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| a photo sexy take by DSLRs |
1.Smartphones and Tablets
For more and more travelers these days, that camera is the one in their smartphone. Most now record video in full high definition. Some even recore Ultra HD or 4K. That still Blows my mind. The advantage of using your smartphone to capture video is that you’re probably going to have it with you when travel anyways. It’s small and light, and you can share your video clips and photo directly to social media. |
Smartphone cameras have improved in recent years |
Smartphone cameras have improved in recent years The downside is that these devices have a relatively short battery life and limited storage space. Video files are big. Yes, you can upload them to the cloud but you may not have access to Wi-Fi or want to use cell service in the country you’re in. The other downside is that you have limited control over the image. Althought there are some good apps and accessories you can get to improve the quality of your recordings. We’ll check some out in the next post.
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| Galaxy S7 Edge is one of the best phone cameras out there. |
So that’s the smarphone. It’s bigger cousins are the tablet and phablet like the iPad and the iPad Mini, Now they’re not the kind of thing you’re going to pack specifically to record video, but if you’re bringing one anyways to use the Internet, you have that option. I’ve seen people using them by the pool at resorts to record video and take a picture of their kids swimming, for example. And then thay go back to surfing the net or whatever it was that they were using their device for in the first place. The nice thing about the tablet is that you have a big screen, if you want to edit your videos and photos before you share them. But they have the same limitations as smartphones, limited storage space, battery life, and control over the image.
2.Compact cameras
Next we have the point and shoot or compact cameras. These are also small and light, and some are even waterproof. They’re fairly easy to use and cheap. You probably won’t lose a lot of sleep if yours gets lost or stolen. Some even have Wi-Fi technology so you can share your videos without having to transfer them to a computer. One downside is that many of them don’t have viewfinders. You have to use the LCD screen to frame up your shot. If you’re in a bright sunny location like the beach, it can be hard to see what you’re recording. You also have no way to attach an external microphone for recording better audio. And sound is a big part of creating quality videos.
3.DSLRs
If you’re a serious photographer, you will likely be taking a DSLR with you. These capture stunning video, you have a lot of control over the image, and you can attach different lenses. And newer models have mini jacks for attaching external microphones and shoes for attaching lights to help improve the quality of your videos. The downside is, DSLRs can be bulky and heavy, especially if you attach big lenses like this one which i plan to take to Africa on my safari. They’re also pretty expensive. You don’t want this kind of stuff to be lost or stolen or damaged, for that matter. These aren’t waterproof or drop proof. And if you’re a novice, they can be a little more complicated to use.
4.Camcorders
Camcorders are made for shooting video. on the plus side they’re small and light. Some of them fit right into the palm of your hand. And you can usually get one for a couple of hundred dollars at the low and of the price range. They capture beautiful high-definition images. All but the most basic models include litte ports for attaching microphones and shoes on top for attaching lights or microphones. Most will let you take photos as well and some have Wi-Fi for sharing images directly from the camera. Some of them even have infrared night vision so you can record video in the dark. I plan to use that feature on my upcoming trip to Africa when i go on evening game drives. The downside of camcorders is that they can be expensive, and of course they can be damaged by the elements. They also have a fixed lens. If you’re a serious photographer, you’re probably not gonna want to use a camcorder for your photos, which means bringing along another camera.
5.Action cameras
Finally, we have action cameras like the GoPro, Xiaomi Yi Camera, HTC RE Camera. The advantage of these little cameras is that they are pretty much indestructible. The camera is encased in a plastic housing, which protects it from water, sand, dust, snow, you name it. You can take it pretty much anywhere and you don’t have to worry about damaging it if you drop it or get it wet. They record video in high definition, even 4K, and most let you take photos as well. In fact, you can create some pretty incredible time lapse videos with these. Some of the higher end models can be controlled remotely with your smartphone or other device. One downside is that some models like this one don’t have an LCD screen, so you can’t see what you’re recording. It makes it difficult to frame your shot. The other negative has to do with audio. When you’re using the waterproof housing, the camera picks up little if any sound. So your videos are silent. You’re going to see in the next post why sound is such an important part of video storytelling.
6.Finally
So that’s a quick overview of the different types of cameras that you can use to record video, and their strengths and weaknesses. What you take with you ultimately depends on which halong bay tours or Halong bay cruise you’re booking and what you’re planning to do. For example, you’re booking halong party cruise, we recommend using action cameras.
