Pro Setup On A Budget?

G

Germaine Liew

Member
So I want to have a pro setup like the big YouTubers do.I have a Samsung ST150F Smart camera which can film HD,a good editing PC and thats it.I currently cant afford a DSLR and Im on a tight budget because of my age(14 years old)

I dont want to go too pro.I just want a decent setup.What can I make with a small budget and the things I currently have?
 
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Germaine Liew said:
So I want to have a pro setup like the big YouTubers do.I have a Samsung ST150F Smart camera which can film HD,a good editing PC and thats it.I currently cant afford a DSLR and Im on a tight budget because of my age(14 years old)

I dont want to go too pro.I just want a decent setup.What can I make with a small budget and the things I currently have?
Click to expand...
What kinds of videos do you do, if I may ask? Do you do news, vlogs, etc.....
 
First off all you might want to look into doing your audio next. Getting a decent external microphone is paramount to making videos. People are way more turned off by bad audio than bad video, so I would definitely start there. I have no idea of what your budget are but some of the popular budget option are:

  • Blue Microphones Snowball USB Microphone
  • Audio Technica AT2020 USB Microphone
  • Zoom H1 Handyrecorder
  • Røde SmartLav
  • Audio Technica ATR3350 Lavalier Microphone
The two USB microphones are probably the cheapest solution, but they do need a computer to record, which can introduce some extra noise (if your computer is not noise reduced).

The Zoom H1 use battery so it can be used without a computer, and is connected to a computer via usb. It can also be used as a USB microphone. You can also insert a mini-jack microphone into the Zoom H1, which makes it possible to buy another microphone to later, like the Audio Technica ATR3350 lavalier microphone.

The Røde SmartLav is a lavalier microphone that connects to your smartphone, which is really smart, but I have been having some problems with mine and Android phone. Røde have an iOS app and it's not available on Android.

The Audio Technica ATR3350 lavalier microphone is a more traditional microphone that uses a normal TRS mini-jack connector. It needs a recorder like the Zoom H1 though.

After audio I would look into lighting and a tripod for the camera for a more steady shot.

Hope this helps you on your way :)
 
Germaine Liew said:
So I want to have a pro setup like the big YouTubers do.I have a Samsung ST150F Smart camera which can film HD,a good editing PC and thats it.I currently cant afford a DSLR and Im on a tight budget because of my age(14 years old)

I dont want to go too pro.I just want a decent setup.What can I make with a small budget and the things I currently have?
Click to expand...

Can you tell us the exact amount of your budget so we can find the right thing for you?
Right now though, I advise you to buy some clamp lights from home depot or walmart for good lighting and buy a mic that's in your budget.
 
Germaine Liew said:
Well mostly tech review videos.
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I would suggest maybe thinking about getting a camera that has 720p+ video recording capabilities as well as a 3.5mm input jack for a shotgun plug-in microphone (needs to have both the 3.5mm jack and a place on top of it for holding the microphone.)
I know you did say you can't afford a DSLR, but there are some cheap ones that take excellent HD video and it might be worth taking a look at them.
Some good, cheap (HD-Capable) options with a 3.5mm jack and Shotgun support would be:
  • Nikon D3200 [$480]
  • Nikon D5100 [$520] (I would recommend this particular camera if you wish to have a swivelling screen to see yourself when you record)
  • Canon EOS Rebel T3i [$580] (Also has a swivel-screen, and takes slightly smoother video [Colour-wise] as compared to both the D3200 and the D5100)
All three are also fantastic to take pictures with as well, and I highly recommend them for that purpose, too.

Now there's also the option of a camcorder.
These (more often than not) are better suited to take video, and a fair amount of decent ones do support a 3.5mm Shotgun Microphone.
There are some limitations with camcorders, including the inability to buy different lenses for different recording settings, but at the same time, they can be a lot cheaper and a better option if you are ONLY looking to take video. However, sometimes DSLR's produce sharper video quality, so it all depends on which DSLR you purchase or what camcorder you purchase.
I'm more of an expert on DSLR's though, so I'll leave it for someone else to find some decent camcorders with Shotgun Support for the microphone I'm going to suggest.

The best microphone that I can think of that will be both cheap and ideal for recording Tech Reviews and really improving upon the built-in quality of any camera would be the Rode VideoMic or the Rode VideoMic Pro.

