Tips: Using the Flip Video for Video Podcasts
The Flip Video Ultra has been a big hit among faculty, staff, and students who have used it this semester. The video and sound quality are impressive for such a small, easy to operate, uncomplicated device. So far it has been used to record short student presentations, capture video of projects, and to video short student-related events. I promised to write a little something about using the Flip Video Ultra camera for video podcasting, so here’s a brief overview of what to do and what to keep in mind when using it.
Shooting:
- The camera runs on double AA batteries, and video recording uses a lot of power, so buy rechargeables and keep some handy.
- It can record 60 minutes of video clips before it is full (this is the Ultra series only, prior models only record for 30 minutes).
- The Flip software will put your videos into separate clips based on when you start and stop the camera, so use this to your advantage.
- To capture decent audio, make sure the camera is not too far away from speakers.
- Digital zoom can become pixelated, so it’s best to move closer to the subject rather than relying too much on this feature.
- A small, portable, 10″ tripod is available for the Flip for $29 to avoid shaking and moving, and it also can be mounted to almost any other larger tripod.
Editing and Compression:
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