Can I put you in the picture?

I've been getting involved in a FaceBook thread for the past few days. Here's the question below:

Does anyone in this group do video blogs? I am looking to start and need some advice on good quality yet affordable recording equipment, as well as video editing software. Can anyone assist me with this?

What a gift, if you've been reading my video blogs or know me, you know this is absolutely my area of expertise.

So I write a few answers to this question, ones that I think will be helpful

Neil Ben Yep... me... check out by vlog neilben.tv
I also run workshops on how to shoot great quality video using your smartphone, have one coming up in September if you're interested

I even get endorsed by a few people in the group, one who is particularly well respected.

Roy Smoothe- If you are going to do it - Do it right. Talk to Neil Ben - the guy is off the hook with this kind of thing... I advise my Personal Branding clients not to do the facebook live or video blogs until they get the visuals, imagery and sound right... For when you open your mouth you tell the world who you are... Neil is the Best Ive seen so far... Going to be doing some stuff with him myself!

And still the guy is asking questions... What camera should I use? I want it to be easy? Help me I'm so lost!!!

Then someone posted a link to this page

What is the Best Camera for Vlogging & Youtube?

Here's the link: http://www.vloggingcameras.net/

This being my thing, I think it's worth a look and see the article talks about 5 great cameras, with many awesome features like:

• image stablization
• low level light filming
• 24 fps
• 57x Advanced zoom
• Full HD CMOS Image sensor

Notice a theme here? The features they talk about are all to do with the image and video capturing capability of the camera. Which is perfect, after all these are cameras and you'd expect great image capture, especially if you are planning to take photos or shoot silent movies. But they are less than half the camera you'll need to make great video blogs.

What do you mean, less than half what you need?

It's simple. People are more likely to switch away from your video blog if they cannot hear or understand what you are saying, in other words, if the sound is dodgy your video blog is useless, no matter how good the picture it.

So you have to make sure the sound is right first.

Only two out of the 5 cameras in the article had the ability to take an external mic, so from my point of view, the other 3 were useless as cameras to do vlogging with.

And I needed to search for the information on the sound recording capabilities of these cameras, they were not up there as an important feature. Which some what baffles me because if these cameras were being presented as the best for video blogging, then recording sound should be an important feature that people think about.

Or don't you want to be heard?