Video Camera

[S.C.]

We have got one of these for drama exams:

Panasonic SDR-H85 Camcorder With 80GB HDD, X78 Enhanced: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

 

Panasonic SD camcorder with 80Gb hard drive. Because Panasonic use an open source codec I can top and tail in Adobe Premiere. We also bought the largest battery we could find for it, which lasts about 6 hours of recording. It's perfect for setting up at the back of a room and just leaving it. Sound wise, we also use the hall's PA system with the kids wearing mice, so the camcorder picks up all the sound. In the past before we had the mics, I have used two camcorders, one extra at the foot of the stage for audio.

 

For performances, we have some slightly older 3CCD miniDV camcorder and the quality is markedly better, but then they have to be manned. We also have a Panasonic T750 which is an excellent 3Mos HD camcorder, but both of these options are well beyond the £200 budget.

Edited November 26, 2012 by S.C.
Spelling mistake

[laserblazer]

with the kids wearing mice,

 

I smell a rat!

 

The camera in front of the stage is a good trick and improves the audio vastly and is easy to sync. If you put it on a tripod pointing up towards the stage, you can get some interesting shots.

Edited November 26, 2012 by laserblazer

[S.C.]

I smell a rat!

 

Bloody autocorrect! I spotted it once and changed it, then didn't spot that it changed back. Thinking about it though, a rodent based system would be handy to get the kids to speak loud enough. If they are too quiet the rats fee safe to crawl over them and take a nibble, so they have to speak loudly to scare them into hiding.