When it comes to showcasing your business using video, accessing the right equipment to capture your content is key. This blog will provide you with an insight to using the right camera equipment across five different occasions.
For those with an active lifestyle
Action cameras are fantastic for getting those first person point-of-view shots. Despite their name, these cameras aren’t only limited for use with adrenaline fuelled sports. They can be used to create a different perspective of your day to day work life; whether it be tapping away on the keyboard at your desk or your morning commute on your bike to the office.
There is plenty of choice on the market as well. I am sure you most of you have heard of GoPro, but there are cheaper alternatives from the likes of Sony and Panasonic that deliver similar results. EE have also released their own action camera caleed the 4GEE Action Cam which automatically uploads your footage over their renowned 4G network.
For a birds eye view
Drones are a fantastic tool for getting videos from up in the sky, and due to the increase in popularity, prices are coming down. They capture a whole different perspective compared to filming from the ground, especially if you are showcasing buildings and landscapes. For the most part, drones have to be manually controlled using a separate controller and do require a fair amount of practice to get used to. However, there are also some great innovations for drones in the works. An example of one is Lily, a drone capable of capturing Full HD video footage that flies itself! Using various built in technology such as GPS and gyros, Lily simply follows a tracker whilst a companion app for your phone allows you to set some desired parameters. Although drones are great for capturing those unique shots from high in the air, it is best to find a nice open space on a clear day to fly it.
For the here and now
The equipment to capture high videos could be in your pocket right now. Many smartphones of today are perfectly capable at capturing HD video (in some cases better than many standalone camcorders) at a cost that won’t break the bank. Take the soon to be released Microsoft Lumia 950 as an example, not only is it able to capture high quality video with vibrant colours, it supports 4K (or Ultra High Definition) video recording as well. And, with the added bonus of having network connectivity through Wi-Fi or your mobile network, you don’t have to wait to get back home or to your office to upload that content for your audience to see. With internet connections constantly becoming faster, live streaming from mobile devices is also becoming far easier for anyone and everyone to do. Do you have an iPhone or Android device? Then check out Periscope, the free app that lets you live stream what you are currently seeing from your phone’s camera to all of your followers on Facebook or Twitter.
For the best shots
When it comes down to capturing professional, high quality video content, then a higher end video camera or even a DSLR is what you need. DSLRs have proven to be hugely popular with videographers more recently due being portable, having the flexibility of interchangeable lenses and the ability to easily access manual controls such as shutter speed and aperture, whilst at the same time also being affordable. When you look at Canon’s range of DSLRs for example, the amount of lenses available is vast. Due to the increase of videographers using DSLR camera’s to capture video content, it is becoming hard to find a DSLR camera that doesn’t support at least Full HD 1080P video recording. If you would prefer to go down the route of a portable video camera that not only captures exceptional video content, but is also easy to use, then something similar to Canon’s HF G30 is fantastic. Although it won’t offer the ability to capture some of the more unique and abstract shots you are able to capture with a DSLR, you will still be able to capture clean and vibrant Full HD 1080P footage.
For your online presence
When it comes to social media videos are a fantastic way of getting a message across to your followers in an interesting and engaging way and the good news is, you don’t need an entire film crew or high end equipment to capture it. Social media is supposed to be instant, so a huge amount of thought and planning doesn’t need to go into the content that you share. As mentioned above, the ability to capture high quality footage could be within your arm’s reach right now. Take a walk around your establishment and capture footage of a general work day, or switch your phone to selfie mode and provide a short video intro to your business. Those simple, homemade, selfie style videos will grab your audience’s attention as long as they are portraying the correct message to them.
If you have any questions or would be interest in Cosmic helping you with your own video, please do get in touch on 0845 094 6108, or send an email to jack@cosmic.org.uk