Question for the photographers and AV wizards ...

[CountryGent]

So, I have a couple unrelated question about photography and video recording equipment. This is a type of technology that I am not particularly familiar with.

Question One: On hikes and other walks I often take digital photographs with an older camera (circa 2011-2012 vintage). It actually works pretty well for close up shots, but is close to worthless for pictures of things farther away. Can anyone recommend a newer digital camera that would be small enough to easily pack on hikes, but would provide better range and picture quality? Also, if there are specific tools to obtain good night pictures, that would be of interest too.

Question Two: My wife (@TeacherSmurf) wants to record various lessons, projects, etc., and place them on Youtube for viewing by her colleagues and other teachers out there in the world. She would need a digital camera and tripod, but I am not sure what to look for. And any tips on equipment and making decent quality videos would be great. The vast majority of the short videos would be taken in doors and at relatively close range.

Thanks all for any thoughts, etc. Much appreciated.

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[Member 34319]

@FordPrefect

 

[Member 34319]

I believe @Cosimel is also a good person to ask.

 

[RicInOR]

Can anyone recommend a newer digital camera that would be small enough to easily pack on hikes, but would provide better range and picture quality?

Also, if there are specific tools to obtain good night pictures, that would be of interest too.

Short of a system, what do you have in mind?

Look at "Travel Cameras"
and / or "Bridge Cameras"

TZ70 for example of a travel camera, fits in pocket, equivalent of 720 mm lens.
FZ80 for example of a bridge camera, looks like an DSLR, but only one lens, equivalent over 1000mm.
There are new models, and the major brands have equivalents.

You can find sample photos on Flickr, or DPReview.
https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=&cm=panasonic/dc-fz82



I own both the TZ70 and FZ80 and like them. The TZ is a bit "slow" but that is the compromise to have the small package. Downside is Pansonic / Lumix has a proprietary cable.

 

[RicInOR]

Question Two: My wife (@TeacherSmurf) wants to record various lessons, projects, etc., and place them on Youtube for viewing by her colleagues and other teachers out there in the world. She would need a digital camera and tripod, but I am not sure what to look for. And any tips on equipment and making decent quality videos would be great. The vast majority of the short videos would be taken in doors and at relatively close range.

Thanks all for any thoughts, etc. Much appreciated.

A Smarty-Pants Phone in a proper mount not going to work?

Does she need a tilty-swinging screen? ( over head, down low, selfies ) ?


Check Kai and Lok
Kai W
Lok Cheung

A guy with a U-tuby Channel at my gym likes his Canon M50.
But he also uses the smarty-pants phone.

Chelsea and Tony Tony & Chelsea Northrup

TheCameraStoreTV

 

[FordPrefect]

Question One: On hikes and other walks I often take digital photographs with an older camera (circa 2011-2012 vintage). It actually works pretty well for close up shots but is close to worthless for pictures of things farther away. Can anyone recommend a newer digital camera that would be small enough to easily pack on hikes, but would provide better range and picture quality? Also, if there are specific tools to obtain good night pictures, that would be of interest too.

Something light and compact to carry on a hike. I'll wipe my mind of a DSLR just simply due to the size/weight of the camera and gear you would need. I would look into compact cameras like these Sony ones. I don't know what your budget is so I can't go into it too much. The two things I would tell you to make sure you look at:

1) Get the most OPTICAL zoom you can afford. Since you can't change the lens on most of these types of camreas, you are stuck with what you buy and even though digital zoom has come a long way, you want to have the optial zoom first.
2) Since you want to do shots at night, make sure the camera has a "hot shoe" on it so you can buy an external flash. Most, if not all internal flashes, IMHO, suck even at some basic night shots. They are great for fill flashes during the day, but they just never seem to have enough oomph to do the job right or justice at night.​

Question Two: My wife (@TeacherSmurf) wants to record various lessons, projects, etc., and place them on Youtube for viewing by her colleagues and other teachers out there in the world. She would need a digital camera and tripod, but I am not sure what to look for. And any tips on equipment and making decent quality videos would be great. The vast majority of the short videos would be taken in doors and at relatively close range.

For video, you could essentially use the same camera. If you want a separate one, you can skip over a large optical zoom and just instead go with a camera you can zoom smoothly with, which should be most of them. Another feature I would want is a live video output, specifically to an external monitor/PC. The reason for this is that the typical tiny screen that are on most cameras don't seem to give enough detail on what you are looking at. The most important thing would be an external microphone jack. Again, an EXTERNAL microphone jack. You can get okay quality audio with an internal microphone, but if you want really nice quality sound you want to get an external microphone, most likely a shotgun mic like this. Yeah, I linked a Rode mic, they are the best and this is an area you can get some cheap ones in, but if you want good, cry once for the good mic. Two ways to do video, a tripod if you are not moving the camera much, I'd recommend this one, I own one and it is nice and smooth with my Canon 5D MkII on it even with my largest lens. If you are moving around, look at different "steady cam" options like this. I've tried a few different things for my camera, but it's too heavy for most "cheap" options so I don't worry about it and if I need steady video, I just capture it with my drone .

