Vlogging has taken the world by storm. These are short videos that have transformed the entertainment industry and have made video recording all the more accessible. You don’t have to be a cinematic videographer to record a vlog.
All you need is a camera and yourself. And since most vlogs are shot through the ‘selfie’ angle, the Sony A6500 makes for the perfect camera to vlog on. With its lightweight, tilting screen and small body, it is the optimal camera to hold in your hand and not feel tired.
Vlogging is super easy since it’s essentially recording yourself while doing things. However, there is a lot of movement involved, and the video often gets hazy or goes out of focus. The A6500 comes with a 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor with 425 phase-detection points, which help you stay focused and keep a clear visual on the video. The many phase detection points will let you focus on any point you wish to emphasize.
Vlogging also has a lot to do with continuous shooting with occasional jump cuts. However, since it’s not a movie, you will need a well-charged camera to shoot single takes of whatever you’re doing.
The Sony A6500 comes with a battery life that will sustain your filming adventures and more. You can shoot up to 350 images, translating into over 2 hours worth of videos on a single charge. So, you never have to worry about your battery dying out in the middle of your activity. You can improve your vlogging in a host of ways with this camera.
Here are 5 Tips on Using the Sony A6500 for Vlogging.
Quality Over Quantity
One of the things you have to make sure of when you’re vlogging is to maintain quality. This means keeping the content and presentation of your video of the highest quality. You can only do this by carefully planning your activities and what you will show on the vlog. The things you choose to show should incite interest and be entertaining, something people would willingly want to watch.
For example, in her vlogs, Lilly Singh would always put up a to-do list in the beginning. This gave her a sense of what she wanted to do for the day and how she would carry the vlog on. However, this also gives the viewer an index of what she will be doing in her day, and the audience would get excited to see those things happen.
This way, the audience’s interest is maintained because they can look forward to something of quality. It is almost like creating suspense but doing it smartly. Hence, spend time directing your videos, focus on the quality, and don’t worry about posting every day.
With the Sony A6500, you will be able to create the highest quality vlogs. As mentioned above, the camera sensors are absolutely incredible and will capture every detail of your day. Additionally, this camera also comes with a 5-axis in-body image stabilization, which will help your videos remain stable and not shaky, hence giving them a professional touch. Since vlogging has become a full-time profession for many, you will need this camera because it packs all the pros of any DSLR and the convenience of a smartphone.
Upgrade Your Equipment
You should always look to improve the quality of your hardware, which will essentially improve the quality of your vlogs. Invest in a better lens, or a microphone or even a gyro tripod. You can add many things to your camera, which will drastically help your vlog and improve the content for your YouTube channel. You can also pick up a new editing software or create a team. These external improvements are also directly linked to your vlogging and hence count as equipment.
For example, if you’re currently filming your vlogs on a camera with a standard 18-55mm lens, you can perhaps upgrade that to a 50mm lens or a fisheye lens for some dramatic effect. Or, if you are currently editing your videos on OpenShot, you can perhaps invest in Adobe Premiere and get better effects for your vlog. These little things help you get interesting frames that will increase your viewership. Better quality and well-shot video always get more views.
The Sony A6500 comes with a detachable lens, and you can add whatever kind of addition you want on it. The Sigma collection of lenses provide the best attachments for Sony cameras. The A6500 also has various ports through which you can attach it to a tripod, a TV, or a computer. Filming and editing them becomes all the easier.
Focus On The Lens, Not The Screen
When you’re vlogging, you have your camera in your hands, and your screen is likely flipped over the lens so you can see yourself. Don’t do it! Focus on the screen and not the lens because the lens is the eye that is looking directly at you, and you can’t look at its forehead when speaking to it. If you focus on the screen, your eye calibration will become obstructed, and the viewers will not feel like you’re watching them through the screen. Instead, it will feel like you’re looking at something above the screen.
In this case, you have to be careful because as tempting as it is, you can not let your own sight sway you into ruining the video. Perhaps a better way to control that is to look at your reflection in the lens.
This will give you the comfort of looking at the screen while looking directly at the lens. You will be able to focus on the video, and the viewers will focus on you. Another way is to just press record and flip the screen so you can’t see the screen at all. Both of these ways work perfectly.
Since the Sony A6500 has a tilting rear touchscreen, you can tilt it all the way back to remove any distractions from the screen. The camera also comes with a remote control connection, which allows you to directly start recording once you have flipped your screen, so you don’t have to worry about whether the camera has started recording or not.
Add A Theme
Most vloggers use a consistent theme in their videos. These themes can take many forms. It can either be the color scheme, the way you edit the video, the kind of music you play, or even the kinds of things you say.
A theme is important because it allows the viewer to expect something and a sense of familiarity. Just like Lilly Singh stays consistent with her theme by staying hyperactive and listing down a to-do list, you, too, can build something to keep in each video.
For example, David Dobrik always records his friends doing crazy things. He rarely shows his face, and that is the theme of his vlog: the vlog squad. You can perhaps start all your vlogs the same way, or edit them all the same way.
Additionally, you can also play the same music in all your vlogs or do one thing consistently (it could be as banal as drinking water or taking a bite- or like David Dobrik, keep all your vlogs 4 minutes 20 seconds long).
Since it is so easy for the Sony A6500 to travel (owing to its lightweight body), you can construct your themes at various locations. The camera has an operational temperature range of 32-104 degrees Fahrenheit. So, you can travel with it to get interesting shots and themes for your vlogging experience. This camera also has an HDMI port, so it becomes super easy to edit once you have recorded your vlog.
Use Titles And Thumbnails Smartly
Titles and thumbnails are super important because they are what the viewers click on to watch the video. Titles and Thumbnails are like making the first impression and sustaining that impression. You have to convince your viewer to click on the video just by looking at the thumbnail. This can be done in various ways.
For example, you can focus on what kind of thumbnail tactics you want to use. You can edit them and make them of a curious nature. In this method, you will have to do something that makes people click. Cry or laugh hysterically, or even pretend to hit someone. The title will then accompany the thumbnail.
The best way to grab attention is to use all caps in the title, and use provocative words that go in line with the thumbnail like “HE HIT ME” with a picture of someone carrying a baseball bat and hitting you.
The Sony A6500 comes with 11 fps continuous shooting for up to 300 JPEGs/100 Raws and a 1/4000 seconds maximum shutter speed. With such high-quality image capturing, you can easily shoot a thumbnail at any location. All you have to do is be creative and utilize the camera’s gifts for your vlog. And you have to keep trying because it is only time that will make you better at what you do. So, keep vlogging.
