Can someone recommend me a camera for recording drums?

Jonathan Curtis

Silver Member
My current video camera is old. It uses tapes, which gives you an idea. I need to start recording myself, and so need a new camera.

Sound isn't important since I'll be using close drum micing and a dedicated DAW, but I need the video to go with it.

Things I'd be looking for:

- Digital age technology (PC/Windows compatible, obviously)
- Small
- Able to be put on a stand -- it's no good if it requires somebody to hold it.
- Rechargeable - no batteries!
- Cheap - < GBP £100 (preferably)
- HD 720p would be nice, but not absolutely essential.

I'm sure many of you regularly video yourselves, so please, give me your recommendations. So far I've been looking at the kodak z series, the ZK1 and the Zi8.

Chyaas.

EDIT: "Chyaas" isn't my name, it's an idiolect of "cheers".
 
well, i am just now experimenting w/ the Flip Ultra HD...but seems good so far & comes w/ editing software (on its built in USB drive). http://www.theflip.com/en-us/products/specs.aspx . looks like $130 is the USD price for the cheapest one at 30 fps & 1280 x 720. comes w/ a small stand.

on the cheap part, you might be able to RENT one. this is what i am doing as my daughter goes to the University downtown & they have technology rentals (video, studio, laptops, iPad, etc) plus a PC lab.

long term i am interested in the Zoom Q3 HD & have the Zoom H4N for audio now as a field recorder.

Cheers.
 
The little video I have on my site was done with a standard definition Flip Camera. The sound is fantastic. The picture is not that good. I imagine the new High def ones would have a picture to match there sound. For the price I don't think you can beat it.
 
Don't spend over $200 for a Flip HD when you can spend $299 on a Q3HD. I have a Flip Mino myself and the sound is "ok". I borrowed a buddies original Q3 and it was incredible the difference in quality, so I had to get my own. I went with the Q3HD.
 
I wouldn't rely on a camera to give you great sound, I'd go for picture quality first and then sort something else out for sound recording.
 
I apologize, I didn't see where you said sound wasn't important. Maybe the Q3HD isn't what you need then. Sorry about that!
 
i have a panasonic lumix dmc-zs7 and it does a great job with both audio and video. it's a regular point and shoot camera, not an actual video camera. i bought it after seeing some amazingly high quality video someone here had posted on youtube of himself drumming. it records audio in stereo and it has some kind of automatic gain control so that no matter how loud it gets, the audio recording isn't distorted. the video is very high quality too. it's in a format called AVCHD-Lite, which I believe is 720dpi.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/673682-REG/Panasonic_DMC_ZS7K_LUMIX_DMC_ZS7_Black_Digital.html
 
i have a panasonic lumix dmc-zs7 and it does a great job with both audio and video. it's a regular point and shoot camera, not an actual video camera. i bought it after seeing some amazingly high quality video someone here had posted on youtube of himself drumming. it records audio in stereo and it has some kind of automatic gain control so that no matter how loud it gets, the audio recording isn't distorted. the video is very high quality too. it's in a format called AVCHD-Lite, which I believe is 720dpi.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/673682-REG/Panasonic_DMC_ZS7K_LUMIX_DMC_ZS7_Black_Digital.html

Do you have any videos using this camera. I usually plug one mic into my computer and use the voice recorder since I don't have a mixer and then I mute the video and over lay the audio in windows movie maker which sometimes can be a huge hassle.
 
A Camera or Camcorder that can accept a line in from a Mixer would be nice. But I think it would have to be an expensive unit with an XLR input as opposed to a more affordable unit with a Stereo Mic input.
 
Check on the Kodak Zi8, which allows you to use a better microphone, which Flip cameras do not have. As well as an SD card slot, which allows countless hours of recording.
 
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