The Best Camera for Video Blogging

We recently needed a new camera for video blogging. Thought we’d share the results of our research.

The first thing to consider is features – what do you need for video blogging and what’s extraneous?

FEATURES

From our point of view, two features are paramount:

• Digital connectivity
• Microphone In

By digital connectivity, we mean the ability to connect the camera directly to your computer. Generally speaking, Firewire or USB 2.0 are the standards. These come in a variety of flavors (4 pin to 6 pin for example) but all are pretty much equally effective. The key here is to make sure your computer can handle the output from the camera. USB 1.1 is too slow.

Microphone input is the other key feature. Most cameras come equipped with an integrated microphone, but, for our money, this feature leaves a lot to be desired. The camera mounted mic picks up too much ambient noise. It can also pick up the noise of the camera itself including the sound of a tape drive or the mechanical noise of zooming. Some mics even pick up the sound of your hand on the camera.

A few cameras have an accessory shoe, but we prefer a standard audio jack (usually a miniplug). The accessory shoe limits your options and adds cost.

FORMATS

As has been true since the dawn of video cameras, a bewildering array of formats exist in the marketplace. Here’s a condensed run down of formats on the market that make sense for web video:

• Mini DVD
• High-Def
• Mini DV

MINI DVD

Mini-DVD records picture and sound on small format DVDs. The main advantage of this format is that you pop the DVD out of the camera and stick it in your computer. Voila! All your footage is instantly available and can be accessed randomly. But mini DVD has three disadvantages in our opinion:

1. Pretty short run-time in high quality mode, sometimes as little as 20 or 30 minutes.
2. The quality is the worst of the three camera types under consideration (about as bad as VHS)
3. DVDs have questionable longevity. We’ve experienced a flaking off of the emulsion on DVDs in as little as six months. Scratches and fingerprints also compromise the discs. Put it this way – how many bad disks have you gotten from Netflix?

Old skool Hi-8 cameras and Neolithic VHS-C cameras still exist in the marketplace, but those won’t connect directly to your computer. You’ll need a digitzer (sometimes called an Analog to Digital converter). Once again, we’re talking additional expense and hassle, so these formats aren’t ideal for video blogging.

HIGH DEFINITION

No doubt, these cameras are great. Some record on tape, others directly to a hard drive. In the high-def arena, you’ll find a dizzying assortment of recording formats including different aspect ratios (like 16:9) and capture modes (780i and 1080i). Picture and sound quality are generally stellar, but we found two drawbacks for video blogging:

1. HIGH COST – these new cameras are also the most costly on the market. Expect to spend at least $1000 on a high-def camera.
2. OVERKILL – for video blogging, you’ll be shrinking the picture down to a smallish window (320 x 240 or smaller), so all that great picture info is really a waste.

MINI-DV

MiniDV is a tape format. It captures standard definition (NTSC) on inexpensive tapes which are slightly smaller than a credit card (but wider of course). This is our favorite format for video blogging. Here’s why:

1. CHEAP – Mini DV cameras start around $300
2. ARCHIVAL – MiniDV tapes last a long time. When properly stored, the media should be fine well into the next decade of longer.
3. SMALL – Our new miniDV camera is slightly larger than a pack of cigarettes.
4. LONG RECORDING TIME – miniDV tapes come in lengths of up to two hours.

WHICH CAMERA TO BUY

Unfortunately, most manufacturers have been getting rid of the audio-in jack on consumer cameras in favor of flashy features no one really wants. The only cameras still sporting a mic-in jack are made by Canon.

Fortunately, Canon has good lenses, solid construction and long experience in the field. We ended up buying a ZR-800.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

BUY A LIGHT – the low light performance of most consumer cameras (including ours) leaves something to be desired. We suggest buying an inexpensive light on a stand that plugs into a standard wall socket. Camera-mounted lights make an ugly picture, so place your light above the subject and about 45 degrees off access for a nice shot. Soften up the light source with an umbrella of diffusion material. Spun glass is nice. Just remember to use something heat resistant.

MICROPHONE – for interviews, we recommend a lavalier. That’s the little mic that clips to a necktie or blouse. One with a hard wire can be had for about $100. A wireless system costs about twice as much.

Happy video blogging!