The Best Filming Equipment to Teach Online in 2023
Bringing your business online is the absolute best way to reach more students and connect with customers all over the world ... but getting started can feel daunting!
You’ve got the talent and the content to teach top-notch online classes or YouTube videos, but how do you capture it? Make it look professional? Stage and light and shoot it? How much will getting the right equipment cost, and how quickly can you earn back your investment?
Knowing that so many amazing entrepreneurs have hesitated to teach online was the impetus for this gear guide: We wanted to create a one-stop resource for anyone who felt ready to create an online home for her business, but wasn’t sure which tools she’d need to launch.
We’re hoping to provide you with a simple roadmap for bringing your business online, pointing you toward the gear you need while keeping the process as actionable as possible.
We’ll start with a snapshot of the five essential tools you’ll need to get started teaching online.
A camera that can shoot video (even a smartphone can work!)
A microphone (can be built into the camera, but we recommend using an inexpensive external mic)
Good lighting
An online interface to host your videos, audio podcasts, and other digital content
A way to accept payments from your students
That’s it! If you have these five things, you’re good to go. Plenty of other tools can be helpful as you begin teaching online, but these are the only must-haves.
What is the Best Camera For Teaching or Live Streaming
While you may want to include printable PDFs and audio-only offerings, most online teachers find that video classes are the most engaging, effective, and popular format.
If you want to up your game and get a camera that will make your yoga lessons, YouTube videos, or livestream sessions look more professional, here are some of the best cameras in 2023.
If you’re looking for the best camera for livestreaming, we recommend a camera that connects to your laptop via USB, as you will have a bigger screen to work with whether that’s for a broadcast/webinar style livestream or a collaborative Zoom session (you can see your students, they can see each other, and they can see you).
| Recording | Livestreaming | |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | ||
| Smartphone | ||
| Sony DSC-W830 | - | |
| Canon VIXIA HF R800 Camcorder | via USB to your laptop | |
| Intermediate | ||
| Logitech C920 Webcam | If connected to your laptop | |
| Sony ZV-1 Vlog Camera | ||
| Advanced | ||
| Sony ZV-E10 Mirrorless Vlogging Camera | via USB to your laptop | |
| Canon EOS M50 | via USB to your laptop |
Filming in a small space
Are you filming in a small room and struggling for space? Don't let limited space get in the way of producing high-quality content.
When choosing your equipment, consider cameras that can accommodate a wide angle lens. If you're using a smartphone or the Sony ZV-1, don't worry. There is always the option to purchase a separate wide angle adapter.
Alternatively, if you opt for a camera like the Sony ZV-E10 or the Canon EOS M50, you can easily switch out lenses for a wider angle shot. By considering the benefits of a wide angle lens, you'll be able to capture the content you need with ease.
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What is the best audio equipment for teaching online
Once you’ve got your camera and video situation sorted out, we also recommend investing in an external microphone. When it comes to teaching online, video gets all the attention, mainly because we’re such a visual culture.
Most new online creators invest tons of time and energy researching and testing cameras, and few spend any time at all on audio set-up. This is a big mistake: Your audio needs to be clear and crisp so that your clients can hear and understand you. If your audio is fuzzy, too quiet, or has too much background noise, it detracts from your teaching and can even make it impossible for beginner students to follow along.
To capture your voice clearly, the mic needs to be very close to your mouth. In most cases, this means bypassing any built-in mics and purchasing a stand-alone.
| Best suited to movement-based classes | Best suited to Podcasting, Webinars, and Vlogging | |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | ||
| Bluetooth Earbuds | ||
| Standard headphones | - | |
| Blue Yeti | - | |
| Intermediate | ||
| Samson AirLine 77 Headset Mic | - | |
| Rode RodeLink FM Wireless Filmmaker System | - | |
| Rode Podmic | - | |
| Shure SM7B Vocal Dynamic Microphone | - | |
| Advanced | ||
| Sennheiser MKH 416 Shotgun mic |
What is the best lighting setup for teaching online
The easiest and arguably best type of lighting for your virtual classroom videos will be natural light. If you can film outside or in a room with lots of windows, morning light is your very best friend.
The best strategy is to face your primary light source (instead of having the source behind you), or you will appear backlit (too dark).
But sometimes natural light isn’t available, convenient, or sufficient (Hello, Seattle-in-December!). And when you are forced to add artificial lighting sources to your video shoots, you’ll want to keep these three simple goals in mind:
Make the featured speaker look fabulous.
Make your setting look welcoming and natural.
Eliminate shadows, especially on people’s faces.
To be perfectly honest, anything you can do to nail these goals is completely fine!
But if you need an extra boost of light here are some artificial lighting options to consider:
| Best suited to movement-based classes | Best suited to Podcasting, Webinars, and Vlogging | |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | ||
| USB Ring Light | - | |
| Intermediate/Advanced | ||
| BigSofti | - | |
| EMART Photography Umbrella Lighting Kit |
Take a look:
If you’re keen to learn more about lighting, then read our blog How to Light Your Yoga Videos on the Cheap.
What is the best editing + post-production software for creating online classes
Video editing used to be a tricky and expensive endeavor. It wasn’t that long ago that you needed a decent digital camera and expensive editing software to create a digital video that looked professional.
Nowadays, you can create slick, professional-looking content using a camcorder, or with a smartphone, or laptop, and access to one of the many free editing software suites available.
Here are our picks for top-notch video editing software packages—including options for both Macs and PCs.
| Mac | PC | |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | ||
| iMovie | - | |
| Windows Movie Maker | - | Windows 7 & 8 only |
| Intermediate/Advanced | ||
| Adobe Premiere Pro | ||
| Descript |
Creating an elegant online experience doesn't have to be a stretch.
Make it YOURS with Marvelous.
What is the Best Online Yoga Teaching Platform?
The next thing to consider is the best online yoga teaching platform. Zoom has become increasingly popular. However, there are dedicated platforms that cater specifically to make it easier for yoga instructors to hold their online classes.
Marvelous provides the perfect platform for you to teach your lessons online as well as take payments for your classes. In addition to live streaming classes and hosting webinars, you can create courses, memberships, 1:1 coaching, and group coaching programs. We event have Community Groups (no more Facebook! Hurrah!). We offer tools and training to help you turn your knowledge of yoga into a profitable online business while offering you the freedom to customize your online studio.
Final Thoughts
There are many cameras you can consider to produce the best possible videos for your online classes. You just need to make sure that the one you pick is suitable for the types of videos you’re making or can be used for live streaming.
Be sure to download our essential gear guide to learn more about video gear, audio gear, lighting gear, editing tips, and more!
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, and if you go through them and make a purchase, we will earn a commission. Keep in mind we only share tools that we recommend when it comes to creating online.
