$ ls -la ~/gear → 36 items

Tools of the trade.

The most common question I get is "what do you use?" So here's everything: the camera, mics and lights behind every video, the kit running my homelab, and the software and services I pay for myself.

Start small, dream big, and keep going. Consistency is key.

studio/ 18 desk/ 5 homelab/ 3 on-the-road/ 4 software/ 6

Gerard at his desk in the Tech with Gerard studio

// heads up Some links on this page are affiliate or referral links. If you buy through them I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It helps keep the channel going, and I only list things I actually use.

Just starting out?

Start small: the three I'd buy first.

You don't need all 36 things on this page. These three make the biggest difference to how your videos look and sound.

A decent mic

People forgive soft video. They click away from bad audio. My first desk mic, arm and shock mount came before anything else.

See the mic →

One good key light

A single soft light does more than a new camera. Pair it with a big softbox and you're most of the way there.

See the light →

The camera you have

Start on your phone or webcam. When you're ready to upgrade, this is the camera I use for every video now.

See the camera →

$ ls ~/gear/studio

01 The studio

Camera & lenses

01 My main camera daily driverThe camera I use for every single video. View My main camera
02 Ultrawide lens upgradeLighter than the kit zoom, and now the lens that lives on the camera. View Ultrawide lens
03 Zoom lensThe lens that came with the camera. Still great for photography. View Zoom lens
04 Camera batteriesAlways have a charged spare. Always. View Camera batteries
05 SD cardsFast cards that keep up with recording. View SD cards

Audio

06 Desk-mounted mic start hereMy first proper mic, bought with an arm and shock mount. View Desk-mounted mic
07 Ultra-low-profile mic arm upgradeGets the mic close to your mouth without blocking the shot. View Ultra-low-profile mic arm
08 Camera-mounted mic travelA big step up from the camera's built-in audio. View Camera-mounted mic

Lighting

09 Key light start hereThe main light, and the moment the videos started to look serious. View Key light
10 60" softboxTurns the key light into big, soft, flattering light. View 60" softbox
11 Key light standSturdy enough to hold the light and softbox without wobbling. View Key light stand
12 RGB LED lightFills in the shadow on the other side of my face. View RGB LED light
13 Small RGB LED lightsThe background colour behind me in most videos. View Small RGB LED lights

Rigging & mounts

14 Desk camera mountClamps the camera to the desk so I can sit down and hit record. View Desk camera mount
15 Small camera & light standsFor the RGB lights, a second camera and anything else. View Small camera & light stands
16 Camera tripodFor photography and anything I film away from the desk. View Camera tripod
17 Small camera mount travelTiny grip for travel and vlogging. View Small camera mount
18 TeleprompterFor the longer, scripted videos. View Teleprompter

$ ls ~/gear/desk

02 The desk

19 MacBook Pro daily driverHigh-spec machine for recording and editing. Handles 4K timelines without complaint. View MacBook Pro
20 Ultrawide curved monitor upgradeThe single biggest speed-up to my editing. More timeline, less scrolling. View Ultrawide curved monitor
21 Second monitorA second screen for scripts, notes and reference while I record and edit. View Second monitor
22 Mechanical keyboardIf you type all day, get one. You won't go back. View Mechanical keyboard
23 External hard drivesVideo files add up fast. These hold the archive. View External hard drives

$ traceroute homelab.local

03 The homelab & network

24 Cloud gateway networkUniFi router and firewall. Simple to set up and maintain. View Cloud gateway
25 Switches & access points networkUniFi Wi-Fi 6 access points and switches, all managed from one place. View Switches & access points
26 Labbing server labBehind several labs on the channel, including the Ultimate Cybersecurity Lab. View Labbing server

$ ls ~/gear/on-the-road

04 On the road

27 Camera & laptop bag travelCarries the whole kit when I'm travelling. View Camera & laptop bag
28 Everyday camera bagSmaller bag for days out with just the camera. View Everyday camera bag
29 Drone travelHard to fly in a city, brilliant everywhere else. View Drone
30 Power bankKeeps the phones alive on long days out. View Power bank