[FAQ]

Hey,

I’m finally taking the plunge and starting my own YouTube channel. I’ve got my first few video ideas ready to go, but I’m completely stuck on the gear.

I have a pretty new smartphone that shoots in 4K, and it seems really convenient. But then I see other creators with those big DSLR cameras, and their video just has that professional, cinematic look with the blurry background that I love.

As a total beginner, is it worth investing hundreds of dollars in a dedicated camera, or is my phone good enough to get started? I don’t want my videos to look amateurish, but I also don’t want to waste money on gear I don’t truly need yet.

What’s the best path forward?

[Jeff Bullas]

This is the most common question new creators ask.

Short Answer: Start with your smartphone. A modern phone’s video format is more than sufficient, and your focus should be on mastering your audio format and content structure first.

The quality of your video format is far less important than the quality of your audio and the value of your ideas.

New creators often obsess over the wrong thing. While the shallow depth-of-field from a DSLR video format looks professional, a viewer will abandon your content in seconds if the audio format is terrible. Your smartphone already produces an excellent video format. You should first invest in a high-quality audio format by getting a separate microphone. Secondly, you must master your text format, meaning your script, to ensure your ideas are clear and engaging. Thirdly, you need to learn how to combine these formats with good lighting, which is more important than the camera itself. Only after you have mastered these fundamental audio and text formats should you consider upgrading your main video format hardware.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Author]

Posts