Over the last 5 or so years, I’ve been creating a Pokemon-themed office and video studio. Just for context, I teach high school video production, manage a couple different YouTube channels, and freelance on occasion. Anyway, I wanted to share some of my current set-up and see if we have any other tech enthusiasts here. I’m hoping to attempt my first custom PC build soon, once GPU’s are more readily available. If anyone has any advice or recommendations, I’ll gladly take them!
& building a computer is what I call ‘adult legos’, the biggest thing is to make sure everything is compatible sounds stupid but it’s one of the biggest issues I see people run into.
When push comes to shove, if you have any questions shoot me a DM, I’ve built more computers than I can count
I will definitely be looking into those resources. I used PC Part Picker a few times, but finding GPU’s has been tough. I’m pretty confident with the actual building part, it’s more of getting everything to boot properly and how to troubleshoot any issues that come up if it doesn’t.
Wow! I am in love with your setup! This is gorgeous! I pray that whenever I buy my own place I can accomplish something like this. The time you put in is clearly evident.
I had a quick question about Cameras. I notice you use the mirrorless exclusively based on the ones you showcased. Is that because it fits better with your content currently, or because it’s better overall in your opinion? I’m trying to decide what kind of camera to buy right now, so I’m pretty curious. I’ve only read some articles online and found that Mirrorless tends to have longer focus times and DSLR is a bit faster. otherwise the differences seemed relatively negligible. I want a good all around kind of camera, both for video/photo, and indoor/outdoor. If you’d be able to help with your opinion, I’d appreciate it!
I find that mirrorless (particularly Sony) have a much better auto-focus, though the color science isn’t quite as good as Canon DSLR. The biggest advantage of mirrorless is that they are significantly lighter, which makes them easier to mount, transport, stabilize, and build out with accessories. Also, Sony has a clean HDMI out, so if you are using them for streaming, video conferencing, or filming with broadcast software like OBS, you don’t get all the on-screen indicators (battery life, focus area, etc.) in your output image . . . this is crucial for what I do! For photography, mirrorless can shoot more photos in rapid burst, but that’s negligible for most.
One benefit of DSLR’s (particularly Canon) is the lenses are usually cheaper and have significantly more compatible options. There are also significantly more used lenses available on the market. Personally, I view a regular DSLR as a better photography camera (which usually requires many lenses) and mirrorless as a better video camera, especially if you plan to build a filming rig (microphone, gimbal, monitor, etc.).
Depending on your budget and your primary usage, I can offer a few recommendations.
Lucky kids to have you for a teacher. As a teacher myself and anime club adviser, it can be fun to share our hobbies with students. Do you tell them about your pokemon channel or do you keep it to yourself? My students know I’m a collector, but I don’t share my channel with them as of now.
@butchdawg32, Thanks for the great tips! I think I’d probably choose a DSLR based on what you said then. I eventually am considering trying to start something on youtube, mostly just to practice my Japanese while talking about pokemon or other TCG related themes. However, my primary goal would be the photography aspect. Whether it be just simple photo shoots for my cards in my collection thread/ebay listings, or to try and capture scenery and nature. If I were to buy now, my budget would be basically next to nothing, so I’m planning to wait a little bit to get my first legitimate camera.
But I’m also curious if you think there is any merit in just upgrading my phone and using a newer phone camera? My current phone is a relic, iPhone 6s haha! Maybe using the pretty above average specs of modern phone cameras until I really decide to get more deep into the video/photo world?
Either way, I really appreciate you helping me out here! If you ever need anything of me, don’t hesitate to ask.
I mainly keep it to myself . . . I don’t like to self-promote in class. However, some students do know about my hobbies and YouTube channels (I have three channels that are fairly successful). My favorite part of teaching is interacting with students, so I definitely don’t mind talking about my and their interests, just as long as it’s situationally appropriate (down-time rather than instruction time).
I did do a sample presentation on nostalgia and Pokemon cards though. Students had to make a short video essay, breaking down a complex idea in three parts . . . I made a few samples, one of which was on Pokemon. They were extremely impressed and a little concerned by my in-depth knowledge of early Pokemon. I’ve also had some Pokemon enthusiasts swing by my classroom to chat, even though they weren’t my students.
In short, working with kids is great . . . the paperwork, meetings, and the rest I could do without though! Best wishes with the next school year @joer,
iPhones have fantastic cameras for such a small form factor. Until you are prepared to spend $1000-2000 on a full DSLR setup, I would say upgrade the iPhone . . . much better value in the meantime. Also, the video quality on the newer iPhones is more than enough for most filming situations. The only drawback is zoom range.
What you don’t want to do is go cheap on a camera and get something that you’re not fully satisfied with and realize you were just as well off with the phone. When you’re ready to make the commitment get something higher end; it will do more and hold it’s value longer.
Awesome, yeah you’ve got me to make the decision, phone upgrade it is for now. Eventually I’ll get into the more heavy duty stuff. You make a good point about getting something cheap and being disappointed in the future. Thanks again!
