[Linganth] Video camera recommendations

[Alexander King]

I had great results with the Canon XA10 in 2013 documenting indigenous storytellers and conversation in Kamchatka. We filmed during the winter when traveling is easier and elders have little to do. In addition to the standard (small) battery, I bought two of the largest possible. I exclusively used battery power for recording since electricity is unreliable in small Kamchatkan villages (a voltage drop can affect audio recording even without going out). I did not re-use SD cards as I had no access to the cloud. I backed up to my laptop and to three external hard drives. One drive failed, so no data was lost. SSDs are more reliable than spinning hard drives. 

I used a very fuzzy “dead cat” for all outdoor recording, and it makes a world of difference with wind noise. I primarily used lapel mics for indoor recording but in hindsight, it would have been better to use headsets. I thought they would freak out the grandmas, but they get used to them and clipping a mic to clothing creates noise when an arm brushes against the lapel mic or sound is lost when the person turns their head away from the mic. 

One thing (among many) that I loved about the XA10 is the dual slot SD recording. That way, I could record until a card was totally full, it goes to the card in “Slot B” automatically with no pause or noticeable blip. The next time I stopped recording, I moved the B card to A and put an empty in B. Using 64BG cards I had several hours of recording at maximum quality.  Rode shotguns are great. One thing I learned the hard way, is be careful what is behind your speakers, as that will be more easily picked up, too. In 2012 radio mics were not reliable, and electrical stuff in Russia (mostly cheaply made in China) can through off a lot of radio noise, so I used cables and had an assortment of short and long ones. 

Finally, using two lapel/headset mics plugged into right and left channels separately makes it easier to transcribe people when they talk over each other. Zero out the channel you don’t want, and your speaker is very clear.

best,
Alex

> On Jun 23, 2025, at 20:04, Graber, Kathryn E. <graberk at iu.edu> wrote:
> 
> I have had good luck with the Canon XA line. XA30, XA40... if I could afford it right now I would probably get the XA70. On a budget, I would get a used XA10 or XA11. They're compact and robust and can weather many a fieldwork indignity. These are both my preference and the most popular cameras checked out of my lab. For outdoor recording, a windscreen is a must. I would also recommend investing in a pile of extra batteries and ample recharging stations, depending on what your power supply situation is. An SD card slot on your computer can be helpful for easy data transfer. In the field I use a portable SD card reader and immediately backup to my laptop and an external SSD drive.
> 
> Hope that helps!
> 
> Best,
> Kate
> 
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> From: Linganth <linganth-bounces at listserv.linguistlist.org <mailto:linganth-bounces at listserv.linguistlist.org>> on behalf of Rabie, Deina - (drabie) <drabie at arizona.edu <mailto:drabie at arizona.edu>>
> Sent: Monday, June 23, 2025 1:27:16 PM
> To: Linguistic Anthropology Discussion Group (LINGANTH at listserv.linguistlist.org <mailto:LINGANTH at listserv.linguistlist.org>) <linganth at listserv.linguistlist.org <mailto:linganth at listserv.linguistlist.org>>
> Subject: [Linganth] Video camera recommendations
>  
> You don't often get email from drabie at arizona.edu <mailto:drabie at arizona.edu>. Learn why this is important <https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification>	
> Dear All,
> 
> This is a query for recommendations for good video cameras that you have used while doing fieldwork to record group style conversations, public events, and different types of natural interactions in indoor and outdoor settings. What are some important baseline components/specs that a video camera must have? Is a headphone option necessary? And what accessories would you suggest as well?
> 
> Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. 
> 
> Thank you very much in advance!
> Deina
> 
> Deina Rabie (She/Her) https://saymyname.how/DR-0439
> Assistant Professor, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona
> Affiliate Faculty, Middle East and North African Studies Department
> Affiliate Faculty, Second Language Acquisition and Teaching Program
> 
> We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. 
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