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CAMERAS
Canon 6d Mark II – This is singlehandedly the best camera for both video and photo that does not break the bank. Top bloggers and content creators typically use $3000-$4000 cameras like the full frame Canon 5d Mark IV. If you want a full-frame camera that captures both photo and video while having the quality that top-tier influencer’s have, then this is the camera that you need in your arsenal. It’s great with low light, has very little noise and if you’re willing to spend $1300, you can get the camera, battery grip (for longer battery use), extra batteries, backpack, extra SD cars, a selfie stick / stabilizer and MORE all here.
Canon G7X – Now if $1300 is just completely out of your budget, I would recommend settling on the Canon G7X, the camera that is most known for being the go-to vlogging camera on YouTube but also a really awesome camera for photo as well. While it won’t get you the same dynamic range and quality as a full-frame camera, the camera is still absolutely amazing and for $649, it’s the perfect option when you are just starting out. You can check it out here.
Yes I know the above photos are edited differently but as you can see the Canon 6d Mark II quality is great even though it’s a much cheaper camera.
LENS
Canon EF 50MM Lens – The best gift that Canon could give is this high-quality 50mm lens because it’s only $150. No seriously — most lens at this cost are terrible. But Canon came through and overdelivered and their 50 mm lens still remains one of their most popular lens due to the quality and extremely low cost. (Lenses easily start at $700+). This lens is perfect because it’s just an overall diverse lens. For one, humans typically look good in it as there isn’t much lens distortion making your face look extra long or round. The other thing is that I’ve used it for street photography, taking photos of products, I film practically every single YouTube video with it. It’s like perfect. Click here to get yours.
CANON EF-S 18-135MM F/3.5-5.6 IS USM – Following the Canon 50mm lens, I recommend the canon EF-S zoom lens for it’s versatility and excellent price. Unlike the 50mm prime lens, with this zoom lens you can film in super tight spaces and capture shots at a distance.
AUDIO
There is nothing more disappointing than having bad audio. No seriously — your audience will be annoyed with you for it, and it reflects your value when it comes to brand sponsorships. Brands will often pay you less or not reach out at all if your audio sucks.
Sennheiser Wireless Mic Pack – This is the mic pack that I use 99% of the time because 99% of the time I’m either filming in a room where there is a lot of echo or I am filming at a coffee shop or any other place with a lot of talking. If you want to be able to capture video in public, you will NEED this mic pack. The great thing is that the little mic you can easily clip and hide under your hair if you don’t want it seen on camera. But overall, there really is no other option because regular mic’s that sit on your camera will typically catch everything.
Rode Video Mic Pro – This was the first microphone I ever owned. Now that I own the wireless mic pack, the only time I use the Video Mic Pro is if I’m filming a video with multiple people especially if it’s a vlog. But basically this mic sits at the top of your camera and plugs up in the back. It’s super easy to use and doesn’t nearly cost as much as the Sennheiser. And while having it is typically better than nothing, it still won’t save you if you’re filming in is just atrocious when it comes to sound.
LIGHTING
Ring Light – While natural light is my favorite light, I think everybody could use a good ring light. When you put the ring light in front of you even when the light is pouring in from the window, it just ads a professional seal over your videos. When you don’t have much light (or any at all), you’re still able to create content. This light is perfect — especially if you film at night. For most people they find that just a ring light alone solves the majority of their lighting issues. Grab yours here.
Accessories
Neewer Stabilizer – If you’re filming video and you’re going to be doing any sort of vlogging, panning, or moving the camera to capture any b-roll, please use a stabilizer. Wobbly footage that looks like it was captured under water is not cute. It makes your viewers dizzy, and then it’s hard for me to convey to a brand WHY they need to pay you more money, if your videos are stabilized. The good news is you can get a pretty decent stabilizer for $74.
Manfrotto Tripod – So I know it can be tempting to cut corners on your tripod to save a few bucks. But the truth is, if you’re going to spend some moolah on your camera and your lens, you don’t want to get a cheap tripod that one day snaps and breaks your gear (it almost happened to me). Cheap tripods that are $10 – $20 fail ALL the time. And over time you will find yourself spending way more money replacing cheap ones than just investing into one from a reputable manufacturer. I love Manfrotto Tripod’s but mine was $150. Most people don’t want to pay $150 so I recommend getting the $59 Manfrotto Tripod because anything Manfrotto is bound to be quality as they’re the leaders in this space. Click here to check it out!
Manfrotto Mini Tripod – The Manfrotto Mini Tripod, approximately 8 inches tall, is perfect for when you don’t have a big budget but know you need a tripod AND a stabilizer. The Manfrotto Mini Tripod is a desktop tripod but because of it’s small stature, it also makes a great stabilizer when you’re filming video. You just sit the camera on the tripod and hold the tripod whil you’re vlogging or taking b-roll. While it’s not perfect, it’s better than if you were to hold the camera yourself. Just remember to pan slowllllyyyyy. I typically use this camera when I’m hopping on Facebook Live (yup you can get a phone clip for this baby to hold your iphone), or when I am vlogging by myself and just want to sit the tripod somewhere while I film me going about and doing my thang.
And ofcourse a cute backpack to carry all of your equipment in when you’re traveling. (I prefer backpacks over other camera carriers simply bc it’s just easier to carry. There are backpacks made for camera’s but I just get whatever.)
