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Chapter Video System

E

Ed_McDonnell

Joined
Jul 18, 2006
Messages
643
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Location
Central Florida
Our club camera is just about dead. I thought it would be easy to get a new one, but things are never as easy as you would expect. What we would like:

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The ability to record up to 6 hours and have the sound recorded on the camera from a wireless lavalier microphone. Sounds simple enough.
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I thought it would be easy to find a SD HDD camcorder with a microphone input for less than $500. After weeks of looking, I've given up. To get a microphone input for less than $500 we have to settle for MiniDV (which is 2hrs max). To get a camcorder that will record 6+ hours (Hard Disk) for less than $500 we have to give up the external mic jack.

The only camcorders I can find that do it all are $1,000 and High Def. I'm pretty sure I haven't missed anything, but if anyone knows of a current camcorder model that will meet all our needs I would love to hear about it.

I remember the Canon ZR900 (MiniDV) got recommended here a while back. Anyone using it care to share how they deal with recording all day demos? Just use a bunch of tapes?

Any recommendations on a good affordable wireless lavalier microphone?

Thanks in advance for any and all help.

Ed
 
I use the VR900 but not for all day video's. When we used miniDV's at symposiums we simply changed tapes regularly. I went throught the same thing your going through. I looked at various models and just like your finding to get external mic's, manual exposure and focus you had to spend a lot of money.
 
John - Thanks for the reply. I was hoping I had missed a great camcorder out there somewhere that would fit the bill. At least now I feel a little better that we won't come across something better after we settle for what I found now.

I couldn't find any info on your VR900. Is the VR900 a professional model? Did you mean ZR900?

Do you use a wireless mic with your camera? If so, care to share which one?

What do you use for all day demos?

Sorry for all the questions. Any and all anwers appreciated.

Ed
 
Ed,

I haven't done an all-day demo (yet), but I bought a ZR900 for our club. I normally use a Sony eletret mike on a shop made holder on the tripod.

Radio Shack has wireless mikes occasionally on sale. I was lucky enough to get w lapel mike, 900 MHz transmitter and receiver for around $100. I was planning to experiment with the miking this weekend. I just need to find out if the receiver output will drive the mikcrophone inpput on the camera. Our room is small enough to not really need a mike, except for recording.

I also have set up equipment similar to the AAW setup with two Sony micro cameras (123CCTV.com) and a used VHS-C camera for movable shots. These feed into a Radio Shack video switch box ($19.95) and this feeds a Toshiba DVD recorder which, in turn, feeds the television monitor. I can record onto the DVD and later edit the footage using Pinnacle Studio 12 software on my PC. If I record an all-day video, I plan to set up a signal with the demonstrator when I get within 5 minutes of the end of a tape.

I recently finished my first video for our club that we've been playing at turning demos. The video explains the history of the Chesapeake Woodturners, has some interviews with some of our members and a gallery segment (that I REALLY want to update).

I'm not sure if this helped at all, but I also would like to get as much advice as possible.

John
 
Ed it is the ZR900. I get all those letters confused. I wish I had bought the ZR930. It has a remote which would have made it much easier for me to shoot my own video's.
 
If you have someone who can process the video after you have taken it, you may want to look into a hard drive or flash based camera. Just because you won't have to change tapes for longer sessions.
 
Steve - That's exactly what I would love to do, but trying to find a HDD Camcorder with a microphone input (so you can get good sound on the recording) for less than $900 has proven to be slightly more difficult than finding the holy grail.

Ed
 
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