Quote:
Originally Posted by MrsDitt
One of the main considerations in selecting that camera was having a mic jack so we could attach an external microphone for better sound.
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Here's a little video production secret: getting better sound is WAY more important than getting better video quality.
An external mic input is definitely an "extremely nice to have". One way to get around that, if you don't have one, is to record your audio separately on a dedicated audio recording device (check out the Zoom Handy series for example), and sync it in your editor. This also gives you a fun excuse to bring out the movie style clapper (the reason they clap those is to give a visual cue and audio noise to sync up together).
Sound obeys the inverse square law. That means if you double the distance from your subject you only get 1/4 of the sound energy. If you're filming a person you are probably standing 4-10 feet away with the camera. If you're trying to capture the sound of them talking you are much, much better off to use an external mic positioned as close to their head as possible. You can wire them up with a lapel mic or use an external mic discreetly placed closer to them.
If you can afford a nice new camera for video production work, have at it. But if you're looking to improve your production quality, already have a reasonable camera, and are on a budget, I strongly recommend investing your resources into improving the sound quality of your videos.
That, and work on your editing skills. Your productions will improve overnight.