YouTube Production

[Steve Kinnaird]

Does anyone make videos for YouTube?

I just setup a channel and the first share was a slide show.
Looking at picking up a Canon T5i to use along with my Sony HD CamCorder, Samsung Note 5, Samsung Galaxy 5s Olympus Tough 8000 and a Kodak camera that does video.
I have Power Director software for editing.

Any "affordable" suggestions would be great.

My channel is Kinnaird Woodworking

Steve

[Jason Beam]

I do ...

I started out with just my point & shoot camera that also took video and Microsoft Windows Movie Maker which is free. I now use Lightworks (which is also free for a single output format and works fine, but much much more powerful) and a dedicated HD video camera with wireless mic (really helps keep the audio quality up).

Affordable - don't forget audio - that's probably the biggest thing i can recommend. Make sure your viewers don't have to be constantly fiddling with their volume control in order to hear (or not hear) parts of your video. It's worth the money to get a proper microphone setup somehow, IMHO.

[Jim Koepke]

I use an old inexpensive camera, a Kodak DS 60 if my memory is working. The image isn't too good but it works okay.

Here is my latest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apLzrpsdcK0

Wow! It has 37 views. That is almost viral for me.

jtk

[Ole Anderson]

Remember that 80% of a good video is good audio. Don't rely on the mic in the camera, get a good wireless lapel mic or an overhead shotgun boom mic and keep it as close as you can. That being said, my first WW video was shot with just my wife's iPhone and it has 5,458 views as of today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X8qwMqm3Ek But the phone mic was close to my voice. I am no pro, but I do oversee a team of church volunteers that stream in HD with 3 cameras every Sunday. Dust collection seems to be a popular topic, the video that pops up after mine was done by Steve Emmons and has over 39,000 views.

[Jim Becker]

Almost all DSLRs these days from Canon, Nikon, Sony, etc., are excellent HD video recorders and there's a lot of media you see on the television and Internet that's shot with these cameras instead of "traditional" video cameras. My Nikon D750 was actually designed to excel at video production, although I only use it for stills. (It's higher end, but even the base D3300 takes awesome video) The lens you choose matters more, quite honestly. Ole is spot on, however, that you need to equip yourself with a good quality external microphone system to get the best end results with any of these devices...DSLR, CamCorder, smartphone, etc.

[Steve Kinnaird]

I do ...

I started out with just my point & shoot camera that also took video and Microsoft Windows Movie Maker which is free. I now use Lightworks (which is also free for a single output format and works fine, but much much more powerful) and a dedicated HD video camera with wireless mic (really helps keep the audio quality up).

Affordable - don't forget audio - that's probably the biggest thing i can recommend. Make sure your viewers don't have to be constantly fiddling with their volume control in order to hear (or not hear) parts of your video. It's worth the money to get a proper microphone setup somehow, IMHO.

Yes, Sound is important. I have all of that. I was a mobile DJ for about 20 yrs and still most of my equipment.

[Steve Kinnaird]

I use an old inexpensive camera, a Kodak DS 60 if my memory is working. The image isn't too good but it works okay.

Here is my latest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apLzrpsdcK0

Wow! It has 37 views. That is almost viral for me.

jtk

Up to 43 Jim, watch for that royalty check in the mail LOL

[Steve Kinnaird]

Thanks for the replies.
Everyone is spot on when it comes to sound. But I am very well equipt on that side of it. Corded Mics, Cordless Mics, Lavalier Mics and Shot Gun (Boom) Mics.

I plan on using the different point-n-shoots and cell phones for some close-up shots that will be cut into the main video.
For the main camera, I am looking at the Canon T5i. The price has come down with the T6i coming out. Have been told that the 35mm lense would be a good investment. Not a cheap one, probably $200 to $300.

I am no pro and will be learning as I go. But hope to have fun learning, building, creating and sharing.
Might have to buy the right to use the country song, "Kick The Dust Up" by Luke Bryan...... OK, maybe not.

[Jim Becker]

The 35mm lens at $200-300 "is" the cheap one...probably the f1.8. Trust me, the 35mm f1.4 and better go way higher! In the Nikon world the f1.4 goes for $1400; Sigma for Nikon is at $900. And these are not Cine lenses; rather, they are the regular lenses. Both Canon and Nikon have multiple levels of lenses in this respect. That said, the f1.8 lenses are more than adequate for 99% of the type of work you want to do and offer great low light capability. (albeit at very shallow depth of field when opened up that far)

[Steve Kinnaird]

The 35mm lens at $200-300 "is" the cheap one...probably the f1.8. Trust me, the 35mm f1.4 and better go way higher! In the Nikon world the f1.4 goes for $1400; Sigma for Nikon is at $900. And these are not Cine lenses; rather, they are the regular lenses. Both Canon and Nikon have multiple levels of lenses in this respect. That said, the f1.8 lenses are more than adequate for 99% of the type of work you want to do and offer great low light capability. (albeit at very shallow depth of field when opened up that far)

Funny, I just watched a video from B&H on the Canon T5i. It was done buy Larry Becker
$200 to $300 will have to do for a while. I Had a Nikon D70 a few years ago and sold everything.
Before the digital age, i had a Canon F1 and developed my own B&W PIC's.
I see that money pit opening up again. LOL

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

Lighting is key. Most of my youtube videos are marginal due to poor lighting.

[Ole Anderson]

Just beware that many DSLR's aren't designed for video, they do video as an add-on. And, yes they can do a fine job. There are exceptions in some of the newer ones, but many do not run continuous video for more than about 12 minutes without having overheating problems. Also choice of the memory can be critical, cards that do fine with stills may display errors while attempting to record video. Also the shallower depth of field of a DSLR compared to a video camera can haunt you as DSLR's normally don't have auto focus in video mode. FYI I have a Canon T2i and found out the hard way about memory cards while trying to record whales breaching on an Alaska cruise. Kept getting errors while recording. My suggestion, get a Canon Vixia video camera and do everything in 720p. We use Canon XA-25's at church, but mostly for the HD-SDI cable-out option which we need as we don't record on cards in the camera. Most folks can't tell the difference between 720p and 1080p, particularly on a computer screen or phone.

[Steve Kinnaird]

Lighting is key. Most of my youtube videos are marginal due to poor lighting.

Yes, the shop is pretty well kit with all LED lighting.
I am watching for shadows or dark spot.

[Steve Kinnaird]

Just beware that many DSLR's aren't designed for video, they do video as an add-on. And, yes they can do a fine job. There are exceptions in some of the newer ones, but many do not run continuous video for more than about 12 minutes without having overheating problems. Also choice of the memory can be critical, cards that do fine with stills may display errors while attempting to record video. Also the shallower depth of field of a DSLR compared to a video camera can haunt you as DSLR's normally don't have auto focus in video mode. FYI I have a Canon T2i and found out the hard way about memory cards while trying to record whales breaching on an Alaska cruise. Kept getting errors while recording. My suggestion, get a Canon Vixia video camera and do everything in 720p. We use Canon XA-25's at church, but mostly for the HD-SDI cable-out option which we need as we don't record on cards in the camera. Most folks can't tell the difference between 720p and 1080p, particularly on a computer screen or phone.

Thanks!
The Canon T5i with the STM 18-55mm lens will do Auto Focus in video mode. The review that I watch showed that you could also take stills while shooting video, but there were skipped frames in the video. Good to know

I will check into the Vixia. My phone does excellent stills

[Jim Becker]

I see that money pit opening up again. LOL

Um...yea...kinda like Neanders and hand-planes...