Webcam or Cam to broadcast?

Hi

Ive read through the forum but not really come to any kind of conclusion.

Webcam/s or camcorder/s in a studio situation?

Any suggestions or feedback is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Paul

I would say a lot of it depends on your financial situation, studio setup, and activity being captured. The webcam solution is the cheapest and there are a couple of webcams that are probably the best for this type of thing (and have been discussed at length among the other forum threads). the Logitech C910 & C920 and the Microsoft Lifecam Studio and Lifecam Cinema.

Those webcams work great and sometimes are indistinguishable from having a Camcorder.

The one very big distinguishing factor; however, is movement. If there is a lot of movement, you will start to see the webcam limitation.... it gets blurry especially during fast movement.

The other thing about webcams to camcorders are distance. If you want a decent image from the webcam, then closer is better... Camcorders, on the other hand, don't always zoom out enough to be too close. They are best used at a greater distance, therefore if you have a small space, you might be better off with a high end webcam over a camcorder.

Brad is right, what is your budget? Are you going to use multiple cameras? IF so, what are you using to switch. For example, if you are going to use something like Wirecast, web cams are a good starting option. IF you are going to use a hardware solution like a Black Magic ATEM your only option is some type of camcorder as the atem does not take video from USB.

On the camera selection, I would say that a camcorder is more of an all round utility and can do some more flexible things over a webcam. However, when I am doing a portable show outside of the studio I use 2 or 3 Logitech web cams and wirecast and it works great!

I love my Logitech C920. Its my main cam for my show. But I'll use camcorders for general studio shots or product shots when I need zoom.

Everyone who replied thus far are correct. To save $$$ absolutely get a webcam or two. Preferably a Logitech c920 (The c930e is due out in May) AND Logitech has webcam controlling software that I use. It allows you to zoom with the webcam image and even tilt up and down or pan left, right. You can only do it as a set shot...not as an "on air" zoom... but none the less, it works. Here's the tip of the day though if you use that software. If you use two cameras of the same type (like 2 Logitech c920s) It has a hard time telling them apart....so what I am doing is using a Logitech 9000, a c920 and a c930e. That way each can be controlled independently.
Hope this helps. Feel free to ring me with any questions.

I would suggest you start out with a webcam first. The Logitech C920 is a great camera that will go a long way.

Hi Everyone

Thanks so much for all of the feedback.

Hi Mike, I am looking I think to use something like vidblaster for the service going forward.

Hi Tom, all I can say with regards tot he quality of the image you have on your casts is Wow! Ive watched quite a number of them.

Hi Eric and Andrew as you will see form the some of the footage below I have been using webcams, but the qualirt really is not great at all, so feedback would be great.

Here are a few videos to give you an idea of what I want to look at streaming from my events, they are ones that we have done in the past and from my MCM London Comic Con event:

DANNY DEVITO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipQPK...kcAATJ&index=2

TEEN WOLF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt7sn...kcAATJ&index=4

MERLIN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfAh-...cAATJ&index=18

As you will see with the Danny Devito once it was done with more than once camera, so likely this wont be something I will look to stream live.

The next 2 videos give you an idea of some of the guest panels that we do, the seond one of the 2 seems to have a problem with the audio so something I need to look at, although they are not some of the newer ones so we have addressed a number fot he issues.

This one below was filmed using a webcam from one of the smaller events MCM Midlands Comic Con, it was streamed live through ustream using their programme, and uploaded aswell, it gives you an idea of the quality from the webcam, i can get closer to the guests at this event as the stage is much smaller and you can see the quality is really not that good!:

Warwick Davis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldI36..._JuioS&index=1

Here is some of the footage filmed live on webcam and streamed through ustream, so again the image is really not great:

John Delancie
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/10558089

Tony Todd
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/10559328

If you want to take a look at some other videos please feel free: http://www.youtube.com/MCMExpo

So any direction, ideas and so on as I am looking to do more interviews away from the events in a more controlled situation.

So fire away.

Thanks

Paul

If I understand the new Logitech C930e correctly, it is very wide screen shot, but the digital zoom does not lose resolution. So you can set up a main shot of a panel of speakers, then, from that shot, replicate the shot and crop down to one panelists for a close up. Repeat from all panelists and you've got a multi-camera effect with one cam. Can't wait to try it in real life.

I think you have answered your question yourself. You need a long lens on at least two cameras! The web cam will work well in a small studio but for a hall you need to have the flexibility that a semi-pro/pro camcorder will give you. So now the discussion becomes what can you find at the price you can afford and what about the cable runs? SDI, HDMI, Component, S-Video or Composite? From the footage, I would suggest that you will want the production values high so you may need to look for late model Prosumer cameras from Sony, Canon, Panasonic, JVC. I have a number of Canon XLS1 and 2's which (whilst only SD) are great in that they allow me to interchange lenses depending on the venue. You will also need to think about how you are going to bring the audio into the mix. You are obviously lucky in that an audio feed is available, but you may need to submix that and run some delay as well. I use the mikes on the Canons to get some ambient sound (audience) that I can layer into the video. That won't run through the main mix which will go out to the hall.
Very envious of your content though! Would love to have those guests!

hi Andrew,thanks for your feedback it been very helpful.
I think I will likely concentrate on in studio or in room as it were for nome and work up from there, I am lucky that a a lot of our events have many actors, comic artists and anime guests in attendance so allows for a lot of content.

Hi Tom, I watched a few of your videos and in one of them you say you are using a camcorder as opposed to a webcam or am I missing something?
As the Vimeo quality is really good and would be interested in knowing if it is the webcam you are using as opposed into the cam?
C
Please keep the ideas and feedback coming as its really helpful and will hopefully help in streaming and also putting together a show or shows.