Recording gigs for Youtube/Social Media - recommendations requested

[KenSmithFan]

I’m looking to record my band and post to Facebook, Youtube, etc. What is everyone using? I looked at the zoom products, but boy do they have mixed reviews. I’d like to keep it under $500. I’m using my iPhone for something else, so that is out.

Thanks!

 

[djmay]

Tascam DR-40X.

 

[KenSmithFan]

I forgot to specify video and audio.

 

[Karl Kaminski]

Sorry I can't offer a solution (im in the same boat) But a vid+aud UNDER 500 (of quality) is tough. For online/streaming:

• 1080HD/@24 or 30fps would be max needed
• a lens that does great low light (low FFstop lens for indoor/night gigs)
• and full freq audio down to at least 70hz for the bass - the lower the better

Ive tried zoom but always disappointed in the low light grainy vid, but audio was good. iPhone Pro great vid but audio suffers for bass.

whats your band situation? is there FOH, does the band have their own system, jazz group where everyone's supplying their own gear on stage? its hard to offer a silver bullet. (getting the audio from 'the board' and patch into a camera would be a great option if available)

Im currently using the Lumix G100 (audio in available) but I record audio with a separate mic setup, then mix in Logic Pro. Its getting to be alot of work, so I'd love to find a single audio/video in one solution. My buddy is a photo/videographer and there are some nice options above 1500... but that the catch, Mobility+options=$$$. The low end options require so much auxiliary equipment, lighting, stands, cabling, it's impractical for a gigging situation without an assistant to do it for/with you. (and nobody's got time for that)

IIRC(?) the LUMIX G100 does offer a mic adapter to access the use of your own condenser mic. which might be a single solution, but over 500.

other possibilities could be get a use iPhone Pro (14 and higher) used + a Zoom for audio then compile audio/vid in post. (more work). Again sorry I'm 'rowing the same boat' of indecision

 

[drpepper]

Personally, I’ve been pretty happy with both the video and audio quality of the Zoom Q2n in decent lighting, and I’ve been especially impressed with stage lights. I suspect a good part of the mixed or poor reviews come from its limitations with lighting. In truly bad lighting, even a non-current phone can outperform it visually.

The other limitation I’ve noticed is the lack of optical zoom...I find it to be a pretty wide lens. That said, if you can place it reasonably close to the stage and your lighting situations aren’t especially challenging, I think it’s a solid option with consistently good sound.

Here’s an example with very good lighting. The cameras at the console and stage right are Zoom Q2ns. We also had an older Handycam behind the drums and a few phone clips mixed in. The audio here is from the Zoom mic at the console with an unmixed board feed, so this isn’t really a test of the Zoom audio. Neither Zoom shot is ever full frame...I did zooms and pans in DaVinci Resolve. The stage-right camera held up well to about 300% software zoom.



Here’s an example that I think shows strong audio performance (100% camera audio) and it's with somewhat more challenging lighting. In this one, the camera was about six feet in front of the PA. There were stage lights, but it was still fairly dark. Again, zooms and pans were done in software and none of the shots are full frame, but the lighting limited how far I could push the zoom before image degradation became noticeable.



And finally, here’s a static shot with good lighting also using only the Zoom’s mic audio. I think it sounds good. I’ve heard phone clips from the same show, and this was better than all of them.

 

[KenSmithFan]

Personally, I’ve been pretty happy with both the video and audio quality of the Zoom Q2n in decent lighting, and I’ve been especially impressed with stage lights. I suspect a good part of the mixed or poor reviews come from its limitations with lighting. In truly bad lighting, even a non-current phone can outperform it visually.

The other limitation I’ve noticed is the lack of optical zoom...I find it to be a pretty wide lens. That said, if you can place it reasonably close to the stage and your lighting situations aren’t especially challenging, I think it’s a solid option with consistently good sound.

Here’s an example with very good lighting. The cameras at the console and stage right are Zoom Q2ns. We also had an older Handycam behind the drums and a few phone clips mixed in. The audio here is from the Zoom mic at the console with an unmixed board feed, so this isn’t really a test of the Zoom audio. Neither Zoom shot is ever full frame...I did zooms and pans in DaVinci Resolve. The stage-right camera held up well to about 300% software zoom.



Here’s an example that I think shows strong audio performance (100% camera audio) and it's with somewhat more challenging lighting. In this one, the camera was about six feet in front of the PA. There were stage lights, but it was still fairly dark. Again, zooms and pans were done in software and none of the shots are full frame, but the lighting limited how far I could push the zoom before image degradation became noticeable.



And finally, here’s a static shot with good lighting also using only the Zoom’s mic audio. I think it sounds good. I’ve heard phone clips from the same show, and this was better than all of them.

Thanks, very helpful.

 

[KenSmithFan]

Sorry I can't offer a solution (im in the same boat) But a vid+aud UNDER 500 (of quality) is tough. For online/streaming:

• 1080HD/@24 or 30fps would be max needed
• a lens that does great low light (low FFstop lens for indoor/night gigs)
• and full freq audio down to at least 70hz for the bass - the lower the better

Ive tried zoom but always disappointed in the low light grainy vid, but audio was good. iPhone Pro great vid but audio suffers for bass.

whats your band situation? is there FOH, does the band have their own system, jazz group where everyone's supplying their own gear on stage? its hard to offer a silver bullet. (getting the audio from 'the board' and patch into a camera would be a great option if available)

Im currently using the Lumix G100 (audio in available) but I record audio with a separate mic setup, then mix in Logic Pro. Its getting to be alot of work, so I'd love to find a single audio/video in one solution. My buddy is a photo/videographer and there are some nice options above 1500... but that the catch, Mobility+options=$$$. The low end options require so much auxiliary equipment, lighting, stands, cabling, it's impractical for a gigging situation without an assistant to do it for/with you. (and nobody's got time for that)

IIRC(?) the LUMIX G100 does offer a mic adapter to access the use of your own condenser mic. which might be a single solution, but over 500.

other possibilities could be get a use iPhone Pro (14 and higher) used + a Zoom for audio then compile audio/vid in post. (more work). Again sorry I'm 'rowing the same boat' of indecision

Thanks, at least I know I’m not missing something.

 

[One Way]

For several years I’ve used an iPhone 14 Pro with a Shure MV88 mic plugged into the phone, this video was taken with one.
If I’m just making an audio recording the Zoom H4 Essential works fantastic for me with 32 bit float recording. That means it won’t clip when recording.

 

[drpepper]

...I’m using my iPhone for something else, so that is out.

The other posts and my own experience made something occur to me...something you might consider is that you could get a non-current iphone; used, refurb or NOS (just don't get cellular service and basically use it like an ipad) and lighting mic (Zoom, Shure, Rode, etc) for something less than $500