This Low-Cost Gear Makes Your Live Broadcast Look Like a Big-Budget Production You can do a lot just with your cell phone. Spend another couple hundred dollars and you can do just about everything.
By Lesya Liu •
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Facebook Live, Instagram Live, Periscope… the world is definitely moving towards live broadcasting. It really comes as no surprise, because it's interactive, ephemeral, and authentic.
Whether you have already dipped your toes into live broadcasting or you are just evaluating this content option now, it doesn't have to be intimidating. One thing that will take the stress out and give a boost of confidence you need is the quality of your broadcasts.
There are so many options in the market, you can instantly improve the quality of your videos with minimal budgets. Besides, with popularity of Facebook Live and Instagram Live, the number and quality of offerings in the market will only increase, even as the price decreases.
Tripod
This little piece of equipment will give you the most bang for your buck. It is uncomfortable to hold your smartphone during the whole presentation. Plus, not only is it distracting, shaky camera automatically drags down the quality of your video. To spare your viewers some nausea after watching your videos, invest in tripod. Mini tripods typically cost less than $30. Plus, a lot of them already come with a smartphone adapter. When you make your selection, just make sure it comes with one.
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Stabilizer
A stationary tripod won't work if you need to move your camera a lot to show your surroundings. To keep your videos as sharp, and not to lose your viewers to motion sickness, explore handheld video stabilizers. You can find a product with great reviews for under $100.
Related: Tricks to Creating a High-Quality Video With Your iPhone
Portable lighting
Lighting significantly impacts the quality of your videos. If your video is too dark or too light, it looks amateurish. Besides, it affects how you look by adding dark circles around your eyes or making your nose twice as big with shadows.
So, if you are spending a lot of time talking in front of a camera, good lighting is a must. It will instantly make you and your videos look better, giving you an extra boost of confidence. There are quite a few ring lights specifically designed to be snapped on a smartphone. Some of the best feedback comes about rings that cost less than $30 a piece.
Related: 3 Tricks to Create Premium Video Content on a Budget
External microphone
Good sound quality is a major issue during a live broadcast. While it's best practice to do live broadcasting in quiet spaces, it is not always an option when you're broadcasting a speaker at a conference or an industry event.
Don't fret. An external mic for your smartphone costs $15-$20 and improves the quality of the sound tremendously.
Lens kit
To you make your live videos transcend the quality of a smartphone experiment with lens kits. They truly have a huge impact on the quality of a smartphone video.
You can find some as cheap as $5 but a $50 lens kit will make a world of difference. This is a worthwhile investment. The right lens will transform your live broadcasts, presenting you as professional and knowledgeable as you really are.
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Bluetooth remote
Maybe holding your phone is not an option; and running to and from your phone to switch a broadcast on and off doesn't sound appealing. Bluetooth remote is your best option. And you know what's even better? A wide range of them costs just about $7.
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Screenshare
Facebook is testing Live on desktops. Naturally, you might want to enlist a screenshare option. This has been taken care of for you already! There are a few options for doing that. If you're just starting out and not sure how far you will take live videos, try a free OBS Studio extension.
If live streaming is something you plan on doing often, and you're ready to invest in a piece of software for screen sharing, go for WireCast. It is a bit pricey, but arguably the best offer on the market. Huzza and Switcher Studio are other great options you might want to consider.
Live broadcasting doesn't have to be daunting. If you are going to be riding the new wave of livestreaming, better invest in equipment. With just a minimal amount spent, your videos will go from amateur to professional in no time. And, that will surely, impact your market positioning.
