A video camera is a key part of a social media strategy, most importantly with YouTube. It can be overwhelming to see all of the makes and models out there. Allow me to outline a few things to keep in mind when you’re shopping. When looking for a video camera I try to think about how easy it is to download the video files, its portability, how well it “sees” in indoor light, and how well it picks up audio.
Right now I’m using a few devices. I have a camcorder that’s about two years old. It’s great outside but a little grainy indoors. It uses mini discs and nowadays I would probably get something with a memory stick or card. What I like is that it has a mic on the camera but also a plug in slot for another audio device. With that I use a little plug in lavalier (or clip-on) mic that I picked up at Radio Shack. At some point I’ll likely upgrade to a more modern device.
If I’m just on my computer, I might use my webcam. I think it does a pretty good job but then I have to use some sort of microphone that’s hooked into the computer as the webcam doesn’t have one. I’d probably need to throw some lights on my face to make sure I’m properly lit. Since I have a desktop, I really can’t use this camera to record outside my office.
I’ve also had a chance to play around with a Flip Mino camera. These are relatively low cost, very simple cameras. The Mino is about the size of a pack of cards. What it does best is record well in low light situations and is extremely easy to carry around. The mic is built into the camera. If you’re close to the camera, it picks things up pretty well. But if you’re further back than that, the mic isn’t as good. I’ve found it to be a good camera to have on you and record things as they come up. For instance, it works really well with things like recording video testimonials after a presentation. I wouldn’t want to use it for something much more complex as it really can’t zoom in on things and the steadiness of the image depends on the steadiness of your hand.
(Since this was first published, I’ve purchased a Kodak Zi8 camera. It’s like a Flip but has an external microphone jack. Unfortunately, Kodak is discontinuing these cameras as the company is suffering through tough financial times.)
The good thing about cameras is that they continue to get smaller and better. I’m not as up on some of the current models to the point where I could recommend one but I’d suggest thinking about what exactly you want use it for. Even if I end up buying online, I usually check it out in a store first to see how easy it is to use. I tend to not buy too many bells and whistles as better, smaller, and likely cheaper models will come out in a couple of years. And while getting a camera that can record in HD sounds really cool, for the stuff I’m using it for, I don’t think it would make much of a difference. Sometimes as well you may record in HD but then the file will be compressed, when you edit, to a lower quality.
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Posted by Ken Okel 
