As Cameras Editor, I shoot a fair bit of social media content for TechRadar – mainly solo on-the-go vlogging as I try out new camera gear, capturing my first impressions for TechRadar’s TikTok and YouTube.
For such tasks, I want a lightweight setup of the highest possible quality, fuss-free, to make my solo shooter life as fuss-free as possible. I have fine-tuned my gear selection over a couple of years with several top products that are fit for the task.
I’m not saying my selections are the best picks for everyone, which is why I have included additional options in my best vlogging cameras, best wireless mics, best camera bags, and best camera phone guides – you’ll be sure to find your dream vlogging gear in one of those guides.
But which items are my personal essentials? Let’s take a look at each item one by one and why each item has made a home in my bag, starting with the bag itself!
What’s in my bag
- Ulanzi 9L bag sling bag
- Xiaomi 15 Ultra camera phone
- Godox Cube-C wireless mic kit
- SmallRig Mini LED Video Light 25W (x2)
- Neewer neck holder
- Mini selfie stick-cum-tripod
Ulanzi 9L Sling Bag
Small, lightweight, comfortable, rugged, protective, surprisingly spacious, and quick access to what’s inside, those are the attributes I look for in a bag for my content creation gear, and the Ulanzi 9L Camera Sling Bag ticks all of those boxes.
Slung over one shoulder and resting on my midriff, with a top zipper for the main compartment and a padded divider inside (which can be folded away inside the bag to create one single large compartment, I have quick access to all of the items listed above, right from where my hand can rest.
A full-size backpack, though it could fit a wide range of camera gear, is excessive for my needs, and most such bags are slow to access gear. No, I need the smallest possible bag with easy gear access, and Ulanzi’s does the trick!
See my Ulanzi 9L Camera Sling Bag with Tripod Holder B122 review for more details.
Xiaomi 15 Ultra
You’d think my camera of choice would be a ‘proper’ one – a top vlogging camera like the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 (which I do indeed also use), or a video heavyweight mirrorless camera from the likes of Sony, Canon, or Panasonic. But alas, for vlogging content, I usually rely on a flagship smartphone, and all throughout 2025, my go-to has been the Xiaomi 15 Ultra.
I’m not going to split hairs about whether and why it is the best camera phone of them all, but it’s certainly up there, especially with its easy interface, Google connectivity (I use G Drive for collaborative projects), a high-quality 1-inch sensor main camera, and superb telephoto cameras.
For more details, read my Xiaomi 15 Ultra feature where I spent a month with it as my main camera for photography, and our in-depth 15 Ultra review.
Godox Cube-C wireless mic kit
After a top-quality camera phone, I need pro-quality audio (arguably even more important), and for that, I’m not going to rely on a camera’s internal mics, good as they can be. No, I’m going to connect to a portable wireless mic instead.
I’ll be clear from the off – there are numerous wireless mics available, and I’ve tested a bunch of them, including the powerful DJI Mic 3, tiny Mic Mini, and budget-friendly Boya Mini – check out my best wireless mics guide. But I’d like to put the spotlight on the superb Godox Cube-C kit today.
I’ve been using the comprehensive Godox Cube-C kit for many months, and without wanting to sound like an ad, it has never let me down. The same can’t be said for several other kits that I have come and gone in my life because I couldn’t rely on them. And the best part? The Cube-C complete kit costs just $103 at Amazon / £94 at Amazon.
The Godox Cube-C kit comprises two mics (transmitters), a mobile receiver (plugged into the USB-C of my Xiaomi 15 Ultra), a receiver for cameras (which slots into a hotshoe and connects to the 3.5mm mic jack), a charging case, wind muffs, and various magnetic mounts to attach the mics to clothing in a choice of ways.
The mics are tiny and don’t tug on clothing, and the 24-bit output and noise reduction render fantastic audio quality.
I have two issues with the kit – the mics seem particularly sensitive to rustling noise from clothing. If you come across this issue as I have, it’s in the back of your mind to position the mics with particular care and limit body movements to avoid it.
