Language Teacher needs DSLR for video

DSLR Video

Language Teacher needs DSLR for video

Posted by Aurelien Moryusef on January 25, 2015 at 11:58 am

Hello, I’m a language teacher and I need to shoot video for school on two different purposes.

1) I want to produce “mini-movies” (interview or fictions, max 2 minutes) that can be worked on in class or for our online course.

2) As a teachers’ coach, I need to shoot various class situations/interactions and methodology aspects (all inside the classroom) in order to train actual and future teachers.

These videos are going to be shot indoor and outdoor.

This is for educational purpose, so I want my students/colleagues to see and ear perfectly in order to learn perfectly ! My priority is that it looks very good, but not great.

Our school has a limited budget as you can imagine, and since we’re gonna need a tripod, an hf and a Rode microphones and possibly an Atoms Ninja, I’d like to spend the strict necessary for camera+lens (less than a 1000$ for both ?) no more.

Could you tell me which DSLR and lens would fit my needs which I think are:

-Microphone Input (the built in mike must be bad for street or a classroom with echo)
-Headphone jack (in order to check the sound)
-Efficient fully-automatic use: AF, shutter-speed, iso
-Lens: a decent zoom (wide angle + ability to zoom for indoor classroom situations)
-Battery autonomy: good enough for shooting full classes: minimum 3h
-High Iso maintaining quality for indoor shooting
-Various bitrate/qualilty options
-Clean hdmi connection in order to record large files in prores on a Ninja Atoms
-Various video format options (interlaced and progressive, different frame rate)
-Orientable screen

Any idea ? Any comment about my list of needs ?

Thank you very much.

Aurelien Moryusef
Editor
Caracas, Venezuela

Aurelien Moryusef replied 11 years, 3 months ago 3 Members · 6 Replies
6 Replies

Steve Crow
January 25, 2015 at 5:05 pm

Hi,

At a $1,000 dollars for camera and lens you will have to compromise on some of the features on your list. I’d look at the Canon Rebel Series of cameras like the T4i, T5i and the Panasonic Lumix line GH3.

I wouldn’t concentrate on any of the Atmos stuff for now, frankly you don’t need it and your money would be better spent on getting the basics in place like lenses, filters, microphones and maybe some reflectors with stands or a simple light kit.

Steve Crow
Aurelien Moryusef
January 26, 2015 at 9:31 am

Thank you, yes the T5i (or Nikon 5300) seem like excellent fits. It seems like they have everything that’s on my list for very decent prices.

What else did you think I had to sacrifice ??
I don’t see anything except for the absence of a headphone jack, which is a problem–> How can I solve this ?

The Atmos Ninja would allow me to save the time of converting to prores through compressor / and also would avoid me the fat32/4gigs file situation … but yes… I guess for the moment Icould save some money here it’s true.

You speak about filters, and light kit, could you be a little more specific please ?

Thanks a looot.

Aurelien Moryusef
Language Teacher
Paris France
Bill Bruner
January 28, 2015 at 11:23 am

Hello Aurelien – I agree with Steve that you probably don’t need the Atomos. And, as you say, neither the T5i nor the D5300 have headphone jacks.

It seems to me that a 606€ Panasonic GH3 comes closest to meeting all of your criteria – it has a built-in headphone jack, records at multiple bit rates and is the only camera on your list with an affordable power zoom like this 276€ Panasonic 14-42mm power zoom (Canon and Nikon zooms are all manual).

Hope this is helpful and good luck!

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution
Aurelien Moryusef
January 28, 2015 at 11:38 am

Thanks a lot Bill

I was considering an external sound recorder such as Zoom H4n, which costs 200€ basically, adding the fact that I found an offer for a Nikon 5300 that comes along with a 14-105mm lens for 550€ … How does it sound ?

Thanks

Aurelien Moryusef
Language Teacher
Paris France
Bill Bruner
January 28, 2015 at 1:46 pm

Shooting dual system sound is certainly a workable solution, as long as you can remember to hit both the audio record button and the camera shutter button on every shot – and as long as you don’t mind taking the time to synchronize your audio and video tracks in the editing suite.

I gave up on routine use of dual system sound after I forgot to hit the record button a couple of times in critical situations. Plus, I grew tired of synchronizing audio and video tracks in every edit.

Best of luck,

Bill
Aurelien Moryusef
January 28, 2015 at 7:12 pm

Hi and thanks again, yes that’s what I thought, never to forget to press rec… I guess you must have felt HORRIBLE the times you forgot it.

Cheers

Aurelien Moryusef
Language Teacher
Paris France

Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up

Creative Communities of the World Forums