Once you decide to get involved with digital video, you will have three decisions to make right off the bat. First, the camera.  Which one will you use to shoot your raw video? Your choice will be influenced by the type of video you will be shooting.  Will you be shooting family events for home use or will you be producing videos to be viewed by everyone else?

Once you’ve made your decision regarding the camera, you will then need to choose a computer that will help you edit the raw footage you shot. When that decision has been made, you will then need to decide on the editing software you will use for all of your video footage. In a future post, we will discuss the process of computer selection as well as editing software selection.  Of course, you will have many other decisions to make, but the three mentioned here are foundational considerations and will be directly responsible for your success as a video maker.

A realistic budget, of course, will be a primary concern before you can make your decision for any of the three aforementioned considerations. You will soon realize that this will be an effort with some compromise tempered by common sense; after all, it is illogical to buy a high-end camera and pair it with a really underpowered computer and anemic software.  Or vice-versa.  It is reasonable to assign your budget into the following split: around 30 percent for the camera, 30 percent for the computer, 20 percent for the editing software, and 20 percent for all other accessories and materials you will need. This is simply a starting point, and ultimately, your budget split will be determined by your own individual needs and circumstances.

In our next post, we will look at camera types and the factors you need to consider when selecting one.

Comments are closed