Post Category → Video Equipment

Video Email Ninja Tools – Webcam, Lights, Backdrop

A few weeks ago, I posted a picture from my camera phone of my desk and video equipment to my Facebook timeline. The picture got a few likes and I got several emails asking for more specific information (including jiveSYSTEMS members). This post is a follow-up to those questions, and I took a better quality picture of my setup this time (see below).

Video Email Ninja Tools

My Equipment

A – 5 x 7 Collapsible Backdrop by Impact (cost $70)

Folds down to a small one foot circle and comes with a carrying pouch. You just let it pop-out and fold it back down when you are done, or in my case you turn the kitchen table into a near permanent movie studio. For filming, you can either lean it against a wall or purchase a stand. I use the Lastolite 3355 backdrop stand which costs about $70 from the B&H Photo website.

B – MXL .007 USB Condenser Mic (cost $120)

I don’t use this mic for video, I use it when I do screen-recordings and webinars, usually in Camtasia. When recording videos, I just use the Logitech’s built-in mic, as it produces more than adequate sound for 90% of the videos I produce (video emails, YouTube, landing pages, etc.).

C – Logitech C910 and C920 Webcam (cost $80)

I have tested all the major webcams, Logitech has been consistently putting out the best webcams since 2008 (when I first started using video in emails). Logitech has automatic right-light and right-sound technology, and they have it dialed in better than the other manufactures in my opinion. Even in low-light, the new Logitech C920 manages to capture a clear picture which is very impressive!

D – Cheapo Video Lights ($250 for a pair)

As most videographers will tell you, lighting is the key to picture quality. But lighting can get expensive quickly. If you are just creating video emails, the Logitech C920 will be more than enough. When you come to produce videos for your blog and landing pages, you will want to pick-up a couple of fluorescent softbox lights.

Conclusion

You don’t need to sell a kidney to produce good quality video. In fact, with nothing more than a Logitech C920 webcam, which costs about eighty dollars, you can produce surprisingly good video. Don’t take my word for it, see for yourself:

Now that you have watched the video above, watch the test footage I shot on my Logitech C920 webcam without lighting and discover how to turn auto-focus off.

P.S.

Check out a list of the most important tools I am using to grow the jiveSYSTEMS community by visiting my personal website.

Logitech C920 Webcam Test Footage – Auto-Focus Off

In my previous post, I showed you footage from the Logitech C920 Webcam on full auto, and there was definitely some focusing issues.

In this post, you can see the improvements when running with auto-focus switched off. There is a screenshot that explains how to switch off auto-focus at the bottom of the post.

Auto-Focus Off w/ Two 500 Watt Fluorescent Softboxes

Auto-Focus Off w/ Ambient Light (dim room)

How To Switch Off Auto-Focus

Logitech C920 Webcam Test Footage

You will see the classics: the webcam has trouble focusing due to me waving my hands, and the overall picture is dark because there is not enough light in the room.

In my next post, I will show how to adjust the camera settings so the video stays focused throughout, and to make the picture brighter. With just these minor tweaks, you will be able to produce good quality video for your video emails, and even videos that go on your landing pages or in your blog, providing you can hit start and stop at the right points, which is usually pretty easy for short videos.

The next level up is using video editing software, e.g. Windows Movie Maker, Sony Vegas, or iMovie. You can then trim, splice, and make other edits to your footage before rending and publishing the video to your site.

Even Clearer Picture And Sound: Logitech C920

We have hundreds of members using our video email software everyday, I get to see footage spanning the full gamut of the webcam manufacturers that are out there.

Webcams that are built-into computers being the worst end of the spectrum, and yes that includes webcams that are built into Macs; although they are significantly better than their Windows-based counterparts, they cannot compete with the stand alone Logitech pedigree.

I have been using Logitech webcams since 2008. First I had the Logitech 9000, then I upgraded to the C910. Now I am using the C920.

Logitech C920 Webcam

The Logitech C920, has some notable improvements over the previous versions:

  • H.264 Encoding Chip  - Video is captured with the webcam’s sensor, digitized and compressed with H.264. The video data is then sent through a USB cable to your computer for viewing. This reduces the load on your computers CPU when recording videos. The video file sizes are also smaller, so they will upload faster.
  • 20-Step Autofocus – Logitech have adapted the same type of autofocus motor used in mobile phone cameras, and optimized it for webcams; touting more accurate and faster auto-focus as a result.
  • Mounting Clip – You can now mount the webcam to a tripod using the universal screw port on the underside of the webcam’s frame. In previous versions, you could only place the webcam on top of a monitor, unless you had macgyver-like skills!
  • Full 1080p HD Skype Calling – Full HD 1080p video calls on Skype for the sharpest video-calling.

You can snap one of these puppies up for around $80 on Amazon or your local Best Buy.

I will be publishing sample footage in subsequent posts.

Choosing the Right Equipment for Video Email (and Web Video)

With so many options on the market, it is difficult and time-consuming to know which video equipment to choose. So I have created a 6 minute screencast to make things easy for you.

The video is one of the tutorials we provide the members of jiveSYSTEMS to compress the learning curve with video email (and web video in general).

Here is what you will learn about:

  • Logitech C910 Webcam
  • Q3HD Flipstyle Camcorder
  • Manfrotto MKC3-H01 Tripod
  • xShot Camera Extender
  • More Light = Better Picture
  • Natural Daylight Lamps
  • Fluorescent Softbox Kit
  • LED Lights Kit by Fancier

P.S.

