Newbies’ Ultimate YouTube Gear Handbook

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

Maximizing Classroom Impact: Best YouTube Practices for Educators

Tips for Teachers Using YouTube in Classroom

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube has not only provided an incredible source of entertainment for millions of people around the globe, but also it has opened up an avenue for great learning resources in the form of educational videos.

Teachers from all around the world can now create video lessons and share with their students not only in their respective learning institutions but also with other students located miles away in other countries.

If you want to make a teaching video by your own, you should try Wondershare Filmora . Besides the basic video editing features, like trimming, cutting, splitting, rotating, and cropping, it allows you to capture your PC screen, composite a green screen video, blur objects and faces in video and more. What’s more, Filmora is a good choice for making a YouTube intro. Check the video below to see how to make it.

• Benefits for Using YouTube in Classroom
• Tips for Teachers Using YouTube in Classroom
• How to discover the best educational videos on YouTube

Benefits for Using YouTube in Classroom

The benefits of using YouTube in the classroom are immense and they include but are not limited to the following:

Global connection

YouTube makes it possible for teachers to share their lessons with millions of potential students located in different parts of the world, something which was unthinkable with the traditional modes of teaching a few years ago. Teachers can now collaborate, connect and innovate with a multitude of students in ways that were never imagined before by employing the power of YouTube.

Enhances the comprehension of complex topics

Certain subjects are technical in nature and teachers usually have a hard time explaining them to the students. By using YouTube in the classroom, teachers are an a better position to offer clear and easy to understand illustrations which will in turn demystify the tough concepts and make it easy for students to understand and comprehend complex topics.

Creates more engagement from students

Learning primarily comprises of audio and visual components. Unlike traditional modes of teaching where the teacher offered explanation and the students are expected to take notes, videos are more engaging and has the power to make students stay more alert, thus increase their chances of absorbing the lesions and getting most from the subjects.

Ideal for slow learners

When using YouTube in the classroom, the teacher has full control on the pace of learning and this is ideal for taking of both the fast and slow learners. In case a student finds a concept being explained too fast, they can simply request the part to be replayed or it can be slowed down to play at a pace that will be easy for them to grasp.

One teacher, multiple classrooms

The other benefit of using YouTube in the classroom is that after a teacher prepares his learning videos, they get the flexibility using the video in more than just one classroom. It also makes it easy for them when they are away and they need to attend classes. All they have to do is to use the prerecorded video lesions so that they don’t entirely miss out on classes.

Tips for Using YouTube in Classroom

For teachers and tutors, there are various ways of using YouTube in the classroom. These methods offer the flexibility to both the teachers and the students to give and understand lessons respectively. Here are some of the ways for teachers to use YouTube in classrooms-:

1. Trigger unique and interesting discussions– teachers using YouTube in the classrooms can trigger interesting and unique discussions amongst their students. The teachers can use relevant videos on news reports, documentaries, current affairs and much more to get the student opinions and gauge the impact of the learning on the students.
2. Access high quality education materials for free – using YouTube in classroom also makes it possible to teachers to access high quality learning materials for free. This is especially important when teaching on tough subjects or when reviewing for exams.
3. Short clips to put a topic in context – there are documentary channels such as National Geographic, BBC and Channel 4 amongst others where teachers can obtain and play short clips to put the subject matter into proper context for the students.
4. Archive your work– use videos to keep a clean and neat record of the various lessons thus making it easy for current and future students to access them with ease.
5. Review for exams – when exams are just about the corner, videos become very effective in helping the student to refresh their minds on tough topics that might require a lot of time to review during exams.
6. Flip lessons– flipped learning is taking strong roots in most of the learning institutions and it becomes easy and efficient when using videos in the classroom.
7. Teach when you are absent – instead of missing class or having a guest teacher to stand in for you, you can simply record the lesson on your YouTube channel or simply give out instructions for the students to follow when you are away.
8. Allow students to gain in-depth information– by using YouTube in classroom, teachers are essentially allowing their students to dig deeper and comprehend the lessons better.
9. Help the struggling students – videos are great for the slow learners since they can rewind or play it at their own pace.
10. Create a YouTube Channel – this is to contain all the videos relevant to a particular subject or lesion for current and future students.

