Q&A: Movie making equipment? Help needed :) +Audio Question?
Question by Ell: Movie making equipment? Help needed 🙂 +Audio Question?
I want to start movie making again. I made a LOT on my digital blue when I was younger, and I miss the whole experience of it. So now that I’m older, I want to find some good equipment.
And by equipment I mean a camera and way of recording audio. 😛
Video
*For cameras, what’s a good digital video camera that will give good quality results, but not SUPER expensive? (I cant afford anything like 3k, my range is a few hundred.)
*Is it better to record to a memory card, or to a tape, quality wise? (All digital cameras, mind you)
Audio
I have a question about audio; in movies, how do they get it to flow so well without making noise when you piece the clips together? Anyone who’s made a movie with just a digital snapshop camera will get this;
Is a boom mic the answer? How do they work anyway?
And if I should get one, how much do they run for? If not, what kind of mic should I get?
Thanks!
I meant the kind on the pole for mics 😉 Do the ones attached to the cameras have the same result? Is one better than the other?
Best answer:
Answer by RobbieM82
If you’re serious, then you need to be looking at something that will enable you to have a good level of manual control over what you’re doing. That might mean recording to tape, and for that I’d recommend something like the Canon HV30 HDV/DV (switchable) camcorder. It’s great quality and you can plug in mics, headphones, etc. You can also stream out your tape contents to a computer via firewire.
Alternatively, the new generation of high def camcorders that record to high capacity flash memory (SDHC, Memory Stick) are also getting better and better – with the latest models letting you plug in mics and headphones, etc. The most popular HD format is now AVCHD, with good reason because it’s very good.
You need to be thinking about spending upwards of £599 though to get the facilities you need. Look at the new Canon HG20, HG21, HF11 or Panasonic HDC-SD100, HDC-HS100 for the very latest in solid state and HDD-based hig def recording. I’ve used the SD100 and also the Canon HF11 and they’re excellent.
As for “boom mics”, what precisely are you referring to? A directional mic on the end of a fishpole or a directional mic sitting on the camcorder? I assume the latter, in which case look at Canon’s own mic (I’ve forgotten what it’s called – details on their website) and that has as plug in to the camcorder which means that you’re ready to roll with nobody else involved and no wires!
What do you think? Answer below!
