A picture can capture a thousand words, they say, but what about a video? If you want to effectively preserve a moment, a video is your best bet. Whether you’re recording a friend’s wedding, your band’s first gig, or your school’s graduation ceremony, a video is the best way to share the moment with those who can’t attend and relive the moment yourself. If you don’t plan on preparing more videos in the future, look for a rental service to save money. Then, scroll down to peruse our tips for renting a camcorder.
Rent a high-quality camcorder from a reputable A-V supplier
Let your equipment do some of the work for you. For example, the difference between a phone’s camera and a professional HD camcorder is astounding. Whether you want to record a family reunion, a corporate video, or a short film, use a professional-grade camera for best results. In addition, one of our top tips for renting a camcorder is to rent from a reputable and reliable audio-visual company. The company should introduce you to the camcorder before you get started and answer all of your questions.
Move slowly
Although you may be tempted to follow the movement of the event you’re filming, it is very difficult for an amateur to accomplish this without creating unsteady (and sometimes even unusable) footage. Although you should certainly follow the subject if it (or he or she) moves out of frame, avoid unnecessary movement and proceed extremely slowly. Zooming out is typically preferred, though (as we will discuss below) that can also be problematic. Ideally, you will not move the camera at all.
Use restraint with the zoom
Perhaps fearing the video will be boring, many amateurs constantly zoom in and out when recording. Like frequently moving the camera, this can make the viewer feel nauseous. Use your zoom sparingly and try to move it slowly and steadily. Additionally, if you can choose between a digital zoom and an optical zoom, always opt for the optical. Digital zooms simply enlarge the pixels of your video, which can cause distortion and low-grade imagery.
Use a tripod
No matter what sort of camcorder you rent, use it with a tripod if your recording will be longer than 45-60 seconds. Not only is it difficult to hold a camcorder still while recording, but it also commonly results in shaky and unstable footage that may induce motion sickness. Simply breathing while holding the equipment can cause the camera to move up and down slightly. Tripods provide a firm and stable mount, ensuring that your video is steady and professional. Since this is one of our top tips for renting a camcorder, you may want to see if your chosen A-V company rents out tripods as well.
Position your camera close to the sound
Unless you’re planning to play music over your footage, remember the importance of sound. To ensure that your camera picks up music, speech, and other noises, position it close to the sound sources. You may want to test this before you begin recording at the critical moment. Typically, if you can hear the sounds of the room well, the camera will be able to pick them up as well. Additionally, consider renting or purchasing a microphone to improve the sound quality.
Bring extra batteries or a mobile battery pack
Always bring extra batteries and a charger, just in case. You will never forgive yourself if you miss an important moment simply because your battery died. Additionally, when the camera alerts you that its battery is running low, prepare your auxiliary supply so that you don’t miss a beat.
Record in good lighting
If you have the option, try to make the room in which you’re recording as bright as possible. Camcorders often struggle to capture high-quality video in dim settings. So open curtains and blinds during the daytime, and turn on as many lights as you can. You can also use your camcorder’s white-balance feature to ensure that the whites in your recording are crisp and the colors are vibrant. Readjust the white balance every time you move your camera or change the lighting.
Shoot extra video
Many amateurs attempt to shoot right on the nose, hitting “record” as soon as the event starts and “stop” immediately after it ends. They also like to start and stop recording throughout the event, attempting to avoid the boring bits. Sometimes this works out fine; other times, it creates incomplete and abrupt recordings. Instead, we recommend that you shoot complete footage that begins 20-30 seconds before the event starts and ends 20-30 seconds after it ends. This will ensure that you don’t miss a thing. Remember that you can always edit out extraneous footage, but you can’t rerecord the event.
Keep these tips for renting a camcorder in mind the next time you need to record a video. Whether you’re considering purchasing a camcorder of your own (and want to do a test run) or you need a camcorder for a limited time, renting is a perfect solution.
If you’re interested in renting a camcorder, contact Southwest Audio-Visual today. We supply a variety of A-V products and services, including the sale and rental of top-quality camcorders. Whether you want a light and versatile camcorder or an advanced, professional-grade piece of equipment, we can help. To get started, please contact us online or give us a call at (417) 887-4900. We would be happy to help you with all of your A-V needs.