Best Practices for Recording Videos
In this blog post, I will share the details of my video recording setup and workflow. As an avid programmer, I believe that making programming videos more personal by incorporating a face cam adds a human touch to the content. Throughout my video recording journey, I have made several adjustments to improve the quality and overall production. Let’s dive into the specifics.
Equipment
To start, I use a MacBook Air as my primary device for recording. My preferred recording software is ScreenFlow, which allows me to capture both my screen and face cam simultaneously. Initially, I used my iPhone SE as both my face cam and microphone. However, I eventually upgraded to an old Nikon J1 camera for better video quality. While the Nikon J1 lacked a flipping screen, it provided superior video output, and I paired it with a Samson Meteor microphone for enhanced audio clarity.
To take my recording setup to the next level, I recently invested in a DSLR camera, specifically the Nikon EOS 200D. This entry-level DSLR offers the essential features I need, including a flipping screen and autofocus capabilities. The flipping screen is particularly useful as it adds a visually appealing blurred background effect to my videos. Alongside the DSLR camera, I purchased a TAKSTAR SGC-598 microphone, which considerably enhances the audio quality.
To ensure optimal lighting conditions during video recording, I acquired a few additional lights. While I don’t rely on them consistently, these lights come in handy in low-light environments. Here is an example of one of the lights I use:
Although I purchased a green panel for chroma keying purposes, I haven’t yet utilized it in any of my videos. I believe that keeping the recording process simple and streamlined allows me to produce more content, much like writing blog posts.
Recording Workflow
Previously, my recording workflow involved simultaneously starting a ScreenFlow recording to capture both the screen and audio from the monitor while commencing the DSLR camera recording. Once I finished recording, I would transfer the video file from the camera’s SD card to my MacBook Air using a USB-C hub, and then import the video into ScreenFlow. The audio track from both recordings helped me synchronize the two sources. However, the limitation of 30-minute video recording on the camera became cumbersome, requiring me to restart the recording midway. Additionally, dealing with the SD card transfer process proved to be a hassle.
Recently, while researching how to use a Canon EOS as a webcam, I discovered a helpful article by Swizec. By utilizing two applications, Camera Live and CamTwist, I can connect my DSLR camera to my MacBook Air via USB and use it as a webcam. This setup allows me to leverage the superior video quality of the DSLR camera for my recordings.
You can find detailed instructions in Swizec’s article, but essentially, this system opens up the DSLR camera as an option for video input. Although I attempted to capture audio along with the video, I encountered difficulties. As a workaround, I now use the Samson Meteor microphone as my audio source, complete with a pop filter. This solution ensures that the microphone does not obstruct parts of the screen. While there may be a slight delay between the audio and video during recording, this can easily be corrected in post-production.
Challenges and Future Improvements
One issue I encountered during recording sessions is the excessive fan noise and overheating of my MacBook Air. The demands of recording the screen, camera input, and microphone simultaneously seem to strain the laptop’s capabilities. To mitigate this, I plan to either explore ways to keep the MacBook Air cooler during recording or adjust the setup to use the DSLR camera as a camera rather than a webcam in most cases.
Please note that my video recording setup and workflow are still a work in progress. As I continue to refine and optimize my process, I aim to strike a balance between technical performance and quality content creation.
Tags: video recording, screen recording, face cam, programming videos, video production, DSLR camera, microphone, audio quality, lighting, workflow, MacBook Air, ScreenFlow, Nikon EOS 200D, Canon EOS, Camera Live, CamTwist