Sound Equipment! Nothing is more important to video than good sound. That sounds crazy, I know, but watch a video with crappy sound and notice how unhappy it makes you. You’ll watch a video with shaky video and terrible shots, but you’ll change the channel if you can’t hear what is going on. For a while now I’ve had the pleasure of owning the Tascam DR-680 Portable Field Recorder. I primarily bought it for the additional channels it gave me to record on, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised with some of the other less noticeable features. I also include tips on how I power the unit and use it in the field.
Tascam DR 680
NP 970 Maximal Power Batteries
DV-90R Mini DV Stand-Alone Power Adaptor
LCD Battery Charger for Sony NP970 (Display is completely inaccurate, but it is a quick charger)
UPDATE: I much prefer this dual charger for the Sony NP970’s: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EHSLHEY/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=
Petrol PS601 Deca Eargonizer (Small) – Black (bought mine off Ebay for $160)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/686613-REG/Petrol_PS601_PS601_Deca_Eargonizer_Bag.html
Cheers,
Adam Kilbourn 🙂
Thanks for your review. I own the DR680 and want to find a reliable alternative to the 8 AA batteries. How do you achieve 12v operation from the NP570 batteries, which are rated at 7.4v?
Hi Dave! I walk through what I use in the video. The cup from Hawkwoods is an up converter. It takes the 7.4V and regulates it to 12V. I can’t explain the science behind it, but it does work quite well. Each on the of NP970(7200mAh) batteries I use will run between 8-10 hours [your NP570 (2200mAh) should last you about 3 hours, but I would test them]. Two to three batteries will easily get you through the whole day. There are cheaper versions around than the Hawkwoods cup, but I can’t speak on them knowledgeably.