Differences between the VideoMic and the VideoMic Pro:
VideoMic [Good Things]:
  • Cheaper
  • Basically the same audio quality as the Pro
  • Lengthy, Bulky (but not too bulky) Cord
VideoMic [Cons]:
  • Heavier
  • More flimsy on shock mount, causes rubbing of cord on occasion
  • Does not include an extra 2oDB boost option
VideoMic PRO [Good Things]
  • Same Audio Quality as VideoMic, so you wouldn't be losing anything there
  • Lighter, smaller
  • Not flimsy on the shock mount, so no problems with the cord rubbing while recording.
  • 20DB Audio Boost Option. This allows for a more dynamic sound range, which is ideal for certain recording settings. The Boost option does not seem to be too bad indoors when it comes to extra noise pickup (hissing, crackling, etc..), so that's always a plus.
VideoMic PRO [Cons]
  • More expensive ($30-$75 more)
  • Light, Flimsy Cord
Both options are great, you just need to decide which one is in your price range and if the PRO is worth the extra money.
 
Joel Is InstantGS said:
I would suggest maybe thinking about getting a camera that has 720p+ video recording capabilities as well as a 3.5mm input jack for a shotgun plug-in microphone (needs to have both the 3.5mm jack and a place on top of it for holding the microphone.)
I know you did say you can't afford a DSLR, but there are some cheap ones that take excellent HD video and it might be worth taking a look at them.
Some good, cheap (HD-Capable) options with a 3.5mm jack and Shotgun support would be:
  • Nikon D3200 [$480]
  • Nikon D5100 [$520] (I would recommend this particular camera if you wish to have a swivelling screen to see yourself when you record)
  • Canon EOS Rebel T3i [$580] (Also has a swivel-screen, and takes slightly smoother video [Colour-wise] as compared to both the D3200 and the D5100)
All three are also fantastic to take pictures with as well, and I highly recommend them for that purpose, too.

Now there's also the option of a camcorder.
These (more often than not) are better suited to take video, and a fair amount of decent ones do support a 3.5mm Shotgun Microphone.
There are some limitations with camcorders, including the inability to buy different lenses for different recording settings, but at the same time, they can be a lot cheaper and a better option if you are ONLY looking to take video. However, sometimes DSLR's produce sharper video quality, so it all depends on which DSLR you purchase or what camcorder you purchase.
I'm more of an expert on DSLR's though, so I'll leave it for someone else to find some decent camcorders with Shotgun Support for the microphone I'm going to suggest.

The best microphone that I can think of that will be both cheap and ideal for recording Tech Reviews and really improving upon the built-in quality of any camera would be the Rode VideoMic or the Rode VideoMic Pro.

Differences between the VideoMic and the VideoMic Pro:
VideoMic [Good Things]:
  • Cheaper
  • Basically the same audio quality as the Pro
  • Lengthy, Bulky (but not too bulky) Cord
VideoMic [Cons]:
  • Heavier
  • More flimsy on shock mount, causes rubbing of cord on occasion
  • Does not include an extra 2oDB boost option
VideoMic PRO [Good Things]
  • Same Audio Quality as VideoMic, so you wouldn't be losing anything there
  • Lighter, smaller
  • Not flimsy on the shock mount, so no problems with the cord rubbing while recording.
  • 20DB Audio Boost Option. This allows for a more dynamic sound range, which is ideal for certain recording settings. The Boost option does not seem to be too bad indoors when it comes to extra noise pickup (hissing, crackling, etc..), so that's always a plus.
VideoMic PRO [Cons]
  • More expensive ($30-$75 more)
  • Light, Flimsy Cord
Both options are great, you just need to decide which one is in your price range and if the PRO is worth the extra money.
Click to expand...
The T3i is $580? Last time I checked, it was $800.
 
Currently Im limited up to a $150USD(I tried the conversion rate typo).I already have a tripod for my camera.I might get a cheap lamp.Not sure about budget yet though.
 
AlienRock said:
The T3i is $580? Last time I checked, it was $800.
Click to expand...
Well the camera has been out for over 2 years, now, as has the D5100, and both have dropped significantly in price since then.

I searched up the prices on the official websites of both cameras to make sure everything was correct.
 
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