Best Vlogging Equipment For 2018
Cycling and taking awesome video and pictures goes hand and hand with many of today’s cyclists. The choices have never been better from cool gimbals that stabilize all your footage to amazing drones that capture incredible views from up high. Above all the noise comes some of the best vlogging equipment for 2018.
With that I thought I would take a deeper dive into vlogging and show you some of my favorite vlogging equipment including
- Sony A 7 Mark 3 or A 7iii
- Small HD Focus
- Senneiser AVX Digital Microphone
- Rode VideoMic Pro Plus
- SmallRig Camera Cage
Sony A7 Mark 3 / Sony A 7iii
Sony just launched their amazing A7 Mark 3 / A 7iii 24.2 mega pixel full frame mirrorless camera that shoots in 4K. The only word to describe it is “STUNNING”. For $2K Sony has blown the top off the competition for a full featured camera that is really really good.
Reviews of the Sony A 7iii have been outstanding with features comparable to cameras that are $1000 to $1500 more. In fact the A7 iii in some respects beats out it’s older more expensive brother the A 7Riii. Something that came as a bit of a surprise to photo enthusiasts. But even more outstanding is the Sony A 7iii even borrowed some of best features of the Sony A9, which is more than double it’s price.
In essence Sony just threw down the gantlet on other camera manufactures and it has Cannon, Nikon, Panasonic and others shaking in their boots.
One of the biggest downfalls to the Sony A line of cameras when it comes to Vlogging is the lack of any type of articulated swivel out screen. Articulated screens are perfect for lining up the shot and making sure everything is in focus. For whatever reason, Sony just hasn’t made the decision to add it to their cameras and for some that is a deal breaker when buying a vlogging camera.
Never fear however, SmallHD came to the rescue with their Focus flip around screen.
SmallHD Focus
The SmallHD Focus hit the Vlogging scene at the end of 2017 and has now become a really popular accessory for vloggers. Not only does it swivel to the front, but it has better image quality than any of the “in camera” screens and to top things off, it is much brighter making it easy to compose shots during bright sunny days.
Another big plus for the Focus is it’s larger 5″screen which allows for easier viewing and recording.
Now just having the SmallHD Focus screen wasn’t enough, so SmallHD also produces an awesome hotshoe rig setup for mounting on the top of the camera. Yeah that’s right they even provided a coldshoe for a mic on the side.
Sennheiser AVX & Rode Videomic Pro Plus
When it comes to audio there are lots of choices from high end wireless digital and analog microphone systems like the Sennheiser AVX Digital wireless to plug and play like the new Rode Videomic Pro Plus.
Shotgun mics are super popular with vloggers because they can capture good sound when they are running and gunning and shooting on location without assistance.
Based on the audio I have listened to, go for the best shotgun mic you can afford. Smaller shotgun mics simply can’t perform as well as larger ones.
Many Vloggers prefer shotgun mics on booms when they are vlogging in their homes or offices. This however isn’t optimal if you have limited space or have to breakdown the setup after every shoot.
SmallRig Camera Cage
Another setup some vloggers are successfully using involves the use of a cage around the camera. The cage provides extra protection as well gives the operator tons of options for accessories to be mounted.
Bags and Backpacks
So you are all set with your vlogging gear, but your not sure how to transport it. Well I have done the research for you and have found 2 companies that produce amazing travel bags and backpacks to keep everything secure.
Peak Design
I just discovered Peak Design’s (https://www.peakdesign.com/) line of amazing camera bags this week. They are sleek, functional and are the perfect companion for traveling and keeping your gear safe. My favorites right now are their
- Everyday Sling 10L
- Slide
- Everyday Backpack
- Everyday Messenger
With very cool innovated adjustment strap on both the Everyday Sling and Slide, getting the proper fit is a snap.
WANDRD
WANDRD (https://www.wandrd.com) has created a line of rugged and very thought out backpacks with both the traveler and photographer in mind.
Their PRVKE series backpack won our EDITORS CHOICE AWARD for both comfort and style.
Is this a recent article that you were personally involved in the in-depth interview? With all due respect, the information seems to be a verbatim repeat and rehash of the original information provided by the Creator.
Hi Ben,
Not exactly sure what your saying here. Most of the equipment being talked about in the article are all recent GearMashers purchases that we have found to be pretty awesome. Specifically the Sony A7III and the Sennheiser AVX microphones are some of the best we have seen for 2018.