Photo: RevsReels
1 in 2 Americans are members of a church. That’s hundreds of millions of people.
Seeing that huge number puts into context how jarring it has been for masses to be displaced as several states have forced church closures during COVID-19.
The solution to that problem has been legal challenges and streaming/recording sermons. If you’re interested in learning about the latter of those two tactics, you’re in the right place!
To produce wonderful recordings and streams of your church’s services, you’re going to need lighting systems, a camera, and a fantastic audio solution. In this post, our team breaks down key considerations regarding all three of those production components so you can find the perfect products for your needs.
Keep reading to learn more!
Video
As you shop for production equipment, the first thing you’ll likely look for is a great camera. Cameras will be in charge of capturing and in some cases streaming video to congregation members.
When shopping for a camera, keep these four things in mind:
Picture Quality
Different cameras have different abilities when it comes to capturing picture. As you shop, make sure you at least pick up a device that can pull 1080p HD video.
1080p, of course, isn’t as far as you can push camera quality at the consumer level. Some cameras shoot 2K, 4K, and even 8K video. As you move up that ladder, you can expect your camera to get progressively expensive.
PC Hookups
If you intend to live stream, you’ll have to make sure your camera has a means of capturing video and outputting to a computer, live. The good news is that most cameras have this ability.
We recommend steering clear of cameras that promise wireless live stream abilities as their connections can be unreliable.
Firmware
Your camera’s firmware is its operating system which dictates the kinds of features it offers. Some cameras have thoughtful and flexible firmware. Others don’t.
Look into your camera’s features and intuitiveness before making a purchase. Another great thing to keep an eye on is if custom firmware exists for the camera you’re buying.
Custom firmware comes from third-parties and is typically more robust than a camera’s stock firmware.
Detachable Lenses
We like video cameras with detachable lenses. They give your church flexibility when it comes to framing different shots and can help you stay versatile if you need to switch to locations that are difficult to film in.
DSLR cameras all have bodies that enable lens exchanging so give those a look before exploring fixed-lens cameras.
Audio
Now that you’ve invested in picking up a camera that offers great picture, it’s time to look into audio.
It’s often said that audiences are much more forgiving when it comes to poor picture quality than they are when it comes to bad sound. To avoid your church production’s audio being poor, consider the following when shopping for solutions:
Analyze Your Setting
As you shop for microphones, you’ll realize that different mics specialize in different forms of audio capture. We’ll break down the various mic types in a moment but before we do, analyze your church’s space.
Do you only need one person to be audible in your productions? Do you need your audio to capture sound coming from your whole stage?
Knowing the answer to what you’d like your viewers to hear will make shopping for the right microphone simpler.
Types of Mics
In the world of audio capture, there are four popular types of microphones:
- Cardioid – Captures a wide field of audio from a single direction (ex: a whole stage).
- Super-Cardioid – Captures a slightly narrower field of audio from a single direction than cardioid devices but also captures a small field of audio in the opposite direction (ex: 80% of a stage, 20% of an audience)
- Omnidirectional – Captures 100% of a room’s sound
- Shotgun – Only captures audio from a narrow spot (ex: a priest speaking)
As we’ve noted, your production goals will dictate which of these microphones will best serve your needs. If you’re unsure of how best to approach audio still, explore your sound system for church options in more depth online.
Lighting Systems
Without proper lighting, your production with be plagued with grainy picture quality that doesn’t stream well. Fortunately, lighting is getting cheaper and better every year.
Here’s what you should know about lighting systems:
LED is a Great Investment
As lights become more flexible and affordable, no technology is pushing the buck further than LED’s. LED lighting is cold to the touch, boots up quickly, and leverages cost-effective components that are bright.
You’d be hard-pressed to beat the value of LED’s so make exploring this technology your priority when shopping.
Light Temperature
We won’t go into much depth when it comes to light temperature but make it a point to learn about it and to ensure the lights you’re buying can get to the temperature you’re looking for.
The last thing you want is to buy lights that produce a very white, cool temperature when your vision was to have your stage lit with warm, yellow light.
With Patience, You’ll Find the Perfect Production Setup for Your Church
We’ve thrown a lot at you regarding lighting systems, cameras, and more. Our last suggestion as you digest everything is to not get overwhelmed and to take your shopping slow.
The more patient you are while buying and the more questions you ask as you shop, the better your odds will be of finding the perfect equipment for your needs.
If you’d like more insight on production, professional audio, and video systems, and more, dive into additional content on our blog.
