Vlogging kit
The add-ons that make the biggest difference to videos. Facts below come from each maker's own product page; we haven't lab-tested them and don't rank them.
Clear audio matters more to viewers than an extra few megapixels. On-camera shotgun mics are the simplest upgrade; wireless clip-on kits free you from the camera.
CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY Check the connection your camera has (3.5 mm jack, USB-C or a digital hot shoe), whether the receiver records a backup internally, and how long the batteries last.
RØDE
A compact on-camera shotgun microphone that mounts on your camera and plugs into its mic input. RØDE says it needs no battery.
Good for: Simple upgrade over a camera's built-in mic for vlogging and travel video
RØDE
A two-part wireless microphone kit: a clip-on transmitter that records your voice up close and a receiver on the camera.
Good for: Talking to camera from a distance, interviews and walk-and-talk vlogs
RØDE
A simpler wireless kit where both the transmitter and the receiver have built-in microphones, so you can record two voices.
Good for: Interviews and two-person vlogs
DJI
DJI's wireless microphone system with small magnetic transmitters, a receiver and a charging case; the transmitters can also record internally.
Good for: Creators using DJI cameras or phones as well as mirrorless cameras
DJI
A very small, light wireless microphone from DJI for creators who want something less noticeable on clothing.
Good for: Discreet clip-on audio for everyday vlogging
Motorised stabilisers smooth out walking shots. Camera gimbals are rated by the weight they can carry; phone gimbals are smaller and simpler.
CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY Add up the weight of your body, lens, mic and card, then compare it with the maker's payload range — and remember the gimbal itself adds weight to your bag.
DJI
A compact motorised 3-axis gimbal for mirrorless cameras, for smooth walking and tracking shots.
Good for: Small to mid-sized mirrorless cameras with light lenses
DJI
A smartphone gimbal with a built-in tripod and magnetic phone clamp — useful if you vlog on your phone as well as a camera.
Good for: Phone-based vlogging and smooth B-roll
A small tripod doubles as a vlogging grip and a stand for talking-to-camera shots, time-lapses and low-light stills.
CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY Look at the maximum load, the folded length and whether the head has a quick-release plate that suits your camera.
MANFROTTO
A small table-top tripod that also works as a handgrip for vlogging. Manfrotto describes it as a mini tripod for compact system cameras.
Good for: Light mirrorless and compact cameras, desk and table-top shots
JOBY
JOBY's GorillaPod range of flexible tripods, whose bendy legs can stand on uneven ground or wrap around railings and branches. Models are rated for different loads — check JOBY's rating against your camera and lens.
Good for: Travel vloggers who need to set the camera down anywhere
Photo: Evan-Amos, Public domain
A soft, adjustable LED in front of you does more for indoor footage than a new camera. Pocket lights also add colour to backgrounds.
CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY Look for adjustable colour temperature (stated in kelvin), dimming, how it is powered and how it mounts.
ELGATO
A desk-mounted, app-controlled LED panel for lighting yourself when you film or stream indoors.
Good for: Desk vlogs, streaming and talking-head videos
A palm-sized LED panel that sits in the camera's hot shoe or on a grip. Many offer adjustable colour temperature and brightness and charge over USB-C — compare the makers' specifications before you choose.
Good for: Filling in faces when vlogging after dark or indoors
Photo: Bin im Garten, CC BY-SA 3.0
Video, especially 4K at high bitrates, needs cards with a guaranteed minimum write speed. Check which card type your camera takes before you buy.
CHECK BEFORE YOU BUY Match the card format (SD, microSD or CFexpress) and the speed class your camera's manual asks for — V30, V60 or V90 on the card label are minimum sustained write speeds for video.
SANDISK
A widely used SD card for stills and 4K video in cameras with UHS-I SD slots.
Good for: Most entry-level and mid-range cameras recording 4K
Photo: TaurusEmerald, CC BY-SA 4.0
SANDISK
A faster UHS-II SD card for cameras with UHS-II slots and high-bitrate video modes.
Good for: High-bitrate 4K and 6K video in cameras with UHS-II SD slots
SANDISK
A microSD card for action cameras, pocket gimbals and drones, which use microSD rather than full-size SD.
Good for: DJI Osmo Pocket and Action cameras, GoPro and Insta360 cameras
Photo: TaurusEmerald, CC BY-SA 4.0
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