My Rig for Classroom/Lecture shooting

Ben_B

Ben_B

Veteran
Here is a rig I will be using to shoot some stuff in a classroom...not sure if I will be using the kit lens but I figure I should probably have enough light, it has big windows, and auto-focus will be nice in a pinch, especially if I need to zoom in or out. I will be running off of batteries because I have two and will have chances to swap (it's students doing spiels and they class talks between them) and I can have one charging and one in the camera, I'd rather not run the risk of someone tripping over a wall outlet or the power going out and blowing a take.

I will be using the Røde video mic on top of the Gh1 for sound...the sound quality doesn't have to be great, just hearable and clear, so it should be fine, however I will be using a Zoom H4 (not N) with AC power (because it goes through batteries soooo fast and because sound quality is better on AC power) for backup sound in case the AGC decides to go crazy on a take, and because I have been having the occasional problem with external mics on my GH1 ever since a 2.5mm adapter got bent out of shape while inside the plug. I've been running tests with the mic though and everything seems to be working, although I can duplicate the problem if I move the plug and cord around too much...I figure I will find a place that works and not touch it, and check the takes afterward...but again, will have the zoom as backup. I can't seem to get the mic to hook work with the zoom even with the right adaptor, and the zoom audio is a little quiet for my taste anyway, and since the onboard sound is good enough for this project I will go with it over syncing. Using the zoom also lets me monitor audio, which is good, even if it's not the audio I will likely be using, because I can tell if say, an air-conditioner that just turned on, will be a problem or not.

The grip is an old flash handle with a cold shoe that I got with an Olympus Pen FT I won on ebay.

I will be dumping cards on the fly with a netbook and USB HDD, one copy on netbook SSD, one on USB HDD.

I will also be using an Ikan V8000 HDMI monitor that is not attached to the rig to review my test shots when I first set my equipment up, and to review some of the footage during breaks to see if there is anything about my shooting methodology I need to adjust.

Anyway, lot of text for a very simple rig, but I figured someone would be curious what people are doing with their cameras. This is also the rig I will be using (sans zoom) for simple handheld work, and it actually does make things quite stable.

This project is mainly to simply capture the event so the students have reference for their own purposes, so it doesn't have to be amazing, it just has to work. I set up this rig and shooting methodology (audio backup, monitor checking, kit lens auto-focus, powered zoom, battery camera) around giving myself maximum redundancy and reliability...something you don't always get with these cameras.

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I am doing something sort of similar for an upcoming speech except I will have a rode NT3 at the podium ran all the way to my h4n on camera. Sennheiser mk400 on the camera for backup. I agree with not running h4n on batteries, I lost half the audio of a previous speech due to it draining the batteries faster than expected.

I can't wait until they come out with a faster zoom with autofocus, the kit lens is just barely usable indoors even with a well lit (not supplemented) room. A manual focus lens is risky for shoots you can't redo.
 
that's the exact same grip i just ordered today!
going to do the same thing, zoom on a swivel on top of the grip handle.
looks like you don't have the camera positioned all the way at the end of the bracket....can you slide it further away from the handle than that?
 
averan said:
that's the exact same grip i just ordered today!
going to do the same thing, zoom on a swivel on top of the grip handle.
looks like you don't have the camera positioned all the way at the end of the bracket....can you slide it further away from the handle than that?
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Yeah, easily, and would if I was handholding with the Røde mic so the plug isn't in the way and the screen can flip fully out without hitting my hand, but for the tripod work I am fine with it where it is. I have some time during breaks to slide the thing over to replace batteries in the camera. I also like the weight of it the best here, so I will likely be using it handheld this way if I have no attachments...the weight of the zoom means the camera probably works well way out on the end though...but again handheld naked this is where I would put it. I also may buy an L bracket and some bolts to use this as a top handle for naked handheld low shots. Wow that sounded funny. Might then easily make a great, light, top handle...hell could probably integrate it into a larger rig.
 
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guys, the H4n last quite a long time on stamina mode and NiMH battery. I used to buy alkaline thast lat like 2 hours before my friend putted NiMH and I think I record like 5 gig with it, over 10 hour, IIRC.

