Best Equipment You Need For Creating Your Online Course

When it comes to choosing equipment, the decision must be a tough one. You want to ensure it has good quality and, at the same time, fits your budget. 

From cameras to microphones and everything in between. We'll help you choose the right tools to create high-quality content without spending too much.  

Let’s see which of the equipment mentioned above fits your budget well. 

P.S. We have a list of equipment for every bo make sure to read til the end. 

Cameras

First and foremost, you need to pick a good camera. Some features you may look for are:   

• Flip-Out Screen. The ability to see the frame while recording yourself — especially when you don't have a camera person. 
• Make it HD. Of course, the good quality of the frame — preferably starting with 1080p — is something you can't go without.
• Be Seen. If you are a lonely creator, your camera should have the ability to focus on your face automatically. You don't want to look blurred. 

A few things that won't matter too much:   

• Stabilization. If your course includes trip fields, for example, showing an archaeological site on a video, you may need stabilization. Otherwise, not so much.
• Tripod. Again, you probably won't need a camera that comes with a tripod if you are shooting from an office. You can buy a separate tripod or just put your camera on a pile of books. 
• Audio. There are cameras that have an internal audio-recording possibility. The quality of such recordings is usually not the best, so investing in a good microphone is easier.    

We will not say which camera is the best for you as it is you who will decide. Everyone has their own needs and taste. This guide will help you see the features of the presented models and choose yourself. Let's have a look at three cameras and judge them by the criteria:   

Panasonic Lumix G100.

Pros:

• Does not require much space.
• Has a flip-out screen.
• 4K video quality
• Has a tripod
• Autofocus.   

Cons:

• It costs around 550$, which is relatively alright, but it can be too much for beginners.   

Canon EOS M6 Mark II   

Pros:

• Flip-out screen
• Brilliant short quality
• Small, lightweight, and portable
• Autofocus
• Sensor screen   

Cons:

• Quite expensive — 1000$
• For professional use   

Sony ZV-1   

Pros:

• 4K resolution
• Small and portable
• Has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections
• Very good autofocus
• Created for bloggers specifically   

Cons: 

• It is a bit old-fashioned in terms of USB ports 
• It may be complicated to work with for a beginner   

The price is about $750. 

Microphones

As we already mentioned, microphones are essential for a good quality online course. A good microphone creates sharp sound, which adds so much quality to the video.     

Whereas we had to learn from vloggers with video cameras, we'd better apply to our fellow podcasters for microphone choice. Here is what we gathered.  

First, you need to make sure that your mic can be integrated with your other equipment. If you are using a laptop to record, you would want to use a microphone with a USB plug. It's a good choice for beginners. 

There are microphones with XLRs that are of a higher standard. The quality is better, the price is higher, and you will need special equipment for connecting. Have a look at the top 3: 

• Blue Microphones Yeti USB. This one is cheap, provides extremely good quality for its price, has a USB connection, and is really indestructible.  Depending on the type, you can find it from $80-$100. 
• Rode NT-USB. Rode will provide you with a clear and sharp sound, even better than that of the Blue Yeti. This one is a bit more pricy, though. It is also a USB-connected mic. In case you wonder, it costs $170. 
• IK Multimedia iRig Mic HD 2. This microphone gets integrated with literally everything with a USB plug. It has a tripod and a carrying pouch for convenience and is quite cheap too. And by saying cheap, we mean $130. 

If you don’t like these options, you can look at the larger scale. Brands like Shure, Audio-Technica, Sontronics, and Rode provide good-quality podcasting microphones.

Video editing software

So, we're done with the recording equipment. You filmed the video; you did the voiceover. Now, you need to put it all together and do it nicely. For that, you need editing software, and its choice will depend on several factors:   

• Your budget.
• Your Operating System (e.g., Windows OS, Mac, Linux, etc.)
• Your level of integrity with complicated programs.   

Let's start with the classic. 

Adobe Premiere Pro is pliable for Windows and Mac. In good hands and careful use, this program will allow achieving a professional level of video quality. It is popular, works great, and is relatively simple to work with. But Premiere Pro is quite expensive. Plus, you would have to use a powerful computer or laptop for this with a lot of storage. If you want to pay monthly, it will cost about $31.50. There is an option for annual payment as well. 

