Spending Money: A Guide to Purchasing Cameras and Peripherals

By A.S. Berman

The camera is usually one of the most expensive pieces of equipment in setting up online video operations, but purchasing peripheral equipment such as extra lights and microphones can increase the quality of the video clips.

Lighting
While Filmmakers at the artistic end of the spectrum spend a fair amount of time playing with lighting, news reporters and photographers news gatherers have to be more pragmatic about it the subject. More often than not, tight deadlines and unexpected video opportunities mean that most newspaper sites are going to be relying on natural light. However, nearly two-thirds of newspapers that responded to the NAA online video survey reported owning lights.

If at all possible, Pertel says, newspapers should have two tiers of camera operators: Several who use tripods and know how to light an interview with portable light kits, and other news gatherers who rely on available light alone.

In Florida, naplesnews.com’s videographers use camera-mounted lights with light-diffusing flaps, or “barn doors,” and dimming capabilities, Utz explains. Lighting kits with light stands and softboxes are also available, though these are only used in “more controlled” situations such as for a prearranged interview. Basic light kits start at around $300, but a full complement of lighting equipment, including filters and soft boxes, runs from $1,500 to $3,000.

Camera batteries
Pertel carries four backups. “It’s overkill,” he admits. Usually two will suffice. That said, if more than one person is using the equipment, people can forget to charge them. “Also, there’s the loss factor. You leave them in the field, on a desk, or you leave the camera switched on accidentally.”

Most cameras come with a single battery and a recharging cord that only charges the battery while it’s attached to the camera. Extra batteries and recharging stations can be purchased. Prices vary based on camera model.

Microphones
Recording clear sound is extremely important when it comes to video – audiences might forgive poor video quality so long as they can make out what someone is saying. Yet, there is no need to surpass that simple benchmark, either. While you can spend thousands on microphones alone, all you really need are:

Shotgun mic: [starting at around $100] If your camera has a mounting bracket, or “shoe,” you can attach this microphone and pick up sounds clearly from far away without picking up too much background noise. Note that some draw their power from cameras and others use AA or AAA batteries. If your camera does not have a powered mic interface, or “hot shoe,” you will need to get a battery-operated mic.

Wireless mic: [starting at around $100] These come in a variety of configurations, from lavaliere types that clip on to your lapel to handheld interviewer models.

Boom mic pole: [starting at around $100] Often called a “fishpole,” this rod, made of aluminum or other light materials, allows videographers to pick up sound a few feet away by dangling a microphone above your interview subject. This is the least efficient way for newspaper videographers to capture audio as it requires a separate individual to control the pole.

Recording clear sound is extremely important when it comes to video – audiences might forgive poor video quality so long as they can make out what someone is saying.

In the online video survey, less than one-third (32.2 percent) of respondent newspapers reported having a boom microphone, but 72.9 reported having a lavaliere microphone, and 75.7 percent reported having a hand-held microphone.

In-Newsroom Newscasts
A few newspapers around the country have opted to package some of their video segments in a newscast format. While high-definition cameras and expert lighting can add a touch of professionalism to the finished product, it is the quality of the on-screen talent and content that is key to attracting a loyal audience, Owens says. Remember, video compression and a small on-screen viewing area will filter out most of the picture quality on any online video. Engaging personalities and snappy scripts, thankfully, remain immune.

For more on in-newsroom newscasts, including what really goes into building a studio, see “Live From the Newsroom: Set Building 101.”

Things to Remember

Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping around for cameras:

Microphone inputs: You should always opt for a model with an input for an external microphone. Built-in microphones are notorious for picking up background noise, which can obscure the insightful answers your interview subject is giving you on camera. A camera that also includes a headphone jack is a plus because it allows you to get a sense for how clear the audio you’re recording is coming in.

Tape vs. memory card: Generally speaking, video cassette tapes are dramatically less expensive, averaging about $10 a tape, than solid-state memory cards such as Panasonic’s proprietary P2 cards, which can range from $800-$1,200 each. However, there are two drawbacks to tape. First, tape-based cameras use a recording technology that compresses video to fit on tapes, degrading the overall quality of the finished product. Just as importantly, it takes longer to transfer video from tape to a computer than from a memory card. Remember that even if you’re only planning to present 3-5 minute video segments online, chances are good that each of those segments will have been edited down from 30 minutes or more of raw video, all of which must be transferred from your camera to the computer.

Zoom: When trying to capture events such as fires and parades from some distance away, you’ll appreciate your camera’s zoom feature. The zoom rating (e.g., 10x, or 10-times) often attributed to cameras is the “optical zoom,” meaning a magnification of picture attained via the physical lens itself. Many cameras, with the help of software, transcend this threshold with a digital zoom. The resulting image will bring the action closer, but the picture will not be as sharp as one obtained via an optical zoom.

3CCD: This refers to an imaging system contained in higher-end cameras that uses three charge-coupled devices, or special sensors, that each measure red, green and blue light respectively, resulting in a better image quality than models that use a single chip to measure all three wavelengths.

Additional Resources

Equipment Reviews

Advice

Mastering Multimedia (Colin Mulvany’s blog)
NewspaperVideo (Chuck Fadely’s blog)
News Videographer (Angela Grant’s blog)
VideoJournalism (Cyndy Green’s blog)

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First Published:
May 7, 2008