What equipment do i recommend for media ministry in 2021?


(me at PIC)

What equipment do I recommend for media ministry in 2021?


It depends:
  1. what you want to do;
  2. how much you want to spend;
  3. how much equipment you want to carry around & setup & takedown;


Cameras Section


I divide them in different levels/uses:
  1. cellphone users
    1. examples
      1. Sandra Enterman (26k followers)
        1. iphone/ipad only
      2. Doc Willie Ong (6.5M subscribers)
        1. iphone and wired lapel
    2. advantages
      1. easy to carry
      2. can be high quality camera
    3. disadvantages
      1. limited/no optical zoom
      2. cellphones last 2-3years
      3. cellphones used for other things
  2. webcam users
    1. examples
      1. BibleFlockBox (549k subscribers)
        1. Logitech Brio (php8k-13k)
        2. c920 (php3k-4k)
    2. advantages
      1. cheap
      2. durable
    3. disadvantages
      1. no optical zoom
  3. small camera users
    1. advantages
      1. only php 5k-7k each camera
      2. parfocal
      3. great zoom range
      4. good enough quality for mobile phone viewers
      5. portable
    2. disadvantages
      1. lower quality, many small cameras cannot adjust saturation levels
      2. not so sharp image when viewed in full screen in laptop/desktop
  4. mirrorless users
    1. for economical studio users
    2. most vloggers
      1. Panasonic DMC-G7
        1. cheapest 4k (php35k), plus 45-150mm zoom lens (php9k). php700 for unlimited power.
        2. quality mic preamp
        3. no reports of overheating while recording even at full resolution (afaik)
        4. has clean HDMI output to connect to quality capture device
        5. unlimited recording (in service mode)
        6. 10.14EV dynamic range
        7. best for sermons
      2. Sony Mirrorless Cameras
        1. (more reports of) overheating when recording long videos at full resolution (because of bigger sensor)
        2. higher quality because of bigger sensor
        3. better autofocus, has clean HDMI out
        4. higher dynamic range due to bigger sensor
        5. more expensive ($1000+)
        6. best for short clips and photos
      3. High Quality Capture Devices
        1. Elgato CamLink4k (php6.8k-8k)
        2. Decklink (php6k-12k)
      4. Cheap lower quality HDMI capture
        1. ezcap (php2k-3k)
        2. others (php300-500)
      5. advantages
        1. cheaper than real video camera. only about 30% of cost (g7 vs ux90)
      6. disadvantages
        1. non-parfocal
        2. no live audio monitoring (most models)
        3. need expensive ($1400+) lens to match quality of real video camera
  5. video camera users
    1. for big church productions
    2. advantages
      1. smooth zooming in and out
      2. parfocal ("A parfocal lens is a lens that stays in focus when magnification/focal length is changed.")
      3. bigger HDMI port more durable
      4. XLR balanced mic/line input, built-in audio mixer
      5. live audio monitoring
      6. no overheating because of big casing, heatsink and (for 4k and above) fan inside
    3. php 60k-150k each
      1. 1080p
        1. Panasonic AG-AC30 - php42k 2nd hand, php70k bnew
      2. 4k30p
        1. Panasonic UX90 - php115k bnew each
      3. 40k60p
        1. Panasonic UX180
      4. BMD micro converters. 3g for 1080, 6g for 4k.
    4. disadvantages
      1. heavy
      2. tripod heavier
    5. usually connected to Elgato/Decklink/BMD capture devices (php6k-15k) or video switch (php15k-php50k)

Video Cables Section

For video switching use SDI or fiber HDMI (for reliability if longer than 5m).


Computer Section

For video editing:
  1. desktop recommended because of laptop thermal downclocking
    1. laptop good for few capture devices in low resolution
    2. desktop for 3 or more capture devices in fullhd
  2. at least i7 3rd generation because of needed Quicksync/QSV in CPU needed by OBS for efficient encoding for video editor rendering. (check the specs of the cpu in "ark.intel.com" if really have Quick Sync)
    1. add strong fan focused on motherboard and cpu, to make it last longer.
  3. upgrade to GPU if builtin i7 GPU not enough. recommended NVidia GTX 1050Ti (php 8.5k 2nd hand), OBS will compose and render using GPU freeing up CPU for other things.
    1. GPU needed for 2 or more fullhd captures.
    2. add strong fan to make it last longer.
  4. old Lenovo/Dell tower desktops recommended as they usually cheap (php7.5k-8.5k) and include Windows digital license worth php 6k.
  5. Software for video editing: Davinci Resolve.
  6. Software for audio capture & editing: Davinci Resolve or Audacity
  7. Software for video/audio recording streaming: OBS
  8. don't use pirated software 
    1. "For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering" Isaiah 61:8.
    2. "Author's Stewardship" (Copyright) https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/24.677

