KevinoC
I'm looking for something prettttty general here. I have the slots (im not sure what else to call them really) on top of my video camera that are meant for a mic or a light or an accessory....do they sell just a plastic piece that slides in and allows me to make of it what i want?
that sounds pretty confusing, but right now i have in mind attaching my 12LED compact flashlight to the top of it, since any light I can find is overpriced and underpowered.
Thanks!
Answer
Without knowing the model of your camcorder, we assume you are talking about a hotshoe. Hotshoes have ben around since the 1950s. Hotshoe technology is older than anyone who uses them, so any device you want to slide in there is , well, already built so it slides in. You don't need any extra equipment to slide in the hotshoe device.
Attaching a flashlight to your camcorder is not easy, nor is it wise to do. Besides, there are very affordable lights for your camcorder that are much more powerful than a flashlight. Depending on your budget and how far you wish to stray from AC power cords, you have two general options available:
1. SAKAR Video Light VT3800 300W http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000O39MWK?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000O39MWK - a whopping 300 watt light for a very affordable price that needs to be plugged into an AC power source, and comes with a 9' cord. We recently bought this light from this link, and we love it.
2. Opteka 150w Professional Halogen Quartz Video Light Kit with 12v Rechargeable Battery Pack http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000U7G7J6?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000U7G7J6 - comes with its own light-weight rechargeable battery pack to allow 50 watts of light for 2.5 hours, or it can be plugged into an AC power source for 150 watts of light. We have owned this model before, and it works well. It costs a bit more and produces half the light, but you get better, longer, and more flexible mobility than the light above.
* be aware that both of these lights will weigh as much as your camcorder, so you will be holding at least twice the weight when they are attached to the hotshoe.
If you need to plug in two or more hotshoe devices (such as a light and an external mic) into the same camcorder, you might need a Cool-lux Light & Sound Bracket, Camcorder Dual Mount Bracket for Video Lights & Microphones http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009R7VN?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00009R7VN or a Bower Two Shoe Video Light Bracket http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NL5X5S?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000NL5X5
Without knowing the model of your camcorder, we assume you are talking about a hotshoe. Hotshoes have ben around since the 1950s. Hotshoe technology is older than anyone who uses them, so any device you want to slide in there is , well, already built so it slides in. You don't need any extra equipment to slide in the hotshoe device.
Attaching a flashlight to your camcorder is not easy, nor is it wise to do. Besides, there are very affordable lights for your camcorder that are much more powerful than a flashlight. Depending on your budget and how far you wish to stray from AC power cords, you have two general options available:
1. SAKAR Video Light VT3800 300W http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000O39MWK?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000O39MWK - a whopping 300 watt light for a very affordable price that needs to be plugged into an AC power source, and comes with a 9' cord. We recently bought this light from this link, and we love it.
2. Opteka 150w Professional Halogen Quartz Video Light Kit with 12v Rechargeable Battery Pack http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000U7G7J6?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000U7G7J6 - comes with its own light-weight rechargeable battery pack to allow 50 watts of light for 2.5 hours, or it can be plugged into an AC power source for 150 watts of light. We have owned this model before, and it works well. It costs a bit more and produces half the light, but you get better, longer, and more flexible mobility than the light above.
* be aware that both of these lights will weigh as much as your camcorder, so you will be holding at least twice the weight when they are attached to the hotshoe.
If you need to plug in two or more hotshoe devices (such as a light and an external mic) into the same camcorder, you might need a Cool-lux Light & Sound Bracket, Camcorder Dual Mount Bracket for Video Lights & Microphones http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009R7VN?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00009R7VN or a Bower Two Shoe Video Light Bracket http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NL5X5S?ie=UTF8&tag=motionpicturecentral-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000NL5X5
Best Camcorder for editing?
Q. Here's the situation:
I need a camera for work to do some training videos. Our computers are outdated and our budget limited, so the only piece of software I can use is going to be Windows Media Player.
I've had much success using that program with Mini DV camcorders, but my boss told me that he wants one of the new flash based camcorders, so I'm kind of in a bind.
Budget for camera will top out at $500, but I need one that will be able to make editing happen with WMM. I know that Firewire > USB and that USB tends to have issues, but I need to make the best of the situation by adjusting to what my boss wants vs what I need to make it work.