How to discover the best educational videos on YouTube

YouTube is awash with millions of videos and it is imperative that you know how to search for and discover the best education videos. Below are a few tips to help you along the way-:

You may also like: Videos to Share in the Classroom >>

• Look for videos not longer than 10 minutes – these are the most ideal since longer videos might make students lose their attention and miss out on the lesions.
• Search channels by subjects so that you end up with the most relevant videos.
• Before you show the videos to the students, be sure to watch them all through so that you gauge if it has the relevant materials you wanted the students to learn.
• Rather than doing a general search, concentrate on the channels from respectable sources since this wills save you a lot of time of going through the junk.
• Don’t search for videos to replace your lessons, but instead, search for video that will complement your lesions.

Conclusion

Using YouTube in the classroom has brought a lot of efficiency to both the teachers and the students. Teachers can now access millions of students around the globe by using YT videos and students can also get a lot of detailed information, some on technical topics that would normally take a long time to comprehend. Whereas it is a relatively new concept for most teachers, it can only be expected that it will be embraced by many people and enhance the learning process in our schools, provided that the right learning videos are recorded or accessed from the pool already present in YouTube.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube has not only provided an incredible source of entertainment for millions of people around the globe, but also it has opened up an avenue for great learning resources in the form of educational videos.

Teachers from all around the world can now create video lessons and share with their students not only in their respective learning institutions but also with other students located miles away in other countries.

If you want to make a teaching video by your own, you should try Wondershare Filmora . Besides the basic video editing features, like trimming, cutting, splitting, rotating, and cropping, it allows you to capture your PC screen, composite a green screen video, blur objects and faces in video and more. What’s more, Filmora is a good choice for making a YouTube intro. Check the video below to see how to make it.

• Benefits for Using YouTube in Classroom
• Tips for Teachers Using YouTube in Classroom
• How to discover the best educational videos on YouTube

Benefits for Using YouTube in Classroom

The benefits of using YouTube in the classroom are immense and they include but are not limited to the following:

Global connection

YouTube makes it possible for teachers to share their lessons with millions of potential students located in different parts of the world, something which was unthinkable with the traditional modes of teaching a few years ago. Teachers can now collaborate, connect and innovate with a multitude of students in ways that were never imagined before by employing the power of YouTube.

Enhances the comprehension of complex topics

Certain subjects are technical in nature and teachers usually have a hard time explaining them to the students. By using YouTube in the classroom, teachers are an a better position to offer clear and easy to understand illustrations which will in turn demystify the tough concepts and make it easy for students to understand and comprehend complex topics.

Creates more engagement from students

Learning primarily comprises of audio and visual components. Unlike traditional modes of teaching where the teacher offered explanation and the students are expected to take notes, videos are more engaging and has the power to make students stay more alert, thus increase their chances of absorbing the lesions and getting most from the subjects.

Ideal for slow learners

When using YouTube in the classroom, the teacher has full control on the pace of learning and this is ideal for taking of both the fast and slow learners. In case a student finds a concept being explained too fast, they can simply request the part to be replayed or it can be slowed down to play at a pace that will be easy for them to grasp.

One teacher, multiple classrooms

The other benefit of using YouTube in the classroom is that after a teacher prepares his learning videos, they get the flexibility using the video in more than just one classroom. It also makes it easy for them when they are away and they need to attend classes. All they have to do is to use the prerecorded video lesions so that they don’t entirely miss out on classes.

Tips for Using YouTube in Classroom

For teachers and tutors, there are various ways of using YouTube in the classroom. These methods offer the flexibility to both the teachers and the students to give and understand lessons respectively. Here are some of the ways for teachers to use YouTube in classrooms-:

1. Trigger unique and interesting discussions– teachers using YouTube in the classrooms can trigger interesting and unique discussions amongst their students. The teachers can use relevant videos on news reports, documentaries, current affairs and much more to get the student opinions and gauge the impact of the learning on the students.
2. Access high quality education materials for free – using YouTube in classroom also makes it possible to teachers to access high quality learning materials for free. This is especially important when teaching on tough subjects or when reviewing for exams.
3. Short clips to put a topic in context – there are documentary channels such as National Geographic, BBC and Channel 4 amongst others where teachers can obtain and play short clips to put the subject matter into proper context for the students.
4. Archive your work– use videos to keep a clean and neat record of the various lessons thus making it easy for current and future students to access them with ease.
5. Review for exams – when exams are just about the corner, videos become very effective in helping the student to refresh their minds on tough topics that might require a lot of time to review during exams.
6. Flip lessons– flipped learning is taking strong roots in most of the learning institutions and it becomes easy and efficient when using videos in the classroom.
7. Teach when you are absent – instead of missing class or having a guest teacher to stand in for you, you can simply record the lesson on your YouTube channel or simply give out instructions for the students to follow when you are away.
8. Allow students to gain in-depth information– by using YouTube in classroom, teachers are essentially allowing their students to dig deeper and comprehend the lessons better.
9. Help the struggling students – videos are great for the slow learners since they can rewind or play it at their own pace.
10. Create a YouTube Channel – this is to contain all the videos relevant to a particular subject or lesion for current and future students.

How to discover the best educational videos on YouTube

YouTube is awash with millions of videos and it is imperative that you know how to search for and discover the best education videos. Below are a few tips to help you along the way-:

You may also like: Videos to Share in the Classroom >>

• Look for videos not longer than 10 minutes – these are the most ideal since longer videos might make students lose their attention and miss out on the lesions.
• Search channels by subjects so that you end up with the most relevant videos.
• Before you show the videos to the students, be sure to watch them all through so that you gauge if it has the relevant materials you wanted the students to learn.
• Rather than doing a general search, concentrate on the channels from respectable sources since this wills save you a lot of time of going through the junk.
• Don’t search for videos to replace your lessons, but instead, search for video that will complement your lesions.

Conclusion

Using YouTube in the classroom has brought a lot of efficiency to both the teachers and the students. Teachers can now access millions of students around the globe by using YT videos and students can also get a lot of detailed information, some on technical topics that would normally take a long time to comprehend. Whereas it is a relatively new concept for most teachers, it can only be expected that it will be embraced by many people and enhance the learning process in our schools, provided that the right learning videos are recorded or accessed from the pool already present in YouTube.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube has not only provided an incredible source of entertainment for millions of people around the globe, but also it has opened up an avenue for great learning resources in the form of educational videos.

Teachers from all around the world can now create video lessons and share with their students not only in their respective learning institutions but also with other students located miles away in other countries.

If you want to make a teaching video by your own, you should try Wondershare Filmora . Besides the basic video editing features, like trimming, cutting, splitting, rotating, and cropping, it allows you to capture your PC screen, composite a green screen video, blur objects and faces in video and more. What’s more, Filmora is a good choice for making a YouTube intro. Check the video below to see how to make it.

• Benefits for Using YouTube in Classroom
• Tips for Teachers Using YouTube in Classroom
• How to discover the best educational videos on YouTube

Benefits for Using YouTube in Classroom

The benefits of using YouTube in the classroom are immense and they include but are not limited to the following:

Global connection

YouTube makes it possible for teachers to share their lessons with millions of potential students located in different parts of the world, something which was unthinkable with the traditional modes of teaching a few years ago. Teachers can now collaborate, connect and innovate with a multitude of students in ways that were never imagined before by employing the power of YouTube.

Enhances the comprehension of complex topics

Certain subjects are technical in nature and teachers usually have a hard time explaining them to the students. By using YouTube in the classroom, teachers are an a better position to offer clear and easy to understand illustrations which will in turn demystify the tough concepts and make it easy for students to understand and comprehend complex topics.

Creates more engagement from students

Learning primarily comprises of audio and visual components. Unlike traditional modes of teaching where the teacher offered explanation and the students are expected to take notes, videos are more engaging and has the power to make students stay more alert, thus increase their chances of absorbing the lesions and getting most from the subjects.

Ideal for slow learners

When using YouTube in the classroom, the teacher has full control on the pace of learning and this is ideal for taking of both the fast and slow learners. In case a student finds a concept being explained too fast, they can simply request the part to be replayed or it can be slowed down to play at a pace that will be easy for them to grasp.

