Creating YouTube videos is like any kind of filmmaking. You need a good idea, the motivation to see it through, and of course, a camera. But from your smartphone to Hollywood cinema cameras, the market is flooded with great-quality video cameras. How do you know which one to get? What makes a good camera good, and why do you need it? Let’s dive in to learn how to choose equipment.

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Why you need a good camera

YouTube is, unsurprisingly, a visual platform. And the standard of videos you could be competing against is very high. With full-time YouTubers working out of dedicated studios with professional lighting and camera setups, it can be daunting when your video content doesn’t look as good. But it’s important to remember that if you have a strong idea at the core of your channel, you don’t need absolute-top-of-the-range equipment to make your content.

However, having cheap equipment can make your videos stand out for all the wrong reasons. With so many excellent quality cameras available on the market, it’s difficult to justify only making videos with your phone. Let’s take a look at the kind of considerations you should make when choosing the best camera for YouTube videos.

How to choose the best camera

Firstly, think about the kinds of videos you are making and how you will make them. If you are filming extreme sports videos like skiing, snowboarding and mountain biking, it’s unlikely you will want something big and cumbersome that will break the moment you take it outside.

On the other hand, if you are filming detailed close-up work of your arts and crafts project, you will want a camera that can handle a detailed studio setup rather than a wide angle lens.

Look out for resolution. Are you happy shooting in standard HD, which for the most part will be fine for people watching videos on their mobile, or do you want the highest quality video possible? In that case, look for a camera that shoots in 4K. Audiences will love it as they will be able to watch it on 4K screens and it will look great. Working with 4K files when editing can slow the computer down a bit, but the end results are well worth it.

If you want to shoot lots of slow-motion videos, check out frame rates. The higher the frame rate the better the slow-motion results will be, and some YouTubers have carved out a successful career specializing in ultra slow-mo video content.

But chances are that you will just be looking for something that shoots high-quality video on a reasonable budget. In that case your main priority will be finding the right price point. Find something that works for you in terms of budget, size, and factor in any other pieces of kit you might need to get such as microphones and lights.

Use VideoStudio Pro to edit your videos

Once you have chosen your camera and shot your footage, it’s time to edit. When using a high quality camera you will want to make the most out of your footage, so using a professional video editing software like VideoStudio Pro will be able to give your content that high quality sheen you need to stand out from the crowd.

As well as editing and trimming, VideoStudio Pro gives you the option to mix music, design and animate motion graphics and titles, add captions, add transitions and effects, and apply color filters to your footage to make it look even more premium and cinematic.

A camera on its own won't make a video good

Remember that a high-quality camera and a good video editing software are just tools. They can help your videos look great, but they won’t make the videos for you. A good-quality camera is meaningless without a good story to film, so make sure you are paying close attention to the message and use equipment to support that, not the other way round.

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