Looking for a 4K vlogging setup on a budget? Here’s a suggestion for $600-700

If you’re looking for the best vlogging setup, the options are many. It may not be easy to bring together the ease of operation, image and sound quality, versatility and the price. But Caleb Pike from DSLR Video Shooter proposes a solution that you could embrace. The entire setup costs around $600 (more or less, depending on the retailer). It’s lightweight, useful at various conditions, and allows you to shoot from the table or from hand, with good sound quality both indoors and outdoors.

To start with the camera: Caleb uses a Panasonic G7 with a 14-42mm Lens. It’s a Micro Four Thirds camera and it shoots 4K. It’s very lightweight, and you’ll quickly realize the importance of that when you hold it in a hand stretched in front of you. Of course, it has a swivel LCD screen, and together with the lens, it costs $600. There are sometimes better offers and discounts, so keep your eyes open for those.

As for the microphone, Caleb suggests Rode VideoMicro. It’s around $60, and it’s delivered with a furry windshield which will enable you to have decent sound quality even outside and in windy conditions. There’s a cheaper option, almost half the price, and you can check how they perform here.

Then, Caleb uses a small tabletop tripod. It’s around $20, and it comes in handy for different shooting situations. You can expand it and put in on a table for shooting. You can fold it and use it as a pistol grip for handholding the camera.

The last piece of the kit is a Fotga ND filter, which you can get for only $16. It helps you adjust your exposure very easily and smoothly when you’re moving from darker to a brighter environment and vice versa.

There are two more pieces of gear which are optional to this setup. One is a different lens, and Caleb suggests Panasonic 14mm f/2.5. It gives you a nicer bokeh while covering a wide angle. Another piece is a USB charger, which comes in handy for charging the battery while traveling and when you’re packing light.

In the video, you can see how the proposed kit works. To me, it seems fair for the needs of vlogging and YouTube. Although, I can’t help but notice that the camera switches focus from Caleb to the background on occasion while he’s outside, which I find a bit annoying. Still, considering the price, it can be a good, budget friendly kit to begin vlogging with. What do you think?

[4K Vlogging Setup $600-700 | DSLR Video Shooter]