This article is from 2021 and may be outdated. We're working on restoring a newer version.
You should be comfortable with any camera you use.
For beginners, the best video camera is the one you’ll really use. If that’s your mobile phone, it’s fine for now.
Later, choose a dedicated video camera for your ghost investigations. It doesn’t need to be very expensive.
Your video camera should include:
– A good lens. Glass lenses are better than plastic lenses. Even if the video camera seems expensive, ask if the lens is glass or plastic.
– A stabilizer to steady the image if your hands are shaking. Today, that’s a normal feature in video equipment.
– The ability to film in low light conditions.
– Also, make sure you can secure your video camera to a tripod, so you can set it up and leave it running. (If it wobbles, that can affect video integrity.)
Are you good at capturing ghosts on video? Explore specialized video cameras. Some can produce extraordinary results.
Any equipment I’d recommend in this book might be “old” and replaced by better options by the time you read this.
I recommend watching ghost-related TV shows to see what equipment they’re using. (Sometimes, they get access to specialized tools before the public does.)
Also go to public ghost hunting events, and ask professional ghost hunters which brands and models they prefer. Ask them which video camera features (what bells & whistles) are most useful. They’ll probably point you in the direction of high-end equipment… but maybe not.
Always ask, “Can you suggest a good video camera for someone on a budget?” Most professional ghost hunters started out with limited budgets. They know what’s worth buying, and what isn’t.
Keep in mind: Some professional ghost hunters don’t really understand their equipment. Always get a second and third opinion. In some cases, the extraordinary results from a certain camera may be more about the person using it than the camera itself.
That’s true of all ghost hunting equipment.
Compare results, and compare users
For example, I know two high-profile paranormal researchers who own “Frank’s Boxes.” Those boxes were made by Frank Sumption, and seem to use radio waves (and snippets of sounds) to form words that “speak” for ghosts.
I’ve seen Researcher A use a Frank’s Box with astonishing accuracy. He has complete faith in the box.
Unfortunately, some of Researcher A’s business practices damaged his reputation.
(That’s tragic, because he really is a gifted researcher.)
Researcher B has a better professional reputation, but flits from one tool or theory to the next.
That researcher swears that, after a while, Frank’s Boxes stop working.
After watching Researcher B at various paranormal events, I concluded that Researcher B is bright and clever… but hasn’t the same ghost hunting skills as Researcher A. (I’m not even sure Researcher B believes that paranormal experiences are real.)
Also, I believe that Researcher A gets better results because he maintains faith in the box. (He’s also convinced that Frank had a unique, mystical gift that transformed each box.)
I believe ghost hunting tools work best when people are confident about the results. That means believing that the tools work, and believing that paranormal encounters are possible.
Get and use equipment that you feel good about. That includes video cameras.