Train the Trainer Part 3: Recording 101

DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras offer very high image quality, but also a great degree of complexity. DSLRs are an evolution of older film photography cameras and so all but the cheapest models will have access to the full array of camera settings. Understanding these settings is crucial to getting the most out of these cameras. I do not recommend using one of these cameras unless you have experience with photography or videography.

These cameras also have swappable lenses to allow for more flexibility. Lenses come in two forms, Zoom and Prime. Zoom lenses, appropriately, will allow you to zoom in and out by turning a ring on the lens. A Prime lens is purposely built for one zoom level but is better quality than comparable zoom lenses. You can tell how zoomed in a lens will be by reading its length in mm. A 50mm lens is designed for reasonably close distances, while a 300mm lens will be more like binoculars. The shorter the length of the lens, the wider its image will be. An extremely short lens like a 20mm will practically create a fishbowl effect, curving straight lines around the middle of the frame while making the image appear quite deep. In contrast, a long lens will flatten the image and reduce perceived depth. Focus is also adjusted by adjusting a ring on the lens itself. I recommend sticking to lenses in the 50-100mm range; anything more than that and you will need to be quite far away, anything shorter and your face may look distorted.