Youtube Thursdays - New Toys!
There was a time when you needed a video camera in order to shoot quality video. However, with today’s sophisticated smartphones, phone cameras continue to improve in leaps and bounds. Case in point, our friends, Ron and Alexandra Seigel recently shared an amazing Earth Day video shot entirely by producers using Apple’s iPhone XS. The results are extraordinary.
Since many of us are out and about with smart phones, it seems wise to have the right tools handy to shoot quick and spontaneous videos - that look good. Once again, using the basic principles for good videos
- Good lighting.
- Good Audio.
- Stabilization.
- Interesting or Entertaining content.
Admittedly we prefer our Canon 70D and our Rode shotgun mic for our planned video production, but not all great things that happen are planned. Therefore, we’ve added a couple of new toys to carry in our car.
The Magic of Gimbals
A gimbal stabilizer can really up your game. It will always be steadier than your hand, and will help eliminate shaky and blurry footage. Keeping your camera steady is the single most important reason for using a gimbal. We chose the Zhiyun after doing some online research and talking to a friend who uses one. I
In our opinion, it’s always best to do your own due diligence and choose one that gets high reviews using a phone like yours, be it an iPhone or Android. Some suggest the Zhiyun we have is not compatible with an android device.
Things to consider -
Cost: We paid $119.00 for our Zhiyun.
Gimbals come in 2-5 axes, with the 3-axis being standard. The number of axes translate into how precise and smooth the stabilization will be. ( Ours is 3 axis)
Most gimbals connect to your phone using Bluetooth…make sure you get one with plenty of battery life. ( Ours is 12 hours)
Do you want additional tripod legs? (Our Zhiyun comes with that option.)
Don’t forget, for motorized gimbals, you’ll need an app for your smart phone. ( We use Filmic Pro ($14.99), not the Official app, called ZY Play).
Good Sound -
We are fussy about audio, especially me (Debb), due to my broadcasting background. Please, please invest in a simple microphone for your phone, the mic plugs into the dongle that now comes with iPhones. We're not familiar with androids, but they also must have an external mic input.
No doubt we could have purchased a more economical model, but once again, my fussiness for clean and clear sound led me to the Rode SmartLav +.
- Cost - $79
- Comes with Lav-Clip for easy mounting the mic on your collar or lapel.
- Also has a pop filter (dampen p’s) and helps buffer wind.
We’re going to be testing out the new gear in the coming days. We’ll share some of our observations and results with you next week. We can't wait, it’s always fun to get new tech toys for video!
Much like Anita Clark 's Facebook Fridays, we encourage you to subscribe to each other's YouTube Channels - and take a minute to "like" or leave a comment. You can also add your own YouTube Channel in the comments below, and ask for subscribers. Be sure to subscribe back though - it's quid pro quo!
Featured
