Hello, I own WV Paranormal Inc. we have been "professionally" ghosthunting for 3 yrs now in the southern WV area. I just wanted to say these videos are a must for any group new or experienced, and we all can learn something from them. Thank you for taking the time to make them. wva_paranormal@yahoo.com
great video. i have a jvc mini dv model: gr-d30u, and it has a night button, but when i use it, the light it picks up trailes. is this because it is not real night vision, or di i need to set it up to work in the menu opt? this is an old camcorder, so i dont have the manuel to it any more. can you help?
What in your opinion is the best sony trv handycam? With the best quality and night shot? Also, how can I record one whole night in a room by leaving the camera running? The cassettes only hold up to 90 minutes....
@RagingBleachFire You want a hard disk camera. Sont DCR sr -42 is a 30gig camera with standard def. quality. It also has nightshot. Its an older model so you could pick up a used one for $150-$200. Kep in mind that anything that does not record on tape will have some compression that includes DVR. Hope this helps.
@thelonestarghost78 I take one with me, but it's not great. It neads more IR light to help it pick things up. It is better for small rooms/locations. The sound is pretty bad. Not an echoing, but a squeaky noise that continues. The worst, to me, is that the item 'decides' when it wants to use night vision or not. If it 'thinks' there's enough light, it will turn some of the IR lights off -- and this even happens in the dark. It messes up most if you're too close to and object.
@thelonestarghost78 I think extra IR lights should help stop the unit from shutting off its own IR lights. I still recommend it for indoor. I'm sure the megapixels aren't the best. I use it in rooms in my house mostly and caught so-called 'orbs' many times. Again, the sound's not great. If you are wanting to see if it can capture EVP's, the device's own noise on the recording will be a bit annoying. With extra IR light, it still wouldn't capture great disances....
@thelonestarghost78 My device is a Vivitar DVR 510n; perhaps the one you refer to is different? This one of mine doesn't have a tripod mount. I have another mini camcorder that records sound better and has a tripod mount. With that's night vision, and a bracket mounted to it with extra IR, it does pretty well. With the Vivitar, you'd have to hold and extra IR flashlight along with it.
@GratedTopping I have the Vivitar 510 same as you, it came with the plastic case, the black lock tab on the bottom of the case I drilled a small hole in the bottom of the black lock tab, just smaller than the screw on for a tri pod mount and then screwed the case in until it fit, I now have a Vivitar 510 that mounts on all of my Tripods.
@screamfreak79 Dude does the dcr-sr42 has usb port? I got a sony hi-8 but it doesnt have usb port. And every time i try to pass the video to my computer, the quality decreases.
Do you know a good camera that have night vision and usb port?
Or a good program that covert dvd to wmv without affecting the quality? Please help!
I have a Sony DCR-DR65E camcorder. It has a filter thread and hot shoe to attach mic/light. Do you think it is necessary to put on wide angle lens and external mic when ghost hunting? Do you think the external mic (Sony ECM-HST1) could better capture any paranormal sounds?
@ahua101 The wide angle is really up to you, but if you have an external sony mic I would run it. It will be more sensitive than the mic thats on the camera.
another good video just set up my camcorder, and if you think about it with all the unused options turned off you might be able to squeeze a couple more minutes out of the battery. i am using a sony DCR-HC52 with super night shot. what do you think is a good camcorder that has a hard drive or memory card. got a panasonic and found out that low light shooting is not the same as lux levels
We use the sony dcr-sr42. they are like 4-5 hundred bucks new, but you can find a used one for 125-200 bucks. It has nite shot and a 30 gig hard drive. On the highest quality setting you can get about 9 hours of video. Thats plenty of time for just about any investigation. You are right. the cameras with low light mode are not near the quality of the sony nite shot.
Mike I have a question about sony. I went and got a sony trv19 with night shot. The video useing night shot and a sima 20ir light is great, i'm able to see things I could not with the jvc. Video looks great on the camera but when i capture it with firewire and transfer it to the computer its always dark. Its like I never used the ir light at all. Have you had this happen and do you use any certain capture software that fixes this problem? I'm tring differant programs without any luck.
@gousthuntermike See what happens when you try to transfer day time video. If it is still dark then it may just be a transfer issue. When we load mini dv to pc we burn it to a dvd on an external burner and the load from the dvd. Sorry I couldn't help much. I don't have much experience with firewire.
Mike thanks for the responce. Tried your suggestion and it worked. I use a JVC Everio ms230 with super lo lux. With the two sema lights it does a pretty good job, until now it wanted to refocus quit a bit. Glad I found your site. Thanks again!
