Thursday, June 25, 2015

Came down with some virus while out in Yakima. (Also, suggestions on video cameras.)

I'm running behind on my posts. Also, there were no videos taken of my speeches or my classes, so I'm going to replicate them from here and will post on YouTube. The problem is that I don't have a video camera or even phone capable of taking suitable footage. I do have a reader who is volunteering to pick me one up so that I can get started with sending out these and other blocks of instruction on armed civil disobedience, 4GW, improvised munitions, etc. Neither of us know what to buy, however. Do you have suggestions as to the best compromise of capability, quality and price at the moment. Idiot proof would also help. In addition, there should be a way to obtain the best sound quality in a small package, since videos with pristine pictures and crappy sound don't get watched. Suggestions?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did a lot of folks there, come down with a virus...
Not paranoid, just curious.

ExGeeEye said...

Most decent inexpensive point-and-shoot difgital cameras willl shoot 1080p video. A little cheaper, and you might have to settle for 720p, which is still considered "high definition" and is adequate on a 32" LCD TV. My own favorite is a Pentax X-5, which shoots 1080p and also 16MP still photos, and runs off 4 AA batteries (so no carrying around a charger). Amazon has them here:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=node%3D330405011&field-keywords=pentax+x-5&rh=n%3A172282%2Cn%3A502394%2Cn%3A281052%2Cn%3A330405011%2Ck%3Apentax+x-5

You can go cheaper and still do pretty well.

Hope that helps.

Phelps said...

As a guy with formal Radio/Film/Television training, it was drilled into us that you can get by with mediocre video is you have excellent sound. Get a middling camera, but a good wireless mic. The good news is, even the cheap ones are pretty good nowadays. With a middling camera, you aren't going to get balanced XLR inputs, but that is OK if the mic pack is on the camera and the cable is short.

This isn't a bad budget kit:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1070562-REG/polsen_uhf_handheld_and_lavalier.html

If you have some money to spend, you can jump up to a diversity receiver, which means that you are receiving on two separate antennas and the unit is picking the best signal moment to moment. I doubt that you will be working a ranges that require diversity, but when you need it, it's sure nice to have.

I believe this one will let you use both mics at the same time, as well.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/733910-REG/Azden_330ULH_330LH_UHF_On_Camera_Handheld.html

As for cameras, I like the glass in Canon cameras. This is the less-pro version of the one I use at work:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/909792-REG/Canon_8063b002_32GB_VIXIA_HF_G20.html

If that's a budget squeeze, this one is nice for the price:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1110404-REG/canon_0280c001_vixia_hf_r600_full.html

The optical stabilization is a very, very nice feature, but you'll want to stay away from that zoom -- it's a fake digital one about halfway in, so you lose a lot of picture quality. (Sometimes you can turn the digital zoom off in the menus, and if you can, DO IT.) For 99% of field shooting, you want wide zooms and up close. (Note the way that the pros do their standups next time you see them -- that camera is RIGHT in the newstalker's face.)

Anonymous said...

This might work, a Canon FS11 or a Canon Legria HF21 both are ok,
and have a mic in. Then you need a wireless mic setup like an audio technica
pro 88w. You could always bug Michael W Dean for specifics, like say, where he
put all the stuff he used to have on his websites about assorted gear. ;)
Need the foam things for microphones to get rid of the whoosh sound, and if
you can, a sort of screen thing to keep the speaker from bonking the mic or
clipping every time they overdo it on the "plosives", which I'm sure a certain
dutchman NEVER does more than once every 5 seconds. :D

Anonymous said...

Was there but no virus.

Anonymous said...

If money is a issue, I am getting very good results with a 4 core android phone with HD camera and HDR photo capability I paid 70 bucks for. It is actually a bit better than my 2 year old iPhone

I bought mine in asia but Amazon has one that is slightly better

http://www.amazon.com/Unlocked-MTK6592M-Android-Smartphone-GPS-Leather/dp/B00S82OZSK/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1435274837&sr=8-13&keywords=4+core+android+hdr

With the factory unlock you can prepaid sim cards and switch cell providers as needed.

Anonymous said...

My father just picked up a Nikon 3200 for around $300 and it's a decent little camera. Personally I have a Nikon 5200 for about $200 more. Both have excellent picture quality and I believe can be hooked up to external or improved microphones.

Mike Stahl said...

I would be happy to ship you my old phone, a Motorola Droid Razr Maxx.
http://www.gsmarena.com/motorola_droid_razr_maxx-4417.php

It shoots in 1080p and although it no longer has service, it can still connect to a wifi hotspot or be plugged into a computer to transfer the videos. I also have a charging stand that could serve as a tripod of sorts.

Let me know if you're interested. You should still have my email address and/or cel phone number from when you met me in Cincinnati.