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inexpensive camera to make youtube videos

john lucas

john lucas

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I have a decent camera that will do video but it will not allow you to use a remote microphone. In camera mic's pick up too much lathe noise and grinder noise and they compete with my voice. I've been trying to use my phone and have bought 4 different cords that are supposed to work. I guess my phone (Samsung) simply won't support a remote mike either. I did try a cheap set of blue tooth ear plugs but I guess they don't have a mic. Anyway I'm thinking of simply buying a camera just to do video's. Does anyone know of one that will take a remote mic and isn't expensive. I'm on a zilch for budget.
 
John, you should be able to find a remote microphone with receiver that plugs into your Android phone on Amazon. Just put in Search “Remote microphone for Android phone “ at Amazon.com
 
Mike I have apparently a bottom of tge line Samsung. I've bought 4 different cords that work for others but they don't say what model they have.
 
For new gear, research over at B&H Photo & Video, or Adorama, both based in New York City. They do also sell used gear, and they also have equipment pros you could talk to about a basic setup of a camera body and lens. Do your homework, but I think Canon, and maybe Sony, have digital SLR and "mirrorless" cameras with interchangeable lenses that have good video and sound capability.
 
A few years ago, I picked up an inexpensive no-name digital camcorder on eBay for under $50. It came with a remote control, and has a connector to plug a microphone into. The camera came with 2 batteries and cables to connect to a charger and/or your computer. It did not come with a charger, but requires a simple cellphone charger.
DV-Cam-01.jpgDV-Cam-02a.jpg

I found a wireless microphone on Amazon for under $30 (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QTPFVVY)

I have under $100 invested ... it is not professional level gear, but it works for Youtube and videos I have shot for my local turning club.

I have Microsoft 365, which includes a video editor called Clip Champ ... I use it to edit and upload my videos.
 
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Do you have a good SLR? I've used my now pretty old Nikon D7000 for videos. Quality is excellent and it has a microphone jack. Audio quality is very good with a good mic.

If you do a lot of recording the Blackmagic ATEM Mini is a worthwhile investment. It will take up to four separate video feeds and two different audio feeds allowing you to either mix in the fly or in post-editing.

Here's a camera with external mic input you might look at (no hands on experience; the Sony CX405's that I like and use a lot don't support an external mic) : https://www.bestbuy.com/site/vivitar-digital-camcorder-black/6516943.p?skuId=6516943
 
Just noticed that Best Buy has a reasonably priced (under $150.00) camera that supports an external microphone, etc. It is a Vivitar 8K Digital Camcorder ... looks a whole lot like the camera I showed in an earlier post.
 
If there segments of the video your not showing your face you could just record your speaking while you edit and insert it into the video as a separate layer. That would give you the ability to lower the volume of the lathe or grinder without using filters to reduce the noise. Audacity is an opensource audio editor that is not hard to use for creating the voice files and is free.
 
I hate using my phone. I much prefer cameras with good zoom lenses and ideally manual focus options. Ideally i like to do close ups of how I use the tool. Often auto focus just won't stay in focus.
 
John - when I retired after nearly 40 years as a photographer, I was lucky to take my trusty Canon 5d Mk2 and a fistfull of L lenses. The older canon bodies (like the rebels, etc) from a few years back still pack a punch and deliver excellent video by any standards. An older Rebel body is very cheap if you look around. No need for the latest and greatest when old technology performs just as well at a fraction of the cost. Edit in free software (I use an older copy of Adobe Premier, but iMovie works just as well for free).
 
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