Good video camera to use online

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Rob2100
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Good video camera to use online

Postby Rob2100 » December 19th, 2020, 10:04 am

I'm looking for a good video camera to use with my computer to possibly record some of my stuff and post them online. What is a really good camera with good resolution?

Tom Moore
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Re: Good video camera to use online

Postby Tom Moore » December 19th, 2020, 10:22 am

Nowadays the camera in a $30 disposable cellphone is of a better quality / resolution than network tv broadcast camera were 10 years ago so it’s not really the camera that matters.
Lighting, good quality sound and making sure sequences are staged for camera will have much more impact on the “quality” of your recording than the actual camera itself.

There’s 1001 “how to set up your home zoom office” tutorials which will give you the latest & best value lighting and sound equipment. Virtually every successful YouTuber has put out an episode talking about how they stepped up their game when recording and giving tips on how to structure and prepare the content specifically to be recorded.
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Rob2100
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Re: Good video camera to use online

Postby Rob2100 » December 19th, 2020, 11:56 am

Thanks Tom. Useful information there. Appreciate it.

timbrown
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Re: Good video camera to use online

Postby timbrown » December 19th, 2020, 1:38 pm

Like so many people I was thrust into working remotely. I had to do product demonstrations, training and presentations via ZOOM or Teams or other apps in which I had no experience and quite frankly no interest. I tried a lot of things but ended up using my iPhone for just about everything. I purchased a really nice phone holder that could be screwed on to an existing tripod and a Bluetooth remote that allows me to start and stop the iPhone camera without having to touch it. About $25 invested. This worked out well (I already had a tripod form my old 35 mm camera days). And there is free software that allows me to edit all of the video clips and add captions.

Here is what I purchased:

ULANZI Metal Phone Tripod Mount with Hot Shoe Mount Smartphone Video Rig Tripod Mount Adapter

Xenvo Shutterbug - Camera Shutter Remote Control - Bluetooth Wireless Selfie Button Clicker - Compatible with iPhone, iPad, Android, Samsung, and Google Pixel Cell Phones, Smartphones and Tablets

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erdnasephile
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Re: Good video camera to use online

Postby erdnasephile » December 19th, 2020, 2:56 pm

Rob2100 wrote:I'm looking for a good video camera to use with my computer to possibly record some of my stuff and post them online. What is a really good camera with good resolution?


IMHO, it really boils down to what quality you want and how much you are willing to spend.

The "all in one" standard for a lot of years was the Logitech 9xx series of webcams and even today, many top streamers still use this unit. Logitech has put out subsequent models (including the Brio, which does 4K) , but many still swear by the originals. And they are perfectly more than fine if you just wish to post stuff on YouTube and can look remarkably good with proper attention to lighting.

However, if you are really serious and have the cash to burn, a DSLR camera used as a webcam is the way a lot of pros choose to go--giving a superior picture quality, better autofocus/exposure, features, etc.

All that said, I agree with Mr. Moore: a great camera without proper attention to all the rest isn't going to result in a quality production.

Jonathan Townsend
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Re: Good video camera to use online

Postby Jonathan Townsend » December 19th, 2020, 8:31 pm

You can probably use your cell phone camera to get your project going. Just buy a mount and tripod. Nothing fancy to start.
Lighting is a thing apart from normal performing since the recorded image is your goal rather than theater lighting for an audience.

After you get past the initial hurdles of repeating, watching, framing, editing, and cataloging - there's the world of camera motion. Webcams are doing that nowadays. That could be within the camera for a zoom, moving the camera along a path, and /or rotating the camera to take in a setting (.eg. from side to side as a panorama). Tempting as it is to explore misdirecting a webcam... ;)
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time

Bill Duncan
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Re: Good video camera to use online

Postby Bill Duncan » December 19th, 2020, 10:41 pm

A friend recommended purchasing a light ring for cell phones. If they are good enough for YouTube makeup tutorials I suspect they'll work pretty well for our needs.

https://www.imore.com/best-ring-lights-for-selfies

Bill Mullins
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Re: Good video camera to use online

Postby Bill Mullins » December 20th, 2020, 2:42 pm

Here's an interesting home office/studio set up. Zoom caps camera resolution.

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erdnasephile
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Re: Good video camera to use online

Postby erdnasephile » December 21st, 2020, 3:21 am

To further expand Bill Mullins' point.

It is possible to have HD Group Meetings in Zoom, but you need to have a certain kind of account and also make sure the settings are selected properly. https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articl ... 82d68f2260

Tom Gilbert
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Re: Good video camera to use online

Postby Tom Gilbert » December 22nd, 2020, 7:28 am

Mike Powers has quite the set up, multiple cameras and a switch box.

wirelesstkd
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Re: Good video camera to use online

Postby wirelesstkd » December 29th, 2020, 3:31 pm

Honestly, I just use my iPhone for everything. I use it to capture demo videos from my shows and I use it in all my virtual shows over the summer. One librarian even remarked at how great my picture was! And all I was using was my cell phone and normal lights in my room.

This is not to say that there aren't professional camera that can do better (there certainly are). It's just to say that most cell phone cameras are better than "good enough."
I perform professionally as birthday party magician, Matt Matthews and manage The Party Troupe, an agency for magicians, face painters, and more.


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