@gousthuntermike It depends on the camera. An easy way to find out is set it to manual focus unfocus the camera. Turn of the camera off and turn it back on. If the shot is still out of focus then it is a one time fix if it goes back to auto focus then you may have to do it every time. That was a very good question.
I'll agree with all of that. I'll add that I like to use a handle screwed into the base of the camera (where the tripod normally goes). It's a much more natural position for the hand and wrist and helps with stability and movement.
I'll agree with all of that. I'll add that I like to use a handle screwed into the base of the camera (where the tripod normally goes). It's a much more natural position for the hand and wrist and helps with stability and movement.
is it best to use infrared or night vision when looking for spirits?and if i wanted to use some evp,can i use headphones and would i be able to hear it?
cause i used headphones the last time ive done it and i caught a very convincing whispering of a soft feminine voice through the recorder (note:it was recorded and i have reviewed it)
is there a way to kinda...enhance it so i could hear it better?
when i hear nothing on my headphones like last time, does that mean there is nothing there?
When you mentioned having the battery charged, have you had a spirit drain batteries yet during an investigation? :)
Yeah, ALWAYS 'tag' stuff, as you said...I've tossed out supposed 'E. V. P.s' by saying 'that was just a kid' into my microphone, since, if you're not able to go over recordings until a while later (happens sometimes), you're not going to remember everything that happened, especially if you were recording for a long length of time.
We have only had a battery drain on two occasions. Both were with digital still cameras. The first time I couldnt personally verify that the battery was fully charged. We had a new investigator on her first "real" investigation using her own camera. It was really my fault for not making sure it was charged, but we have all learned from it. The second time we had other strange things happen when the battery drained. It was very odd, but not solid enough for us to call it paranormal.
Nice video ! It would have been nice to have had this a couple of years ago ! I had to learn most of this by trial and error, and mostly error. I like to use a monopod in some locations, it gives your arm much needed rest. Of course it's difficult to use in some areas, but is great in an open location. IR extenders are a great addition too, they can give you a lot more light in dark locations. Thanks !
LOL, I liked the reference to falling through the stairs.... Its a shame Sony is phasing out NightShot. Seems like Sony was IT for shooting in the dark. I had to order an 2 or 3 year old model just to get IR shooting with NightShot in the dark with 0 lux
I was also thinking about getting a new camcorder. What do you think about the Sony DCR-DVD650 Hybrid 60x zoom? I have my eye on this camera, but the main reason I want it is for investigating and I was wondering if maybe there is a better choice? Please help!
The problem with the DCR-DVD is they only hold 30 minutes of video. This camera doesnt have the nightshot feature so you need actual lights to shoot at night. I would recommend the sony dcr-hc52 or 62. They are mini dv. I am doing some research to see which newer models have the night shot because they still make this feature available on some of the newer ones.
I have a question, I have a kodak C160 digital/camdorder and It doesn't have night vision but it can pick up infrared light. Could I use a Infrared light like you showed in one of your videos or do I need to just use a flashlight? What would be a good flashlight to use?
If its the easyshare the ir light wont work. It will see the light, but not bright enough to illuminate anything. I would recommend a light with at least 12 leds. Hardware stores are a great place to find these. You can get a really good one for under 15 bucks.
Sima also makes a regular light just like the sima ir light. Its called the sima sl-20lx. I have never used one, but If I had to guess I would say they are probably pretty good. They run about 25 bucks.
Hello, I own WV Paranormal Inc. we have been "professionally" ghosthunting for 3 yrs now in the southern WV area. I just wanted to say these videos are a must for any group new or experienced, and we all can learn something from them. Thank you for taking the time to make them. wva_paranormal@yahoo.com
wvparanormal 1 week ago
tool
Dinopirate 2 months ago
thank for the useful tips...
luvbug7808able 3 months ago
Hi,
My camcorder can record in 30p or 60i frames per second, so I was wondering which if either would be better for ghost hunting?
Because I know 60i can capture things moving at a faster speed than 30p can.
freefullvideos 4 months ago
great video. i have a jvc mini dv model: gr-d30u, and it has a night button, but when i use it, the light it picks up trailes. is this because it is not real night vision, or di i need to set it up to work in the menu opt? this is an old camcorder, so i dont have the manuel to it any more. can you help?
ext1081 4 months ago
What in your opinion is the best sony trv handycam? With the best quality and night shot? Also, how can I record one whole night in a room by leaving the camera running? The cassettes only hold up to 90 minutes....
