What camcorder should I use for videos to put on my blog?

Recently I answered a question on LinkedIn about what kind of camcorder to use to shoot videos for a blog. Thought you might appreciate the answer as well.

By the way, the Answers feature on LinkedIn is a great way to 1) demonstrate your expertise and 2) boost your visibility!

Back to my answer.

When I got clarity from the person asking, it turns out they planning to shoot fitness training videos.

I recommend the Flip and/or a simple webcam. But then it depends. What is the purpose of the videos and what do you want to achieve with the videos?

The internal software on the Flip provides simple editing which is often enough. You can also create movies from multiple video clips and you can upload directly to YouTube (and now Facebook with recent software upgrade). You can also create channels and send videos to specific people. I use this to do video coaching and send video messages to clients.

I hear the Zi8 from Kodak is great though I haven't used it yet. One of the benefits over the Flip is that you can add an external mic.

For simple talking head and interviews, The Flip will do the trick.

Get the HD Flip and then you'll get high def quality pictures. I use a lot of videos on my blog and use the HD Flip. You can see a post here that also explains how I do video podcasts and distribute video on the web to drive more traffic.

You can see all the various Flip cameras here.

You can learn more about The Flip and the software on their site.

I really like the share feature for sending private video emails to clients. It's simple: Click on video, click on Share, type in email address and your message, click send.

Comments

[Ian Greenleigh]

I have a non-HD Flip and I love it. I am just beginning to blog on my own and I'm looking forward to trying it out. I'll be sure to drop by and let you suffer through my amateur-hour recordings :-)

[Samantha Hartley]

Denise, thank you for this post. I got scared off the Flips when I read Amazon reviews about the shakiness factor. I understand from this post that it's fine for talking-head type videos, but what if an interior designer wanted to shoot a project video or we wanted to go outdoors once in a while? BTW I bought your video course, so I'm sure this info is in there too. Plan to review that this month.

[Vickie Sceifers]

I absolutely love my Kodak Zi8. As a video professional, the three biggest advantages to it are 1) the external mic; 2) does well in low light; and 3) image stabilization. It is also the ONLY TRUE HD pocket camera. Sony and others are fudging the numbers. There is a jack on the bottom for a tripod. It works on both Mac and PC. I just drag the files onto my Mac, and, IF I need to edit them, just open them in iMovie, which can Share with Youtube, MobileMe, and others. For the price, it can't be beat! The 16gb chip (sold separately) holds 6 hours of video! More than I'll ever need at once!

I also have a Sony Webbie ("HD"), which is great when I don't HAVE to have HD, but it's best feature is the rotating lens (the real "flip). Makes for some great creative shots! Bad in low light, very shaky esp. when zoomed.

Vickie

[Ramsey A. Amin, DDS]

Thank for the info. I like that other companies are designing these with external mics. I did not know that. That is the weak point of the flip. My steady dentist hands do well with it though. :)
Dr. Amin

[Net Millionaire]

What an amazing site you have here. I really appreciate how you cater to the entrepreneur's every needs instead of just dishing out tips on getting rich. I'm actually surprised that you even feature actual gadgets and products that can help us in our everyday lives. Thanks a bunch!

[Jeff C]

This is really helpful information. I haven't thought that different types of cams should be used according to the purpose of the videos.

[Gary (Misfit) Gregory]

Great post! As an internet marketer myself, I found the camera information most useful and had no idea of the different options available on different cameras.

Thanks again!

[Tony]

I have the HD flip and it's absolutely awesome... so easy to carry around with me, and the quality is amazing.

[Denise Wakeman]

Samantha, just about any hand held camera is going to have a shakiness factor unless you're using a tripod.

You can shoot any kind of video inside or out with a Flip. As with anything, the more you invest, the better the equipment will be. If you want professional video, you'll need to hire a professional videographer. But for many applications like interviews and tips and greetings to your clients, you'll find the Flip and other similar cameras to be just fine.

[Denise Wakeman]

Thanks for the details, Vickie. What do you use for the external mic on the Zi8?