Looking For an Easier Way to do Video Recording
 

We are talking here about your basic "Watch an Old Man Play Guitar" video.

I use an old (5 years?) Nikon Coolpix camera that shoots video (I have no problem with the video quality). I have a Tascam DR-40 for the audio and, again, I have no problem with the audio quality. I have used a variety of video editors on my desktop pc, but let's say OpenShot. The quality of the resulting videos are limited mostly by the quality of my guitar playing.

My only problem with this setup is that after I shoot the video I need to copy the files from the devices to the computer. Now I understand that this is not the most onerous of tasks (and is pretty much a first world problem), but I would dearly like to go to my computer and immediately watch the video and decide whether I need a reshoot. Feel free to make fun of me.

Let's assume I am willing to pay for new equipment. What I am looking for is a camera and recording device that can be tethered, either wired or wirelessly, to the computer and would write the files directly on the computer. I would also like to have the high quality audio file synced to the video file, but I am willing to let this requirement slide.

Get a new iPhone.

Seriously.

HE

The key would be to get a video recorder with good sound recording. This is harder than it sounds. I use the Canon 5D with external mic plugged in. The camera has been used to shoot entire television seasons.

I think the idea respondents are so far suggesting is that if your video device has good preview capabilities, then a quick check to see if the take is good enough can happen on the device, with the computer left to top and tail the video and add titles.

If on the other hand you want to go with the workflow you requested, doesn't the Zoom Q2N or the like have "web cam" capabilities were you can connect it to the computer via USB and record video and decent audio? I'm not 100% sure on that.

Which video programs on the PC allow both video and audio to be captured that way I can't tell you off hand.

I've now had the chance to look a the features of the Zoom Q2n, and it looks like it can do the web cam thing, only with better audio that most devices that we think of as web cams and probably better video that most of those too.

https://zoom-na.com/products/field-v...video-recorder

You would still want to test if any editing program you use can pull in your performances direct from a web cam.

Thanks, Frank. The Zoom Q2N looks like a possibility. I am not sure I like the fisheye lens look and it looks like you need to place it pretty close to you.

I've assembled my home recording studio recently. Everything connects to a PC which is a recording device in this case, so it would solve your problem. Although you haven't mentioned your budget, here's my stuff:

Camera - Logitech Brio webcam, the only USB webcam at the moment capable of 4K@30fps or 1080p@60fps, supports HDR, etc, can be mounted on a standard tripod. Excellent video quality.

Microphone - Audio Technica AT2035 condenser microphone (a solid mic for acoustic guitar recording according to many folks). Works very well so far.

Audio USB interface - Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, capable of plugging in two guitars, two mics or a guitar and mic combo, 48V phantom power, monitor outputs, etc.

Monitor / post processing headphones: Sennheiser HD 380 Pro, more or less industry standard, 8Hz-27KHz range, etc.

That is an interesting collection, Samogitian, and the web cam approach does seem to solve my problem (along with the audio interface).

Do you mind telling me what software you are using?

Hi, I'm on my third video camera - all Zooms.
The latest is a Zoom Q4.
It does have some barrel distortion, but I like this design, and rechargeable battery,and I can see on the screen where I'm placed in the frame.

Mics seem good enough for my purposes.

I don't do editing or mess with the sound, 'cos I don't know abut that stuff.

Best way to demonstrate is to suggest you watch some of my later videos.
See the link below.

Hope this helps.

Thank you, Mr. Moustache, I have enjoyed many of your videos. Why did you upgrade? What were you looking for that the earlier Zoom models did not have?

I am using ffmpeg - it's the most powerful multimedia recording/streaming software that can handle 4K webcam, which is somewhat cutting edge at the moment. It may be a little intimidating to people who prefer to limit themselves to pushing a big red "Rec" button, but it's worth it if quality is what you're looking for.

I use a simple digital camera, Olympus, that does just fine with true sound and image.

Way lower than the OP's needs, but I also go the simple route. Sometimes using just the camera audio...

https://www.hangoutstorage.com/banjo...1018122014.jpg

From what I can tell from their website, ffmpeg is basically a file converter and player of mutlimedia files. Can you sync up the audio to your video? Can you do any video or audio editing? If not, what do you use for those duties, if anything?

Agreed. Heck, I think I get pretty good quality with a lowly "droid."

If you are using the camera audio, what is the device on the other tripod?

Ffmpeg is a lot more than that. It can basically take just about any audio/video input source be it hardware or an existing file and mux/demux it. In my case I instruct ffmpeg to take my audio interface as audio track source, my webcam as video track source, set both to lossless formats and output into MPG file format as an example. It's an advanced piece of software and may need a little effort to get used to, but it's worth it.

Youtube, VLC Player, Chrome, Firefox are using ffmpeg just to name a few.

As I posted "sometimes using just the camera audio..."
Depending on what I'm doing I do use the H1 or a similar small recorder and combine them in a editing program. I currently use a Tascam DR-05 that I much prefer.

For combining video and audio I've used Windows Moviemaker in the past, but my latest version of Windows no longer had Moviemaker built in.

I worked with ffmpeg for a while but it has a HIGH learning curve. It's geared much more towards someone who is doing professional editing.

Reaper will handle simple projects easily. Fran Guidry has a nice tutorial for doing exactly that on his Homebrewedmusic.com website.

I would like to get more serious about the video thing, but I really don't have a reason to do it at present. I find the fisheye effect really anoying in all the standard fare for shooting simple videos and the audio is pretty nasty when the mic's back a few feet, so I might as well stick with the point and shoot until I find a reason to move to something else.

If you have the money I would suggest buying a DSLR camera.
The panasonic g7 seems like an amazing deal. 1080p up to 60fps, and 4k 30 fps, with a flippable screen, and several other uses
Don't know about the tascam, but the zoom h5 has high quality, and has a line out that you can plug in to provide the audio for the camera, it also has 2 inputs with 48v phantom power if you want to upgrade further.
After recording you can just preview the video on the camera with headphones.
If you like it tranfer to pc, add the effect you want with either lightworks or shotcut, and profit.

I currently have a pretty simple setup, using my old ZOOM Q3HD for both audio and video. I separate the audio with Audacity (free) to get rid of background noise, use Mp3 Gain (free) to set the volume to the level I use when creating mp3s from my old vinyl, then reassemble the audio and video and clip both in HitFilm Express (also free and recommended by Fran Guidry). I still have MovieMaker on my PC so use that to create the final video.

The biggest downside is the inability to get a good balance between vocals and guitar, and while I've thought about getting a new audio interface to record separate tracks (my old one doesn't work with newer operating systems), I'm not sure the result would be worth the added effort and expense.