Topic: Practical video and audio recording gear?

[Vurki]

Hello fellow video and audio recordists

Half a year ago I bought two Rode NT1-a mics and Fostex FR2-LE recorder, and made some great field recordings. With that gear the result was amazing, brilliant sound and no noise at all. But now I want to do something different: I want to move to video field, to make some documentary kind of clips with proper video and audio quality. I don't have too much money (max. 1000€) so I don't demand pro quality, but it should match the today' standard so that when you would be watching a clip made with this gear, its quality wouldn't disturb you... so actually it just needs to be tolerable, and today that means full HD etc.

What I obviously need is a video camera. But I don't know almost anything about them. Because of the budget for both camera and mics is MAX 1000€, camera shouldn't probably cost more than 500€. What kind of it should be? I'll do my best to study the subject, but some little hints would be great. About audio -  I don't think I can use my Rodes. They are huge cardioid mics, not suitable for mobile recording and to capture the sound from a precise source. I need a shotgun. I want stereo, but I've read that while moving stereo shotguns aren't a good choice, it'll be somehow messy. So one shotgun and then stereo miking for backround? Like Rodes but smaller and not so quality?

As you can see, I don't know a lot about this. Actually what I want from you, is a general picture of how and of what the video and audio recording set I'm looking for is composed.

Something like this would probably be perfect for me, though I understand that I won't get that nice camera with my budget:

Thank you!

[beatkilla]

What type of video will you be doing?Weddings,live concerts,news gathering...something else?That can determine many factors of what you may need.                      Why not use your rode-fr2le for audio? Do you need mic input?Most will have stereo mini mic input.If you must have  XLR the price is substantially higher. Do you want alot of manual control over focus,iris,exposure? Or do you want to run the video camera in Auto mode?

[chicofishhead]

The camera in the picture is a Sony PD 170 (or possibly PD 150).  I have one and it works excellent for documentary-style stuff.  It has lots of manual settings, as well as XLR inputs for audio (and it has automatic settings as well).  It is great for zooming and focusing on the fly, and is incredible in low light.  It is, though, as you suspect, far out of your budget, although since it is standard definition, there may be some available used from people upgrading to high def.  I wish I could upgrade to a similar high definition camera, but I can't see that happening anytime soon, seeing how I barely make enough to pay my rent.  (I also have a Canon XL1, but the Sony blows the Canon away in every respect, as far as I'm concerned, even though the Canon listed for more).

A year or two ago I found something on Albert Maysles's website about how much he loves the PD 170.  That's pretty cool, because Al and his late brother David made the movie that first inspired me to want to make movies about bands, Gimme Shelter.  I can't find it on his website any more, but his thoughts are reprinted here:
http://ht.ly/1HT5L

Coincidentally, Albert is appearing right now with my other favorite filmmaker, D.A. Pennebaker, at the Paley Center in NYC - Fifty Years of Cinema Verite.  I wish I was there.

[rastasean]

It's a very good thing you already have a collection of microphones and a recorder. For ME, the more important part of a movie is the audio and secondary is video. This is especially true in a documentary (unless it is on photography or something).

I would recommend looking for used reasonable, priced equipment. I don't think you're in america so it may be a little harder to buy used and/or rent equipment. I know everyone wants to own everything but if you rent it will give you a chance to see if the camera is something you like or something you're glad you DIDN'T buy.

For stereo shotguns, I think they would be too expensive for your budget and pretty unnecessary. Personally I don't have any experience so I don't want to discredit them too much. Take a look at the rode NTG1 and maybe you can buy a pair of those. Having shotgun mics means you'll need some way of holding them on a boom pole (as simple as a painters stick) but it also means (or at least suggests) an adequate form of wind protection.
So now you have at least two people tied up in the documentary, one to film and one to operate shotgun mic. next step is to have fun.

What is the subject of the documentary?

[Shadow_7]

The real question is how do you want to shoot video?  Hand held?  Monopod?  Spider Brace?  Tripod?  Rails?  Jig?  Moving vehicle?  Tons of rigging might be needed beyond just the camera.  And then there's lights if you want to do actual film like stuff.  Under water enclosures and other things.  It all adds up and leaves very little left if any for a modest camcorder.

I've got basically a glorified monopod.  I'm lazy, I don't want to hold 5+ lbs of gear for twenty minutes at a time.  And I don't want to spend $1,500 on a decent tripod and fluid head either.  A good monopod with some redneck rigging and I can cope with fluid head like results without having to actually lift the gear for an entire concert.

I use an FH1.  Not ideal for a lot of things, but decent picture quality and some manual controls (just not while recording).  And cheap $300-ish.  With it's beefier cousin the HD2000 finally dropping in price recently.  Not pro by any means, but pretty good for a trainer / low budget cam.  I use it plus my existing audio gear and swap the audio in post.  A bit of a headache, but serviceable results.  Baring that 4GB / 23 minute pause / break in recording.  Panasonic TM700 and soon to be released TM750 or something like that for the better end of the spectrum.  And lots of nicer options above $1K.

Try to find some footage from whatever cam you intend to buy.  Unedited footage and see if you can edit it with whatever software you want to use FIRST.  Because if you can't do that much, any camcorder is going to a major drag.  Or if you're just doing baby steps for grandma and don't want to spend a week rendering out an hours worth of footage.

[guysonic]

I like the idea of doing documentary with small unobtrusive gear that does not compromise audio quality allowing access to most any public situation.   Go to my www.sonicstudios.com/videomic.htm page for a glimpse of this type of gear and view some of the YouTube videos linked there seeing if this approach appeals to you. 

There's also a link at the upper left of this same page to a most populated sample recordings page with more videos and audio recordings done with this same type of custom mic made here.

[rastasean]

shadow7 brings up excellent points. the same shot can get boring so you would want to think about another way of mounting/carrying the camera.
if you want to do a sweeping pan across a skyline, most people think you need a crane of some kind--just get a ladder.

take a look at this camera in the yard sale, not a bad price. http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=139785.0