Video camera advice for YouTube (cooking vids)

PixelChef

PixelChef

PixelChef

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Hi there,

I recently got into making gaming videos for YouTube but I also want to start making cooking videos as well. But, for that I'm going to need more equipment!

Primarily, I need a video camera. Ideally one that shoots in at least 1080p 30fps (60fps would be nicer)

Keep in mind that I know virtually nothing about video cameras! (sorry).

I've done a little bit of research on video cameras but someone also mentioned GoPro cameras. I've found a GoPro Hero4 Session for just £160 which seems really good for the features? The only thing is I won't really use it as an action cam as it's designed :p However, if I had one I'm sure I would play around with it and record random things, so the "action cam" aspect of it won't be a total waste. The only thing I'd probably never do is use it on a helmet etc.

Concerns with the GoPro Hero4 Session are:

- Audio Quality, I can't connect an external mic to this can I? So will the audio be low quality for voice? If so, are there any other solutions to record audio in better quality?

- Tripod accessory, will I be able to get a suitable tripod for this that will hold it from the floor? i.e. a big one!

- Stationary video quality, will it be good enough for the videos I plan to make?

Is the GoPro a good option for this or will it not really be suitable for my needs? (Considering that it's pretty cheap)

Any suggestions as to what other video cameras to look at please?

edit: forgot to mention budget up to £500 or so if it's worth it but if possible i'd like it keep it a little cheaper.

Thanks in advance :)
 
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a1ex2001 said:
I think most Gopro's have really wide angle lenses on them so possibly not the best thing for a cooking video!
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Yeah I think you're right, looking at footage recorded on GoPro it does have a very wide angle, maybe you can change that in the settings though?

Any suggestions for other cameras to look at?
 
A GoPro will work if necessary in those conditions, but it's the polar opposite of what they were designed to do. The wide angle lenses, poor microphones, poor battery life and lack of screens will all annoy you quickly for indoor use.

Use your phone for a while to see if cooking YouTube videos are really the thing for you, and move on up when you hit a few hundred subscribers.
 
Kreeeee said:
A GoPro will work if necessary in those conditions, but it's the polar opposite of what they were designed to do. The wide angle lenses, poor microphones, poor battery life and lack of screens will all annoy you quickly for indoor use.

Use your phone for a while to see if cooking YouTube videos are really the thing for you, and move on up when you hit a few hundred subscribers.
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I think you're right about the things which will annoy me, haha. It's probably not a good option for what I want, just seemed so cheap.

Might be a good idea to try with my phone firstly, only problem with that is I don't have much storage space and I need to find some kinda tripod for it or something.
 
if you were going to go a dslr route, a second canon 70d be pretty good.. 1080p at 30fps, at 720 60 fps and you also get a mic jack on there as well..
 
For something like this you could use your phone as mentioned, get a gorillapod and a mobile phone attachment. Another SD card for recording too if needed.

Get yourself a stand alone mic that also records for you then add it to the video afterwards (if it is needed)

Get yourself some nice large LED light panels as well. The trick to top quality videos and photography is lots of light :)

Shouldn't cost that much either for it all :)
 
Something like a Canon G7X would be a good shout. Quite a popular camera with vloggers etc. Excellent video quality and really portable. Maybe factor in the costs of a tripod and mic as well though.
 
Thaifood said:
if you were going to go a dslr route, a second canon 70d be pretty good.. 1080p at 30fps, at 720 60 fps and you also get a mic jack on there as well..
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Sounds good I'll take a look at some reviews, thanks ;)

AHarvey said:
For something like this you could use your phone as mentioned, get a gorillapod and a mobile phone attachment. Another SD card for recording too if needed.

Get yourself a stand alone mic that also records for you then add it to the video afterwards (if it is needed)

Get yourself some nice large LED light panels as well. The trick to top quality videos and photography is lots of light :)

Shouldn't cost that much either for it all :)
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Thank you for the tips, unfortunately I have a Nexus 4 which doesn't have an SD card slot. I tried to record with it to test it out and the quality is quite bad even though it's 1080p 30fps, although the lighting was bad. As you say I could record the mic seperately but that would be really hard to sync up with the video I think :p

Cheers for the tips on lighting too, I know I'd need to get something I will look into LED Light panels.

Clum said:
Something like a Canon G7X would be a good shout. Quite a popular camera with vloggers etc. Excellent video quality and really portable. Maybe factor in the costs of a tripod and mic as well though.
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I like the look of this, thanks for the suggestion! However how does it compare to some DSLR's such as Nikon D3300 which is a similar price? Am I just paying for the form factor? Cause size doesn't matter too much for me. Also, can I use an external mic with a Canon G7X? Cause I read a few reviews and I don't see mic support.
 
From what i've read, I think maybe something like a 2nd hand Panasonic g6, gh3 or g7? As it has an articulating screen (so you can see yourself and compose the shot easier). it also records at high bit rates, and has lots of input.

and spend the rest on tripod, mic and lighting

hope that helps:)
 
cornyfeet said:
From what i've read, I think maybe something like a 2nd hand Panasonic g6, gh3 or g7? As it has an articulating screen (so you can see yourself and compose the shot easier). it also records at high bit rates, and has lots of input.

and spend the rest on tripod, mic and lighting

hope that helps:)
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Thank you, I will look into those too.

Kreeeee said:
No camera will overcome bad lighting. It's the number one thing to get right with indoor video.
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Yeah, I need to get some good lighting equipment too.

I've also been looking into the Canon VIXIA HF R600, a camcorder which is under £200, records 1080p at 60fps and supports an external mic. Could be ideal? I'm not too bothered about taking photos, just video, so a DSLR might be a waste.

Opinions?
 
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