Audio Section

  1. use digital audio mixer as much as possible. it is functionally more cost effective (than putting analog gate/expander/compressor/limitter & EQ on each input and output of an analog mixer).
    1. Behringer XR16
    2. Behringer XR18 if multitrack recording 
    3. X32 if w/ panel
  2. understand the difference of balance transmission vs stereo
  3. use wired lapel instead of wireless for cost-effectiveness
    1. and to avoid interference, and low batteries
    2. cheapest wire is better than the most expensive wireless
    3. "NTC type approved" mics are usually expensive & difficult to find. NTC has a list of brands & models online.
  4. OBS' noise reduction is better than expander/gate

Video Switch Section

  1. if you need a video switch you probably don't need this tutorial. nevertheless i've only used datavideo, panasonic, and atem. used atem the most, but there are other new players, avmatrix, feelworld, rgblink, yolo, etc..
  2. atem tvs/tvsHD for live video. (atem mini low latency is only port 1; port 1&2 only for extreme.)
  3. obs with many capture devices for recording/streaming and complicated scenes
  4. more than 4 cameras, hardware switcher may be more economical than software switcher
  5. using obs gives you also an editing computer for ~70% the price of a switcher.

Wireless/Wired Communication / Intercom

  1. don't use two-way radio at 400-520mhz/136-174mhz w/o license. 
    1. it is illegal if you don't have license. 
    2. in Philippines the radio that is legal and you don't have to have license yourself is at 325.0000 - 325.4875 mhz called SRRS. php 1500 - 2500 each. each radio is registered to NTC by dealer.
  2. wired intercom DIY using audio mixer
  3. VOIP mumble/plumble and cellphones over wifi. has latency because of slow cellphones.
  4. datavideo wired communicator. very nice quality of sound.


Related:

Popular posts from this blog

Sabbath Cooking Excuses Investigated

Image
Sabbath Cooking Excuses Investigated Copyright 2016 Winelfred G. Pasamba Foreword "God means that testing truth shall be brought to the front, and become a subject of examination and discussion, even if it is through the contempt placed upon it. The minds of the people must be agitated. Every controversy, every reproach, every slander, will be God's means of provoking inquiry, and awakening minds that otherwise would slumber."—Testimonies for the Church 5:453. ChS 159.2 This is a very difficult, very shaking, very testing, very new and controversial (for many who are not oriented) topic and I request the readers not go to Chapter 3 & 4 unless they have read Chapter 1 & 2.  If you go directly to Chapter 3, you probably will be highly uncomfortable if you have no testimony of avoiding cooking on the Sabbath. Readers need utter humility and gratitude-to-God, for this material not to offend them.  Love for God must be more than love for food, love for comfo
Read more

Cooking on Sabbath for Seventh-day Adventists - Bible, EGW/SOP, Church Documents

Image
Cooking on Sabbath for Seventh-day Adventists - Bible, EGW/SOP, Church Documents Bible Manna in Exodus  “Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe ; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.”  16:27 (NIV)  Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none.   28  Then the  Lord  said to Moses, “ How long will you [ c ]  refuse to keep my commands  and my instructions?   29  Bear in mind that the  Lord  has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. SOP / EGW Those who neglect to prepare for the Sabbath on the sixth day, and who cook food upon the Sabbath, violate the fourth commandment, and are transgressors of God's law . All who are really anxious to observe the Sabbath according to the commandment, will not cook any food upon the Sabbath. They will, in the fear
Read more

Wearing Makeup -- Related Quotes from Bible and EGW Writings

Wearing Makeup -- Related Quotes from Bible and EGW Writings Lev 19:28 Ye shall not ... print any marks upon you : I am the LORD. Jer 4:30 And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting , in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life. 1Pet 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 1Pet 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit , which is in the sight of God of great price . 2Ki 9:30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face , and tired her head, and looked out at a window. 1Tim 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel , with shamefa
Read more