What Live Streaming Equipment Do I Recommend?

Live streaming equipment isn't one-size-fits-all. Choosing the right gear for your niche, format, budget, and production goals can be a challenge without a little help. 

One of the first questions I get when talking to Established Content Creators or Business Professionals about Live Streaming is what equipment do you recommend?

Not to sound cheeky about this question but it truly depends on the individual's end goal for Live Streaming.

The equipment I would recommend to an individual that wants to do IRL Live Streaming is significantly different then what I would recommend to someone wanting to do a show or a high end Podcast.

But there are some basic categories you need to address based on the Live Streaming format you want to use.

These categories are…

Audio, Lighting, Camera, Format, Physical Background/Location and Niche.

Lets start with your Niche and the format you wish to use.

There are many types of formats that will work with many niches, such as… a segmented show, talking head Open Q&A, Topical Q&A/Podcast, One on One interview show, etc.

These formats lend themselves to using high quality microphones such as the Shure SM7B, Electro Voice RE-20, Earthworks ETHOS, Lewitt LCT 240/440/540 while other formats a wireless lapel mic or an overhead shotgun mic is the better choice.

Lighting is another issue that if you are an IRL creator you need to know how to use natural light properly while other formats may need good quality equipment to execute well, such as… Aputure, Godox, Amaran, GVM, Nanlight, Neewer, and Relleno.

Then there are the cameras… The choice of cameras can literally divide even the most homogenized group of people.   But there are better ones than others depending on your format, needs and budget.   Brands such as Sony, Canon, Nikon, Black Magic and Panasonic/Lumix all have great choices for Live Streaming.   Where as for some your Apple or Android phone is the best choice.

The last item on the list is your physical background/set/location.   You need to spend some research time looking at other content creators in and around your niche to get an idea of what others are doing in the respect of their backgrounds/sets/locations.   

There are a number of levels you can take your background design to, and the cost in creating it can get away from you very quickly if you do not have a specific design plan and stick to it the best that you can.

Here is a list of set designs that can be tailored to most any niche…

Decorated Background, Table interview, Couch or Lounge set, Branded Background, Theme (Sports etc.), Multi-camera Studio, News Desk/Talk Show, Modular Studio and a full on Broadcast Studio Set.

Keep in mind most of what I have mentioned here is on the higher end of the scale purposely.  There are many more budget friendly pieces of equipment that are exceptionally good quality and will give you many years of service.

There you have it, that is about as specific as I can get when trying to give a specific answer to a broad question.

If you want me to give you a specific answer to what I would recommend for YOU,

Contact me below and let's have a chat about it.

Click Here

Until the next installment...

⬇⬇⬇