What Camera Should we Purchase as a Rookie Team?

[MrsDitt]

Our team uses a Canon Vixia HF M50. You can see the specs on that camera here: https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/p...s/vixia-hf-m50

And see a movie shot with it here: https://youtu.be/Ey2WWBkgOs4
That movie was edited with Adobe Premiere Elements.

One of the main considerations in selecting that camera was having a mic jack so we could attach an external microphone for better sound. The first movie we made using a microphone is here: https://youtu.be/fbIo3_rsXVc
You can see the lapel mic on the speakers. The acoustics in the room we had available to us were horrible, but in the end, we were relatively pleased with what we were able to produce given our lack of experience in videography.

A newer model of that camera is available and is more affordable (about $200 at Best Buy): Canon Vixia HF R600. It has the audio jack, but no accessory shoe. What that means is that while there is a place to plug in a microphone, there is nothing on the camera to attach the microphone to. That's not an issue when using a lapel mic with a long wire, but if you want to use a different type of mic, you will need to invest in a bracket something like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Movo-HVA20-Hea...icrophone+shoe

And whatever you do, try to do as much of your shooting as possible either on a tripod or a shoulder rig to help stabilize the camera.