Record professional videos It does not always require using high-end equipment and rising prices, although it is true that reaching certain levels of production, you will have to invest. How much? Well, it will depend on you, on your needs, on those of your clients or ultimately on what you want to achieve. Therefore, we are going to tell you what we use to obtain videos with the highest possible quality. So you can make the leap from amateur to pro.
What is professional video
It will be a bit strange for you to start with a question, but it is necessary to ask it to be able to decide properly what the next equipment to buy should be. Because it sure helps you see where your productions are failing.
A professional video is not only the one for which you get paid, because you could record a clip with an iPhone and sell it to a media outlet, company, etc. A professional video is also one where each and every one of the important aspects are taken care of in detail.
In other words, for us the difference between an amateur video and a professional one really is in the details. That practical background light, how the face of the person on camera is filled with a main light, the type of look of the video, the sound quality, the camera movements, etc.
So, knowing this and in order of priority, after years making videos both for the Internet and other media, the truth is that if we had to propose a list of products that allow you to undertake more professional video production, we would possibly start with what we use in El Output.
So, if you make a video, you may be interested in learning about new products and if not, perhaps it will help you to know what we work with when making the content of the channel.
Sound
The sound is something very important and, nevertheless, it is one of the things that is most often left for last. What's more, you may even believe that you have to change your camera before betting on new audio recording equipment. And it shouldn't be like that, because you forget that a bad sound takes you out of what you're seeing.
Some communication professionals even go so far as to say, quite correctly in my opinion, that sound is so important that if you sound with quality your speech will be even more credible. And they are right, it may seem absurd, but when you listen to a speech with radio quality sound it seems that it gains authority over the same audio recorded with the phone's microphone, external noise, etc.
For this reason, it is worth investing in this if the image theme is half controlled. Our microphones and recording systems right now are these.
Back MV7
When recording a voice-over, many different types of microphones can be used, but during these months we have been able to verify that one of the best options is the Back MV7. It's not as expensive as the popular Shure SM7B, you could really say it's even cheap, and the sound quality is outstanding. In addition, being dynamic helps to control more possible noises around you.
See offer on AmazonRode VideoMic NTG USB-C
Canon microphones are very useful for all types of content, both interviews and videos on YouTube, etc., where other microphones such as lapel or table microphones are not wanted to be visible. This Rode micro is interesting because It has a USB C connection And that allows you to connect it to your computer or mobile device, as well as directly to the camera via the classic 3,5mm Jack connector.
It also has interesting modes such as a security mode that records on the left channel at one volume and on the right at another. Thus, in the event that the sound "stings" due to a bad adjustment, the other channel can always be recovered to duplicate in stereo mono mode and solve the problem.
See offer on AmazonRed Wireless Go
When recording video of interviews or on the move, lapel microphones are usually almost essential. Hence, if we can also opt for wireless options like these Wireless Go by Rode, better than better. Because you will be able to get away without having to keep an eye on cables that get tangled up, etc.
See offer on AmazonThe camera
En El Output we have used a wide variety of cameras during all this time, some of them very top like the Canon EOS R5, Sony Alpha 7S III or the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K. However, in a profitability exercise we opted for a Lumix S5 and Sony a7C.
These two cameras include a full frame sensor that always offers advantages, although between one and the other there are certain differences for which we prefer one or the other depending on the use case. The Sony has an AF system that works great, but the Lumix has a series of extra options that make the workflow very attractive, but also its capabilities when used together with an external recorder to reach video recording 5,9K.
These cameras do have to be complemented by quality and bright lenses. Here we opted for Sigma lenses and f2.8 minimum aperture for the more all-terrain lenses, such as the 24-70mm zoom. Of course, do not be surprised if the objective is in comparison more expensive than the camera. But it is that its quality will depend on getting the most out of it or not.
