Selecting a video camera for the web

[thurnau]

It is the D90 with a 30mm 1.4, 60mm 2.8 micro, 18-135 vr, or 18-200 vr.

[thurnau]

Thank you for the recommendations. I like the looks of the HVRHD1000U and the HV30. After toying with the 200 dollar sony I got over the SD card lust. miniDV tape isn't all that bad. Either of these cams allow me to shoot in SD or HD which is a nice option. I think shooting for the web is fine in SD, if I can get a cleaner image from the beginning. My sony is a little noisy, but I haven't got the lighting just right yet.


Will shooting SD on a HD cam give a cleaner image since it uses a larger sensor? Or will it just use less of the sensor?

I saw a weird glitch with the HVRHD1000U on the great site that supafresh linked me to. There are these horizontal bands on a moving subject, which might not work out for me.

[Soopafresh]

I think it was edDV who brought up the HVR-HD1000U as an option.

Shoot in HD, the image will be much clearer in the end, even when it's resized to smaller dimensions.

For voice over there was going to be a guy with his back turned to the camera painting something. As the guy is painting the parts a narrator explains what is going on. Mainly because the only angle that can view what you are painting requires the guy to have his back turned. For audio with a person presenting the product and speaking to the camera is what I have not yet figured out.

Just do a voiceover in post. It'll sound infinitely better than doing it on set. Bring the narrator into your studio and put him on an audio track as you two watch the video playback in your editor. Or just have him read a script and cut n paste into your scenes. You have a choice of several different inexpensive USB mics for this procedure.

One of the better ones is made by Rode mics. $230, but very good. The cool part about this mic is that it has a headphone jack built into the microphone itself, so you're not hearing any audio delay while recording/monitoring.

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/R0DE-Podcaster-Broadcast-Quality-USB-Micr...one?sku=270033

Also excellent

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/552791-REG/Audio_Technica_AT2020USB_AT2020USB_Co...icrophone.html

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/MXL-MXL-V63MBP-Computer-Desktop-Recording...Kit?sku=273102

* Get a $20 Pop Filter attachment for whichever mic you buy. This will greatly reduce the difficult to edit "Puh" sounds from vocals. http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Raxxess-Pop-Filter-Kit?sku=421640

* Add dynamic range compression to the voiceover track after you've recorded it for that "pro radio" sound. Every decent editor will have this effect available to add to your sound mix.


If you absolutely must record the voiceover in the field, you can have the guy speak into a portable MP3 recorder then transfer, cut and paste into your editor during the editing stage. I wouldn't recommend it, however. It'll pick up wind and noise sounds.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0016MLUKU?smid=A2IOIQ2CUMH13I&tag=nextag-mi-mp-delta-20&linkCode=asn

[edDV]

...
Will shooting SD on a HD cam give a cleaner image since it uses a larger sensor? Or will it just use less of the sensor?

These cameras use all of the lens and sensor for both HD and SD. SD is electronically down scaled from HD.

I like Soopafresh's mic suggestions but if you need to record audio live in the field, you will need a boom mic and someone to hold it just above the shot. Don't fight it, camcorder mounted mics won't get pro results.The cam mic track is good for environmental sound but not voice.



http://www.trewaudio.com/sennheiser_shotgun_mic_kit.htm
http://www.samysproaudio.com/kits_boom.php

[Soopafresh]

And note the furry "Zeppelin" cover on the boom mic above. That thing is absolutely necessary to reduce wind and low frequency noise.

[thurnau]

Do both the HV 30 and the HVRHD1000U take a plug in mic? While I think all of the voices should be narrated in processing (me talking into a mic plugged into the imac), I think having sound is necessary. I want the audience to hear the hissing of the spray can.

Also since I don't need SecureDigital avchd, is there any other camcorders I need to read about?

[edDV]

Do both the HV 30 and the HVRHD1000U take a plug in mic? While I think all of the voices should be narrated in processing (me talking into a mic plugged into the imac), I think having sound is necessary. I want the audience to hear the hissing of the spray can.

Also since I don't need SecureDigital avchd, is there any other camcorders I need to read about?

Yes they do.

I tried to explain this above but here we go again.

Audio support goes like this low to high.

0 Digital camera - low quality mono 8-16 bit PCM (old telephone quality?)
Rarely an external mic jack.
1 Consumer camcoder - mostly MPeg audio, some PCM with AGC (pumps level around - poor quality)
Some have hi impedance (cheap) external mic jack.
2 Prosunmer DV/HDV - MPeg2/PCM with AGC on/off and manual level control. Covers the basics.
HDV usually has 2Ch stereo. Prosumer DV can have 2/4 channel 12/16 bit 32k/48k audio with ext. mic jacks and levels control. Some support 600ohm pro mics, others need transformers or mic preamps.
3 Pro Level- Pro mics and 4 to 8 channel supported.

At a minimum you need external mic jack and AGC off option.

[Soopafresh]

Both features found in the HV30 8)