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Ask HN: Which low-budget camera would you recommend for recording podcasts?

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Re: Ask HN: Which low-budget camera would you recommend for recording podcasts?

#21

Post by entropie »

simonbarker87 wrote: post #19

Sound is much more important - even if you consider your podcast video first (in which case it’s not a podcast but that’s another topic) sound is more important. Take whatever smart phone you have and use that for the video and then spend any money you have for the camera and spend it on a decent mic. People will watch lower quality video with good sound for far longer than they will watch good video with bad sound.…

> People will watch lower quality video with good sound for far longer than they will watch good video with bad sound.

Very true. I can stand bad/pixelated videos but crackling/distorted/unnormalized audio drives me crazy. Still many twitch channels seems not to know, or bother...

Re: Ask HN: Which low-budget camera would you recommend for recording podcasts?

#22

Post by waffleiron »

simonbarker87 wrote: post #19

Sound is much more important - even if you consider your podcast video first (in which case it’s not a podcast but that’s another topic) sound is more important. Take whatever smart phone you have and use that for the video and then spend any money you have for the camera and spend it on a decent mic. People will watch lower quality video with good sound for far longer than they will watch good video with bad sound.…

I would even say that room treatment is a lot more valuable to a starting podcast. Sure don’t have the cheapest, shittiest mic but especially starting our room treatment grants a lot more value.

Of course, you could record in your closet ;)

Re: Ask HN: Which low-budget camera would you recommend for recording podcasts?

#23

Post by coffeebeqn »

jimkleiber wrote: post #10
Our_Benefactors wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Joe Rogan for example is a “podcast” but also films all their episodes so you can watch the host and guests reactions and body language during the segment. “Podcast” doesn’t just mean audio anymore, the definition has evolved.

What I've seen is that it might be easier to promote a podcast if it has video because the web is a visual space and audio-only can be hard to make visual, unless one creates audiograms with text subtitles, but still not as compelling visually. Plus, YouTube and other visual platforms seem to have better discoverability. But I'm open to being proved wrong, as I'd love to record audio only lol.

Exactly. You can much easier make TikToks and such if you already have the video

Re: Ask HN: Which low-budget camera would you recommend for recording podcasts?

#24

Post by coffeebeqn »

Bo0kerDeWitt wrote: post #17

If your budget is tight, use your phone for video, and sort out the audio equipment first. Folks will watch mediocre video with excellent audio. They will not watch the reverse.

Halfway decent phone and then some lighting and you should be good to go. It won’t look amazing but it also shouldn’t hold your content back

Re: Ask HN: Which low-budget camera would you recommend for recording podcasts?

#25

Post by waffleiron »

aczerepinski wrote: post #13

You may have better luck if you specify what low budget means to you. The latest iPhone Pro is better than some of the entry level cameras, especially if you weren't planning to splurge for a nice prime lens. I think the cheapest you should go is the Sony EV-10 plus Sigma 16mm 1.4 lens. If those are more than you want to spend, stick with your phone camera because you won't see enough improvement to make it worthwhil…

Slightly cheaper but also very similar to the EV-10 would be a second hand Sony a6000/a6300.

Re: Ask HN: Which low-budget camera would you recommend for recording podcasts?

#27

Post by duncan-donuts »

waffleiron wrote: post #22
simonbarker87 wrote: post #19

Sound is much more important - even if you consider your podcast video first (in which case it’s not a podcast but that’s another topic) sound is more important. Take whatever smart phone you have and use that for the video and then spend any money you have for the camera and spend it on a decent mic. People will watch lower quality video with good sound for far longer than they will watch good video with bad sound.…

I would even say that room treatment is a lot more valuable to a starting podcast. Sure don’t have the cheapest, shittiest mic but especially starting our room treatment grants a lot more value. Of course, you could record in your closet ;)

Second the room treatment. It should likely be prioritized over everything. Specifically you should look into getting bass traps and a gobo or three. There’s budget stuff out there but sound is fickle. Control those reflections. Expensive mics still sound bad if a room sounds bad.

Re: Ask HN: Which low-budget camera would you recommend for recording podcasts?

#28

Post by skadamat »

I've spent a few years fiddling with setups during COVID / remote work. Honestly, in my experience, gear comes secondary to your ENVIRONMENT.

Julie Schiro's videos are a great place to start: https://www.youtube.com/@JulieSchiro

Here are my tiers!

Tier 1: Audio > Video first!

- Get very basic sound treatment done, even just a few panels in front and behind you. ~$100 or cheaper with DIY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3nS2-HvJMs

- Get a reliable microphone. Samson Q2U is a solid one here if you did step 1.

Tier 2: Improve video

- Improve your lighting. Face a window if you can or get some lamps to balance out lighting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiUpK0dhWTE

- Use smartphone with app or cable as your virtual webcam. Or if you have $200 get the Logitech Brio

Tier 3: $$$

- Audio: 3x your sound panelling & sound treatment. Put stuff on the ceilings too. If you still have too much money, get Shure MV7 (usb-c which is nice). SM7B honestly isn't needed unless you have a true studio environment with professional sound treatment done.

- Video: Get a Sony a6000 (this is what I use) or a6400 / 6600 and a lens with f1.4 on it. This is what I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077BWD2BB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b...

- Add-ons: Get a dummy battery that plugs into your wall and can run your camera in 'forever power' mode. Get a camera signal -> USB converter like Magewell or Elgato Camlink (what I use): https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1453840-REG/elgato_sy...

Re: Ask HN: Which low-budget camera would you recommend for recording podcasts?

#29

Post by ARandomerDude »

waffleiron wrote: post #22
simonbarker87 wrote: post #19

Sound is much more important - even if you consider your podcast video first (in which case it’s not a podcast but that’s another topic) sound is more important. Take whatever smart phone you have and use that for the video and then spend any money you have for the camera and spend it on a decent mic. People will watch lower quality video with good sound for far longer than they will watch good video with bad sound.…

I would even say that room treatment is a lot more valuable to a starting podcast. Sure don’t have the cheapest, shittiest mic but especially starting our room treatment grants a lot more value. Of course, you could record in your closet ;)

Even easier: get a hypercardoid shotgun mic and speak directly into the front of it. I’ve had amazing success with the Azden SGM-250H in very poor recording environments (bare walls, tile floors, etc).

No affiliation, and I suspect numerous other similar mics would do well.

Re: Ask HN: Which low-budget camera would you recommend for recording podcasts?

#30

Post by kristianp »

aczerepinski wrote: post #13

You may have better luck if you specify what low budget means to you. The latest iPhone Pro is better than some of the entry level cameras, especially if you weren't planning to splurge for a nice prime lens. I think the cheapest you should go is the Sony EV-10 plus Sigma 16mm 1.4 lens. If those are more than you want to spend, stick with your phone camera because you won't see enough improvement to make it worthwhil…

When I google the EV-10, I get results for the ZV-E10. I assume they are the same camera, why do people call it the EV-10?

The ZV-E10 can live stream up to 720p over USB-C (1), is that sufficient?

(1) https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-zv-e10-review

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