Video Introduction :

A nice introduction to the fieldkits is presented in this video, which was filmed and edited by Kevin Biderman with assistance from Kaitlyn Braybrooke (both from the Digital Anthropology MSc class of 2010/11):

The entire kit weighs in at just a bit over 5 kg (12 lbs), including camcorder, wireless microphone, tripod, stabilizer, adapters, cables, and manuals. The investment in time was about 10-15 hours per kit, spent mostly on building the stabilizers, checking the components as they were procured, assembly, labeling, fitting the foam, etc. This is outside of the 20-30 hours or so spent researching the equipment, procurement, arranging international shipping, etc.

Components

TOTAL: £1,954.87 (TOTAL PER KIT: £390.97)

Kodak Zi8 Pocket Camcorder

The size and weight of these camcorders introduces signficant jitter, particularly when moving, so using something to enhance stability (e.g. the tripod or camera stabilizer described below) is often vital for decent quality. Nonetheless, on short-notice or in a situation demanding discretion, their tiny form-factor can be a real plus.

Further, the USB connectivity and AAC/MOV data format make a laptop all that is required for full-size video review and analysis in the field (i.e. no tape decks or format conversion required).

Azden WMS-PRO Wireless Microphone

The wireless mics I got via an online shop called "Leaders in Motion, Inc." (they maintain an eBay storefront). They performed quite nicely (i.e. much better than the onboard mic) at ranges up to 30 feet out-of-doors, even in radio-noisy environments like metropolitan London. Beyond that they begin picking up a bit of interference (at least outside), and when multiple units are in use in the vicinity (e.g. a class using several of them), they need to be separated by a good distance (obviously having two bands ameliorates the problem).

Manfrotto Modo Maxi Tripod

Camera Stabilizer

The camera stabilizers were built mostly according to Johnny Lee's "$14 steadicam" plan, laid out in Make Magazine vol I (and on Make TV). Because the Zi8 camcorders are so light, rather than a dumbbell weight I just used a metallic disk (an abrasive cutting wheel) that I could then attach some iron bars to with velcro (hook and loop tape). I included two bars with each kit (25 x 100 x 6mm), each of which weighs just under 120 g (4 ounces, about 1/4 lbs). The Zi8 (with battery and a memory card) weighs about 150 g, so one bar makes a reasonable counterbalance, but the second could be handy should you want to use the stabilizer with a slightly heavier camcorder.

In retrospect I think a different weight attachment mechanism (or disk surface) is warranted, as the velcro doesn't adhere too well to the disk.

Other Notes and Observations:

The foam that comes with the flight cases is fairly flimsy and has seen a lot of wear after just a single term of use, so will likely need to be replaced with something sturdier. The locks on the cases are really only useful for preventing quick thefts of opportunity.

WHO
This page maintained by Lane DeNicola, lecturer in Digital Anthropology at UCL.

WHEN
The latest changes to this page were made on March 5, 2011.

WHY
A key focus of the practicum that I teach (one component of the core module in Digital Anthropology at UCL) is the use of digital video in qualitative research. While documentary or ethnographic film-making is built on the idea of video as principally the product—a representational "text"—in this context video is collected and analyzed principally as a data source (whether as an aide-mémoire or for analysis). This shift yields a quite distinct set of criteria for the selection of equipment, and it was those criteria that drove the design of the "video fieldkits" described here (five of which were completed in September 2010).

The development of these kits was supported by a Supplementary Teaching Equipment Grant from the UCL Teaching Equipment Executive Subcommittee.

Thanks to Dylan DeNicola for initial inspiration and consulting on camera selection.