camcorders

Music department do performances both on and off stage, require much better sound quality recording than they currently get from the cameras they have at the moment.

Without asking for a general price we're aiming for, what would you recommend with good picture quality but above all good sound recording quality?

The videos eventually need to be submitted to the exam board on DVD, i don't mind having to burn them to a DVD each time so HDD cameras are preferred (not had good experience with direct to DVD cameras)

I think a major part of this is using an external mic or mics instead, you can have a wireless or wired setup which runs into the mic input on the camera, this should make a huge difference. Worth a try on any existing units you have.

I'm also currently looking at high def units, we have an SD Sony HDD model which has been fantastic - great sound (used for Performing Arts, Music, PE etc), decent pic quality, 30GB storage and nice compatible file formats (straight into Movie Maker and Live Movie Maker). I'll probably go for another Sony unit (Media Studies this time).

Ahhh never thought of that, they have lots of mics, i'll take a look at there cameras and see what i need to connect them up, i think we do need to improve the video quality as well though as the cameras we have at the moment are, in a work, crap!

I'll aim for the external mics but is there anything you'd suggest in particular camera wise?

I do the recording on our JVC everio cams and at the same time record the sound using audacity through a couple of decent shure microphones through a (very) simple mixing desk. I then use serif movimaker 4 to take out the old sound track (the one from the cam)and add in the decent one from audacity... I use a clapper board to get the sync sorted at the beginning.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brpilot99

I do the recording on our JVC everio cams and at the same time record the sound using audacity through a couple of decent shure microphones through a (very) simple mixing desk. I then use serif movimaker 4 to take out the old sound track (the one from the cam)and add in the decent one from audacity... I use a clapper board to get the sync sorted at the beginning.

---

You can run into difficulties with this solution however, if the recording devices run out of sync over time (which they may well do). I've done this before and ended up with a 2-3 second skew over the course of about an hour.

Your best solution would be what 3s-gtech suggested and try to run better quality mics into your cameras - this way the audio will be recorded in sync from the start.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by abullett

You can run into difficulties with this solution however, if the recording devices run out of sync over time (which they may well do). I've done this before and ended up with a 2-3 second skew over the course of about an hour.

Your best solution would be what 3s-gtech suggested and try to run better quality mics into your cameras - this way the audio will be recorded in sync from the start.

---

Ive never had a problem with syncing even after having done many xmas/easter plays etc ... I did however have a problem with sync when burning the DVD using Nero .. Its a known problem apparently ... I now use Super to do my burning and have not had any problems attall ... maybe the JVC's are super accurate?
Also I use this method because I use multiple cams with differing angles ......

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brpilot99

Ive never had a problem with syncing even after having done many xmas/easter plays etc ... I did however have a problem with sync when burning the DVD using Nero .. Its a known problem apparently ... I now use Super to do my burning and have not had any problems attall ... maybe the JVC's are super accurate?
Also I use this method because I use multiple cams with differing angles ......

---

Sorry meant Dvdflick to burn Super to convert ....

I've not nailed down a specifiic yet - tending to find a decent looking Sony HD which records to SD card, then Google for reviews etc. My budget is around £300 though, you may be able to beef the features up if you can spend more.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brpilot99

Ive never had a problem with syncing even after having done many xmas/easter plays etc

---

You're lucky, then. Clearly you're using identical cameras or something, because when I've done it with mixed manufacturer/model cameras and a mini-disc based audio recording I've hit problems every time! :confused2:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by abullett

You're lucky, then. Clearly you're using identical cameras or something, because when I've done it with mixed manufacturer/model cameras and a mini-disc based audio recording I've hit problems every time! :confused2:

---

It could also be some sort of NTSC/Pal muddle.

Just yesterday i orders a Panasonic SD60
Panasonic SD60 Full HD Camcorder With SD Card: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

its got brilliant reviews and ticks all the boxes for me

Trusted reviews give it a rave review and its also won a few awards :)

Panasonic HDC-SD60 review - Camcorder reviews - TrustedReviews


hurry up mr postman!! :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by abullett

You're lucky, then. Clearly you're using identical cameras or something, because when I've done it with mixed manufacturer/model cameras and a mini-disc based audio recording I've hit problems every time! :confused2:

---

I use the same make and type ... so maybe thats it ?? They are HDD type cams. Thats a thought for the future though if we decide to go HDef, change them all at the same time for identical make and models .......

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by K.C.Leblanc

It could also be some sort of NTSC/Pal muddle.

---

Nope. Luckily I know enough not to mix them! I've always put it down to the fact that one of the three cameras I commonly use is DV-based, which from what I've heard has bad/no proper audio syncing as it records... Other cameras (HDD/SD) haven't shown the effect against each other.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brpilot99

I use the same make and type ... so maybe thats it ?? They are HDD type cams. Thats a thought for the future though if we decide to go HDef, change them all at the same time for identical make and models .......

---

As above, I think the cuplrit was the one DV camera thrown in the mix... :)

That could be it, I had to encode a longish video into DV and by the end the audio was out of sync.