If you are new to photography or videography, it is easy to overlook the importance of lighting in producing truly great results. Advances driven by machine learning photography from Apple and Google are seriously reducing the utter necessity of lighting in many situations, but if you are aiming for the best quality video, pushing your live stream into pro territory or leveraging light for artistic photography, lighting gear is your friend. And an affordable set from the maker of Viltrox lenses is a really good way to get started.
Wanting to take the live streaming plunge personally, for your business or for your church? Here’s some great tools to help you get started. This guide is being developed at the moment, so please come back for additional suggestions in the next few weeks (Updated: March 23, 2021).
There’s a plethora of brands and types of charging accessories for your electronic gadgets — how do you choose? Here are our current favorites that have proven reliable, convenient and reasonably priced.
I have slowly been trying to improve my home barista skills for years, using the delightfully clever Areopress to make coffee when I have time for more than my normal rush to Keurigland. Recently, I have added pour over coffee into my repertoire as well. Both methods have the “flaw” of being dependent on that old fashioned task of boiling water. Both are improved with an electric tea kettle like one Miroco provided for us to test.
Last year, I put together a little overview of using the Mevo line of live streaming cameras for churches rushing to do live streaming in the midst of the pandemic. Since then, Mevo also released a new camera with a lot of additional features. We haven’t been able to look at that new model yet, but below is the guide I put together last year, which still serves as a good entry point into the world of live streaming with Mevo.
OFB's Timothy R. Butler has been being putting gadgets, serious tech and useful bits for around the home to the test for almost two decades. He's testy so you know it passed the test.
More guides, including a keyboard buyer's guide, coming soon.