Turn Your Smartphone into a Semi-Professional Documentary Camcorder for $50
June 5, 2012
The high definition lens in a new smartphone is more than enough to make a high definition Blu-Ray DVD.
Problem: the built-in microphone is not worth much. This problem can be solved for $50. Here's how.
With a lapel mic, you can narrate your video as you shoot. You won't be dependent on post-production editing.
Buy the microphone here.
Buy the microphone smartphone adapter here. This converts the earphone jack into a microphone jack.
The reason for buying a Kodak Playtouch before it disappears from the market is that you have greater control over the camera's movement. It has a tripod slot on the bottom.
A $25 tripod works fine. But what if you want to travel light? What if you want rapid right-left movement? Then all you need is to stabilize the vertical movement. Here is a trick.
The Playtouch also has a jack for an external microphone, so you can get good sound. But there is a problem with the Audio Technica 3350. It is a monaural mic. To get both channels, you need a mono-to-stereo 1/8th inch adapter. Radio Shack sells one for $1.50. Amazon sells it, too.