Wow, probably my most long winded post evar!

 

[Member 5605]

You are only limited by your budget.

 

[Joe13]

Use your phone for pictures.

Use a GoPro for video.

Done.

 

[TeacherSmurf]

A Smarty-Pants Phone in a proper mount not going to work?

Does she need a tilty-swinging screen? ( over head, down low, selfies ) ?


Check Kai and Lok
Kai W
Lok Cheung

A guy with a U-tuby Channel at my gym likes his Canon M50.
But he also uses the smarty-pants phone.

Chelsea and Tony Tony & Chelsea Northrup

TheCameraStoreTV

I'm not really sure what I need. We just got our smarter-then-me phones this last spring, so I don't know all the options available.

What I want to do is make videos in a style kinda like Forgotten Weapons. I want to lecture about some cultural, geography, history stuff, then demonstrate an art project from said. So I would need to be able to show fine detail and color for the project, but have the camera work at a distance as well. I would also be doing the filming mainly on my own, as it would have to be done on school vacation days, when I can also have the little ones in daycare. Which would mean my Gent is at work.

 

[justcuz]

1. Your olde camera's focus could have jarred out of alignment, yes might/could be fixed but probably not worth it.
2. Like purchasing anything new you need to run the list, e.g. purpose, budget, features, form/fit/comfort. For example, coolpix slr.
3. Next go to best buy for form/fit/comfort and cost comparison. [goes to say don't get sucked in by the associates BS] [sidebar, went and found a great little nikon, spent 400, got it home and after an hour trying to figure out how to open my 'new waterproof' camera i took it back]
4. Go to BH and others [no not ebay nor amazone] website find the one ya saw at best buy and see what the want for it, print off the price, swing back to best buy and purchase it.

Piece of cake right...remember any photo taken is just 'reflected light' at that moment, so when you look at your foto on your pushed artificial lighted monitor, which has not been adjusted to present true colors of 'reflected light', then print said foto on your non color aligned printer on the wrong printer paper, e,g., glossy instead of matte or vice versa, your foto might not be as vibrant, colorful or 'purdy' as you remember when you took it.

For the Misses, BH is your source for tripod, cams, lightening, etc. [hint look at their close out/refurbish section]
One other tidbit...completely script out your videos & presentation [not verbatim per se but in enough detail to smoothly transition between segment(s)] and do not ad lib or wing them as you will get frustrated, embarrased, want to quit as they will come across as amateurish.

 

[justcuz]

PS, spend the bucks for adobe's elements [photos] & their other sw for 'videos' you will find it money well spent.

 

[RicInOR]

I'm not really sure what I need. We just got our smarter-then-me phones this last spring, so I don't know all the options available.

What I want to do is make videos in a style kinda like Forgotten Weapons. I want to lecture about some cultural, geography, history stuff, then demonstrate an art project from said. So I would need to be able to show fine detail and color for the project, but have the camera work at a distance as well. I would also be doing the filming mainly on my own, as it would have to be done on school vacation days, when I can also have the little ones in daycare. Which would mean my Gent is at work.

I am pretty sure you would tell students to practice - to do homework.
I suggest the same thing. Start with what you have. Keep notes on what you like and do not like.
There are many tutorials on the U-tuby, find a couple and follow along.

A full U-tuby video setup can be in the $5g range.
Camera, len(s), mic, boxes, memory, lighting, etc.
The Used market is a goldmine.

Best of luck.

 

[CoastRange57]

Trying to get quality down in a smaller size does not work well. I have a Nikon D 5300 24 mp with 50mm, 300mm and 600mm lens. Granted not the most compact, but takes awesome pictures and video. I have to pack some gear when I go, but that is part of the game. I also use GoPro for video as well. I use it for outside, inside and recording YouTube instructional videos. I probably take about 20,000 pictures a year and edit and upload 150 to various sites to sell. I also have a Phantom DJ3 that I use to take video and still pictures for use and real estate sales. 12 mp pretty decent pictures.

For audio recordings for podcasts and YouTube I just use a computer with Audacity and a higher quality mike setup. Use Photoshop to put it all together with and publish to YouTube or Sound Cloud. The nice thing about being able to edit it is that you can do several takes if you have to, and sew it all together.

 

[RicInOR]

Nikon D 5300 24 mp with 50mm, 300mm and 600mm lens.

@TeacherSmurf

And not for no reason, there are a lot of setups like this available on e-B ay - folks who don't use them and just went to smart-y pants phones. Pawn shops (of course you need blinders to avoid spotting guns you may want ...) are another place to look.

Even a 10yr old DSLR may work for the Video setup -
Invest in a quality mic, figure lights/back drops etc.
As to older devices, verify the memory cards and battery packs, are available before purchase.


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