I frequently get a good deal of questions from students and educators on what type of video camera should they buy if they have limited money and they still want great quality. In order to answer these questions I have been looking around for the cheapest rig possible that can still offer decent image and sound quality to recommend to these budget conscious videographers. I did a little research and set aside a maximum budget of 400 bucks for the entire project. The basic criteria for the video camera was as follows:
- The camera had to be able to shoot high definition (1080p or 720p) as well as standard definition (720 x 480) movies preferably at 24, 30, and 60 frames per second. While very few people need HD video right now, especially for the Facebook and YouTube crowd, HD is the future and should be an option on most newer cameras
- The camera had to have an excellent on-board mic since sound is in many ways more important than video. People will sit and watch bad video, but bad audio will send them running for the hills.
- The unit had to be small and portable but yet large enough to not require excessive image stabilization.
- The camera had to be able to shoot decent videos in low light or have an on board light/flash.
- Battery life had to be fairly decent and extra batteries had to be cheap
- Finally, the camera had to create videos in a format that was easily editable by consumer based editing software such as Adobe Premiere Elements or Apple iMovie.
During my research I found it hard to locate all of my criteria items in a single camera at the price range I had set. Many of the cameras that were in my price point had some features, but fell short in other areas. As a result I decided to cobble together a budget rig from affordable low priced items. I caught a few of the items on sale and the overall price of the rig came out to about 270 bucks. The price has gone up slightly in the last 2 weeks to just around $355.
Item Breakdown
- Power2000 Deluxe LED Digital Video Camcorder Light with Bracket = $29.00
- BARSKA Accu Grip Handheld Tripod System = $15.00
- Rode VideoMic Directional Video Condenser Microphone w/Mount = $149.00
- Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera (Black) = $118.00
- Transcend 16 GB Class 10 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC10E = $28.00
- Cowboystudio Heavy duty Photography Video L bracket with 2 Standard Flash hot Shoe Mounts = $15.00
Total price of the setup = $355.00
The reason I chose the Kodak Zi8 over other mini camcorders like the Flip was the sale price and the video options and quality. I got the basic camera for $70 on Officemax.com. It was so cheap that I picked up two cameras for multiple angle shots. The unit has tons of video options for such a low cost camera. The Zi8 allows you to shoot HD video in 1080p video at 30 fps, 720p video at 30/60 fps, and SD video (820 x 480) at 30 fps. It also shoots PAL video at 25 fps which can be easily tweeked to simulate 24p for a more cinematic look.The on board audio is just okay. However, the Zi8 has an input for a external audio source, such as the Rode shotgun mic I added, which can dramatically improve the sound quality.
The compact size of the camera makes taking steady shots a challenge. It is precisely for this reason that I added the pistol grip and mounting bracket to attach extra peripherals like an external mic and a LCD light. The bottom of the camera has a connection to attach a tripod or pistol grip. The camera stores video on a standard SDHC card in quicktime movie format which can be dragged to your desktop and immediately be edited in Final Cut, Premiere or iMovie. The battery life for the camera is about 2 hours on a standard charge so I picked up four extra batteries for the Zi8 for only 5 bucks total.
The camera is only decent in low light so I added a 29 buck LCD light to offset the limitation. The light is amazing and pumps out an incredible amount of photons for such a small unit. Plus it will run for about 2 hours two standard AA batteries.
Test footage at Standard Definition (848 x480 and 30fps)