Ukuleleblues
Well-known member
Do any of you have expereince with some of the digital video cameras? Are there any cheap ones out there that have a decent mic?
Decent Inexpensive Video Camera
- Thread starter Ukuleleblues
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UKISOCIETY
Well-known member
Most of my videos are shot on a Sony Cyber-shot 7.1 megapixel camera. But it's got great video capabilities and the mic seems to be excellent. I bought it at Office Depot on the clearance table for 100 clams.
Look for a camera that runs quietly, because the mic with pick up camera noise. So, mini DV would probably make more noise than cameras that record onto flash drives or smart cards.
Some cameras have a mini jack that you can use as an aux mic input. Moving the mic closer to the subject will usually give you better results than a built-in camera mic. So, you could have a separate microphone and use it with even a mini DV camera, and it would work well. I have done that with a Canon HV-20.
–Lori
Some cameras have a mini jack that you can use as an aux mic input. Moving the mic closer to the subject will usually give you better results than a built-in camera mic. So, you could have a separate microphone and use it with even a mini DV camera, and it would work well. I have done that with a Canon HV-20.
–Lori
I bought one of those three years ago when they were a lot more than 100 clams. It's still the camera that goes everywhere with me because of its small size and high quality lens. The video was a throw-in for me at the time, but it has proven valuable.
-- Al
UkuleleHill
Well-known member
The newer Flip Video cameras seem to be good. I have an older one and the mic is great, but the video is ehh. The newer ones are good I think!
Ukeffect
Well-known member
I just picked up an RCA small wonder "traveler" model on Amazon for around $80...it gives you 4 hours out of the box on SD cards, and I found an 8Gb upgrade for $11...works as nice as the Flip, but for a lot less. So far it's been really nice, has a lens cap too which the Flip doesn't. I picked up a really nice webcam and this at the same time for about what a Flip would have cost by itself.
:cheers:
:cheers:
UkuEroll
Well-known member
I use one of those too, 100 clams!! wow what a bargain I paid 360 oysters for mine
, but it paid for itself hundred times over, brilliant, camera and great for vids.
JKoval
Well-known member
I was reallly thinking about getting one of these but my girlfriend got my a digital camera so I thought it might be a waste. They looked really good and I didn't hear anything bad. Go for one of these bad boys, probably an HD!
DeG
Well-known member
Please define "cheap" (less than $100, less than $200...?) The Flip Mino HD is awesome, but not what I would call cheap...
I get the feeling that many use a separate video/sound setup. For web video, most digicams will suffice, and you could put one of those Zoom or other recorders up for recording the sound and mix 'em together at the end.
What will you be using the cam for? If you want really good sound, there are probably few video cameras that can help you out. But for regular use, many will do fine. Just an uninformed guesstimational non-advice.
What will you be using the cam for? If you want really good sound, there are probably few video cameras that can help you out. But for regular use, many will do fine. Just an uninformed guesstimational non-advice.
OP
OP
Ukuleleblues
Well-known member
DeG...For me cheap would be 100 - 150.
I have a Zoom H2 I hook ot my Mixer's tape out. What I was looking for was a cam that had a mic in, I was planning on hookling a nice mic to it our the tape out. I want to record us playing at shows.
I hadn't thought about mixing the H2 sound to the video.
Has anyone mixed with an H2 (or other hand recorder) and a SD storage card based camera? What software do you use?
I see with windows movie maker you can add a sound track. Do they stay in sync (sound and video).
Just grappling in the dark here, but I think Ken Middleton said he uses an H2. Syncing should be doable (and as you said, even the basic programs have something for a separate sound track) if you do what movie people do: start with a tap, click or other short but clearly audible sound. Just align image and sound and bang! There you go.
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UKISOCIETY
Well-known member
With many of my videos (like my latest) I use separate camera and audio devices. I record the sound on my laptop with a Blue Snowball USB mic and Audacity software. Then synch the audio with the video on the basic Windows MovieMaker. To synchronize the audio and video I leave the Movie Maker audio level split between the video and the audio source, then move the audio back and forth on the timeline until the two audio tracks sound like one. Then I move the audio levels all the way to the "audio/music" side.
I was very pleased with the audio of the last one. BTW, I used my Canon Camcorder for the video on this one, instead of the Sony Cybershot I mentioned earlier. Here's a video with both audio and video from the Sony.
I was very pleased with the audio of the last one. BTW, I used my Canon Camcorder for the video on this one, instead of the Sony Cybershot I mentioned earlier. Here's a video with both audio and video from the Sony.
