices is now more accessible than ever. This step-by-step guide will show you how to use Filmora’s video templates feature to create visually appealing YouTube Shorts on your mobile device.

Step 1. Install the Filmora app on your device, then open it.

Step 2. Tap the “Template“ button on the screen’s bottom right.

Step 3. Select the template you wish to use.

Step 4. Press the “Make Video“ button to download the chosen template.

Step 5. Add the necessary footage to edit the template, then tap “Next.”

Step 6. You can preview the video and make any necessary changes.

Step 7. Tap the “Export“ button to save the completed video.

If you want to learn more about using Filmora’s video templates feature to create YouTube Shorts on your mobile device, we recommend watching this video tutorial:

YouTube Shorts Video Template Resources in Filmora

Filmora offers a wide variety of video templates that can be used to create YouTube Shorts. These templates include various themes such as an event, sports, fashion, lifestyle, and more. These templates can be found in Filmora’s library, making it easy for users to find the perfect template for their YouTube Short.

1. Event YouTube Shorts Template

Event YouTube Shorts Templates are an interactive way for creators to showcase their events dynamically and engagingly. These templates come with pre-designed elements such as animations, backgrounds, and text styles that are perfect for highlighting the key moments and creating excitement among the audience. It’s an effective way to make the event more engaging and interactive for the audience.

2. Sports YouTube Shorts Video Template

Sports YouTube Shorts video templates are pre-designed, customizable video templates for creating short, engaging sports-related content for YouTube’s Shorts feature. These templates often include scoreboards, team logos, and highlights footage and can be easily customized with your text, images, and videos. They are ideal for sports teams, athletes, and content creators looking to quickly and easily create professional-looking videos.

3. Fashion YouTube Shorts Template

Fashion YouTube Shorts templates are pre-designed video templates that can be used to create visually appealing and engaging content for fashion-related YouTube Shorts. These templates often include elements such as fashion models, clothing and accessory displays, and trendy backgrounds and can be easily customized to suit the creator’s specific needs and aesthetic. They can be used to create various types of videos, including fashion lookbooks, product reviews, and styling tutorials.

4. Life Style Shorts Template

Lifestyle YouTube Shorts templates often include elements such as different lifestyle scenes, like traveling, cooking, home decor, and DIY projects, and can be easily customized to suit the creator’s specific needs and aesthetic. They can create various videos, including travel vlogs, recipe videos, and DIY tutorials.

Conclusion

YouTube Shorts are a great way to connect with your audience and promote your brand. Using a video editor like Filmora, you can easily create high-quality YouTube Shorts using templates. Filmora offers various video templates that can be used to create YouTube Shorts, including templates for events, sports, fashion, and lifestyle.

Filmora templates are fully customizable, meaning you can change the text, images, and colors to match your brand. These templates can be found in Filmora’s library, making it easy for users to find the perfect template for their YouTube Short. With the help of Filmora, you can easily create professional-looking YouTube Shorts that stand out and capture your audience’s attention.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Step-by-Step Guide to Create YouTube Shorts With Templates Using Filmora for Desktop

Creating professional-looking YouTube Shorts can be time-consuming and daunting, especially if you have limited experience with video editing. However, using a video editor like Filmora, you can easily create high-quality YouTube Shorts using templates. This step-by-step guide will show you how to use Filmora’s video templates feature to create visually appealing YouTube Shorts on your desktop.

Step 1. Start Wondershare Filmora on your computer. On the “Templates” tab, you will find a variety of component templates to choose from.

Step 2. Select the template you want to use and place it on the timeline point.

Step 3. Add your videos, pictures, and audio files to the designated placeholders in the template to replace the sample ones.

Step 4. Trim, edit the clip or add other effects, texts and stickers as you like.

Step 5. Click the “Export“ button on the upper part to save your clip.

When creating YouTube Shorts, it is important to remember that these videos are vertical. You can easily find vertical video templates in Filmora’s template library. So select the one that best fits your needs and style.

Step-by-Step Guide to Use YouTube Shorts Video Templates With Filmora for Mobile

Creating professional-looking YouTube Shorts on mobile devices is now more accessible than ever. This step-by-step guide will show you how to use Filmora’s video templates feature to create visually appealing YouTube Shorts on your mobile device.

Step 1. Install the Filmora app on your device, then open it.

Step 2. Tap the “Template“ button on the screen’s bottom right.

Step 3. Select the template you wish to use.

Step 4. Press the “Make Video“ button to download the chosen template.

Step 5. Add the necessary footage to edit the template, then tap “Next.”

Step 6. You can preview the video and make any necessary changes.

Step 7. Tap the “Export“ button to save the completed video.

If you want to learn more about using Filmora’s video templates feature to create YouTube Shorts on your mobile device, we recommend watching this video tutorial:

YouTube Shorts Video Template Resources in Filmora

Filmora offers a wide variety of video templates that can be used to create YouTube Shorts. These templates include various themes such as an event, sports, fashion, lifestyle, and more. These templates can be found in Filmora’s library, making it easy for users to find the perfect template for their YouTube Short.

1. Event YouTube Shorts Template

Event YouTube Shorts Templates are an interactive way for creators to showcase their events dynamically and engagingly. These templates come with pre-designed elements such as animations, backgrounds, and text styles that are perfect for highlighting the key moments and creating excitement among the audience. It’s an effective way to make the event more engaging and interactive for the audience.

