Best gear for a home video studio
The gear that stays set up. When a space is permanent you can use pieces that would never travel, and that changes what is worth buying.
Browse top Studio video gear
Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II
My main lens. Incredibly sharp, fast autofocus, and versatile for any situation.
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Sony Alpha 7 V Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera (Body Only)
My current main camera. Full frame, incredible AI autofocus, 30fps blackout-free shooting, and amazing low light.
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Godox CS-85T Lantern Softbox (85cm)
My go-to softbox. Quick to set up, beautiful soft light, and works with Bowens mount lights.
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Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM
Incredibly sharp with beautiful bokeh. My go-to for portraits and talking head videos.
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Amaran COB 60d S
My main key light. Portable, powerful output, and easy to set up anywhere.
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Aputure Light Box 45x45 (18 x 18")
My travel softbox — pairs perfectly with the Amaran 60D S for professional lighting on the go.
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Aputure MC RGBWW LED Light
Tiny RGB light I use for background accents. Adds depth and color to any setup.
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Belkin iPhone MagSafe Camera Mount for MacBook
Mounts my iPhone to my MacBook via MagSafe. Great for video calls and Continuity Camera.
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Sony NPFZ100 Z-series Rechargeable Battery
Extra batteries for my Sony cameras. Reliable and essential for long shoots.
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Sony 128GB SF-G TOUGH Series UHS-II SDXC Memory Card
The SD cards I use in my Sony cameras. Fast, tough, and reliable for 4K recording.
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UGREEN 4K Micro HDMI to HDMI Cable 6.6FT
Connects my a6700 to the Cam Link 4K for recording and streaming.
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UGREEN Revodok 1071 USB C Hub
My USB-C hub for MacBook and iPad Pro. Reliable and great for expanding ports.
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ULANZI Light Stand Carbon Fiber MT-49
My go-to carbon fiber light stand. Lightweight and portable for any lighting setup.
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Elgato Cam Link 4K
Turns my Sony a6700 into a webcam. Essential for video podcasts and live streams.
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Elgato Stream Deck MK.2
I use it to switch scenes in Ecamm Live during streams. Tons of other uses too.
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Lume Cube Panel Pro 2.0 RGB Camera Light
Compact but powerful on-camera light with full RGB. Super versatile for video.
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Apple MacBook Pro 14.2" with M4 Max Chip, Late 2024
Planning to upgrade to this for video editing and heavy multitasking. Absolute powerhouse.
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Nanlite D-Tap to 5.5mm Male DC Barrel Power Cable
Powers my Amaran 60D S from the VB99 Pro battery. Essential for long outdoor shoots.
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Neewer Dual USB Charger for Sony NP-FZ100 Battery
Charges two Sony NP-FZ100 batteries at once. Cheap and gets the job done.
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Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod
The best tripod I've ever used. Lightweight, portable, and incredibly versatile.
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Rode VideoMic NTG
I alternate between this and the Shure MV7+. Crisp, professional sound for YouTube and podcasts.
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Shure MV7+ Podcast XLR/USB Microphone
My main desk mic for podcasts and virtual summits. XLR and USB, works for any setup.
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SmallRig D-Tap to Sony NP-FZ100 Dummy Battery Power Cable
Connects the VB99 Pro to my Sony a6700 for continuous power during long shoots.
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Sony Digital Shotgun Microphone ECM-M1
My on-camera shotgun mic for the a6700. Clean audio with multiple recording patterns.
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FAQs about Studio video gear
What people ask before buying Studio video gear.
The Elgato Prompter at $267.99 on sale is a good example. It is hard to travel with, and in a permanent studio that is irrelevant. Thirty-seven pieces here are tagged for studio use, and several of them are things I would never put in a bag.
My key is the Amaran COB 60d S at $135 on sale through the Godox CS-85T lantern at $69, on the ULANZI MT-49 stand at $99.95. Behind me sits an Aputure MC or a tube light for color. In a fixed room you can mark the stand positions and never light a video again.
The Aputure Light Dome Mini III at $129 is a proper octagonal box, so light goes where you aim it and less of it bounces off the walls behind you. The Godox CS-85T lantern throws light everywhere, which is wonderful in a large room and a problem in a small one.
The Elgato Cam Link 4K at $79.99 on sale is what I use, fed by the UGREEN 4K micro HDMI cable at $9.99. That combination is under $90 and turns a proper camera into your video call, stream and podcast source. It is the single best value purchase for a permanent setup.
The SmallRig VB99 Pro at $199.98 on sale feeds my camera through the D-Tap to NP-FZ100 cable at $31.98 and my key light through the Nanlite D-Tap to 5.5mm cable at $44.20. In a studio there is no reason for a shoot to ever stop for power.
It runs over USB or XLR, so it fits whatever your setup becomes. I mount it on the Zoom TPS-4 stand at $17.99 or the sturdier RODE Tripod 2 at $44. If the mic should stay out of frame instead, a shotgun like the Rode VideoMic NTG at $223 is the better answer.
I use the Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 at $134.99 on sale to switch scenes in Ecamm Live mid stream, and to start recordings, mute and trigger anything else that has a keyboard shortcut. For recorded video it saves you a few seconds. For live video it is the difference between looking composed and looking lost.
The Elgato Prompter at $267.99 on sale sits in front of the lens so your eyes stay where the viewer is. Scripted delivery to camera is very hard without one, and very easy with one. This is the purchase that most obviously separates a studio from a corner of a room.
Get as far from the wall as the room allows so the background goes soft, then put a light on it. I use the Aputure MC at $72 on sale or the Aputure MT Pro at $159 for a strip of color. A background that is dark and slightly colored reads better than one filled with things to look at.
A second body on its own tripod, pointed and focused, that you never take down. If a full second camera is too much, the Belkin MagSafe mount at $29.95 puts your iPhone on the MacBook as a usable extra angle, and the phone is already in the room.
That gap is what lets the background blur and what stops your key light spilling onto it. A narrow room with depth beats a wide room where your back is against plaster. Nothing on this list fixes a background that is directly behind your head.
After that, the Zoom TPS-4 mic stand at $17.99 and the Neewer dual charger at $18 on sale. A permanent studio is mostly cheap parts holding expensive parts in place, and it is always a cheap part that fails first. Keep spares of the ones under $20.