Filming Demonstations - Video Camera

[Michael Cody]

Anyone here setup a lathe for video taping demonstrations using the small CCD cameras. I've been doing all the video work (w/my 8mm steady cam) for our turning club and we are now starting to record our demos and are going to publish them on a new web site for our group. Anyway I see a camera in AAW mag @ woodchuckers, it's color but fixed focus and no zoom. I am curious what other folks have used. I would love to spend a touch more and go wireless, maybe even w/zoom remote if possible, caching the video with my laptop and outputting to a projection 47" tv in the shop we use for meetings(our high school tax dollars at work). Then I could burn DVD's. I have all the stuff on the laptop for NTSC output and input(if required)... Anyone here do any stuff with this? Can anyone point me to resources?

[Jim Becker]

Our club has a couple cameras set up for displaying during the demonstrations, but I don't recall if it's being recorded or not...it's been awhile since I've been able to make a meeting, unfortunatly. I've seen them used at shows with good results as long as the lighting is done correctly.

[Andy Hoyt]

My chapter has been recording on tape for years. But this fall we spent a ton of money on a new digital camera, new huge monitor, new dvd recorder, and a mile of cable. Phase two will be one or more digital cameras (including perhaps a tailstock and overhead headstock cam of the kind you mentioned). There's also another "black box", but I don't know what it's for.

Since no one felt it was worth it to record each camera's action for the whole demo and then spend time later editing the whole thing; we will have it rigged with camera operators as needed (best seat in the house) and a "director" who will have a controller device thingie that tells the dvd recorder which camera image to record. I guess you call it live editing.

Lemme know if you'd like to get in touch with the guy in the club we "volunteered" to figure it all out for us. PM me your email I guess, and I'll pass it on to him.

[Pete Jordan]

Micheal,

You might want to talk to talk to Mel at the Alabama woodturners club. http://www.bama4u.org/video.htm He sells the DVDs for $15 dollars including shipping. I have about 6 of them. The video is not always the greatest but the turning is. The Dave Hout is 3 DVDs for $15 and very enjoyable. Since I'm on the slow road to learning, I just love to watch real turners at work.