DISCLOSURE: THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. THIS MEANS I WILL MAKE A SMALL COMMISSION IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE A PURCHASE, AT NO COST TO YOU.
I’ve had a ton of questions about what I use to film my YouTube videos, so today I am breaking down my entire affordable YouTube setup. If you are interested in editing/other topics regarding videos, let me know in the comments. Also, if you aren’t already subscribed, click here to subscribe to my channel!
AFFORDABLE YOUTUBE SETUP
First up, let’s start with my camera. I have had my Nikon D5600 DSLR since 2017. This was my biggest (and best) investment when it comes to my YouTube channel. I personally think that camera quality takes your video to the next level. One major plus for this camera: the onboard audio is great! Fun fact – I don’t use a microphone for my videos! I only utilize the onboard audio, and I think the audio quality is amazing! However, if you want to use an external microphone, you can easily plug it into the camera! I also use this camera whenever I have to shoot high quality campaign photos for Instagram or my blog. Along with the camera, I am linking my tripod and spare batteries. If you listen to anything I say in this post, always keep an extra battery!
- Camera – I have the 55mm lens
- Tripod
- Extra battery – pro tip: always keep a backup battery
Next up: lighting. I think lighting is extremely important, but good lighting can be achieved at a reasonable price. You do not need $1,000+ lighting to achieve a high quality video. When I first started, I utilized natural light, and I set my camera up right in front of a window. The downside to this is that your filming schedule is dependent on the weather, which is constantly changing. That’s when I decided to upgrade my lighting. I have two soft boxes on either side of me and a ring light right in front. Additionally, I have a light behind me (pro tip: background light is a game-changer). For my background light, I use a lamp with an LED bulb! The one thing that I would change about my lighting is that I wish my ring light was dimmable. I linked the dimmable version of my light below.
Last up, I am rounding up the items that are not 100% necessary, but they make my life way easier. I think my favorite new edition to my setup is my computer monitor. I plug the monitor into my camera via an HDMI cable. This allows me to see if I’m in focus, if something is out of place, etc. I spent the first year and a half using the viewfinder that comes on the camera. The monitor is way larger than the viewfinder, and it has stepped up my filming game! Another item that has been a huge help is my tabletop mirror! This may be TMI….. I can’t tell you how many times I finished filming a video only to realize that I had a booger in my nose the entire time!!! THE WORST HAHA! I keep this mirror super close to my face to constantly check for any obvious imperfections throughout filming. I am also linking up my desk, backdrop stand, and a similar chair.
One tip for backdrop fabric: get stretchy material, such as spandex. It prevents any creasing in the material. I also linked the clamps I use to attach the fabric to the stand.
- Monitor – the monitor I use is an old monitor my parents had, but I linked an affordable option
- Monitor-to-camera cable – this may differ depending on the camera you use
- Tabletop mirror
- Desk – I love this one because it hides cables and is easy to clean!
- Backdrop stand
- Backdrop clamps
- Backdrop fabric
- Chair – I got mine from HomeGoods, but I linked a similar one
I hope you enjoy this behind the scenes look into my filming setup! Let me know if you have any other questions regarding YouTube, editing, etc!