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Camera Advice
Hello,
We’re thinking of creating a series of commercials with real people talking into a camera and we’re trying to acheive an intentional “low-fi” look–as if the people were talking into their flip or phone cameras. But we’re hesitant about using flip cameras because of its low resolution. Does anyone know of a small, POV-type camera that boasts enough resolution that it won’t degrade dramatically during the process of getting it to broadcast?
Thanks
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13 Replies
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Would you consider getting a good camera, and putting on the ‘low-fi’ look in post?
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We’ve had good luck lately with the GoPro Hero Camera. It’s about $300 and is full resolution. You can mount it on anything. Difficult to monitor the shot though.
Tom Miller
Big Pictures Media
Denver, Coloradohttp://www.BigPicturesMedia.com
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Using a better camera is one of our options, but we’re trying to get the participants to use the camera themselves–and I really don’t feel comfortable having them using one of our higher-end cameras. I’ll check out the GoPro Hero camera though.
Thanks for the responses…
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Ah. I see.
I def think the Go pro is a good option for you. I’ve never used them myself, but I know others who swear by them. It’s a safer and more sensible option than giving them a high end camera. Wouldn’t want to be explaining that to the insurance company!
Mary.
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Kodak Zi8 is 1080HD, has external mic input and some decent image stabilization.
The GoPro Hero has difficult monitoring capability, poor audio, no external mic input and fixed focus. Oh and the menu system can be a bear if you’re not familiar with it. Field of view is 120 – 170 degrees, think really, really wide angle.Bill
Sony EX1
Final Cut Studio 2
MacBook Pro
2.4Ghz / 4Gb Ram
Matrox MX02 LE -
I really liked the Kodak Zi8 mentioned above. Easy to use. Shoots pretty well. Tripod mount standard. External mic but many times the internal worked swell. This video is a silly little thing I shot the day I bought the Kodak, for a friend who I was staying with, and she had just had her kitchen redone, and wanted to send a video of it to her brother. This was done just after charging the battery for the first time. Internal mic, handheld. It will give you a sample of what you can do, but a novice can screw it up even more but still get good footage. Just don’t blow it up to movie theater size! It does nice on Youtube, if that’s your delivery method, or maybe broadcast…it will look like a cheap camera.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo4x7w3BCHs
Alf
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Hello,
We recently bought a Kodak Zi8 for instructors to make short “Just in Time” videos to post on their web sites.
What make and model external microphone works best? Preferably a lav.
Thanks,
Charles Cogar
Metropolitan Community College
Omaha, Nebraska -
Charlie, for that kind of thing, there are some cheap lavs out there that work just fine, a little harsh. Cost less than $20 used for iPhones and the like. I have a “Griffen” lav for it. I found that the somewhat more expensive sony mics worked fine, as do anything with the right size plug..(G). Main thing is getting the distance from the camera. Might be best to use a mic on a small table stand. The little video I shot above was with the mic on the camera, which did a decent job.
Alf
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Thank you, Alf.
I’ll see what we can get hold of.
Charlie
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Just saw a wonderful looking Seinhauser MKE400 in Seattle today. But costs about $190. Bet it’s sweet. If I wasn’t awash in mics I’d have bought it.
Alf
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