My Minimalist YouTube Setup In 2021

My Minimalist YouTube Setup In 2021

Jorge Perez
Jorge Perez

4 min read

This is a brief summary of my YouTube video, for the full piece watch the video linked at the bottom of the post.

Starting a YouTube channel can be quite intimidating, we usually get lost thinking about all the gear you need, or most likely just want. However if we break it down to the essentials, then there's only 3 categories that we need to pay attention to:

1. Sound Quality.
2. Lighting.
3. Video Quality

I'll talk about the gear that I use, and suggestions of alternative gear as well.

Sound & Audio Quality

To me this one of the most important categories, specially when you are focusing on narrative films, documentaries, short films, feature films etc. Please can sit and endure bad visuals or video quality, but they can't do the same with audio, and trust me, they won't.

Mixing one of my older short films

There's nothing worse than showcasing your work to an audience, and having issues with audio levels, emptiness, mixing, dialogue, etc.

So I can tell you, from experience, that audio is one of the most important things. Invest in good audio, even if it's a bit more expensive than you initially thought.

You can start with a simple on camera mic, like a Rode VideoMicro for example, just plug it and go.

Rode VideoMicro

However,  the distance between the subject and the microphone matters, so you should try to boom the microphone as close as possible just out of the frame, to get the best possible results.

I personally use & suggest you get something like a Rode VideoMic NTG or a Deity D3 Pro, those are the best sort of entry level mics for content creation.

Rode VideoMic NTG


This is the second most important and also less expensive category.

Making sure your videos are exposed properly is key. There's nothing more amateur than underexposed videos that you later try to fix in post, and the end result is just a grainy and noisy mess. Don't do it.

There's lots of affordable options out there, but I personally use a Godox SL150WII light with a light dome modifier.

Godox SL150WII With A Light Dome

It's good quality, really easy to use, And even comes with a remote controller so I can change the brightness while checking the frame. That is awesome

However, I recommend something less expensive like a Godox SL-60W, Those are a great option, that cost a lot less money, while still maintaining the overall quality, and also come with the remote, which to me, is key.

There's tons of videos and articles out there about saving money using Ikea house lights, or home depot lights, however the intensity of the light is not everything.

The quality of the light is important as well. Get a light with a CRI 95+, and TLCI of 90+, Since having a well lit video with disgusting white balance is also the mark of amateur filmmakers.

The easiest and least expensive thing you can do, is to just shoot during the day, right next to a window. You wont be able control the clouds, or the weather, but at least you get a great source of light, for free, and great white balance as well.

It's a great option, provided you are willing to deal with the hassle of what it entails.

Video Quality - Camera & Lenses

Finally we arrive at the category that I consider to be the least important, however this is the category that most people spend all of their time and money in. So I'll keep this one brief. To start all you need is a smartphone.

In fact, the first 10 videos on this channel were shot with an iPhone 8 Plus and Rode VideoMicro. You can watch my video about this right here:

For most people, that is good enough, however there is some over sharpening issues, lack of wide colour gamuts, and eye tracking auto focus, video formats, etc.

So if you're looking for a higher quality camera that won't break the bank, then I recommend the Sony ZV1 instead. I've made a full review of this camera, and you can watch it right here:

The ZV1 is not perfect, lots of downsides and negative aspects that most videos did not mention when it was released.

However, for the purpose of my videos, this camera is great, the eye tracking auto focus is just perfect. I don't vlog, I don't handhold it and I don't shoot for extended periods of time.

Sony have recently announced the replacement for the ZV1, the Sony ZV-E10, however I personally don't find it to be an actual improvement. So I can't recommend you buy it.

Check amazon and other sources of used gear, The ZV1 will drop in price after the new camera is released, which makes it even more appealing for people on a budget.

Other cameras like the Sony A7SIII or other brand equivalents are beyond the scope of this video, which is to start making or creating content.

So unless you are actually doing freelancing work and need better more capable gear, I wouldn’t recommend investing that much on camera equipment if you don't have experience, or haven’t  worked professionally on that field before.

Watch the full video about his blog post here: