I recently uploaded a new video on my YouTube channel that was a vlog of my Napa trip with friends. This was all made possible by new vlogging camera!
Since this is a decent financial investment, I wanted to share my experience.
WHERE TO GO
First of all, if you’re in the Bay Area, I HIGHLY recommend going to Mike’s Camera in Menlo Park. The staff is friendly and very knowledgeable about camera stuff.
The woman who helped me asked about my intention for the camera and showed me different ones accordingly. My main purpose is to vlog, so I held out different cameras at arms length to see how heavy and comfortable they felt. I also wanted a screen to see myself when I talk to the camera, so that was my simple criteria. She showed me one option where you can attach a separate mic to get clearer audio, but that seemed like more hassle.
THE CAMERA I CHOSE
She told me a lot of bloggers use the Canon G7X Mark II. It’s light and the LCD screen flips up so you can see yourself, so ultimately, that’s what I went with.
Mike’s Camera actually has the same prices as you would find online because and price match with any reputable retailer. Another plus was that they threw in some free extras with my camera purchase like a private tutorial, 100 4×6 photo prints, a big print, a metal print, custom photo gift, and a class. I haven’t redeemed them yet, and I think it may have expired. >.< Oops!
Anyhow, if you aren’t in the Bay Area and can’t stop by their store, here’s the online link to the camera I got.
I bought it earlier in the year in January and paid $679.99 for it (same price as Amazon at the time), but it looks like the price has dropped since then.
There’s tons of articles online where vloggers share which camera they use. I just saw this thread on Instagram the other day. I’m not incredibly picky about the specs of the camera, so I was able to decide within 30-45 mins and walk out of there with my new camera.
ACCESSORIES
I also want to add that while I was at the store, I got some other accessories that would be needed to get up and running.
- 32GB SD card
- JOBY Gorillapod Magnetic 325 Camera Tripod
- Lowepro Tahoe 25 II Camera case
- SD card reader (got this at Best Buy)
- USB-C to USB adapter (got this at Best Buy)
In the future, I wonder if I’ll get a ring light or a taller tripod. I’ve been putting my laptop on an ironing board for my past videos. 😛 However, I want to be careful because it’s easy to get caught up in buying a bunch of high quality equipment that I may not need right away.
At one point, I was thinking about getting the same camera as my favorite YouTubers. But they’ve been doing it for 5+ years, and they slowly built up to that equipment. Since I’m starting off and figuring out whether vlogging is something I want to do long term, I’m happy with what I have now. The key will to keep creating content!
The total for all of this came out to be $840.22 – not bad for a starter kit.
Do you have a nice camera? What do you use and what kind of content do you capture?
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless though, this is my true camera setup.