Back in 2014, a lot of LifeWithTech videos were made from a pretty simple home office setup. It was not a studio full of expensive production gear. It was a desk, a few lights, a camera, some audio equipment, and a handful of homemade fixes that helped get the job done.
This behind-the-scenes look shows what I was actually using to record videos at the time, including the camera boom, lighting, audio setup, and the way everything was tied into my Mac Pro.
Quick Answer
The 2014 LifeWithTech setup was built around a Canon T4i mounted on a homemade camera boom, with a 500 LED light attached to the boom, additional side lighting, a Helios microphone connected through an Apogee Duet 2, and a Mac Pro mounted underneath the desk for tethered recording.
It was a practical home office setup more than a polished studio. The goal was to make video production workable in a small space using the gear I already had, plus a few custom solutions.
The Camera Setup
The main camera was a Canon T4i mounted at the end of a homemade camera boom. That boom was one of the key pieces of the setup because it let me position the camera over the desk for product videos and close-up shots.
I also had a 500 LED light mounted directly on the boom. That made it easier to keep the subject lit from the same general direction as the camera, especially when recording small tech products on the desk.
There was also a small homemade rotating platform in the office. It was built from a lazy Susan with an electric motor, so products could spin slowly for video shots. It was a simple DIY solution, but it gave me another way to show hardware without needing a more elaborate studio rig.
Tethering To The Mac Pro
The camera and lighting had cables running down from the boom for power and computer connection. The camera was tethered to my Mac Pro, which was mounted underneath the desk.
That setup kept the desktop cleaner while still letting me connect everything directly. It also made the Mac Pro the center of the recording workflow, even though it was tucked away under the workspace.
Lighting The Office
The lighting was a mix of dedicated video light and practical add-ons. In addition to the 500 LED light on the camera boom, I had a clip-on light on the right side facing down, and another light mounted on an extra tripod on the left side.
There was also some natural light coming in from outside since it was early in the day. The setup was not overly complicated, but it gave enough control to record product videos without relying only on room lighting.
Audio Gear
For audio, I was using a Helios microphone connected through an Apogee Duet 2. That gave the setup better sound than relying on the camera microphone.
I also had a pair of Equator studio near-field monitors in the office. Those were part of the broader editing and production setup, useful for checking audio while working at the desk.
The Workspace Itself
The office was clearly a working space, not just a recording backdrop. I had servers mounted on the wall, cameras stored nearby, and a painted whiteboard that I used for notes and programming work.
There were also personal details around the room, including a mounted degree and, yes, a wine cooler being used for cigars. It was very much a real home office where video production, programming, storage, and everyday work all shared the same space.
Right before filming this behind-the-scenes clip, I had finished recording a video for the BlueBuds X Bluetooth earbuds by JayBird. That gives a good sense of what the setup was built for: practical product coverage from a desk-based home office.
Key Takeaways
- The 2014 LifeWithTech videos were recorded from a practical home office setup, not a dedicated studio.
- The main camera was a Canon T4i mounted on a homemade camera boom.
- A 500 LED light was mounted to the boom, with extra clip-on and tripod-mounted lights used for side lighting.
- The camera was tethered to a Mac Pro mounted underneath the desk.
- Audio was handled with a Helios microphone connected through an Apogee Duet 2.
- The setup mixed DIY solutions, existing gear, and a real working office layout.
Watch the Video
The video above above for the full walkthrough of the 2014 LifeWithTech home office, including the camera boom, lighting placement, audio gear, and desk setup.