RagingBleachFire 6 months ago
@RagingBleachFire You want a hard disk camera. Sont DCR sr -42 is a 30gig camera with standard def. quality. It also has nightshot. Its an older model so you could pick up a used one for $150-$200. Kep in mind that anything that does not record on tape will have some compression that includes DVR. Hope this helps.
screamfreak79 6 months ago
@screamfreak79 But why this camera specifically?
RagingBleachFire 6 months ago
@RagingBleachFire Its one that we own. I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending something I haven't tried yet.
screamfreak79 6 months ago
Try out the Sony HDR-HC7 or HC9. They both have Sony's night shot feature. And a more expensive cam is the Sony HXR-MC50U. it also has night vision.
AgentJuly19903 7 months ago
have u got one yet
thelonestarghost78 10 months ago
can a vivitar night vision camcorder work
thelonestarghost78 10 months ago
@thelonestarghost78 I am going to be testing some out soon. Not great quality, but usable.
screamfreak79 10 months ago
@thelonestarghost78 I take one with me, but it's not great. It neads more IR light to help it pick things up. It is better for small rooms/locations. The sound is pretty bad. Not an echoing, but a squeaky noise that continues. The worst, to me, is that the item 'decides' when it wants to use night vision or not. If it 'thinks' there's enough light, it will turn some of the IR lights off -- and this even happens in the dark. It messes up most if you're too close to and object.
GratedTopping 9 months ago
is it good if you are on a budeget and can you put extra ir lights on it.
thelonestarghost78 9 months ago
@thelonestarghost78 I think extra IR lights should help stop the unit from shutting off its own IR lights. I still recommend it for indoor. I'm sure the megapixels aren't the best. I use it in rooms in my house mostly and caught so-called 'orbs' many times. Again, the sound's not great. If you are wanting to see if it can capture EVP's, the device's own noise on the recording will be a bit annoying. With extra IR light, it still wouldn't capture great disances....
GratedTopping 9 months ago
@thelonestarghost78 My device is a Vivitar DVR 510n; perhaps the one you refer to is different? This one of mine doesn't have a tripod mount. I have another mini camcorder that records sound better and has a tripod mount. With that's night vision, and a bracket mounted to it with extra IR, it does pretty well. With the Vivitar, you'd have to hold and extra IR flashlight along with it.
GratedTopping 9 months ago
@GratedTopping I have the Vivitar 510 same as you, it came with the plastic case, the black lock tab on the bottom of the case I drilled a small hole in the bottom of the black lock tab, just smaller than the screw on for a tri pod mount and then screwed the case in until it fit, I now have a Vivitar 510 that mounts on all of my Tripods.
rspen461 5 months ago
great focus tip, try this for hands free recording, it is the best thing ever.
sent link in ur messages.
IndianaSPI 11 months ago
@screamfreak79
Thx u
The89god 1 year ago
@The89god No prob.
screamfreak79 1 year ago
HELP!!!
@screamfreak79 Dude does the dcr-sr42 has usb port? I got a sony hi-8 but it doesnt have usb port. And every time i try to pass the video to my computer, the quality decreases.
Do you know a good camera that have night vision and usb port?
Or a good program that covert dvd to wmv without affecting the quality? Please help!
congui666 1 year ago
@congui666 Yes it has usb. Everything loads quick. I recommend it.
screamfreak79 1 year ago
Where do you get the extender batteries?
tenover1 1 year ago
@tenover1 Check amazon or e bay
screamfreak79 1 year ago
I have a Sony DCR-DR65E camcorder. It has a filter thread and hot shoe to attach mic/light. Do you think it is necessary to put on wide angle lens and external mic when ghost hunting? Do you think the external mic (Sony ECM-HST1) could better capture any paranormal sounds?
ahua101 1 year ago
@ahua101 The wide angle is really up to you, but if you have an external sony mic I would run it. It will be more sensitive than the mic thats on the camera.
screamfreak79 1 year ago
another good video just set up my camcorder, and if you think about it with all the unused options turned off you might be able to squeeze a couple more minutes out of the battery. i am using a sony DCR-HC52 with super night shot. what do you think is a good camcorder that has a hard drive or memory card. got a panasonic and found out that low light shooting is not the same as lux levels
XWILLX01 1 year ago
We use the sony dcr-sr42. they are like 4-5 hundred bucks new, but you can find a used one for 125-200 bucks. It has nite shot and a 30 gig hard drive. On the highest quality setting you can get about 9 hours of video. Thats plenty of time for just about any investigation. You are right. the cameras with low light mode are not near the quality of the sony nite shot.
screamfreak79 1 year ago
what camcorder u think is the best one for ghost hunting
The89god 1 year ago
@The89god Sony night. Any one of them are great.
screamfreak79 1 year ago
Mike I have a question about sony. I went and got a sony trv19 with night shot. The video useing night shot and a sima 20ir light is great, i'm able to see things I could not with the jvc. Video looks great on the camera but when i capture it with firewire and transfer it to the computer its always dark. Its like I never used the ir light at all. Have you had this happen and do you use any certain capture software that fixes this problem? I'm tring differant programs without any luck.