One teacher, multiple classrooms

The other benefit of using YouTube in the classroom is that after a teacher prepares his learning videos, they get the flexibility using the video in more than just one classroom. It also makes it easy for them when they are away and they need to attend classes. All they have to do is to use the prerecorded video lesions so that they don’t entirely miss out on classes.

Tips for Using YouTube in Classroom

For teachers and tutors, there are various ways of using YouTube in the classroom. These methods offer the flexibility to both the teachers and the students to give and understand lessons respectively. Here are some of the ways for teachers to use YouTube in classrooms-:

1. Trigger unique and interesting discussions– teachers using YouTube in the classrooms can trigger interesting and unique discussions amongst their students. The teachers can use relevant videos on news reports, documentaries, current affairs and much more to get the student opinions and gauge the impact of the learning on the students.
2. Access high quality education materials for free – using YouTube in classroom also makes it possible to teachers to access high quality learning materials for free. This is especially important when teaching on tough subjects or when reviewing for exams.
3. Short clips to put a topic in context – there are documentary channels such as National Geographic, BBC and Channel 4 amongst others where teachers can obtain and play short clips to put the subject matter into proper context for the students.
4. Archive your work– use videos to keep a clean and neat record of the various lessons thus making it easy for current and future students to access them with ease.
5. Review for exams – when exams are just about the corner, videos become very effective in helping the student to refresh their minds on tough topics that might require a lot of time to review during exams.
6. Flip lessons– flipped learning is taking strong roots in most of the learning institutions and it becomes easy and efficient when using videos in the classroom.
7. Teach when you are absent – instead of missing class or having a guest teacher to stand in for you, you can simply record the lesson on your YouTube channel or simply give out instructions for the students to follow when you are away.
8. Allow students to gain in-depth information– by using YouTube in classroom, teachers are essentially allowing their students to dig deeper and comprehend the lessons better.
9. Help the struggling students – videos are great for the slow learners since they can rewind or play it at their own pace.
10. Create a YouTube Channel – this is to contain all the videos relevant to a particular subject or lesion for current and future students.

How to discover the best educational videos on YouTube

YouTube is awash with millions of videos and it is imperative that you know how to search for and discover the best education videos. Below are a few tips to help you along the way-:

You may also like: Videos to Share in the Classroom >>

• Look for videos not longer than 10 minutes – these are the most ideal since longer videos might make students lose their attention and miss out on the lesions.
• Search channels by subjects so that you end up with the most relevant videos.
• Before you show the videos to the students, be sure to watch them all through so that you gauge if it has the relevant materials you wanted the students to learn.
• Rather than doing a general search, concentrate on the channels from respectable sources since this wills save you a lot of time of going through the junk.
• Don’t search for videos to replace your lessons, but instead, search for video that will complement your lesions.

Conclusion

Using YouTube in the classroom has brought a lot of efficiency to both the teachers and the students. Teachers can now access millions of students around the globe by using YT videos and students can also get a lot of detailed information, some on technical topics that would normally take a long time to comprehend. Whereas it is a relatively new concept for most teachers, it can only be expected that it will be embraced by many people and enhance the learning process in our schools, provided that the right learning videos are recorded or accessed from the pool already present in YouTube.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

YouTube has not only provided an incredible source of entertainment for millions of people around the globe, but also it has opened up an avenue for great learning resources in the form of educational videos.

Teachers from all around the world can now create video lessons and share with their students not only in their respective learning institutions but also with other students located miles away in other countries.

If you want to make a teaching video by your own, you should try Wondershare Filmora . Besides the basic video editing features, like trimming, cutting, splitting, rotating, and cropping, it allows you to capture your PC screen, composite a green screen video, blur objects and faces in video and more. What’s more, Filmora is a good choice for making a YouTube intro. Check the video below to see how to make it.

• Benefits for Using YouTube in Classroom
• Tips for Teachers Using YouTube in Classroom
• How to discover the best educational videos on YouTube

Benefits for Using YouTube in Classroom

The benefits of using YouTube in the classroom are immense and they include but are not limited to the following:

Global connection

YouTube makes it possible for teachers to share their lessons with millions of potential students located in different parts of the world, something which was unthinkable with the traditional modes of teaching a few years ago. Teachers can now collaborate, connect and innovate with a multitude of students in ways that were never imagined before by employing the power of YouTube.

