Suggested HandHeld Camera Set

This document will outline the suggested camera package for a starter 2-camera HD setup.  This is the package being used extensively at BZD-Films.  Videos can be seen at

Click here or scroll to the bottom to see the suggested $250 starter package.

Cameras

Kodak zi8, HandHeld HD Camera (Flip Style).  I recommend buying new from Amazon.com, they should cost less than $150 now.
http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-Pocket-Video-Camera-Black/dp/B002HOPUPC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1275401048&sr=8-1
At the time of writing this, the cameras cost $140 and shipped free.

Features

The Kodak zi8 is the preferred camera because it will shoot in 1080p (although I recommend keeping it at  one of the 720 settings, as the 1080p setting appears to be more of a marketing gimmick than a truly useful setting), as well as 720/60p, which is great for fast moving subjects (sports, etc).  The hardest part of using these cameras is that the image stabilization is pretty useless, and holding the camera steady is extremely important to render a high quality image.  This really can't be stressed enough.  Additionally, this camera has an 1/8" audio input, uses SD/SDHC cards (up to 32gb) and will record 30-40 minutes on a 4gb card (card classes 4+ recommended), and the battery is removable so extra batteries can be ordered.

External Microphone

Thanks to the mic input, one may use a wide variety of external mics.  This is highly recommended, since the built in microphone is noisy, and performs poorly overall.

Hand Held / On-board

The best external microphone for the camera I was able to find was the Sony ECM-DS70P stereo mic.  These retail for about $75, but I have bought mine off of Ebay and 3rd party Amazon retailers between $20-$35.  Here is a link to a current and cheap new microphone off of ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/SONY-ECM-DS70P-Mini-Condenser-Stereo-Mic-Extension-Cord-/160435828764?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item255ab8781c

Wired Lav

Additionally, a wired lavaliere microphone might be useful, and retail for about $25 new.  I have used the Audio Technica ATR-3350.  The biggest downside to this camera is that the cable is precariously light-weight, and could break easily.  Also, the cable is easily tangled and the mic uses a watch battery (1.5v), which can easily be lost or need replacement. Finally, the mic has an on-off switch, and since the camera has no audio levels, or monitoring (except if one navigates to the levels through the configuration menu), it is easy to record an interview with the microphone accidentally in the off position.  Regardless, the audio quality is relatively good (especially for a mic under $30).  Here is a link on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Technica-ATR-3350-Omnidirectional-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B002HJ9PTO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1275402153&sr=1-1

Wireless Mics

The mic input is truly one of the best features of this camera.  These cameras can easily be used with any standard wireless mic set.  Instead of using the 1/8" - XLR cable, we can just use a 1/8" - 1/8" male-to-male cable to connect a receiver to the camera.  This will likely produce the best results for interviews.

Extension Cables

When using the ECM-DS70P Sony mic, I like to use an extension cable, and this is the easiest way to do "Man on the Street" interviews.  I recommend either 6' or 12' 1/8" Male-to-Female extensions.  They average about $6 on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Headphone-Extension-Cable-Stereo-3-5mm/dp/B001NXWRM2/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1275402503&sr=1-22

Audio Quality with Extension

The only downside is that, since the mic is powered, any extension will produce a slight whine in the audio.  However, it is easily and quickly taken care of in post, using a low-pass filter in Final Cut or Soundtrack Pro.

Tripod Solutions

Again, it must be stressed that camera stabilization is of the utmost importance if one is to capture high-quality videos!  As such it's a good idea to get a couple of light-weight tripod solutions, so that the user is not burdened with a heavy tripod, while using a camera that fits in their pocket.

MonoPod

MonoPods are nice, because they are extremely light and easy to carry.  The downside is that they are not as stable as a tripod, and often they are hard to level.  I recommend a low-budget solution, also because they tend to be lighter.  The Opteka M700 ($25) is a mono-pod that looks especially attractive since it has a foot stabilizer, and a level on the head:

http://www.amazon.com/Opteka-Photo-Video-Monopod-Stabilizer/dp/B0033Y2A9E/ref=pd_cp_p_1

GorillaPod

These are fantastic table-top tripods that are extremely lightweight.  Since the zi8 is a hand-held camera, a small version of the GorillaPod is sufficient.  These cost about $10 each.  They can be purchased at Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Mini-Flexible-Portable-Camera-Tripod/dp/B001F4M88C/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1275577331&sr=1-18

Storage

The zi8 shoots to SD/SDHC cards, and require at least class 4 cards.  They will shoot on the slower class 2 cards, but this is not recommended, as the data rate often exceeds the bandwidth of class 2.  I recommend purchasing 4gb cards, filling them up and then burning a full card to a DVD as a master backup (therefore each camera needs at least 2-3 4gb cards).  Additionally 4gb class 4 cards appear to be the most cost effective solution at the current time and average $10/each.  Kingston Brand are recommended since they are a trusted brand, but still market competitive in terms of price.  Each card will shoot between 30 - 40 minutes of footage in 720p and up to 2 hours in the SD setting.

Power/Batteries

The camera comes with a power supply that can be either plugged into a wall or a USB port on a computer.  The cameras can be plugged in while shoot to ensure for continuous time for longer format events.  The battery, when fully charged, will last between 60 - 90 minutes of continuos shooting, but is drained faster on more frequent start/stop and playback.  Extra batteries can be purchased as well, which is a nice feature, especially compared to the flip cameras.

Data Management

The zi8 shoot to h.264 .mov compressed video format.  The data rate is variable (generally between 3mbps and 8mpbs), so the size of the movies is dependent on the subject matter recorded.  Videos that rae recorded on the zi8 can be uploaded directly to services like YouTube, Blip.TV, and Vimeo, but ONLY if they do not require any editing!

Final Cut Pro Integration

Since the h.264 format is highly compressed, it does not natively integrate in FCP (at least not well by any means).  The only way to cut raw footage is to cut the ends off, but transitions, titles, effects will NOT work in Final Cut Pro without first transcoding the footage.  Luckily, transcoding is relatively quick.

Transcoding Instructions for FCP Cutting

The recommended format for editing these clips is the Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC).  This format is a preset in compressor, and can be found under the setting pain > apple > formats > QuickTime > (The first listed setting).  This setting alone will work, but I recommend changing the audio preset so that you don't have to continually render the audio in Final Cut.

• To do this, right/control+click on the AIC format and push "duplicate".
• Under the Inspector Window, change the audio format from Pass-through to "Enabled".
• Click on "Settings"
• Change Format to "Linear PCM" and use the default settings (48kHz, 16bits, Little Endian)
• Click OK

Recommended Starter Package

Finally, what everyone's actually interested in; what to get and how much it cost:

(quick note, neither this blog nor myself are endorsed by Kodak or anyone else)