Gear
Every year, I get asked about equipment – what to buy, where to buy it, how to fund it. This page deals with the basics of multimedia production – stuff someone who is starting out would want to think about. I also put together a semi-regular post on the philosophy of buying equipment and higher-end recommendations. Before you buy anything, make sure you’re not getting into a scam.
Multimedia Equipment Recommendations
The following items would build a basic multimedia kit. It includes audio recording gear as well as a high-quality, durable and flexible point-and-shoot digital camera. Prices wander quite a bit, so don’t be surprised if they’re a little different from what I’ve listed.
Hardware:
- Nady SP-4C mic ($16, amazon.com)
- Radio-Shack adpater ($6, radioshack.com)
- Olympus WS-500 digital recorder ($70, amazon.com)
- Canon G11 camera ($450, amazon.com)
- Lexar 4 GB SD memory card with reader ($15, amazon.com)
- Domke camera bag ($70, amazon.com)
Software:
- Switch (for Mac or Windows, scroll down to find the free version – you don’t want the Plus version) or EasyWMA (for Mac)
- Audacity (for Mac, Windows or Unix) – Make sure you read all the instrucitons as there are two parts to the installation – the program and a LAME encoder. You can’t export the MP3 files without the encoder.
- SoundSlides (for Mac or Windows)