Rarely do we find one bit of equipment that is really good at more than one job but i have a feeling we are beginning to get really close.
I have just used a thousand pound hybrid camera to record a bit of audio. “Why?” You may well ask.
Well, a test really. Audio for me is way more important that photos and video. Both of which require far more attention from the viewer. All of the audio I create to put online is subscribe-able and easily downloaded to a mobile device.
For me, decent audio on a camera more than doubles how valuable a device it is to me.
If you are thinking of getting a high spec camera (£500-£1000).. and then a high quality video camera (£1000) and then an audio recording device (£120) ..and then the lenses to go with the camera (£400).
Hold fire and take a look at one of the growing number of Hybrid devices out there today.
I have recently bought the Panasonic Lumix GH1 (£999) because it’s compact and more than capable of producing professional quality photos and video. On top of this, the kit lens it comes with is superb and the audio quality more than good enough.
The best camera you can have is the one you carry with you. You may not always want to drag a kit bag around and compact pocket devices although more than adequate for most jobs are a far cry from a pro quality device you can grow into and hone your skills with.
I have only really has the camera a day so have not really had time to put it through it’s paces..
There are some amazing examples of what this camera can do HERE.
Please feel free to get in touch should you want to know how to create basic video for the web. It’s easier than you think. Please drop into the forum.
The process for recording the top embedded audio: I recorded a video on the GH1. Then I extracted the audio from the film on my macand discarded the film. Then uploaded it with a photo and gps location into Audioboo.net and then posted the boo into Phreadz.com as I like the embeddable player that shows the photo.
It may be that a future update of the GH1’s firmware allows you to record audio only.
The Process for recording the video above: Shot the video. Imported into iMovie. Performed a basic edit. Exported it and uploaded it into Vimeo. Then used the vimeo embed code in this post.
Exciting times indeed. This totally make sense.. Just try to find a phone for sale without a camera on. And like i say.. The best camera you can have is the one you carry with you. I still take maybe 80% of all the photos i shoot on a mobile phone. Normally to upload to the web. the better camera phones get, the more affordable the high end stuff becomes.
The more I grab the ‘quick and easy’ images though the more I enjoy occasionally capturing something that feels a little more permanent, less transient. Something I may want to hang on my wall.
But that may just be the photographer in me. 🙂