Multimedia
The curriculum of the School of Journalism has a emphasis on multi-media. Students are expected to have their own camera capable of both still pictures and motion pictures. The current minimum level camera is the Canon SX 10 IS. A digital voice recorder and tripod are also required.
This equipment will be used in multiple courses over the curriculum and in the publishing platforms of The Sagamore, including JagRadio and JagBytes, the online news source for IUPUI. By the time you graduate you will know how to report in both words and pictures and be able to create basic multi-media packages. The growth of news and PR web site audiences have caused retraining of employees. As new graduates you will have the same skills.
Financial aid may be used to purchase this equipment since it is required by the curriculum. The faculty has eliminated two textbooks that cost more than $100 each to help deflect some of the cost. The Barnes and Noble book store at the Campus Center carries the basic equipment and you may use your JagTag there.
It is clear that multimedia production is a requirement for entry level positions in both journalism and public relations. Students must now learn about and be able to produce basic multimedia stories incorporating words, pictures and audio.
This requirement began fall semester 2008. This equipment described in the basic kit is minimum level technology. If students already have equipment that is more capable, they will not need to purchase the basic equipment. The basic kit described below is being used by USA Today reporters and by many other news organizations. The camera is relatively inexpensive and can shoot both still photos and digital video. The first person on the scene of a news event may be a reporter, not a photojournalist. Now every employee of news organizations is expected to make publishable photographs and video for the web site as well as report the story.
If you already have your own equipment, use it. Buy only what you need to cover the functions of digital photography, digital video (minimum 640x400 30fps) and digital voice recording. You may already have a tripod. Great, use it. If you don't have anything, the basic kit described below will cover the functions and it is a kit that is already used in news organizations.
Don't panic if you think of yourself as not at ease learning how to use equipment. None of this is complicated and you will receive basic instruction in classes. Also, remember that photographs and digital voice recordings have another use too. They are memory aids for details that will make your written story better.
Why do we want you to have your own equipment? Writers become better writers by writing. Photographers, whether at the amateur or professional level, get better by shooting. If you have your own equipment, you will have it when you need it. These are tools of the trade. Just as a carpenter would not take a job without a hammer and saw, you should not attempt to do journalism without the modern tools of your trade.
| Item | Price | Where use begins in curriculum |
|---|---|---|
| Canon SX 10 IS | ~$350 | J210 and other 200 level courses in the future. Other reporting and PR courses at the 300 and 400 level. This camera shoots both excellent still pictures and video. It has an amazing zoom lens but the lens cannot be removed. It shoots JPG stills and MOV movies. There is no other camera on the market with this capability for the price. View a video example. |
| Olympus WS-321M (also 311M) | ~$80 | All courses in the curriculum either as a reporting tool or a note-taking tool. Also used in multi-media production in J210. It records in WMA format but can easily be converted to MP3 and other formats for editing with Switch, a free converter available for both Windows and Mac operating systems. |
| Manfroto 785B or Manfroto 785SHB tripod or equivalent | ~$80 | J210 and other 200 level courses in the future. Other reporting and PR courses at the 300 and 400 level. |
| Set of four AA NIMH cells and charger | ~$20 | Rechargeable NIMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) cells and charges are available from a number of sources and range in price from $15 to $40. Ordinary AA Alkaline cells will work in an emergency but not for very many pictures. Digital cameras draw heavy current and the NIMH cells work well. Do not get NICD (Nickel Cadmium) cells. |
| A 2 gigabyte or more SD card. | ~$15 | These are available from a number of sources. These are the recording media for still photos and movies. |
Some students many have higher-level audio needs. The LS-10 is a great option. Some students play in bands to earn money. This recorder will record the band at a professional level and it is very portable. It is not needed for the journalism curriculum.
| Item | Price | Where use begins in the curriculum |
|---|---|---|
| Olympus LS-10 | ~$330 | This recorder would be better for those students who intend to have higher level camera gear than the basic kit above. This is a hand held, professional level, recorder. It records in uncompressed WAV, MP3 and WMA formats. One of the desirable features is manual record level. The lower priced WS-321M is perfectly adequate for the curriculum. |
Some students are already asking questions about moving up to higher level photo equipment. For example, if you plan to be a photojournalist, you should have higher level equipment. The table below is intended to help you explore features of Canon and Nikon. These brands have have wide use in the profession. The only one in the table that is not recommended is the Nikon P6000. At first glance it looks like a great competitor to the Canon G 10. But the files produced by the camera are in a new proprietary format that require both the camera and Windows to process. Mac users are left out. Even Windows users don't like the way Nikon handles the file processing. This camera has great features but poor attention to customer usability.
The equipment below can be very expensive. With more expense comes higher quality and more capability. The Basic Kit meets the needs of the curriculum unless you intend to be a specialist is visual communication such as a photojournalist. Roberts Imaging in Indianapolis has agreed to work with our students for good prices on professional gear. Bring your JagTag and talk to Mr. Phil Gibson.
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Remember that if you have higher level equipment, many of the cameras do not yet have video capability. The exceptions are the Nikon D90 and the Canon 5D Mark II. Thus, you will also have to have a video camera. It is important to have an external mic jack so that you can use a wireless mic for example. Two lower-priced cameras that do have an external mic jack are described below.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Canon ZR900 | ~$250 |
| Sony SR11 | ~$900 |