Panasonic Lumix S5
La Lumix s5 It could be one of the most interesting full frames for the price, but it is not its only strong point. Besides that you can grecord at 5,9K resolution with external recorders, also make use of ProRes and even BRAW for recordings in raw format. And if all this is not enough, the stabilizer integrated into the camera body allows you to shoot freehand. Like you also have the possibility of recording 4K video at 50p to make slow motion (with sensor crop).
See offer on Amazonsony a7c
This sony a7c It is not the only camera of the brand that we have used, because for a long time the Sony a7 III has been one of the main cameras along with the Sony a6600, but the fact of betting on it is due to the fact that it is still full frame, Its flip-up screen and the performance it offers when you record with high ISO values and for its HF system which is virtually unrivaled.
If you add to that that it is very compact and easy to transport, for handheld recordings it is a real delight. In addition, the warmth that it brings to the contents in relation to its price makes it very attractive.
See offer on AmazonSony A6600
La Sony A6600 It is another of the cameras that we use the most for the channel's content. Despite being a proposal with an APS-C sensor, it is very versatile, the stabilizer works very well as well as its AF system and recording in low light. For content where we need more agility, it is a high-quality proposal, although for its price it is so close to the Sony A7C that you should still consider going one step further.
See offer on AmazonThe lighting
The quality of light can play a bigger role in the quality of your video than the actual camera you use. If you control the lighting, even with a mobile phone you can achieve professional results. We basically use three lights.
Forza Nanlite 60B
This Nanlite Forza 60B It is the main focus and among its many interesting features we must highlight some of the ones that will contribute the most in your day to day:
- It is a very compact photo, easy to transport and with the option of using an adapter so that it is powered through external batteries and not a power outlet
- It is a very powerful bicolor spotlight that up to 30% does not require activating the fan, so it is very quiet. And if you activate it, it is not that it is an annoying sound.
- VFX special effects
There are more details that give it value and mean that what it costs is not a bad investment or an expensive product at all, quite the opposite.
See offer on AmazonTurkeyTube II 6c
This small LED tube is from the same brand as the main focus and has almost the same options with the extra of being RGB. Thus, you can use cold or warm light, different colors and also effects such as police lights, flashes, fireworks, etc.
Furthermore, the Pavotube II 6C by Nanlite It can be attached to others or placed on a tripod and even in any metal area because it includes magnets so that they remain fixed without the need for any support. It is a very versatile light to fill, use as a practical light and even main if you do not mind that it is harsher or using a diffuser.
See offer on AmazonAputure MC
Finally, this mini LED spotlight is like a Swiss Army knife. He Aputure MC It offers RGB lighting, special effects, control via mobile application thanks to its Bluetooth connection, wireless charging, integrated lithium battery, magnet systems to hold in metal areas, etc.
See offer on AmazonExtras that will bring you
Every video you can see on El Output is recorded making use of all this equipment and the occasional more that he always contributes. Because if you can adapt with a little ingenuity, the truth is that there is another series of accessories that always give you extra comfort or final production quality.
For example, a C-Stand It is basic to place the spotlight and if it has a giraffe neck you can place it however you want depending on what type of lighting you are looking for. Also to be able to place the camera at an angle that would otherwise be complicated. And not only the camera and main focus, but also those lights that serve as practices or microphones so that they do not appear in the frame, but are close to the audio source.
Then there is the issue of tripods, such as the Manfrotto 055 that allows the column to be placed at 90º with respect to the vertical axis, or the use of a fluid ball joint to be able to make smooth and fluid pan and tilt movements. Or have a gimbal to be able to record on the move. All this without having props to have an attractive recording set.
So, yes, making professional quality video is not cheap, but as you level up you will enjoy it much more, you will be able to do more things and that in the long run also translates into the possibility that your work generates more heat and, therefore, more income for you.
All the links that you can see in this article are part of our agreement with the Amazon Associates Program and could earn us a small commission on their sales (without ever affecting the price you pay). Of course, the decision to publish them is due to the fact that it is the equipment we use, without attending to suggestions or requests from the brands involved.