Buy the Right Camera Gear to Make Pro Quality Videos

Lecture Contents:

• This video weighs the pros and cons of the standard consumer camcorder.
• Overview of Dynamic Range
• Overview of Audio issues inherent in consumer camcorders
• Overview of Depth of Field and issues with having small image sensors in the camera.

Supplemental Material Includes:

An article from B&H Photo about best practices when considering purchasing consumer camcorders. The article is a little dated but it’s loaded with valuable information.

Lecture Contents:

• I cover the various consumer camcorders available at this time and the benefits of various features.
• In this lecture I highlight models from 3 main industry standard brands.
• This video concludes the consumer camcorder portion of this course.

Supplemental articles included:

A list of mobile phones capable of shooting ultra high definition video.

A link to a film shot entirely with an iPhone.

A article specifically about Panasonic cameras, that gives an overview of a very important topic that I don’t cover in this course: Single Chip Cameras vs 3 Chip Cameras.

Lecture Contents:

• Basic principles of audio quality for video production.
• I cover best practices for ensuring you get the best audio quality.
• I highlight a handful of well known brands of shot gun mics designed for consumer camcorders.

Supplemental Material Includes:

An article from B&H Photo about improving the audio quality of consumer camcorders by picking a good mini shotgun mic.

• This video covers the pros and cons of LED and Fluorescent lighting panels for video production.
• I highlight budget friendly LED or Fluorescent panels perfect for the beginner
• I also cover necessary critical accessories for the lights.

Lecture Contents:

• This video introduces a brief overview of fluid head tripods vs non fluid head and ball head tripods.
• I cover important considerations when choosing a tripod for your camera.
• I also cover various budget friendly tripods and monopods available now.

A page that explains the difference between fluid head tripods and friction head tripods.

Lecture Contents:

• In this video I cover what kind of tripod mount is needed for your iPhone.
• I fill you in on a extremely popular mic brand specifically used for an iPhone or ipad
• I also cover mic placement and lighting.

Supplemental Material:

• A link to a popular app used for shooting video within the iPhone.
• A link to a film shot entirely with an iPhone.

• This video weighs the pros and cons of the prosumer camcorder.
• Dynamic range and the small sensor size.
• Overview of the ergonomics of prosumer camcorders.
• Overview of depth of field
• The traditional uses of the prosumer style of camcorder.

Supplemental Material Includes:

A helpful article on 3 Chip Pro Cameras vs the single chip DSLR.

Lecture Contents:

• I cover various consumer camcorders available at this time and the benefits of various features.
• In this lecture I highlight models from 3 main industry standard brands.
• This video concludes the professional prosumer camera portion of this course.

Supplemental Material Includes:

A article specifically about Panasonic cameras, that gives an overview of a very important topic that I don’t cover in this course: Single Chip Cameras vs 3 Chip Cameras. This is the same article found in the Consumer Camcorder Part 2 video. I want to make sure you don’t miss it!

Lecture Contents:

• This video introduces a brief history of how DSLRs became mainstream video cameras.
• This video weighs the pros and cons of the modern DSLRs with video shooting functionality.
• Overview of the DSLRs ergonomics.
• Overview of Audio issues inherent in DSLRs.
• Overview of Dynamic Range with DSLRs.

Supplemental Material Includes:

An article from Marco Solorio, the founder of One River Media. He’s a wonderful filmmaker and video producer. He has a extremely comprehensive grasp of the technical aspects of film and video productions. This article is probably one of the most thorough studies on using HDSLRs to shoot video.

Lecture Contents:

• I introduce the various DSLRs available at this time.
• In this lecture I highlight models from 6 main industry standard brands.
• I also cover important pros and cons to keep in consideration before investing in a DSLR system.

Supplemental Material Includes:

A review from Phillip Bloom highlighting the unparalleled low light sensor performance of the Sony A7s DSLR. This article is an indication of how far the DSLR video cameras have advanced over the past 4 years.

