Which camera would you suggest for smaller (200???) churches for live streaming?

I work with several churches that would like to do LIVE streaming. Most can get a Windows Laptop for the capture and stream. The question is always which camera

Web cams generally wont get it done, especially since churches usually don't have an overabundance of light

Which camera would you suggest for smaller (200???) churches that won't break the bank?

Firewire? Usb? USB3???

In Him, JMb <>< Bishop James I Feel God Brown http://ifeelgod.org

streaming videocamera livestreaming

asked Jan 23 '12 at 23:09

ifeelgod
1●1●1●1

2 Answers:

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Nice! My church has around 250 members.

We don't do a live stream, but we film things in our sanctuary sometimes. We use a Canon Vixia HV30. I think the newer version is the HV40, and I believe that's what Chris uses for his live stream if I'm not wrong. It's a nice consumer camera with a firewire port. It's not great in low light, but it's surely better than a webcam. It is $650, I don't know what range you are looking for. I do know that budgeting for this kind of thing can be tough. I've been trying to work with our budget for the past couple of years to get some decent video equipment. We're getting there. The fact that we're campaigning for a new building doesn't make it easier haha.

I've never set up a live stream so I can't really help you there. There could be a cheaper camera out there that's good for this sort of thing, I don't know. Just thought I might share what little knowledge I have. Good luck with it!

answered Jan 24 '12 at 00:51

sfrancis928
2.6k●33●44●79

Hi Sfrancis,

Thanks for the heads up. I personally also use the the cannon hv30 also for what I do. (Love the interchangeable lens filters like wide angle and fisheys.) My laptop is a little older and still had a firewire port too.

Since it has been discontinued and many of the newer laptops don't have firewire (aka IEEE-1394), I was wondering if there was something else AND I was concerned that the newer versions would not support video passthru, which many cameras don't have.

So I thought I would ask.

I am so blessed by your share, thanks!!!

In Him, JMb <>< Bishop James I Feel God Brown http://ifeelgod.org

(Jan 24 '12 at 13:50) ifeelgod

You can generally just get any camcorder that had a video output then hook it up to a capture card and start streaming, (Most capture cards will show up as a webcam for services such as ustream)

if you want to go cheap, then the logitech C920 will work well it has very good low light, but for best results, a decent camcorder will be best.

answered Jan 24 '12 at 01:33

Razor512
15.5k●34●80●242

Hi Razor,

Most of the camcorders on the market don't allow video passthru on the usb while recording. Most of the firewire equipped cameras do.

Like I said, the webcams just dont have the optics for the job (or the external mic access either) We have looked at both the Logitech series and the Microsoft series webcams and they just cant cover the real estate inside a church, not to mention zoom from the tripod.

Thanks for the feedback. Keep in touch.

In Him, JMb <><

Bishop James I Feel God Brown

http://ifeelgod.org

(Jan 24 '12 at 13:53) ifeelgod

most don't offer passthrough through USB thats why I mentioned getting one with that can output to a capture card. Most camcorders have the ability to be connected to a tv. Simply get a capture card (if you don't care about HD content then you can gget an easycap for like $5-7, then you can use the camcorder as normal and it can easily be streamed on the internet because most live streaming programs are designed for webcams and capture cards show up as webcams. You will also have the ability to use a different microphone since it will be plugged up to a computer.

From your original post, it seems you were looking for a camcorder for around $200 "(200???)"

so with that in mind, you wont be getting firewire, but you will be likely to get either a analog output or a HDMI output though that will be rare in the $200 price range

(Jan 24 '12 at 14:11) Razor512

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