Advice on Upgrade
 

I do mostly kitchen table / living room type interviews. I am currently using a consumer camcorder Samsung SC D363 with a shoe mounted Azden SMX 10 microphone. I want to upgrade my concept in the next few months and was thinking about a Canon DV 30. A few questions:

With a second camera I will be able to have two camera angles. Will the video from the Canon be so different from the Samsung video that I won't be able to cut back and forth between the two shots - or does it not matter that much?

Do I need a microphone on the second camera, or will one microphone suffice when I do the editing?

Does the DV 30 require a shoe mount for an external microphone or can you mount it directly onto the camera?

I've heard the Canon HG21 mentioned. For my fairly low end application, would this be a better camera, or stick with the DV 30?

I have always positioned my subject(s) with ambient light, but would like to move toward lights. I'd like to keep this inexpensive - what type of lighting arrangement would work best? (specifics here would be appreciated - i.e. product recommendation, pole mounts or not, etc.)

Thanks very much!

I think you mean HV30 (not DV30).

Your Samsung is probably an SD camera. Can you cut to it? In theory, yes... but there will be a big disconnect in quality (unless you shoot the HV30 in SD).

I think you'll be fine with one mic.

HV30 has a shoe mount, but for an interview you'll probably want the mic closer to your subject, rather than mounted on camera.

Regarding audio, you may want to look into the H2 and add an external mic. I found the quality to be acceptable. There is a lot of info on that and the newer H4 on these forums.

-William

Your current camera is an SD miniDV camera. Unless you want to move up to HD, why not look at a used pro/prosumer SD camera? If you can find one, you could probably get a used JVC GY-DV300U (3-1/3" CCDs), in good condition, for close to what a new HV30 would cost you. Of course, the image quality would absolutely blow away the image quality from your current camera (especially in low light - like shooting in a typical living room), so I'm not sure how well footage from both cameras would cut together.

What exactly are you referring to? H2 and H4? Are these microphones or cameras?

Zoom H2
 

There is a large body of info on these devices, but in short the Zoom H2 and the newer H4 is an audio recorder that can record to Mp3 or Wav in various qualities to a SD card. You can also transfer files to you PC or Mac via USB. There is also an external mic input on these so many are using them to supplement or replace wireless mics. They can also be had at around $150.00 or so. I put an external mic on mine to record wedding vows during the ceremony (I filmed a wedding last week at a venue that did not allow wireless mics, so it was a real life saver.) I believe they are worth looking into.

-William