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Looking for information on a Panasonic HC-V885K Camcorder

Started 6 months ago | Discussions thread
John Koch Senior Member • Posts: 1,602
Re: Looking for information on a Panasonic HC-V885K Camcorder

A 32 GB SDXC memory card will give way more than enough space to record a typical 1-hour church service in full HD resolution.  Memory card prices are now quite low.

Audio quality will vary according to the acoustics of the church, the quality of any electronic amplification and speakers, plus how well the preacher or choir project their voices.  If these conditions are poor or absent, the on-board sound capture will be unsatisfactory.   In that case, you will definitely need to place a microphone at the pulpit.  Some inexpensive battery-fortified mics can connect to the camera via a 15-20' wire.  Just be aware that, there might be some "buzz" distortion if you use an AC adapter to power the camera.  An extended-life battery would skirt that potential issue.  Wireless mics are another option, but cost a bit more and must be tested properly.

If the space or surface behind or adjacent to the preacher is brightly illuminated, the preacher's face will be underexposed.   Best to dim the background and boost illumination of the face.

Stationary shots of a speaker will draw viewers only if the presentation is animated, charismatic, and has a clear and happy message.  Nowadays, a multi-camera approach, or even a camera that roams about on a boom or rail, are common, but obviously more expensive and complicated to pull-off.

In any case, record some rehearsals and review the results prior to any formal event.

A cheap Plan B might be to mount a smart phone on a selfie stick that can be attached to the front of the pulpit and then aimed at the presenter.  There are also wide-angle webcams, some of them smaller than the microphone a presenter will use, priced under $200, that could also be mounted on the pulpit and capture video and audio from a short distance.

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