Lecture Contents:

• Important accessories to include in your DSLR video camera set up.
• In this lecture I highlight Monitor brands, Lens filter brands and more.
• This video concludes the DSLR for video portion of this course.

Lecture Contents:

• This video introduces a brief history and overview of large sensor camcorders.
• This video weighs the pros and cons of the this style of camera.
• Overview of ergonomics.
• Overview of Neutral Density Filters.

Links to new large sensor professional cameras: The AJA Cion and sub $10k cameras from a Chinese company called Kinefinity.

Lecture Contents:

• This video introduces a brief overview of various lenses from trusted brands.
• I cover Zoom lenses vs. Prime lenses
• I cover ensuring you have the correct type of lens that matches the camera lens mount.
• I also explain the difference between constant aperture lenses vs non constant aperture lenses.

Lecture Contents:

• This video introduces a brief overview of recording high quality audio with DSLR camera systems.
• I cover different styles of microphones and what they’re used for.
• I also cover various support equipment audio professionals use to get the best audio quality possible.

Supplemental Material Includes:

An in depth article about how to choose the most appropriate microphone for various needs.

Lecture Contents:

• This video introduces a brief overview of Color Rating Index Ratings.
• I cover different styles lighting technology: LED & Fluorescent Panels, Tungsten & LED Fresnels.
• I also cover various support equipment audio professionals use to get the best audio quality possible.

Two in depth articles with an accompanying video about how to create pleasing lighting from the famed Cinematographer Shane Hurlbut.

Lecture Contents:

• I provide a brief overview of common tools used to enhance shots: Sliders, Jibs, Monopods and more.
• I cover high end fluid and friction head tripods.
• I cover important considerations when choosing any support equipment.

Every year camera gear gets refreshed at certain times. What this means to the consumer is potential savings. Learn about important points to keep in mind while searching for the right camera or gear.

Here are highlighted cameras for the every day user for general purposes. Also included in this lecture are specialty action cameras for extreme sports or aerial drones.

DSLRs continue to be popular video making tools. There are a handful of very popular brands and models that are making a splash out there.

Large Sensor Cameras continue to be the most popular type of cameras for the majority of filmmakers out there. This year, there was definitely incredible leaps and bounds forward with large sensor camera technology. Here are some of the most noteworthy newly released cameras.

LED lighting technology has advanced in leaps in bounds over the past few years. This video highlights the latest in LED lighting as well as a couple budget friendly quality shotgun mics that were newly released this year.

Lenses are typically the most long lasting investment in terms of camera equipment. They typically hold their resale value much longer than any other type of equipment. The better the quality the glass, the better the chance of holding a high resale value as well.

Lecture Contents:

• I provide a brief overview of most common software for beginners on the Mac and PC platform.
• I touch briefly on professional grade editing apps that are most popular amongst professionals.

Lecture Contents:

• I provide a brief overview of the importance of hard drive speeds.
• I cover common hard drive capacities as well as styles of hard drives.
• I cover important best practices when it comes to setting up your computer into a proper video editing workstation.

Supplemental Material:

A link to an in depth article about hard drive set up and computer workstations.

Thank you for watching this course!

In case you want to see all this gear in action, feel free to visit my website listed in my profile to see my client work portfolio. Every single video I've ever created is from a combination of the pieces of video production equipment that I've highlighted in this course. I'm confident, based on my experience as a DIY person, you too can accumulate a handful of quality video production tools and make pro quality videos.

If you're still not convinced, watch my recent short film The Undocumented Day, accepted into the Athens Ohio International Film Festival in 2013. The link to my short film is provided. It's free to watch.

For this short film, I used nearly all of the types of equipment that I have presented in this course. From large sensor cameras (specifically my RED Scarlet) to fluid head tripods, LED panels, bounce diffusion, boom poles, carded mics, audio mixers and records, the list goes on and on. Point being, with the handful of tools available anyone can make high quality digital film and video content. The link for my short film is listed below.

I look forward to seeing your great video content soon!