Enhances the comprehension of complex topics

Certain subjects are technical in nature and teachers usually have a hard time explaining them to the students. By using YouTube in the classroom, teachers are an a better position to offer clear and easy to understand illustrations which will in turn demystify the tough concepts and make it easy for students to understand and comprehend complex topics.

Creates more engagement from students

Learning primarily comprises of audio and visual components. Unlike traditional modes of teaching where the teacher offered explanation and the students are expected to take notes, videos are more engaging and has the power to make students stay more alert, thus increase their chances of absorbing the lesions and getting most from the subjects.

Ideal for slow learners

When using YouTube in the classroom, the teacher has full control on the pace of learning and this is ideal for taking of both the fast and slow learners. In case a student finds a concept being explained too fast, they can simply request the part to be replayed or it can be slowed down to play at a pace that will be easy for them to grasp.

One teacher, multiple classrooms

The other benefit of using YouTube in the classroom is that after a teacher prepares his learning videos, they get the flexibility using the video in more than just one classroom. It also makes it easy for them when they are away and they need to attend classes. All they have to do is to use the prerecorded video lesions so that they don’t entirely miss out on classes.

Tips for Using YouTube in Classroom

For teachers and tutors, there are various ways of using YouTube in the classroom. These methods offer the flexibility to both the teachers and the students to give and understand lessons respectively. Here are some of the ways for teachers to use YouTube in classrooms-:

1. Trigger unique and interesting discussions– teachers using YouTube in the classrooms can trigger interesting and unique discussions amongst their students. The teachers can use relevant videos on news reports, documentaries, current affairs and much more to get the student opinions and gauge the impact of the learning on the students.
2. Access high quality education materials for free – using YouTube in classroom also makes it possible to teachers to access high quality learning materials for free. This is especially important when teaching on tough subjects or when reviewing for exams.
3. Short clips to put a topic in context – there are documentary channels such as National Geographic, BBC and Channel 4 amongst others where teachers can obtain and play short clips to put the subject matter into proper context for the students.
4. Archive your work– use videos to keep a clean and neat record of the various lessons thus making it easy for current and future students to access them with ease.
5. Review for exams – when exams are just about the corner, videos become very effective in helping the student to refresh their minds on tough topics that might require a lot of time to review during exams.
6. Flip lessons– flipped learning is taking strong roots in most of the learning institutions and it becomes easy and efficient when using videos in the classroom.
7. Teach when you are absent – instead of missing class or having a guest teacher to stand in for you, you can simply record the lesson on your YouTube channel or simply give out instructions for the students to follow when you are away.
8. Allow students to gain in-depth information– by using YouTube in classroom, teachers are essentially allowing their students to dig deeper and comprehend the lessons better.
9. Help the struggling students – videos are great for the slow learners since they can rewind or play it at their own pace.
10. Create a YouTube Channel – this is to contain all the videos relevant to a particular subject or lesion for current and future students.

How to discover the best educational videos on YouTube

YouTube is awash with millions of videos and it is imperative that you know how to search for and discover the best education videos. Below are a few tips to help you along the way-:

You may also like: Videos to Share in the Classroom >>

• Look for videos not longer than 10 minutes – these are the most ideal since longer videos might make students lose their attention and miss out on the lesions.
• Search channels by subjects so that you end up with the most relevant videos.
• Before you show the videos to the students, be sure to watch them all through so that you gauge if it has the relevant materials you wanted the students to learn.
• Rather than doing a general search, concentrate on the channels from respectable sources since this wills save you a lot of time of going through the junk.
• Don’t search for videos to replace your lessons, but instead, search for video that will complement your lesions.

Conclusion

Using YouTube in the classroom has brought a lot of efficiency to both the teachers and the students. Teachers can now access millions of students around the globe by using YT videos and students can also get a lot of detailed information, some on technical topics that would normally take a long time to comprehend. Whereas it is a relatively new concept for most teachers, it can only be expected that it will be embraced by many people and enhance the learning process in our schools, provided that the right learning videos are recorded or accessed from the pool already present in YouTube.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Also read: