If you have tired of recording with your mobile or webcam and want to improve your video production but don’t know where to start, this post is for you!

And no, you don’t need to spend a fortune to improve the quality of the material you produce.

In this post, we offer you 5 tips for you to discover:

• What video equipment to invest in;
• Camera setup tips;
• Lighting and composition;
• And much more.

Shall we start?

TIP 1: Forget the camera, glass is everything

What do I mean by this? The camera itself is not the most important element of the package when we think of video production.

It is not that a professional machine does not have its value, but the equipment that will most influence the image you produce is the lens.

The same, the camera lens is what makes the biggest difference in the final result.

It is no coincidence that some lens models do not lose much value over time, unlike cameras, which devalue annually with the eventual arrival of newer models.

That said, let’s go to what matters:

What camera and lens to buy?

You, who want to go to a better kit of equipment, are going to achieve very good results without spending more than $725 dollars / $625 approximately with a camera like the Canon T6i and a lens that is the beloved of every photographer, the Canon 50mm. f / 1.8 STM.

Why this kit?

The Canon T6i is a semi-professional camera and manages to balance more expensive equipment attributes with those aimed at amateur users.

This facilitates learning the camera functions and allows you to extract the best that the equipment can offer more simply.

This camera also has some beneficial functionalities, especially for those who record alone.

The first one is the touchscreen screen that rotates 180º, perfect for framing, battery level, and recording time while recording, without leaving the place.

This helps you avoid unpleasant surprises after all the effort to record the content.

Another exciting feature is the automatic focus for videos. You can choose where you want the touchscreen’s focus, and the camera/lens assembly takes care of the rest.

An important detail:

When you buy a lens, find out if the focus motor is of the STM (Stepping Motor) or USM (Ultrasonic Motor) type.

It doesn’t seem very easy, but you will find that it is not like that!

The detail here is that to use autofocus in video mode, the ideal is to opt for STM motor lenses since they produce less noise when focusing and focus more smoothly.

An efficient function is the Wi-Fi connection. Through an application, you can transfer your photos from the camera directly to your phone.

This is great if you intend to use it to feed your social networks, for example. 

We already talked about the camera, but what about the lens?

The Canon 50mm f / 1.8 STM is one of the most affordable lenses on the market, offering an excellent image result.

The 50mm focal length is excellent for taking photos from the waist up, that standard portrait frame. The 1.8 in the name indicates the lens’s aperture, that is, the amount of light allowed to enter the sensor.

Did you not understand anything?

Relax, I’ll explain you with practical examples.

The more light the lens allows to reach the sensor, the better the quality of images in low-light environments.

When the brightness is not enough, the sensor needs to work harder to generate the images, and that ends up producing those noises that bother us so much.

Another effect of a lens that lets in a lot of light, or a clear lens, as professionals say, is the possibility of creating that famous blurry or out-of-focus background effect.

This is called depth of field, and the more light a lens captures, the less depth of field it reaches; that is, the blurrier the background will leave.

TIP 2: Don’t neglect the audio

If you need to prioritize image or audio, which one to choose?

If you’ve chosen audio, you hit the spot!

A video with not so good image quality but interesting content can compromise who is watching as an exceptionally well-produced video but weak in information.

In this case, the content defines the success of the video and not whether it has a pleasing visual aspect.

Only this logic doesn’t apply if the issue is audio quality. A video with bad audio will hardly be able to retain its viewers.

If you can’t hear what is being said, or if the pickup is loud and uncomfortable to the ears, you certainly won’t achieve the desired results, even if your content is good.

But don’t worry, there is an efficient way out for that!

As we are raising the bar in our video production, the time has come to capture audio like the pros do – externally.

And what does it mean?

That is to say that now, you will capture the audio on one computer and the image on another. The union of this will be done in the edition, and that way, you will have greater freedom to work with the generated files. The equipment suggestion is the Zoom H1 portable recorder, which you can find on the Internet for around $130 / $110.

This recorder is simple to use, small, light, and has a powerful built-in microphone, which you can use in recordings and podcasts, for example.

You can also use it with a simple lavalier microphone, which costs around $10 / $8, and put it in your pocket while recording.

With this recorder, you get professional-level results and generate files in the. WAV format, which accepts equalization and noise reduction in the editing process.

And speaking of editing, you are probably wondering how to synchronize the captured audio with the videos you have recorded, right?

You will need the audio and video files, an editing program, and a relatively simple technique: clap your hands.

Put your equipment to record and clap your hands in front of the camera. When editing your footage, use the audio recorded by the camera as a guide and look for the peak generated by the applause you’ve given. There are no secrets; the goal is to align the design of the sound waves.

But always remember:

Don’t wait for video post-production to fix audio problems.

You may reduce some noises, but other echo-type effects are practically impossible to remove; just attenuate.

In short: record your audio correctly and with the most excellent possible care!

TIP 3: Always try to learn more

There is no way to escape from it! To get the best out of your camera, you need to read the entire manual before heading out to play.

Yes, we will get to pressing all the buttons to see what each one does. But understanding what the equipment in your hands can do is crucial to producing the images you want.

And that’s not all!

The basics of photography are essential to be able to break free from automatic mode. Without that, you will not be able to go beyond the standard, and you will never fully exploit your potential or that of your team.

Some important concepts to be understood:

ISO:

It is the sensitivity of the sensor to light. The higher the ISO value, the more light the sensor will capture.

If you are in a place with poor lighting, it is possible to compensate by increasing the ISO value.

But pay close attention here:

ISO is an electronic device, and the higher its value, the more noise your image will have.

In short: balance the lack of light with ISO if you have no other option.

Shutter speed:

You know that noise the camera makes when it clicks?

Yes, that’s the camera shutter opening and closing for light input (exposure).

The faster the shutter, the less time the light reaches the sensor, making images darker.

However, using it, you manage to capture a movement more clearly, without that masked trace.

When you slow down the shutter speed, the light has more time to enter. With that, the images are clearer, but any movement will generate a blur. Those road photos that take the trail of cars are obtained that way. 

Velocity is shown as a fraction and the higher the denominator value, the faster the movement will be.

For video production, the idea is to keep the shutter at 1/50. This value is related to the settings used previously in film video cameras and ensures that the movement of the image is more natural to our eyes.

Opening:

We’ve talked about it before, but it’s worth reinforcing. Aperture determines how much light the lens is capable of carrying to the camera’s sensor.

The most commonly found apertures are f / 1.4, f / 1.8, f / 4, f / 4.5.

The more light hits the sensor, the greater the background blur effect, or if you want to speak like the pros, the shallower the depth of field.

Clear lenses have more optical elements and are therefore more expensive. Instead, they allow you to capture good images in less light than with other lenses.

Format and frame rate (fps):

The camera we recommend is capable of recording videos in Full HD resolution, that is, 1920 × 1080 pixels.

This is the most widely adopted resolution on the Internet today; even 4K is already widely applied in other media, such as TV.

Use the best possible resolution, always considering how much space you have and the purpose of your video.

Another essential element is the frame rate per second (fps – frames per second). This means the number of images that the camera will generate per second to form the video file.

The standard for the television is 30 fps, while in the cinema the rate of 24 fps is adopted.

Digital cameras don’t go at 24 fps, but they get a number close to 23,976 fps (which essentially doesn’t change much).

If you want a more cinematic visual, go for 23,976 fps and if you want something with a TV look go for 30 fps.

The Canon T6i is capable of recording in HD resolution (1280 × 720) at the rate of 60 fps.

What is possible to do with this? In editing, you can go from 60 to 23,976 fps and create a slow motion effect.

TIP 4: Take good care of your lighting

Being well lit is essential for successful video production and a good light set is not always expensive.

There are several light configurations that you can use, but if your idea is to have something simple, to make vlog videos, a single device can help you a lot.

You achieve uniform lighting with a ring light that attenuates unwanted shadows and skin imperfections (called beauty shot).

This equipment can be found at a price of around $100, and you will save the purchase of other elements (at least momentarily). You can place the camera in the center of the device, and the light will illuminate the elements that are in the frame.

TIP 5: Detail makes the difference

Do not think that people do not observe the details of your video production. Investing in a simple scenario will dramatically elevate the look of your video.

Look for elements that make sense according to your type of content and audience. Make a composition that is in harmony with your brand’s colors, clothes, place of recording, etc.

If you are uninspired, search the internet for scenario references that are suitable for your content proposal. Look for DIY (Do It Yourself) items that are simple to create and inexpensive. Take advantage of what you already have at home, organize some elements, do composition tests and you will notice the difference.

Think of something beyond a plain background and without any decorative elements.

By following these tips, you will be able to efficiently increase the quality of your video production without spending money on unnecessary elements.

Until next time!

At Kobe Digital we can assist you with all the related information for the video production by sending us a message.