Gear Opinion Filling in garage

[neCARmancer]

IΓÇÖm just starting my channel and only really have my phone and a tripod. My channel will cover my hearse build and other stuff in my garage. IΓÇÖm looking for input and gear setup for this kind of stuff. Must of what IΓÇÖm finding online covers vlogging in a office or something like that. Lighting is probably a big thing, but IΓÇÖm worried that most studio lighting might not live in a shop with lots of sanding dust and sparks from welding/ grinding. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[SILTHW]

So many potential ways to go depending on your budget. In terms of lighting, good studio lighting will stand up fine. But good studio lighting is expensive. Probably the most flexible thing given you are shooting on a phone would be a cage for the phone, or a ring light with a phone holder in the middle. Ring lights diffuse light around the subject and help eliminate shadows. That will probably be the biggest immediate help.

I do have some clarifying questions though.

• What's your budget?
• What type of shots are you planning? Like time-lapse from the side, close ups, over the shoulder, etc. That helps with "how much" lighting you will need
• What's the temperature in the garage? There are some inexpensive, durable lights but they tend to use bulbs that produce a lot of heat. If you need to manage temp you will need to look at "cool" lights like CF and LED.

 

[neCARmancer]

So many potential ways to go depending on your budget. In terms of lighting, good studio lighting will stand up fine. But good studio lighting is expensive. Probably the most flexible thing given you are shooting on a phone would be a cage for the phone, or a ring light with a phone holder in the middle. Ring lights diffuse light around the subject and help eliminate shadows. That will probably be the biggest immediate help.

I do have some clarifying questions though.

• What's your budget?
• What type of shots are you planning? Like time-lapse from the side, close ups, over the shoulder, etc. That helps with "how much" lighting you will need
• What's the temperature in the garage? There are some inexpensive, durable lights but they tend to use bulbs that produce a lot of heat. If you need to manage temp you will need to look at "cool" lights like CF and LED.

I would like to stay under a couple hundred for everything. Since IΓÇÖm just starting and all. As far as shots most of them will be over the shoulder or variants of that. The garage is actually climate controlled, so temperature isnΓÇÖt much of a problem.

 

[SILTHW]

I would like to stay under a couple hundred for everything. Since IΓÇÖm just starting and all. As far as shots most of them will be over the shoulder or variants of that. The garage is actually climate controlled, so temperature isnΓÇÖt much of a problem.

OK. Then I would definitely go the route of getting a phone cage. It holds your phone and has a bunch of standard-sized screw holes all around it that allow you to attach things to it. Then get a ring light that connects so that your phone is in the middle of the light. That will help reduce shadows and can be had for well within your budget. Not a bad idea to throw in an external mic if your budget allows.

 

[Beanie Draws]

Probably your best option would be a couple of fill stage lights to give an overal good lighting, and then, because I'm sure there will be some inside and underside shots, you'll want something more portable as well, there's some phone rigs that give you hotshoes for portable lights and portable mics.

I'd say stock up on a couple of lights, a number of GoPros, I'd have a go-pro above your work space, and 2 in either corner of your garage to give you camera angel options and they'll give you a nice wide field of view. Ad a more regular camera (go-pros aren't always fantastic video quality, they're mostly used for their robustness and wide angel, bands and artists use them, gopros are designed to get dirty)

You could even get by with some construction lamps. I've used construction lamps in the past (same ones they use on renovation sites, small portable, and now that they're mostly LED, you don't have the same overheating problems)
Maybe look into some coloured LED lights so that your area isn't overlit and boring, add a little flair, and then when you're filming with everything, just be sure to make a loud enough noise the sync up all the cameras.

Auto channels don't need the best visual quality, but you do want some cameras that will cover both wide shots, and close up shots. Go pros are great for pretty much all that, and your phone will do a decent job as well. Then make sure you have a decent mic to pic up your audio. Probably a lav mic would be best so you always have the mic close to you and you don't have to worry about holding the mic when you're working on your vehicle.

 

[neCARmancer]

Probably your best option would be a couple of fill stage lights to give an overal good lighting, and then, because I'm sure there will be some inside and underside shots, you'll want something more portable as well, there's some phone rigs that give you hotshoes for portable lights and portable mics.

I'd say stock up on a couple of lights, a number of GoPros, I'd have a go-pro above your work space, and 2 in either corner of your garage to give you camera angel options and they'll give you a nice wide field of view. Ad a more regular camera (go-pros aren't always fantastic video quality, they're mostly used for their robustness and wide angel, bands and artists use them, gopros are designed to get dirty)

You could even get by with some construction lamps. I've used construction lamps in the past (same ones they use on renovation sites, small portable, and now that they're mostly LED, you don't have the same overheating problems)
Maybe look into some coloured LED lights so that your area isn't overlit and boring, add a little flair, and then when you're filming with everything, just be sure to make a loud enough noise the sync up all the cameras.

Auto channels don't need the best visual quality, but you do want some cameras that will cover both wide shots, and close up shots. Go pros are great for pretty much all that, and your phone will do a decent job as well. Then make sure you have a decent mic to pic up your audio. Probably a lav mic would be best so you always have the mic close to you and you don't have to worry about holding the mic when you're working on your vehicle.

I never really thought of having multiple cameras for different view points like that. Although that does make a lot of since so I can just have different view points without having to set up my camera every time I want a different view point.