The second on the list is Final Cut Pro for those who prefer Mac devices. It is really easy to work with. Dare we say, it is beginner-friendly. But it has no version for Windows or Linux. You would also have to pay a lot for the program. If you are ready to pay $300, give it a go. It also has a 90-day free trial.    

Another platform of Adobe group is Premiere Elements, which is just perfect for beginners. It even has guides for work and is not cluttered with complicated features. On the other hand, this is a bit of a downside since you will have to buy another program after you've upgraded your skills. And, as with any other Adobe product, it is neither free nor cheap. You can get it for $100. 

Special equipment

You should be aware of a couple of more miscellaneous things. Some of them are essential — you won't be able to do anything without them — some are recommended and highly insisted on.

#1 A computer.

You cannot even make a full recording if you don't have a PC or a laptop, not even speaking about editing and submitting your video courses. You probably already have a computer, but there are a few things to know, just in case you don't.

First, you will be using this computer for editing, which means that it has to be powerful. If not, editing programs would close off without keeping all the progress saved.

Second, you would like to avoid using the Linux operating system since many programs are not equipped for it. For Mac fans, MacBook Air would be just fine, but you better go for Pro if you need a more powerful machine.

It is much more complicated with Windows since most computers have this OS. It is easier to start with a brand like HP, Lenovo, Dell, etc. Look at the processor's capacity and at the memory. Speaking of which, the third point:

The RAM ( random access memory) and ROM (read-only memory) should be voluminous in order for the programs to work. Otherwise, you will need to free up RAM constantly.

Considering these features, an average laptop for creating & editing courses will cost you about $600-$800. You can find options that are below and above the mentioned price. 

#2 Drive

What about secondary memory? You will run out of space on your computer eventually. For that, you can use external memory holders, like hard drives. There are plenty of those of different prices and categories, so look for the one that suits your budget. 

CloudDrive is also extremely useful and far more secure. You can't spill a cup of coffee on something without a physical manifestation. With a hard drive, though, that would've been a problem.

Many cloud storage providers offer quite a lot of MBs for free. So you can start purchasing if the storage isn’t enough for you.  

#3 Sound Isolation

 A good microphone is not enough for a good sound. You need to insert sound isolation panels in your studio. They are quite cheap and easy to put in. Not only will your students be grateful, but also your neighbors. 

The average price for such panels is $40. So, add it to your list if you plan to acquire one. 

Microphone lavaliers

Lavaliers are great when you are not in a studio or other kind of indoor environment. For example, carrying a giant mic on the same archaeology field trip would be very uncomfortable. Lavaliers can be with cables or with Bluetooth: both are handy in different ways.

The cabled mic can cause a bit of a tangle, but you won't need to charge it. And it is usually cheaper. BlueTooth mics are more convenient during the process of exploitation, so keep that in mind.

Some good wired lavalier microphones are Rode SmartLav+, Sennheiser ME 2-II Omni, and Audio Technica AT829CW. And here are some nice wireless ones: Sennheiser MKE 40, Shure MVL, and Sony ECM-44B.   

So, if you do need microphone lavaliers, consider spending at least $100. 

Green Screens

A green screen is not necessary for an online tutoring course, but it can be helpful. If you want to add a virtual background to your videos, you might as well add a green screen to your shopping list. This is quite useful for those who don't have studios and instead shoot videos in their homes.

Here are the top three green screens for private use:

• Elgato Collapsible Chroma Key Panel. It is extremely convenient: it is portable and easy to build and use, but it's not cheap. You can have it for $200-$300. 
• Neewer Chromakey Double-Sided Backdrop. This is a screen that is green on one side and blue on the other. Hence it provides a wider result. It is also very light, but then it is small. It will cost you up to $100. 
• Web around Big Shot Office Chair Green Screen. As the name suggests, this green screen can be connected to your chair. It is small, tiny even, but very easy to use and also cheap. It costs around $50. 

Make sure that you are lighting your screen up evenly. For that and other things, you would need a proper lighting system.   

Lighting and accessories

You won't need much lighting equipment for in-studio or home shooting unless you're doing a green screen background that requires special attention.

