Studio Upgrade Guide
This gear is optional if you want to upgrade your setup.
To get 80% of the benefit for ~$700: buy the Elgato Prompter, the Aputure Amaran 60x S light, the SmallRig 90cm Softbox, a Dazzne desk mount to hold it, the Shure MV6 mic, and the Shure SH-DESKTOP1 mic stand.
That covers the prompter, light, and audio (the three things that matter most).
Explanation and alternatives are below:
1. Teleprompter
Section titled “1. Teleprompter”Not mandatory, but strongly recommended. Hitfactor videos are scripted, and a prompter is how you deliver a script while looking straight into the lens: no memorizing, no glancing at notes, no losing your place mid-take. It saves a huge amount of time and frustration, and produces better videos every time.
| Item | Price | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Elgato Prompter | ~$272 | All-in-one teleprompter with a built-in screen. Your camera, webcam, or phone sits behind the glass, so you read your script while looking directly at the viewer. Works with Mac and PC. |
2. Microphone
Section titled “2. Microphone”This is your single biggest upgrade. Your viewers will forgive rough video far more than rough audio. A dynamic mic like these rejects room echo and background noise, so you sound clean without needing a treated room.
| Pick | Price | Why | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start here | Shure MV6 | ~$169 | USB-C: plug into your laptop and go. Auto-level and a built-in pop filter mean you don’t have to think about settings. This is all you need. |
| Step up | Shure MV7+ | ~$299 | Adds XLR so you can grow into a mixer or interface later, plus headphone monitoring and an LED panel. Get this only if you expect to get serious about audio. |
You’ll also need a stand. The Shure SH-DESKTOP1 desktop stand (~$45) sits the mic in front of you on your desk. If you’d rather keep the mic out of frame, a boom arm is the ~$100 alternative, but the desk stand is simpler.
3. Light + Softbox
Section titled “3. Light + Softbox”Good light does more to make a cheap camera look good than a better camera does. One softened key light, placed slightly off to one side and angled down at your face, is the whole game.
| Item | Price | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Aputure Amaran 60x S | ~$159 | Your key light. Bi-color COB with a Bowens mount, so it fits any standard softbox. |
| SmallRig 90cm Softbox | ~$80 | Softens the light so it flatters your face instead of glaring. 35” is the right size for talking to camera at a desk. |
Pick how you’ll mount it:
- On your desk: Dazzne desk mount stand, 2-pack (~$40) clamps to your desk edge and keeps your floor clear. You get two, so you can mount a light and a camera. Best if you want to stay compact.
- On the floor: Lapgood C-Stand with boom arm (~$97) booms the softbox up high and over you, and holds real weight. Add a sandbag to counterweight the boom so it doesn’t tip.
Want an accent light too? The Amaran T2C RGB tube (~$199) adds a pop of color on your background so you don’t look flat against a wall. It’s a nice-to-have once your key light is sorted.
4. Camera
Section titled “4. Camera”This is optional and the most expensive step. Honestly, your phone on a stand with good light and audio already beats most channels. Add a camera when you want that shallow, cinematic “blurred background” look. Whichever you choose, set it to 4K / 24p on a tripod and leave it.
| Pick | Price | Why | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easiest | DJI Osmo Pocket 3 | ~$519 | Zero setup: built-in stabilizer, just hit record and talk. Its smaller sensor means less background blur, but it beats your phone. |
| Sony | ZV-E10 II + Sigma 30mm f/1.4 | ~$1,340 | Best autofocus of the three, with a one-touch button to blur your background. |
| Fujifilm | X-S20 + Viltrox 33mm f/1.4 | ~$1,630 | Great color straight out of the camera (no editing step) and the nicest controls to learn on. |
The lens matters more than the camera body for that blurred-background look. That’s why each pick is paired with a fast prime lens.
You’ll also want an SD card, plus a power adapter or dummy battery if you shoot all day so you’re not constantly swapping batteries.
Prices are approximate and change over time. Check the current listing before you buy. None of this is required. It’s here for whenever you’re ready to upgrade.