Making The Jump...

[Psycho Circus]

I had no idea where best to post this particular topic, this seemed to be the best place.

Anyway, I've decided it's finally time to transfer my madness to video, meaning doing reviews and ramblings infront of a camera. I feel I can express myself better that way and be more productive and creative. I seem to have caught the "bug" so to speak, but I have no clue as to what equipment I would need or how to go about it. Obviously I need a camera, but I'd like suggestions as to which are the best possibly under the $1000 mark. Any cables, software and such.
I'm clueless....



All I have is a HDMI ready TV and a HP laptop with Windows Vista. 

[Jim H]

What exactly are you trying to do?  If ALL you need is to record yourself speaking and also be able to record video of yourself for the purpose of online reviewing, you won't need anywhere close to $1000.  How advanced are you thinking?  Just purely you sitting in a chair indoors and talking?

If just you talking about your opinions, etc, something like the Flip or the Vado camera is probably fine.  They're like $100.  And just a basic photography tripod, which you can get for like $20.

It's probably a good idea to get some kind of USB mic as well.  Maybe the Samson CO1U mic, or the Snowball mic.  If you want to get fancy, you could try getting a couple lights I suppose, but regular desk lamps, etc, can usually do a decent enough job.

Software wise, for what you're talking about...  I'm assuming you're using Windows, in which case Movie Maker (which is free) would be fine for basic editing.

[Psycho Circus]

Thanks for the response Jim. 

Yeah, recording myself speaking. But, I want good picture quality and sound quality. I have no idea when it comes to digital cameras or video recording, they all look really small and just look like they're only for taking pictures.

[dean]

You could go all fancy and get a HD Video camera, but the reality is once you put it on the internet, you'll probably have to compress it and then the picture quality will drop almost straight away.

Like Jim said, it depends on what the plan is; if you want to make movies and have different locations and stuff, then a better camera may suit, but I'd personally buy a el-cheapo MiniDV video camera and then spend some money on a couple of good lights that will help you light the scene.  Good lighting + Cheap camera is generally better quality than expensive camera + No lighting at all.  Especially if there's not alot of natural light where you'll be recording.

Then a simple video editing program will work for your purposes, with a cheap tripod and a good mic.  That'll be about all you'll need.  Can't think of any specific makes or models to recommend. 

Also if you do get a miniDV camera make sure your computer has a firewire port on it so you can capture the footage onto the computer, otherwise you may need to buy one.  That and I generally avoid any AVHCD cameras as they are a pain in the butt to edit footage from without the exact programs needed.

[Mofo Rising]

Those other guys are more informative, but I would also say your camera is probably the least important part of your setup. (Well, at least at the beginning.)

If all you need is a video recorder, my stupid PowerShot can record 15 minutes on a 2Gb card with reasonable quality. The $200 Flip can record two hours in HD. If all you're recording is yourself and a rant, get a tripod and you are set.

I'd focus on the basics of what you're trying to do. If you're just talking to the camera, treat it like public speaking. Do a couple dry runs, and then film a few speak-throughs. Edit it all together with some freeware and you're set. Once you're comfortable with that, start mixing in some more high-concept stuff. By that point you should be more familiar with what equipment you're going to need.

Also, I recommend making friends with a video nerd. Advice on the internet is all well and good, but working through issues on site with a knowledgeable friend will probably teach you the most at the fastest pace.

[Andrew]

More than likely what will affect your video quality will not be so much the camera as the online streaming.  I cannot give any suggestions, but get camera that is solid in terms of capture  quality (especially sound quality).  More than likely a camera that will fit your needs will be in the inexpensive part of the price range.

For my podcasts I use a good quality but also inexpensive Behringer condenser microphone and mixer.  I've seen people spend $200 or more on a microphone.  Mine costs about $30-$50, and then a good boom mic stand is $30 or so.  That's a big difference, and I doubt you can tell the difference between their work and mine once it's gone through mp3 compression.

[Psycho Circus]

Thanks a lot for all the advice and suggestions guys.