Building a journalism kit
November 15, 2011 1:31 AM Subscribe
Help me build a journalism kit!
I'm putting together a news website, and I'm starting to think about ways that I can get photo/audio/video content up on to the site. I'm a fairly competent photographer, but I've been kind of out of the loop for a few years in terms of what's out there in terms of camera equipment and what I need for my purposes.
What I'm thinking I'll need is:
- A camera that can record video.
- A lens or two.
- A flash and tripod.
- A dictaphone or similar audio recording device.
- A microphone. If it can connect to both the camera and the dictaphone, all the better.
- Extra memory, a bag, and all that gumph.
My budget is about £1400 (I'm in the UK). In terms of the situations I'd be using it in, it would mostly be at academic conferences – taking photos of people giving lectures and out in the halls, and recording either audio or video interviews, potentially on the fly and in relatively noisy conditions. Being able to set things up and get them rolling quickly would be a nice bonus.
Can you recommend anything? Is there anything that I should be thinking about that I'm not?
Cheers!
I'm putting together a news website, and I'm starting to think about ways that I can get photo/audio/video content up on to the site. I'm a fairly competent photographer, but I've been kind of out of the loop for a few years in terms of what's out there in terms of camera equipment and what I need for my purposes.
What I'm thinking I'll need is:
- A camera that can record video.
- A lens or two.
- A flash and tripod.
- A dictaphone or similar audio recording device.
- A microphone. If it can connect to both the camera and the dictaphone, all the better.
- Extra memory, a bag, and all that gumph.
My budget is about £1400 (I'm in the UK). In terms of the situations I'd be using it in, it would mostly be at academic conferences – taking photos of people giving lectures and out in the halls, and recording either audio or video interviews, potentially on the fly and in relatively noisy conditions. Being able to set things up and get them rolling quickly would be a nice bonus.
Can you recommend anything? Is there anything that I should be thinking about that I'm not?
Cheers!
Response by poster: We're all sorted for software.
posted by dudekiller at 6:34 AM on November 15, 2011
posted by dudekiller at 6:34 AM on November 15, 2011
dictaphone or similar audio recording device?
Dictaphone? Seriously?
Expensive, but very good, with 2 tracks for audio--Tascam HD.
Portable field mixers from Sound Devices (i know a lot of field audio types who use these.)
posted by Ideefixe at 9:10 AM on November 15, 2011
Dictaphone? Seriously?
Expensive, but very good, with 2 tracks for audio--Tascam HD.
Portable field mixers from Sound Devices (i know a lot of field audio types who use these.)
posted by Ideefixe at 9:10 AM on November 15, 2011
This doesn't really answer your question on a tech equipment level but these Avery color dot labels are indispensable when switching tapes in a hurry and grabbing a sharpie and labeling it so you remember later.
Also, Sharpies. And a lot of extra batteries. And these Bausch and Lomb Sight Savers.
posted by spec80 at 9:59 AM on November 15, 2011
Also, Sharpies. And a lot of extra batteries. And these Bausch and Lomb Sight Savers.
posted by spec80 at 9:59 AM on November 15, 2011
Response by poster: Dictaphone? Seriously?
Well, I thought I was being serious. What can those things do, that I can't do with a dictaphone and a half-decent mic? Unfortunately I don't have the budget for broadcast-quality recordings, but I'd like to have half-decent audio recordings. Is there some kind of halfway option here?
posted by dudekiller at 1:10 AM on November 16, 2011
Well, I thought I was being serious. What can those things do, that I can't do with a dictaphone and a half-decent mic? Unfortunately I don't have the budget for broadcast-quality recordings, but I'd like to have half-decent audio recordings. Is there some kind of halfway option here?
posted by dudekiller at 1:10 AM on November 16, 2011
Dictaphone was sold years ago, and the company still makes recording devices, but they're mini-cassette and the sound quality really isn't good. Your phone probably does a better job. How's your camera mike?
posted by Ideefixe at 11:35 AM on November 16, 2011
posted by Ideefixe at 11:35 AM on November 16, 2011
Response by poster: Ah, okay. When I said "dictaphone", I meant portable audio recorder. I don't know if that's a UK thing, or what.
I was planning to get a mic within the budget – something that could attach to both the camera and whatever recorder I end up getting, as required.
posted by dudekiller at 2:18 PM on November 16, 2011
I was planning to get a mic within the budget – something that could attach to both the camera and whatever recorder I end up getting, as required.
posted by dudekiller at 2:18 PM on November 16, 2011
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posted by parmanparman at 3:39 AM on November 15, 2011