Cameras in Church: What difference do they make?

Ten years ago, the majority of churches with really good cameras used them for TV broadcasts, and projectors were just beginning to show up in churches of all sizes. Now that we’ve discovered that IMAG – putting a camera and projector together – helps people connect to the speaker, even small churches are using cameras throughout the service. Most of these churches start with a little home-use camcorder, perhaps the same one they used to tape services for people to take home.

The problem some are beginning to discover is that these cameras that look okay on small TV screens don’t look good at all on big screens. Grainy shots, mismatched colors, insufficient lenses for the distance and lighting – all these factors contribute to the problem. That’s why churches that are looking for excellence in their media ministry are beginning to look at professional cameras today the way they looked at projectors a decade ago. With prices on higher-quality cameras inching down every year, good cameras are not just for the largest churches anymore. It won’t be long before cameras are as common as projectors in churches.

If you’re beginning to consider cameras for your church, where do you start? The camera itself is actually the last thing to investigate. Just like with projectors, you have to understand your purpose and how your room conditions affect your needs before you try to meet these needs.

The very first thing that you have got to do is ask the question “why?” Is the camera strictly for recording? Is the recording for distribution to church members or just shut-ins? Do we want the camera images on the screen in the main sanctuary? Do we want to stream our services on the web or by podcast? Are we looking for all of the above? One particular camera or camera type can be the right choice or a very wrong choice depending on the answers to these questions.

Of all your room conditions, light is the most important one to take into account. The camera “sees” differently than the human eye. The greatest camera/lens combination in the world is still going to be limited by the available lighting. For example, the best possible lighting scenario for IMAG should have a variety of light fixtures (using different colored “gels”) covering the stage so that they combine to give the closest approximation of true white light. You need different colors to get skin tones that are accurate and pleasant, as well as true color reproduction of the scene.

Next, camera placement is an issue that a lot of churches struggle with. “Can we put cameras where they are not going to be a distraction to worship?” There are basically three options to address this dilemma, each with definite pros and cons:

Option 1: The choice that gives you the best performance for the lowest price is to place manned camera stations in the midst of the room. The downside is that the camera equipment and operators are going to be visible to the congregation. It’s often a major distraction at first, but we typically find that after a few weeks no one seems to notice anymore. Each church will have to decide for themselves if this is a good option.
Option 2: The second option is to place the cameras at the back of the room. How far away will the camera be from the scene it is trying to capture? Perhaps more appropriately, how close can the camera be to the scene? To place cameras 100’ away from the stage and capture a tight head and shoulders shot is not possible without spending a great deal of money. You’ll need a large lens capable of reaching that far, which requires a camera that can work with that lens. Not every church will have a budget for the kind of camera equipment necessary to pull this off.
Option 3: Robotic cameras are the third option. These cameras don’t need a person standing next to it to control its movement. These cameras were originally used strictly for high-tech security, but recent advances in technology and function make them a viable option for some churches who need to get closer to the stage without a huge camera. To find out more about robotic options, check out this month’s VISUAL AIDS.

An exciting development in video recently is the advent of High-Definition or HD video cameras. Up till now the cost of HD cameras has been prohibitive, to say the least. However, new cameras on the market bring the visual quality of HD at least within sight of, if not within, the budgets of many ministries. So, when looking at a camera system for a church, Standard Definition vs. High Definition is a topic that definitely needs to be addressed. It is important to note that just going with HD cameras does not make the system HD. Every component along the way has to be capable of dealing with the high-def signal for the system to be considered truly HD. However, it can be a good idea to start with HD cameras and upgrade the rest of your system over time.

It will save you a lot of time and trouble in re-budgeting and re-convincing people if you prepare your decision makers for these issues before you even begin to shop for a camera. When you’ve done this part of the work, now it’s time to decide which cameras are right for you and how many you will need. That’s where Fowler comes in. We’ve already done research on a number of cameras, some of which are designed for the needs of churches. If you need help sifting through some of the initial issues, we can do that, too.

Call Fowler at 800-729-0163 or email us at info@fowlerinc.com.

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