Many tech reviewers recommend buying higher-end options for gear, but that simply isn’t feasible for many. In fact, for many new creators, it’s better to get lower-end, entry-level options when starting out. This article will explain why!
1. You Save Money
Whether getting a mic, camera, or other gear, entry-level options are simply cheaper,especially if buying used. That said, attempt to buy from reliable brands, and know at least a few important specs for your content, such as needing 4K video on a camera for YouTube or using a dynamic mic rather than a condenser for podcasting.
This lets you try photography, podcasting, or any other pursuit much more cheaply! If it turns out you don’t like your creative endeavor, it hurts a lot less to lose a few hundred dollars on a good enough setup versus several thousand on buying the best gear available. Even then, the good enough setup will likely permit you to make superb quality content.
2. Many Entry-Level Options Outperform Their Price
With many products, you get what you pay for—the very cheapest options are often flawed. However, entry-level options from reliable brands typically punch well above their price tag. For example,Sony’s entry-level vlog cam, the ZV-1F, is $500 and even dipped below $399 for Prime Day. It has multitudes of high-end features at a far more affordable price than just about any interchangeable lens camera.
In other words, a $2,000 camera setup won’t get you four times the quality of a $500 starter camera. That said, even if the cheaper option is 85% as good as the premium one, that extra 15% margin is exactly why the premium option costs so much more. For example, a good full-frame camera will look immensely better in low light than a small point-and-shoot—even if they both look good in bright lights. That kind of difference, while insignificant for many casual users, is why the best gear is priced so highly.
3. Limitations Help You Improve Your Skills
The very best gear often has many ease-of-use features. These are amazing and convenient, but they can stunt skill growth—why bother learning proper lighting if your camera is perfect in low light? Why get good at holding your camera steadily if the camera has excellent stabilization?
Many creators opt to purchase upgrades when they have problems with their gear when they can probably overcome those problems by improving their skills. A $50 mic used properly will sound better than an incorrectly usedShure SM7B, which is a superb mic but also overkillfor most creative setups.
You’ll improve a lot more as a creator if you push your gear to its limits before upgrading! Cheap gear used well will outperform expensive gear used incorrectly, and pushing cheap gear to its limits will let you appreciate premium gear more when you upgrade.
One Drawback: You Might Spend More in the Long Run
If you get the cheapest options available, chances are you’ll have less future-proofing and thus may need to upgrade more frequently—hence why we recommend knowing a few key specs so that you still get good cheap gear.
However, getting new gear rarely means that you’ll never use your old gear again. YouTubers and streamers can easily make use of multiple cameras, and podcasters often need multiple mics as they invite guests.
Start With the Minimum Viable Setup for Content Creation
What are the minimum specs you need in your gear to start making content, shooting photos, or otherwise creating? If you’re just getting started, chances are you can get by with just that and save some money. You may need to upgrade sooner than if you dive into the premium end, but in most cases, it’s better to start small and make upgrades based on pushing the limits of your existing gear!