:)
 
I thought the same, i had more than 10hrs on the stamina mode. But i think one becomes limited from some functions in that mode.
 
Rabot said:
guys, the H4n last quite a long time on stamina mode and NiMH battery. I used to buy alkaline thast lat like 2 hours before my friend putted NiMH and I think I record like 5 gig with it, over 10 hour, IIRC.

:)
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good to know. i've had better run times with LiIon batteries than with normal Alkaline AAs. I'll look for NiMH AAs.... Wish we could get rechargeable LiIon AAs! looks like we can: http://www.batteriesinaflash.com/di...v3-2-aa-3v-rechargeable-battery-li-ion-dlcrv3
 
Unless you're going to be shooting point-blank at the front of the class, a simpler solution might be more reliable...as in removing ALL of those accessories from your camera...

I doubt your 2.5mm mic input is damaged. Mine is highly unreliable, and plugging anything in there with an adapter means you risk losing the audio from that clip.

A shotgun mic or an audio recorder isn't going to get you anymore audio than the built-in mic if you're shooting from the back of the classroom...maybe just better quality bad audio. ;)

I'd get them to speak from a stationary podium, then just put your audio recorder on there...secured with gaffers tape. If they're going to want to walk around, simply put the recorder in their pocket and use a lapel mic. Then use pluraleyes to automatically sync everything. If you don't want to "sync" in post, for instant replay to the students, just use a wireless mic system.

If you're shooting in an area that exeriences regular power outages, and need to shoot for hours non-stop, maybe a UPS would work? It seems like the giant batteries inside of a UPS would power the GH1 and your audio recorder for hours! (I've never tried it.) As for students tripping over cables, cables should ALWAYS be taped down with gaffers tape...and make sure your insurance is paid up...in case one trips anyways and sues you. Some strategically placed chairs can also keep traffic away from your cables.

A Yamaha CX will also record several hours on a single AA Eneloop battery.

Good luck!
 
swyzlstyx said:
Unless you're going to be shooting point-blank at the front of the class, a simpler solution might be more reliable...as in removing ALL of those accessories from your camera...

I doubt your 2.5mm mic input is damaged. Mine is highly unreliable, and plugging anything in there with an adapter means you risk losing the audio from that clip.

A shotgun mic or an audio recorder isn't going to get you anymore audio than the built-in mic if you're shooting from the back of the classroom...maybe just better quality bad audio. ;)

I'd get them to speak from a stationary podium, then just put your audio recorder on there...secured with gaffers tape. If they're going to want to walk around, simply put the recorder in their pocket and use a lapel mic. Then use pluraleyes to automatically sync everything. If you don't want to "sync" in post, for instant replay to the students, just use a wireless mic system.

If you're shooting in an area that exeriences regular power outages, and need to shoot for hours non-stop, maybe a UPS would work? It seems like the giant batteries inside of a UPS would power the GH1 and your audio recorder for hours! (I've never tried it.) As for students tripping over cables, cables should ALWAYS be taped down with gaffers tape...and make sure your insurance is paid up...in case one trips anyways and sues you. Some strategically placed chairs can also keep traffic away from your cables.

A Yamaha CX will also record several hours on a single AA Eneloop battery.

Good luck!
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They're going to be walking around, or not. The important thing for me is to capture what they do, so they can watch it back later and improve their public speaking, so it doesn't have to be wonderfully well captured. I have to do a TON of these, the entire incoming class of a graduate program, so I don't think I'll be lav micing everytime, the goal is to be discrete and out of the way. So I want to be near the back. Last time I used my built in mic and it worked ok but it was a smaller room and I want to get some better quality sound this time and I think the shotgun will help. The Zoom is just for backup but I did some range tests and I think it will pick up fine. Anyway if someone tripped over a cable they'd be suing the university not me, I'll be under contract with them, but it's a non-issue really. Again, the goal of this rig and this shoot is to get legible sound and video, and to interfere as little as possible with the proceedings.
 
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