Also, I wished the key components would fit in the charging case, which only has space for the 2x mics and the camera receiver, not the mobile receiver or wind muffs. Because it doesn’t, I’ve needed to carry it all in the bulky case if I want the gear protected properly. I don’t usually want to carry all of the components, though, so I’ve tended to opt for a soft case to store just the bits I need for any given shoot.
SmallRig Mini LED Video Light 25W
If I can, I tend to use natural light for vlogging, because using artificial light is one more thing to think about (and potentially carry for a shot). However, I’ll always pack a mini LED video light in my sling bag just in case I need it, especially for product b-roll.
My choice of lighting gear for solo vlogging is the lightweight SmallRig Mini LED Video Light 25W, which costs $59 at SmallRig or £59 at Amazon. I have two, and with dimensions of 4.4 x 2.9 x 1.1in / 112.5 x 74.0 x 29.2mm, I can easily fit one of those into my sling bag, both of them at a push.
I’ve been so impressed with SmallRig’s video lights – they are powerful, versatile, and dependable.
Battery life has proved to be longer than other lights I’ve used, with up to 50 minutes at full power, and USB-C fast charging on the go, which is also possible while the lights are in use. I can’t tell you how many times other lights have let me down with poor battery life.
SmallRig’s full color spectrum Mini LED Video Light 25Ws lights come with a (magnetic) diffuser, and three settings: white/warm light (with a 2,500 to 10,000 kelvin range and CRI 96 color accuracy), RGB, or a range of 14 different effects, such as lightning and flame.
You navigate between the three settings using a button, and circle through the options in each one, color temperature or power output, using a control wheel – it’s all super simple, which is what I want when solo vlogging.
It’s possible to attach the lights to magnetic surfaces or to stands/selfie sticks using the tripod thread on the underside. The only cons to these lights are the relatively slow start-up time and slightly noisy fans (whatever output you have the lights set to).
Alternative: Ulanzi LED20 RBG video light for $40 at Amazon / £48 at Amazon
Neewer neck mount
For those POV shots when I’m hands-on with the gear, I need both of my hands free, which means that I can’t be holding the camera. My solution, although it’s hardly the stylish look I want while filming, is a neck mount. Needs must!
I use the Neewer GP-16, which costs around $25 at Amazon / £25 at Amazon. Prices can vary ± $10 / £10 at any time, but I got mine for £23 at Amazon UK earlier this year.
The idea is that you wear the flexible neck strap and then attach your camera to the mount – the Neewer GP-16 package I bought includes options for mounting a phone magnetically, or a small action camera through a universal threaded mount.
Whether I’m hands-on with gear or simply want my POV at any given moment, this neck holder does the trick!
Insta360 2-in-1 Mini Tripod
For walking-and-talking clips, I need a selfie stick to maintain the proper distance between me and the camera to frame the shot correctly. Rather than a dedicated selfie stick, however, I find the Insta360 Mini 2-in-1 Mini Tripod is a versatile alternative, and it costs just $30 at Amazon / £27 at Insta360.
Firstly, the mini tripod can angle the phone, and secondly, it features built-in tripod legs, so I can set the camera on a convenient surface for hands-free filming where suitable.
For use with the Osmo Pocket 3 or an action camera, the mini tripod setup is easy. However, for a bulkier camera phone without a tripod mount, I’ve needed to pick up a cheap phone clamp that screws into the mini tripod, any generic clamp with tripod mount sub $5 / £5 will do.
I’d like a slightly larger and sturdier version for use with a phone, with a longer maximum height and greater stability – the Insta360 Selfie Stick + Throwpod has caught my eye – but if I’m only using one support, this is the one that slips inside my sling bag.
An alternative that I use occasionally, because I can attach it to the tripod holder of my sling bag, is the mini tripod that features within the Heipi 3-in-1 travel tripod. The included head in this tripod has a hidden phone clamp, making it ideal for vlogging.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yTU4BJhkMnsuFwxD8497PQ-2000-80.jpg
Source link
