I work at an agency that runs two accredited child care centers. One of the things we’re real big on is teacher training, and the staff member who is in charge of that said it would be helpful to have a video camera of some sort to record teachers in the classroom to use for training purposes. We also have a counselor and she’d like to record her sessions with parents and kids so she can give them feedback.
We don’t want people to use phones (their own or any other) for obvious reasons, including, but not limited to, the nausea-inducing-handheld-Woody-Allen effect. I’m picturing a simple camera on a tripod that can be parked in the room and later connected to a laptop for viewing (not to a TV).
There are SOOOO many cameras on amazon that I couldn’t sort them out. This needs to be simple with virtually no bells or whistles. I don’t see them doing any editing, although they will probably save the videos for future viewing.
It doesn’t have to be cheap. I’m not going to say price is no object…but it almost isn’t. I’m looking for quality, sturdiness, and simplicity. The cameras will get pretty heavy use and possibly some (careless) abuse. We plan to get four of them, and upwards of $1,000 each would not be too much.
You can see I know NOTHING about video cameras… which is why I have come to the repository of all expert knowledge. Thank you.
Some things to consider. Prop a camera up pointing at a teacher at a lectern, and you might as well just make an audio recording. The image of the person standing there adds almost no useful information. If they’re running a powerpoint presentation or a slide show, the camera won’t pick it up in a useful way. Same thing with “show & tell” objects – the static camera won’t show sufficient detail to be useful. You need a cameraperson in the room, or perhaps a second camera, or perhaps some post-recording editing equipment to add in other information not captured in the initial recording.
Making useful training videos is a lot more complex than you folks are imagining it to be.
Actually, the videos the trainer is doing now with her Flip video camera are marginally adequate for her purpose. I’M the one who said to her, “Let’s get you a real video camera.” We’re not Making Training Videos-- nothing that grandiose. It’s simply a case of feedback or something like instant replay, i.e., showing one teacher what another teacher is doing in the classroom. These are *toddlers *in the classroom–no one is standing at any lectern. The classrooms are small and the teacher moves around and interacts with the kids. I wasn’t envisioning someone turning on the camera and leaving it pointing at one thing. Probably the trainer will be there to move the camera somewhat. But I do want it on some kind of tripod or stationary surface to avoid the handheld effect.
Really, it’s a lot simpler than you are imagining. We are a humble people.
Ok, then you’re just looking for a camera with a mic input and reasonably high resolution? I don’t see any reason why you need to spend a thousand bucks. You can get a little “action cam” like this for a hundred bucks. A tripod will cost you less than $50, probably.
Thanks for the link. It’s not that I had my heart set on spending $1,000. My point was that unlike most non-profits in this position, we’re not nickel-and-diming and going for the cheapest thing available. We want something that is sturdy and still does the job.
Explain something, please: the website says it’s “wifi ready.” Where does wifi enter into it?
Wifi would be used to send the audio/video feed wirelessly, usually to a laptop. But this particular camera also has an SD card, so it could be physically removed and copied onto a hard drive.
I didn’t really intend to point this one out as being the best choice for you, just to show there are lots of small and cheap cameras that can fulfill your minimum needs. There’s a line of cameras called “GoPro” that are somewhat more robust and larger that lots of people swear by.
Cool.
My emphasis.
Usually non-profits are looking for something cheap. But we’re in a position to apply to a funding source who REALLY likes us, and I don’t want to go for cheap. And our needs might be better characterized as “minimalist,” as opposed to “minimal,” if that makes sense. I’m not looking for a lot of features, or accessories, or special effects, as these will be totally wasted on the end users.
I will definitely check out the GoPros… I like the word “robust”! Yeah… ro-BUST…that’s what I want. As the grant writer, I’ll never even *see *the cameras, but I want to feel good about doing my part.
Any other Dopers want to ring in? This isn’t a private conversation.
You might be able to get one with a remote control and a wireless viewfinder (such as on a watch) that would allow the teacher to have the camera follow her as she moves around by using the remote and viewfinder. Or if nothing else, start and stop the recording so it doesn’t need to be edited later.
This is just one example that I happened to see when I went to look at the Sony website: http://www.sony.com/electronics/actioncam-live-view-remote/rm-lvr2#related_products_dynamic_default
You would have to buy one of their cameras that’s compatible with it. They have a line that rivals the GoPro.
I ended up at the Sony site because I was going to recommend a HandyCam because I have one. But I honestly don’t know how rugged it is, and their ActionCam might serve you better.
Or a GoPro with a remote, I don’t know if they have one.