11 Ways To Improve Your Canon 70D Vlog Setup!

So, after Casey Neistat recently confirmed that he had gone back to his Canon 70d vlog setup we have noticed more and more people reaching out and asking for tips and tricks on how they are able to improve their vlogging when using their 70d. As we know we have a fair few regular readers who are both vloggers and Canon 70d users we felt we should publish this article to try and help them out.

Now, we will be including both free things that you are able to do to help up your vlogging game as well as some that may require you to potentially purchase a camera accessory depending on what you already have in your vlogging kit. Additionally, there is no need to implement all of these suggestions, different vlogging niches required different things to each other so you will have to pick and choose what fits you and your YouTube channel best.

Learn The Basics

Now, without a doubt, the number one problem when it comes to image quality and vlogging content for entry-level vloggers is they have no idea what they are doing. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this as we all have to start somewhere but there is so much free information available on how to vlog that you are selling yourself short.

The video above is a great introduction to vlogging, what you should do, what you shouldn’t do, and how you can improve and the best part is, it is totally free! Anyway, moving forward in the article, let’s assume that you know the basics of what you should be doing and look at ways that you are able to improve your actual image quality and video footage.

That said though, if you do want to massively up your vlogging game, you can sign up for the free Skillshare trial and enroll in one of the best vlogging courses available to help improve your vlogging skillset without spending a cent.

Invest In A Quality Vlogging Lens

In our opinion, the most important camera accessory for your Canon 70d that will improve your vlogging image quality is a decent vlogging lens. Although there are a few contenders out there, we feel that the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 (Click here to check for product prices and availability) is a solid choice and will be a great starting point for you.

Not only does the lens have a great general reputation within the community but it also is widely used by vloggers too. This report on the performance of the lens specifically comments on how they feel it is ideal for vlogging while offering an insight into its performance.

Pay Attention To Your Audio Quality

When we think of vlogging, our mind always seems to focus on the visual side of it but it is important to remember that audio also plays a big role in vlogging, especially when it comes to helping to grow your channel. At the time of writing, the Rode Video Mic Pro (Click here to check for product prices and availability) is considered to be the king of the vlogging microphones.

It offers some of the best performance available right now and it will mount directly to the hot shoe mount on your Canon 70d while taking the microphone cable direct to its external mic input. On the flip side of this though, the Rode Video Mic Pro can be a little on the expensive side if you are just starting out.

Although the onboard mic on the 70d can work, even upgrading to the Rode Video Mic Pro’s little brother, the Rode Video Mic Go (Click here to check for product prices and availability) can help set your videos apart from the competition by ensuring you have superior audio quality.

Add A Gimbal To Your Camera Accessories

Depending on your vlogging niche, a decent gimbal may be essential while on the other hand, it could be totally useless. For example, if you are planning on trying to use any footage that you record while walking then a gimbal is an excellent vlogging accessory for your Canon 70d and should definatley be picked up. On the flip side though, if you are planning to be sitting still then a standard tripod will be able to do the job.

The gimbal will ensure that your video footage is as smooth as possible while you are recording on the move helping to improve the video image quality of your video. This can really help to set your channel apart, especially in sports or travel vlogging niches where you will be moving around a whole bunch.

Now, the Canon 70d comes in with a base camera bodyweight of around 1.7 pounds, in addition to this you also have to factor in a lens, microphone, and lighting solution too. Due to this, we feel that the Zhiyun Crane 2 (Click here to check for product prices and availability) is probably the best 70d gimbal on the market right now. The gimbal has a 7-pound maximum payload capacity ensuring that it can that your 70d camera rig weight while also provides you with up to an 18-hour battery life.

Consider Your Battery Life

Although this is mainly something to consider if you are involved in the travel vlogging niche but always consider your battery life limitations. Although the Canon 70d has a decent battery life, if you are a travel vlogger then you may be out and about away from power outlets for extended periods of time.

This is where sets of spare batteries come in. Not only does carrying spare batteries extend your battery life but it also acts as a back up for lost or damaged batteries. There is nothing worse than being in a new country trying to explore only to have an issue with one of your batteries breaking and it taking days to get a new one shipped to you.

Thankfully, the 70d uses the LP-E6 battery and there are a number of third party brands who have release cheap spare batteries (Click here to check for product prices and availability) that you can use in your camera. Depending on how much you are planning to use your camera and how long you will be unable to recharge your batteries, it can be an idea to pick up multiple sets to ensure you can keep vlogging as much as you need.

Get A Hold Of A Suitable Selfie Stick

Now, we know that the earlier generations of selfie sticks would not be able to support the weight of your Canon 70d but the more modern sticks designed for use with heavier camera bodies are very popular choices. We would say that the Fugetek FT-568 (Click here to check for product prices and availability) is probably the best available at the time of writing and can easily support the weight of your 70d as well as your accessories.

We know that you are probably dubious to mounting your expensive camera on a selfie stick but here is one report and here is another from other Canon 70d owners who use the Fugetek FT-568 with their camera without issue. Being able to mount your camera on a selfie stick can allow you to vlog while walking and is a much cheaper option than forking out for a gimbal.

Tweak Your Canon 70d Settings

When it comes to settings everyone has their own preferred setup and this is why we haven’t published a setlist of settings. Your niche is going to play a large factor in what settings will produce the best image quality possible from your Canon 70d but the video above offers some excellent general input that you can build from.

Get Your Hands On Some Easy Image Stabilization

As we mentioned earlier in the article, depending on your niche, a gimbal might be the best Canon 70d vlogging accessories that you can get but if you are planning to stay still and sit in front of your camera while you work then we feel that it is definatley the tripod. We know that any photographer or videographer will likely already have a tripod but if you don’t, we would recommend that you check out the Zomei Z818 (Click here to check for product prices and availability).

In our opinion, it is without a doubt the best tripod available in the intermediate tripod price range and it is very cost-efficient for what it actually offers you. It can also easily support the weight of your 70d with a bunch of accessories on it while also providing you with the image stabilization you need to get a great image quality.

The Tried And Tested Mini Tripod

About Five years back, mini tripods like the Joby Gorillapod were all the rage and people loved them for their vlogging. Back then though they were actually pretty flimsy bits of kit but thankfully Joby have massively updated their range over the last few years and their more modern mini tripods are solid.

In our opinion, you should be looking towards using the GorillaPod 3K (Click here to check for product prices and availability) for your 70d as it supports a maximum payload of 6.6 pounds meaning it can easily stabilize your camera while you vlog even with a ton of accessories mounted on it.

Always Think Of The Lighting

The secret of great lighting for vlogging is pretty well known these days but there are different types of lights for different types of vloggers. Depending on the size of your channel, you may be able to get away with natural light or the flash on your smartphone being used as a torch. If you are more intermediate or just want to get off to a solid start then it is highly advisable you invest in some lighting.

We would recommend an LED light panel for general vlogging as you can mount it on your camera and go about your business. Cheap ring lights are popular for beauty and fashion vlogging although their price tag can quickly become expensive depending on what type you want. Finally, we have softbox lighting that is commonly used if you are just sitting and talking into your camera in a static location.

Keep The Post Production In Mind

So many vloggers are so caught up in their actual video footage that they overlook the post-production video editing. Although there are a ton of programs that you can use to edit your video footage as well as a ton of different styles to do so, the video above can be helpful in explaining the basics.

Wrapping It Up

That wraps up our 11 accessories to complete your Canon 70d vlog setup post. We hope that you have found it useful and can improve your image quality after some of our suggestions. Good luck with your vlogging and we hope that your YouTube channel takes off.