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Do you really need 4K? The budget camera myth
By Lewis Whitter, wedding & events photographer (11+ years) · How we pickDo you need a 4K camera to start on YouTube? Mostly, no. Most people watch on a phone, and on a small screen the gap between 1080p and 4K is hard to spot.
What viewers notice straight away is bad sound and bad light. So here is the budget order.
First, a cheap wireless mic. Second, a soft LED panel or a bright window.
Third, a sharp lens at a sensible aperture. Only then worry about resolution.
Where 4K does help is cropping in during the edit, so you can punch in on a single take. But it also eats storage and needs a faster card.
Spec for spec, spend on sound and light first, and let resolution come last.
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