You want to use cold white light close to natural light for online courses. 

Ring lights are the best for stationary videos as they provide a smooth and soft natural lighting effect.    

• Neewer LED Ring Light is a good way to start. It is cheap and effective. You may have it for $88-$114. You can put it on your desk behind your camera, and it'll work just fine. 
• Razer Ring Light is more expensive, but then it provides more luminosity; generally, it is of a higher quality and opportunities.   

Cost of Equipment  

Some of the equipment we discussed may still seem too pricey for you. Or vice versa. Maybe you were planning to purchase more advanced equipment. Whether you are just starting or already thinking aboipment, we have got you covered! 

Starters or Limited Budget  

Not many things & not much investment in equipment are required if you are just starting. There are some essentials, of course, while other materials can be either replaced or not be used at all.  have some pricing to deal with. 

• Computer/Laptop. Where would we be if it wasn’t for computers? That is why it opens our list. Even if your budget was extremely limited, you could use your laptop camera and audio recorder to create a course.  But if we want quality on top of everything, we should use other devices as well. Considering that PCs are usually more expensitop (You choose the brand!)

A standard laptop with enedit courses will cost you $540. 

• Camera. You will need a good camera for sustainable video quality. However, there is an alternative to webcams too. You could just use your smartphone with a tripod. Add $400or a tripod. 
• Microphone. Finding a microphone that will be of good quality and not too expensive at the same time is not that hard. You can use a directional microphoner starting from $85. 

This set is for a budget a little above $1000. And if you already have something from this list for course creators, lucky you! 

Mid Budget 

Let’s say yo So consider this second option. 

If you want, you can choose a 

• more advanced version as your laptop ($1000)
• a camera with more features (high resolution, autofocus, with a tripod, better shot quality, or any other features you may need) for $700-$1000. 
• microphone (with better audio quality, with headphone jacku need) $150 and more 

Besides these, you can add the following:

• A standard ring light. You will need to invest more in lighting to ensure better video quality. One of the best options, as mentioned before, can be Razer Ring Light or Lume Cube Wireless ring light. If you are most likel they cost $250-$350. 
• An all-in-one platform. A platform to create and sell courses is a necessity, even if you are on a budget. Investing in a platform is a wise choice. Why? Because you will be able to manage everything related to your course, starting from administrative work to course creation & from course pub300 for this purpose. 
• Video editing software. It is not only about what you say and how you say it. It is also about how you present it. So a video editor software50 will do perfectly. 

High budget  

The time will come when you will need more advanced and special equipment. On tbove, you may also need the following:

• Great lighting. It’s always great to film in the natural light. However, when you are in need, use special lighting as well. An example of a portable studio light is Godox ML-60. You can have it in your studio for about $310. It is not only a source of light. It comes-in and mute effects. 
• Green screen. It is not too expensive. However, it is not cheap either. So, if you want to add a little spice to yocquiring one for $80. 
• Sound isolators. If you have this equipment, you will spend less time on post-production as there will also be less noise to cleaone for $40. 
• Mini video studio. Such kits come with green screen background, studio photography, and umbrella lighting. It provides an excellent setting for your course, no matter where you will be filming i, in case you wonder. 
• Wireless presenter. If you plan to have presentations for yourpful tool to acquire. 

And we are already past $3000. 

All-in-one platform for launching the course

Finally, you will need a platform for launching your course. And you have to be careful here because your choice will influence:

• Your audience’s width
• SEO of your course website
• The time you spend on optimizing your course site
• Convenience for your students, etc.   

Uteach is the favorite platform for many online tutors and course creators. And do you know why? It provides rich features and affordable prices at the same time.  

With Uteach, you can have your website set up faster than the first episode of your course is filmed. This becomes a reality due to lots of customizable templates and designs. 

You can not only create and publish courses on your own website but make it SEO-optimized as well. The marketing tools will ensure your courses have high visibility. In case you want to conduct your courses in real time or meet your students online, make use of live sessions. 

And most importantly, it will automate administrative tasks and save up to 70% of your precious time.  

Do not let this opportunity pass you by! Manage everyion business from one dashboard. 

Start for FREE