E18: Budget Online Video/Photo Equipment Advice and Review

You don't need expensive gear to make decent Web video and photos. All you need is the right equipment and some basic skills.
I've put down my thoughts on equipment in this video. Below is some more help with equipment and links to some great videos and articles online to help you with the skills.

Examples by the author
- Video Blog shot on a $200 camera: http://techtrek.blip.tv/file/399826/
- Photos using a $200 camera: http://www.plocktau.com/photos/index.html

Tools: They key to tools is knowing what features are important, and what are just sales tools. Sales tools are things like "48x digital zoom," or "video software included." below is what I'm always after:

Video: External Mic and Headphone ports. Good lens. Card based recording. Usable on Mac or PC with well established low-end or free standard editing software (not the kind that comes with the camera).
I use: Canon HF/FS Series, or Xacti.

Video Software: Major brand, usually not by a company that makes cameras.
I use: Final Cut Express or iMovie (free). For PCs I've heard Sony Vegas and MovieMaker (free).

Photo/Field Video: Pocket-sized to encourage carrying everywhere, which facilitates getting great media. Great lens and objective reviews from places like Steve's Digicams.
I use: Canon PowerShot SD cameras. For off the power grid field work, The canon "A" series that use AA batteries that can be charged by solar and bought at stores.

Photo software: Free. Has level control, straighten, brightness. Catalogs and organizes. Exports in full quality for use in Photoshop should it be needed later.
I use: iPhoto on Mac. Picassa on the PC is excellent. Graphics Converter is cross platform and will do text on graphics etc.

Audo Recorders: External mic port. Good battery life. SD card saving so you can swap out cards from any manufacturer. High quality record settings, in Mac or PC readable format without using included software to convert.
I use: Olympus.

Voice Software: Makes MP3s, has filters, graphic editing, wide user base. I use: Audacity (Mac or PC)

Microphones: Trusted brands but not too expensive.
I use: Wired Lapel. Ars Technica. Shotgun Arts Technica. Handheld. Sure57.

Computers: Fast card, big drive, full of RAM, wide screen. I use: 24" iMac or A MacBook Pro . PCs can work too, but I know Macs. If you get a PC, consult someone who uses one for video and consider keeping it off the Internet and local networks so it doesn't have to run virus software or another background process.

External Drives: For backing up and storage of finished projects. LeCie or Other World Computing.

More Video and Photo techniques and tutorials online:

Composition
- Top Ten Tips for Photography from Kodak (they should know!). Good for video composition too. http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=38/13915/39/317/10032&am...
- Article on composition for video and photography: http://www.videomaker.com/article/7596/
- Video on Composition for photography: http://lifehacker.com/337117/the-rules-of-photography-composition
- Video on Rule of Thirds: http://movies.atomiclearning.com/movie/k12/1026/play/

Sound
- Video about Proximity Effect of Microphones and the different types you can use. Excellent production value: http://vimeo.com/1080128

Light
- Video on basic, budget lighting. Funny, by Bre Petis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilHaSwPkLx4
- Video on more advanced lighting for video: "key back fill" baby!: http://www.digitaljuice.com/djtv/segment_detail.asp?sid=73&searchid=29509

Story
- Right...story...what it's all about. Advice from This American Life's Ira Glass on the basic building blocks of storytelling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7KQ4vkiNUk

The video was made using a contraption I made while in grad. school at NYU ITP (documented here: http://www.instructables.com/id/2FerCam-Video-Interview-Rig-Captures-Both-Sub...)

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• techtrek.tv
• caleb j clark
• caleb clark
• john
• budget
• equipment
• video
• photography
• online
• audio
• blog
• save
• money
• gear
• canon
• sony
• xacti
• camera
• review

[hdtvcamera1]

I started to think ugh when the video started but you had me captivated till the end. Nice Job

[techtrekshow]

Thanks! I've got to work on my intros...agreed.

[techtrekshow]

Oh, like a Web cam? I'm not sure, I'd try asking a group or forum on web cams

[huntersk8n123]

does it have a fire wire? or can you go usb to direct upload for live show

[techtrekshow]

It's got USB, HDMI, component and AV outs. for a "live show" I just did AV out or HDMI out directly to a TV and played off the camera if that's what you mean

[CountryComesToTown]

Hey great video and perfect timing. I'm planning to buy a new HD video camera and was just watching your HF100 review the other day. That is probably the camera that I'll get. It really seems to do great in low light. I'm also intrigued by the new point and shoot cams that film in HD with stereo sound. i.e. Sony Cybershot T500 & Kodak V1253 ...any thoughts on those for HD video? Does the HF100 take good still photos? I'm afraid I want the impossible do it all cam on the cheap. LOL -Jim

[techtrekshow]

not sure, but I hear the SLRs coming out that do HD video and have a mic port are amazing.

[JHard654]

Agreed. Very good job

[hobocamptheater]

card and internal flash memory is the way to go

and yes internal flash is different to hard drives.

internal flash is silent and like cards doesn't physically crash so dropping it a small difference won't matter where doing that to a hard drive can screw the entire thing up.

also, awesome equipment and great setup.

[b1ackg0ld]

I appreciate the humor in this video and all the tools shared. Even though this was taped several years ago, I still have a good idea of what to look for and where to get them!

[skunkworks51]

Is this a joke? Just dump it all in a pelican loose! They have pick and pluck foam just for this reason. Look I have a pelican case I'm a pro,,, get real!!!!!!

[cliffe008]

good vid you know your Stuff Sir

thank u 4the in Site

[gurielzeigerman]

If you took better care of your gear and didn't throw it all in a box, you wouldn't have to spend $160 every year on a new camera. Wasted Money.

[robhurlock81]

Get Photoshop free: freedownloaddatabase(dot)info

[dasang]

please can you tell me how do i upload videos in macbook.....

[calebjc]

Amazon has pelican cases at a good price. So does B&H Photo. I got mine in person at B&H Photo.

[FilmGuru2010]

where did you get the pelican case and what was the price range?