Thread: Halloween necessity- video camera

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I'm curious as to what video cameras everyone is using these days to film their displays and haunts.

I picked up this yesterday-

Amazon.com: Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera (Black): Camera & Photo


And I'm hoping like heck it'll be useful for how-to set building vids this year,as well as the display on halloween. These little guys have their shortfalls, but I have a tripod and a host of quality studio mics. Maybe it'll work out.

Anyone have one like this....or this one?

Dan

I have only had others video record my haunt. I have never shot video before but had planned to last season. I purchased an 8 channel Q-see dvr/CCTV set but didn't get a chance to install it. I tend to procrastinate a lot due to many things on my plate at the time.. But I will do it this upcoming season.

The past year's tutorial videos and Halloween night video were shot with FlipVideo HD camcorders: http://www.theflip.com/en-us/products/Ultra.aspx

Loved them because they are lightweight, take really clear video in daylight and picks up sound great. I think they are perfect for the surveillance filming during Halloween night because of a shortfall they have. It gets pretty grainy for night shots so you can't make out the ToTs faces (see that as an advantage).

The negative is that if you zoom, you lose HD and darker shots are grainy. Also, no image stabilization so you get jumpy video. But, overall these mini HD camcorders are terrific and cheap. We now have three of them so I'll have three spots to record on Halloween night.

Just upgraded to a new higher-end camcorder (was just used for Transworld and Demon Horse videos) to overcome the negatives of the FlipVideos but those little guys will still be used.

I have heard alot of great things about the flipvideo.
The one you got looks small and compact I bet it's kodak's version of the flip.
I have a sony handy cam It is small but not as small as the ones above.
We just got it right before hween this year I like it but still find myself using my cameras record feature instead of pulling it out.

I really shopped a bunch and although I went to the flips first, the kodak zi8 really knocked them out of contention. That mic input on the zi8 is what sold me, along with the picture quality. I was torn between the zi8 and a Toshiba which looked really good too, spec wise. But the picture quality looked really inferior. I'll be sure to shoot some appropriate display footage with some lights and props when this comes in and post the results. These little cams are so darn cheap now, there's really no reason not have something.

Dan

Stupid video lesson # 1 from my first year with my camera - RED means Recording, GREEN means Ready to Record. I knew that at the beginning of the evening but became a little flustered as the night went on. Got a lot of tape of feet shuffling and tree branches waving

I remember the days of lugging around this thing with an old drop light as lighting to film what I had!



The video store where I worked rented it out to customers but I got it every year on Halloween (free of couse since I was an employee). Although I don't recall anyone else wanting to rent it on Halloween. I currently just take still pics, but will eventually break down & prolly buy a Flip to use for lots of stuff including Halloween.

I have that exact same one from amazon. It's pretty good but at night you can't see anything. Only in light areas. I actually haven't tried it with a flashlight cause I don't have one but might work with one.

Originally Posted by njwilk

Stupid video lesson # 1 from my first year with my camera - RED means Recording, GREEN means Ready to Record. I knew that at the beginning of the evening but became a little flustered as the night went on. Got a lot of tape of feet shuffling and tree branches waving

Do not feel bad nor alone in this. I keep doing that too. GAH!

Originally Posted by RCIAG

I remember the days of lugging around this thing with an old drop light as lighting to film what I had!


The video store where I worked rented it out to customers but I got it every year on Halloween (free of couse since I was an employee). Although I don't recall anyone else wanting to rent it on Halloween. I currently just take still pics, but will eventually break down & prolly buy a Flip to use for lots of stuff including Halloween.

Wow, that's huge! Have we come along way. Still amazed at how awesome the new Sony Handicam I got is. It's just so tiny and light. The best part is the image stabilization it has. You can run with the thing and it looks like it's mounted on a dolly I love technology!!