RESEARCH BLOGS

This research helped me to decide which microphone and cameras to choose. These mics and cameras all work for podcasting and so this list will help me continue my podcasting journey. To begin with I will start by explaining the equipment I specifically chose, for my podcast I was offered by my friend two options of cameras that she has worked with: a Canon C100 and a Canon C300 from those options she gave me her recommendations but I went off to do some singular research into both these types of cameras. The main differences that I found between the two were that the C300 can record at 50Mbps and the C100 can only record up to 24Mbps the other being their placement of the LCD screen (liquid crystal display) the C300 has it located on top of its handle and the C100 has it flip out from where the batteries are on the back. At the end of the day most of these differences conclude to the preference of the person shooting.  

They both have XLR inputs, the C300s have theirs on the LCD and the C100 have theirs on the handle. While the C100 has a mic built in, it is unlikely to be used for speech/ dialogue but can be helpful when it comes to editing. The C100 also has an autofocus button where it automatically focuses on the subject on screen and a push auto iris button that means the camera can automatically let more or less light into the scene. However, the camera cannot do slow motion. Apart from those differences the C300 and C100 do the same job and can also be paired up in filming with the C100 being the “B” Camera to the C300. After considering both options, I went with my friend's recommendation for a Conon C300 camera. The reason being that it is a simple project with not so much action involved.  

Here is a couple of other cameras I found that could potentially take my podcast making further in the future and can be recommendations for other creators: 

1. Nikon COOLPIX B500- Good for those wanting a simple and easy camera to operate. It has decent image quality and has a powerful zoom so can capture footage at a distance very easily. 

1. Panasonic LUMIX G7 4K Digital Camera- With its 4K video performance, it is compact and lightweight meaning it is easy to set up onto tripods or can be handheld. It is flexible to new and advanced users with their footage.  

In terms of mics, the first question was shall I pick a condenser or dynamic mic? Well, both have their solid pros and cons, and it depends on what you intend to do project wise. Dynamics are more durable to make loud noises while condenser mics are more delicate and take in more detailed sounds. In this instance, I chose a Sennheiser MD46 dynamic cardioid mic. It is known as a reporter's microphone and has a very professional look to it. Another mic that was recommended on sites I read for budget mics was the Shure SM58 which in terms of aesthetics is more like a musician's performing microphone. However, with that information being read I choose to bring both my SM58 and the MD46 and experiment with both sounds cause it all comes down to what sounds good to me.  

Here are two mics that I can consider using in the future: 

1. Shure SM7b- The mic that I recognise in most podcast setups, which is a lot more expensive and sensitive to speech and background noise but is an industry standard microphone meaning that with a professional environment the background noise should be less. 

1. ShureMV7- A mic that is very similar but is cheaper and more versatile than the SM7b. It can work both as a XLR like a SM7b, but it can also work as a USB that plugs into your computer or USB audio interface but is weaker in signals when used as a XLR mic.