Mike
gousthuntermike 1 year ago
@gousthuntermike See what happens when you try to transfer day time video. If it is still dark then it may just be a transfer issue. When we load mini dv to pc we burn it to a dvd on an external burner and the load from the dvd. Sorry I couldn't help much. I don't have much experience with firewire.
Mike
screamfreak79 1 year ago
Comment removed
gousthuntermike 1 year ago
Mike thanks for the responce. Tried your suggestion and it worked. I use a JVC Everio ms230 with super lo lux. With the two sema lights it does a pretty good job, until now it wanted to refocus quit a bit. Glad I found your site. Thanks again!
Mike
gousthuntermike 1 year ago
When working the focus, do you have to do the focus tip every time the camera is turned off or is it a one time fix?
gousthuntermike 1 year ago
@gousthuntermike It depends on the camera. An easy way to find out is set it to manual focus unfocus the camera. Turn of the camera off and turn it back on. If the shot is still out of focus then it is a one time fix if it goes back to auto focus then you may have to do it every time. That was a very good question.
Mike
screamfreak79 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@screamfreak79 what camcorder u think is the best one for ghost hunting
The89god 1 year ago
@gousthuntermike No problem.
screamfreak79 1 year ago
Great job!
I'll agree with all of that. I'll add that I like to use a handle screwed into the base of the camera (where the tripod normally goes). It's a much more natural position for the hand and wrist and helps with stability and movement.
mikequinn 1 year ago
Great job!
I'll agree with all of that. I'll add that I like to use a handle screwed into the base of the camera (where the tripod normally goes). It's a much more natural position for the hand and wrist and helps with stability and movement.
mikequinn 1 year ago
Thank you, Mike.
As you are speaking from personal experience, your tips/suggestions are both pertinent and helpful.
SFGrrlWonder 1 year ago
thanks mann
DarkStarProductionZz 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
is it best to use infrared or night vision when looking for spirits?and if i wanted to use some evp,can i use headphones and would i be able to hear it?
cause i used headphones the last time ive done it and i caught a very convincing whispering of a soft feminine voice through the recorder (note:it was recorded and i have reviewed it)
is there a way to kinda...enhance it so i could hear it better?
when i hear nothing on my headphones like last time, does that mean there is nothing there?
Emblemz 2 years ago
Comment removed
Emblemz 2 years ago
When you mentioned having the battery charged, have you had a spirit drain batteries yet during an investigation? :)
Yeah, ALWAYS 'tag' stuff, as you said...I've tossed out supposed 'E. V. P.s' by saying 'that was just a kid' into my microphone, since, if you're not able to go over recordings until a while later (happens sometimes), you're not going to remember everything that happened, especially if you were recording for a long length of time.
tviscante 2 years ago
We have only had a battery drain on two occasions. Both were with digital still cameras. The first time I couldnt personally verify that the battery was fully charged. We had a new investigator on her first "real" investigation using her own camera. It was really my fault for not making sure it was charged, but we have all learned from it. The second time we had other strange things happen when the battery drained. It was very odd, but not solid enough for us to call it paranormal.
Mike
screamfreak79 2 years ago
@tviscante can a phone camera work for it ?
loopytangelo 1 year ago
@loopytangelo It could, I've heard just regular ol' 35 mm, non-digital cameras work better though (for some reason).
tviscante 1 year ago
Very informative, great job.
NinjaCthulhu 2 years ago
Your video is very informative thank you for sharing it with us. Annie
evpinvestigations 2 years ago
Nice video ! It would have been nice to have had this a couple of years ago ! I had to learn most of this by trial and error, and mostly error. I like to use a monopod in some locations, it gives your arm much needed rest. Of course it's difficult to use in some areas, but is great in an open location. IR extenders are a great addition too, they can give you a lot more light in dark locations. Thanks !
totalrecall63 2 years ago
hi mike....thanks for the tip on the auto focus! liking your tutorials. take care!
