Robb Montgomery

I get asked this question a lot by editors I advise and people signing up for the Camp Video Journalism workshops and it is a good one.

I usually will respond with a few turnback queries to determine the best answer for them:

• “Who is going to carry it?” a reporter, a photographer?
• “How often will they be filing video stories?
• “Where is this person going to file from?
• “Will they be doing more than contributing footage?
• “How big is their purse?”

If they are impatient, I simply tell them to buy the one with the best microphone. That usually slows them down enough to get them to listen to this fact about Web video.

It is more important to get a camera that records high-definition audio than it is to get one that merely takes pictures in Hi-Def or HDV.

Truth is there are some great cameras out there that won’t break the bank or the reporter’s back. It is very important to gear up according to need, skill level and frequency of use.

I often see clients planning to buy either way too much camera or far to amateur a kit to get the job done. I just saved a Canadian editor-in-chief about $50,000 from his budget by specc’ing gear that better matches what the staff at his paper will produce, day in and day out.

I like to look at these tiers or categories when answering the camera question.

1) GA REPORTER

Standard issue for every reporter would be a point and shoot that captures at least 8 megapixels for still frame photos and at least 800 pixels wide at 30 FPS for video. There are several to choose from and the models that I have been using for the past few years have been the Panasonic Lumix models. The LX2 and the FX-01. They have Leica lenses and are incredibly sharp and useful.

I am replacing my trusty pink FX-01 with a pink 8.1-MEGAPIXEL Compact Digital.

Panasonic Lumix camera with 8.1 Megapixels and 3x Optical zoom Leica DC Vario-Elmarit Lens. Has a built-in Flash, uses SD cards and shoots stills at 3,264 x 2,448 Resolution JPEG nd video at 848 x 480 (30/10fps) in QuickTime Motion JPEG format.

This pink camera is the ultimate stealth reporter cam. Nobody suspects that a pink cam can capture incredible footage.
Stylish and rugged - I have field-tested these baby Leicas filing reports in more than 16 countries. They are reporter-proof.

I order these Leica-lensed digicams for every journalist on staff so that they carry with them a camera that can take exquisite and very usable still frame images as well as crystal clear video, in a pinch. “In a pinch” being the key words in that last sentence.
These slender beauties are OK for video B-roll bits and the odd vox-pop interview.
Of course, it is available in other colors and costs about $150.

2) POOL CHECKOUT AND CUB VIDEOGRAPHERS
Just get the Canon HV30.
I was e-mailing Naka Nathaniel earlier this week about gear he suggests and he tells me the Canon HV30 is the unit he specs now for beginners and occasional users producing video reports. I agree it is a popular model, but beware, you will have to upgrade the microphone to get usable results in the field.