4 smartphone video snafus

Everyone shoots video these days, but few do it well. Here are a few common yet avoidable mistakes that can undermine your best intentions.

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Recording video has never been easier; nearly everyone has a smartphone camera.

Yet as the barrier to entry drops, so does video quality.

Here are four common video miscues to avoid the next time you hit record:

1. Ignoring audio. “The YouTube generation will let you get by with shaky video,” says Intel video producer Rob Kelton, “but they’ll click away if the audio is bad.”

The solution is a good microphone. “A decent Rode lavalier runs about $17 on Amazon, plugs into your iPhone earjack and works wonderfully,” he says.

The new iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X won’t include earjacks when they’re released in October, thanks to Apple’s wireless push. “They’ll have better 12 MP cameras,” Kelton says, “but you’ll need an adapter if you’re a big fan of the Rode mic.”

[Register for PR Daily’s Sept. 22 “Vibrant Videos” virtual summit for more tips from Rob Kelton (Intel), Drew Keller (Microsoft) and Ms. Candy Blog.]

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