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Equipment for vblogging?

anttisanttis
in Running a website
I'm not sure how many of you are currently vblogging but I'm about to start and I'm looking at buying the equipment to make it happen. I'm currently looking at Sony HDR-CX115 but since I don't really need a camcorder for anything else, I'm more than willing to look for cheaper alternatives that could still produce good-enough quality. What kind of equipment do you use and what do you recommend? The Sony camcorder is at the highest end of my budget.

Comments

  • boagworldboagworld
    Honestly? If you are starting out I would just get yourself an iPhone 4s, a case with a tripod attachment and maybe a mic. The iPhone 4s records high def, has image stabilisation and can be used for other things too.

    You can always upgrade later if you really get into it.
  • anttisanttis
    This is what I wanted, honest opinions. I've thought about using mobile phone or something more lightweight than a full camcorder. I have Samsung Omnia 7 which has HD 720p (24fps) video which could be enough for me(?). I just need some tripod attachment for it if I'm going to use it. I could do few test runs with it to see if it's enough. The problem is that I really want the videos to look good. Not pro-good but better than your average mobile phone videos. 
  • Doug_SDoug_S
    Anything that does 720p at 24fps is enough. That's pretty much the video standard.

    However, if you really want to swap to something new, something I know quite a few people on YouTube actually do is to use DSLRs. Most of the good ones from Nikon and Canon will shoot pretty solid 720p or even 1080p at 30fps. You can usually pick one up for $600 or above. They tend to be more expensive than a regular 720p camcorder but you also end up with a very solid DSLR.

    Just don't rely on them for microphones as they'll kind of suck. Get a good external mic.
  • boagworldboagworld
    If you want the video to look good the most important thing is to get the background and lighting right. When it comes to web video these matter more than the quality of camera in my opinion.
  • Doug_SDoug_S
    Have lots of lighting, preferably with a bit of back-lighting. It helps get light-balance and gives you a clear outline. Also make sure to have a very soft light that hits your face. This gives you a bit of depth. See Paul's avatar? The center of his face is clearly lit but it darkens on the periphery.
  • anttisanttis
    Thanks for all the tips. Will have to try different setups and see what I can come up with. 
  • boagworldboagworld
    A good mic is another important element. Audio can really make video appear unprofessional. 
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