Do you know anyone who is interested in video? Do us all a favor and share this post with them. Please help spread the good word. I sure would appreciate it. – Will Franco aka Flywheel

One Bag to Carry Everything (Camcorder, Laptop, and Clothes), Yet Small Enough to Use as a Carry-On


I started this post looking for a backpack to carry my laptop and clothes.  Lugging around a bag for clothes, a bag for camcorder equipment, and another bag for my laptop was getting old.

I am a utilitarian at heart, so I set out to find some better options.  It is essential that the backpack can be used as a carry-on, be comfy enough for inner city hiking, and provide ample protection for my camcorder and laptop1.

The Federal Aviation Admission (FAA) cites on their website2 that a carry-on bag can be no more than 45 linear inches (dimensions of 22″ x 14″ x 8″ are safe for most flying cars, as the Native Americans call them).  Weight is also a restriction, under 25lbs is always the best option, but up to 35 lbs rarely causes a problem.  Each airline has their own sub-rules3.  If you have been on really small planes, regular carry-ons get checked by the flight crew at boarding and are returned to you when exiting.  In these instances, I snatch my laptop and put it under my seat.

What Do I Need to Carry?

Laptop: 15.4 MSI “Beast of a Laptop” (I have the GX660R: i7 processor, 12GB RAM, ATI 5870 with 1GB of vRAM, 1TB RAID, and 120GB Solid State for the OS).  Video editing takes horsepower.  Rather than buy a high powered desktop and travel laptop, staying true to my utilitarian method, I just bought a beast of a laptop.

Camcorder: Sony HDR-SR11 Camcorder (will be upgrading to the Sony Interchangable Lens Handycam shortly), plus a tripod.  To save space on a longer trip, I will switch out my prosumer camcorder for a smaller flip-style one and/or a webcam.

Clothes: 3 days worth of clothes and a book or two (thinking about getting a Kindle and being done with books for good).  I pack light and roll my stuff military-style to save space: boxers, socks, tracksuit bottoms, swim shorts, couple of t-shirts, and a jumper.

Discoveries

  1. Camcorder backpacks usually have a padded pocket for a laptop, and are often of a higher quality and price than laptop backpacks alone.
  2. Most laptop bags are junk; the laptop slots lack padding on the bottom of the bag.
  3. Camcorder backpacks are not that easy to find because camera (DSLR) backpacks dominate the search engines.
  4. Backpacks labeled as “discrete” are usually higher quality.
  5. On the surface, rollerbags look like a good purchase, but they are almost triple the dry weight (you’re going to have to lift your bag at some point, folks).

The Options (best ones I found after around 20hrs of Googling)

Some of these backpacks are pushing the limits of the general definition of a carry-on bag.  Review the dimensions before making a decision.

Laptop and Camcorder:

- For carrying a prosumer or above camcorder (aka bigger than a flip-style camcorder)

National Geographic Earth Explorer Backpack (Medium)

national geographic earth explorer medium backpack

Naneu Pro Military Ops Alpha Backpack

naneu alpha l backpack

Naneu Sahara 217 F Backpack

naneu sahara 217 F backpack

Kata Bug 205-PL Backpack

kata bug 205 PL backpack

Kata Owl 272-DL Backpack

kata owl 227 DL backpack

Kata Source 261-PL Backpack

kata source 261 PL backpack

Clik Pro Elite Backpack

clik pro elite backpack

Cinebags CB-25A Revolution Backpack

cinebags cb-25A revolution backpack

Just Laptop:

- For carrying a laptop and a flip-style camcorder

Blackhawk Laptop Backpack

blackhawk laptop backpack

CaseLogic Security Friendly Laptop Backpack
caselogic security friendly backpack

Closing Thoughts

There are a lot of options.  I personally like the Blackhawk laptop backpack, even though it does not have a compartment for a camcorder.  This is because Blackhawk supplies gear to the government and military.  All of the other backpacks are high quality, though Kata appears to be the highest.


Footnotes

  1. Most backpacks don’t provide good protection on the bottom of the bag for the laptop.  You can cut and insert a foam pad to fix this problem. ↩
  2. Link to page cited.  Also, don’t forget TSA airport security restrictions when flying. ↩
  3. List of size restriction by airline. ↩

Zoom Q3HD is Here! (an awesome flip-style camcorder)

Okay, so this new flip style camcorder has me tingling all over (it’s brand new and highly underrated).  This is because by their very nature, flip-style camcorders are supposed to be simple, portable, and cost effective, which is exactly what the Q3HD has achieved.  Sure, you can buy the Kodak Zi8 because it has an audio jack or better light correcting technology, and purchase a separate external mic, but you’ll be spending the same amount of money (if not more), and you will be carrying around two devices instead of one.

The original Q3 shot in standard definition (SD), the quality was mediocre, and I still loved it.  This new one is high definition, meaning you can achieve 720p at 60 fps or 1080p at 30 fps.

Both Q3 camcorders come with a built-in USB cord.

Side note: Movies are built around scripts not images.  The Q3 is unique because it has dual studio-quality condenser mics that can capture every sound from the board room to a concert hall.

For more information on the Q3, read my post on the original Zoom Q3.