Any advice is much appreciated.
I need a camera for work to do some training videos. Our computers are outdated and our budget limited, so the only piece of software I can use is going to be Windows Media Player.
I've had much success using that program with Mini DV camcorders, but my boss told me that he wants one of the new flash based camcorders, so I'm kind of in a bind.
Budget for camera will top out at $500, but I need one that will be able to make editing happen with WMM. I know that Firewire > USB and that USB tends to have issues, but I need to make the best of the situation by adjusting to what my boss wants vs what I need to make it work.
Any advice is much appreciated.
Answer
Hi Jim, and welcome to Yahoo!Answers:
I see from your other initial Question that you've already "met" fellow Contributor Dave ("Palladini") and his stock answer about miniDV camcorders and their quality compared to flash-memory based consumer models.
On the video quality issues, I have to concur with Dave on that point. And since your boss is setting a paltry $500 limit for hardware, Dave's recommendations for miniDV over flash-card format model cameras would be wise to talk to your boss about.
I can understand that your winXP workplace computers might not have Firewire PCI cards, and your boss is probably considering the digital workflow issues (miniDV transfers take "real time" versus file-copy for flash cards), but you could make the point with him that $50 spent on a Firewire card saves having to spend $100 or more on a better editing program to accept oddball flash-card file codecs that WMM won't handle.
The other option, since a camera purchase seems to be imminent, is to choose a brand and model that (like Sony or JVC) that bundles a "free" media browser/editor (Sony PMB or JVC Pixela) that handles the files their camera produces.
Company training videos tend to be fairly simplistic and are intended to illustrate basic procedures or company guidelines. The editing involved shouldn't require a high-powered editing tool to assemble & trim the needed shots.
If your boss starts wanting something more involved than a few PowerPoint slide inserts ("I'd like a green-screen background, and a Picture-in-Picture window with me talking over this scene...") put your foot down and tell him bluntly he needs to rethink the end-purpose of the training video project and his limited budget figures!
For you, I have a followup question: do you own the miniDV camcorder(s) you are experienced on, or does the company already have an "older" miniDV model that you've been using? Or is this their first video equipment purchase? Use the "Additional Details" link on the Y!Answers Action Bar to respond here.
I'll make specific brand and model recommendations based on your answer & other feedback to that.
hope this helps,
--Dennis C.
Â
Hi Jim, and welcome to Yahoo!Answers:
I see from your other initial Question that you've already "met" fellow Contributor Dave ("Palladini") and his stock answer about miniDV camcorders and their quality compared to flash-memory based consumer models.
On the video quality issues, I have to concur with Dave on that point. And since your boss is setting a paltry $500 limit for hardware, Dave's recommendations for miniDV over flash-card format model cameras would be wise to talk to your boss about.
I can understand that your winXP workplace computers might not have Firewire PCI cards, and your boss is probably considering the digital workflow issues (miniDV transfers take "real time" versus file-copy for flash cards), but you could make the point with him that $50 spent on a Firewire card saves having to spend $100 or more on a better editing program to accept oddball flash-card file codecs that WMM won't handle.
The other option, since a camera purchase seems to be imminent, is to choose a brand and model that (like Sony or JVC) that bundles a "free" media browser/editor (Sony PMB or JVC Pixela) that handles the files their camera produces.
Company training videos tend to be fairly simplistic and are intended to illustrate basic procedures or company guidelines. The editing involved shouldn't require a high-powered editing tool to assemble & trim the needed shots.
If your boss starts wanting something more involved than a few PowerPoint slide inserts ("I'd like a green-screen background, and a Picture-in-Picture window with me talking over this scene...") put your foot down and tell him bluntly he needs to rethink the end-purpose of the training video project and his limited budget figures!
For you, I have a followup question: do you own the miniDV camcorder(s) you are experienced on, or does the company already have an "older" miniDV model that you've been using? Or is this their first video equipment purchase? Use the "Additional Details" link on the Y!Answers Action Bar to respond here.
I'll make specific brand and model recommendations based on your answer & other feedback to that.
hope this helps,
--Dennis C.
Â
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