JoGurlzStuff 2 years ago
LOL, I liked the reference to falling through the stairs.... Its a shame Sony is phasing out NightShot. Seems like Sony was IT for shooting in the dark. I had to order an 2 or 3 year old model just to get IR shooting with NightShot in the dark with 0 lux
saberpara 2 years ago
Thanks for the auto focus/manual focus tip! Nice
TheFlames40 2 years ago
I was also thinking about getting a new camcorder. What do you think about the Sony DCR-DVD650 Hybrid 60x zoom? I have my eye on this camera, but the main reason I want it is for investigating and I was wondering if maybe there is a better choice? Please help!
TheFlames40 2 years ago
The problem with the DCR-DVD is they only hold 30 minutes of video. This camera doesnt have the nightshot feature so you need actual lights to shoot at night. I would recommend the sony dcr-hc52 or 62. They are mini dv. I am doing some research to see which newer models have the night shot because they still make this feature available on some of the newer ones.
Mike
screamfreak79 2 years ago
Good Advice Mike. Thanx 4 sharing
tnwraithchasers 2 years ago
Great tips man!!! Thanks for taking the time to share them with us...
kevinrayp 2 years ago
The tip on manuel was great! Thanks for the info.
Zeasea 2 years ago
That was very informative and educational.
Tech guy of the Philadelphia Paranormal Group.
Francis362003 2 years ago
The autofocus tip was really useful. Thanks!
Light540 2 years ago
hey thanks mike this will definetly come in handy during future investigations.
and tips on what camcorder to get? ive been looking around just want to get some opinions
-JC
ValleyParanormal 2 years ago
Are you thinking mini dv or hard disk drive.
Mike
screamfreak79 2 years ago
i was thinking hard disk drive.
ValleyParanormal 2 years ago
Let me do some checking around. What is your price range.
Mike
screamfreak79 2 years ago
id say 100 to 300 possibly 350 thanks mike.
JC
ValleyParanormal 2 years ago
Thanks for the great info. I will try the cool autofocus tip!
yetifeets 2 years ago
Good job Mike! Especially liked the auto focus tip.
haloparanormal 2 years ago
Like the auto focus tips, thanks for sharing and look forward to more.
HauntedSouthampton 2 years ago
Good tips on the camcorder
Maverick0202 2 years ago
Wow Mike,thank you for sharing this with me,great stuff and Information...5 stars buddy!
hipperzdave55 2 years ago
Good info man!
doorwaysmag 2 years ago
Excellent, Mike - absolutely fantastic. Very informative - especially the section dealing with autofocus and how to prevent blurring. :)
wolfparanormal 2 years ago
Great tips!
conduirty 2 years ago
over 15 yrs investigating, never used auto focus but do this under night time conditions
JillyGurl1970 2 years ago
Are you asking if this workes a t night also.
Mike
screamfreak79 2 years ago
Hey Mike great video.. love the tip about the manual focus!
Had a question for you.. where do you purchase the battery extenders?
Thanks again for the great work.
GhostHuntrsOfSoTampa 2 years ago
Check on ebay. look up extended camcorder battery. They have several kinds so make sure it is the right one for your camera.
Mike
screamfreak79 2 years ago
Thanks Mike... I was wondering if the my video camera setting would be better on manual focus. Thanks for the tip...
WestParanormal 2 years ago
I would try it. Make sure you focus in on something across the room. The further away the better.
Mike
screamfreak79 2 years ago
I have a question, I have a kodak C160 digital/camdorder and It doesn't have night vision but it can pick up infrared light. Could I use a Infrared light like you showed in one of your videos or do I need to just use a flashlight? What would be a good flashlight to use?
FloydRoseDiscovery 2 years ago
If its the easyshare the ir light wont work. It will see the light, but not bright enough to illuminate anything. I would recommend a light with at least 12 leds. Hardware stores are a great place to find these. You can get a really good one for under 15 bucks.
screamfreak79 2 years ago
@screamfreak79 Yeah its a easyshare. Thanks for the answer great video btw. I will go and buy a LED flashlight.
FloydRoseDiscovery 2 years ago
Sima also makes a regular light just like the sima ir light. Its called the sima sl-20lx. I have never used one, but If I had to guess I would say they are probably pretty good. They run about 25 bucks.
Mike
screamfreak79 2 years ago
@screamfreak79 ok thanks I will check it out. where would I find a light like this at?
FloydRoseDiscovery 2 years ago
Ebay has them, but they are between 30 and 40 bucks. If you search around online I bet you can find them cheaper.
Mike
screamfreak79 2 years ago
@screamfreak79 ok thank you
FloydRoseDiscovery 2 years ago
great vid mike..5 stars....looked up that capturing device....80 bucks here on ebay...ill keep lookin i think.!!!...rod..
208STROKER 2 years ago
Thanks man.
Mike
screamfreak79 2 years ago