2. Sports YouTube Shorts Video Template

Sports YouTube Shorts video templates are pre-designed, customizable video templates for creating short, engaging sports-related content for YouTube’s Shorts feature. These templates often include scoreboards, team logos, and highlights footage and can be easily customized with your text, images, and videos. They are ideal for sports teams, athletes, and content creators looking to quickly and easily create professional-looking videos.

3. Fashion YouTube Shorts Template

Fashion YouTube Shorts templates are pre-designed video templates that can be used to create visually appealing and engaging content for fashion-related YouTube Shorts. These templates often include elements such as fashion models, clothing and accessory displays, and trendy backgrounds and can be easily customized to suit the creator’s specific needs and aesthetic. They can be used to create various types of videos, including fashion lookbooks, product reviews, and styling tutorials.

4. Life Style Shorts Template

Lifestyle YouTube Shorts templates often include elements such as different lifestyle scenes, like traveling, cooking, home decor, and DIY projects, and can be easily customized to suit the creator’s specific needs and aesthetic. They can create various videos, including travel vlogs, recipe videos, and DIY tutorials.

Conclusion

YouTube Shorts are a great way to connect with your audience and promote your brand. Using a video editor like Filmora, you can easily create high-quality YouTube Shorts using templates. Filmora offers various video templates that can be used to create YouTube Shorts, including templates for events, sports, fashion, and lifestyle.

Filmora templates are fully customizable, meaning you can change the text, images, and colors to match your brand. These templates can be found in Filmora’s library, making it easy for users to find the perfect template for their YouTube Short. With the help of Filmora, you can easily create professional-looking YouTube Shorts that stand out and capture your audience’s attention.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Step-by-Step Guide to Create YouTube Shorts With Templates Using Filmora for Desktop

Creating professional-looking YouTube Shorts can be time-consuming and daunting, especially if you have limited experience with video editing. However, using a video editor like Filmora, you can easily create high-quality YouTube Shorts using templates. This step-by-step guide will show you how to use Filmora’s video templates feature to create visually appealing YouTube Shorts on your desktop.

Step 1. Start Wondershare Filmora on your computer. On the “Templates” tab, you will find a variety of component templates to choose from.

Step 2. Select the template you want to use and place it on the timeline point.

Step 3. Add your videos, pictures, and audio files to the designated placeholders in the template to replace the sample ones.

Step 4. Trim, edit the clip or add other effects, texts and stickers as you like.

Step 5. Click the “Export“ button on the upper part to save your clip.

When creating YouTube Shorts, it is important to remember that these videos are vertical. You can easily find vertical video templates in Filmora’s template library. So select the one that best fits your needs and style.

Step-by-Step Guide to Use YouTube Shorts Video Templates With Filmora for Mobile

Creating professional-looking YouTube Shorts on mobile devices is now more accessible than ever. This step-by-step guide will show you how to use Filmora’s video templates feature to create visually appealing YouTube Shorts on your mobile device.

Step 1. Install the Filmora app on your device, then open it.

Step 2. Tap the “Template“ button on the screen’s bottom right.

Step 3. Select the template you wish to use.

Step 4. Press the “Make Video“ button to download the chosen template.

Step 5. Add the necessary footage to edit the template, then tap “Next.”

Step 6. You can preview the video and make any necessary changes.

Step 7. Tap the “Export“ button to save the completed video.

If you want to learn more about using Filmora’s video templates feature to create YouTube Shorts on your mobile device, we recommend watching this video tutorial:

YouTube Shorts Video Template Resources in Filmora

Filmora offers a wide variety of video templates that can be used to create YouTube Shorts. These templates include various themes such as an event, sports, fashion, lifestyle, and more. These templates can be found in Filmora’s library, making it easy for users to find the perfect template for their YouTube Short.

1. Event YouTube Shorts Template

Event YouTube Shorts Templates are an interactive way for creators to showcase their events dynamically and engagingly. These templates come with pre-designed elements such as animations, backgrounds, and text styles that are perfect for highlighting the key moments and creating excitement among the audience. It’s an effective way to make the event more engaging and interactive for the audience.

2. Sports YouTube Shorts Video Template

Sports YouTube Shorts video templates are pre-designed, customizable video templates for creating short, engaging sports-related content for YouTube’s Shorts feature. These templates often include scoreboards, team logos, and highlights footage and can be easily customized with your text, images, and videos. They are ideal for sports teams, athletes, and content creators looking to quickly and easily create professional-looking videos.

3. Fashion YouTube Shorts Template

Fashion YouTube Shorts templates are pre-designed video templates that can be used to create visually appealing and engaging content for fashion-related YouTube Shorts. These templates often include elements such as fashion models, clothing and accessory displays, and trendy backgrounds and can be easily customized to suit the creator’s specific needs and aesthetic. They can be used to create various types of videos, including fashion lookbooks, product reviews, and styling tutorials.

4. Life Style Shorts Template

Lifestyle YouTube Shorts templates often include elements such as different lifestyle scenes, like traveling, cooking, home decor, and DIY projects, and can be easily customized to suit the creator’s specific needs and aesthetic. They can create various videos, including travel vlogs, recipe videos, and DIY tutorials.

Conclusion

YouTube Shorts are a great way to connect with your audience and promote your brand. Using a video editor like Filmora, you can easily create high-quality YouTube Shorts using templates. Filmora offers various video templates that can be used to create YouTube Shorts, including templates for events, sports, fashion, and lifestyle.

Filmora templates are fully customizable, meaning you can change the text, images, and colors to match your brand. These templates can be found in Filmora’s library, making it easy for users to find the perfect template for their YouTube Short. With the help of Filmora, you can easily create professional-looking YouTube Shorts that stand out and capture your audience’s attention.

Also read: