Karl Rock’s Camera and YouTube Gear

A lot of people ask me what equipment I use to create my videos on YouTube. I’m a very minimal person. I try not to own much equipment or possessions in general. The more stuff I have, the more I have to lug around, it’s a pain while travelling.

I still use my first GoPro HERO5 Session camera as my primary camera, and it’s what I’ve filmed most of my viral videos on – just the camera, no external microphone or anything else.

In the beginning, I was even borrowing my friend’s computer to edit. I literally only had a GoPro.

I tell you this because the equipment you use does not matter. I made viral videos with millions of views with just an idea, my GoPro, and a borrowed computer!

The story you’re telling is what matters the most! I’ve seen travel vloggers make stunningly beautiful vlogs… but there was no personality or story in the video, so they only had a few hundred views.

A story makes the video, not the equipment.

Recently, I’ve begun to buy more equipment to increase the quality of my videos, live streams, and social media posts. But in my opinion, if I only had 1 camera for everything (vlogs, videos, live streams), it would be a GoPro.

My YouTube video and vlog equipment

Cameras

• GoPro HERO5 Session
• GoPro HERO10 Black
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III (My previous DSLR was Panasonic G85 Mirrorless)
• DJI Mavic Mini 2
• Jobi Gorilla Pod 3
• Manfrotto BeFree Aluminium Travel Tripod

Lenses

• Panasonic’s LUMIX G VARIO 12-60mm
• Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 ASPH
• Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm f/1.8 Lens
• Samyang 7.5 mm Fisheye
• Hoya ND & UV filters

Microphones

• Rode Wireless GO II
• Rode LavPro
• Rode NT-USB Mini
• Rode VideoMic Pro & Dead Cat (Manisha uses this now)

Lights

• Aputure AL-MX

Software

• Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Audition
• Transcend StoreJet 25H3P 2.5-inch 2TB external HD (I bought a shockproof HD when I dropped my first HD and lost all my data)

Live stream equipment

• Elgato Cam Link 4K for DSLR