Cheapest camera and video interface for online streaming front-end

[kye]

I am trying to design a compact but professional live streaming setup for an education / training / coaching business.

It has to be:

• suitable for international travel so needs to fit into suitcases, including the lights etc
• be computer-based, beyond the limited functionality of a stand-alone smartphone setup to include (picture-in-picture, slides, etc)

What is the cheapest "proper" camera for streaming / recording online content?  Also, what interface device would you use to get that feed into a computer?

Obviously the cheapest setup is your laptop camera, but once you want to upgrade the image quality a bit, what is the best option out there?  Second hand is fine.

My thinking is that:

• Smartphones don't allow for the functionality in streaming that something computer based will (picture-in-picture, slides, etc)
• The external USB webcams don't seem to offer much better image quality than the internal laptop ones
• Getting a good image from a real camera will require a lot less lighting than with a laptop camera so it's worth the investment (plus it makes the lights much easier to fit into a suitcase)
• I can put a fast lens on it for a bit of background defocus (and even smaller lighting requirements)
• It can also be used to pre-record videos 

I still don't know what the rest of the setup will be (stream management software etc) but I figure if I can get the image into the computer then that's a separate topic to what happens to it from there.

[ntblowz]

Sony ZV-E10 or Canon R50 with USB (computer will recognize it as webcam, no software needed) or if u want to use those 4k hdmi usb adapter (elgato camlink 4k) then any used cam with clean hdmi out will do.

[BTM_Pix]

In response to the rise in video conferencing during COVID both Panasonic and Sony release bridge applications to allow a lot of their cameras to show up as webcams.

The Panasonic one will work with your GH5 but if you are buying something dedicated then it also works with their earwig exit aperture compliant G100 MFT camera which is a good value nowadays.

https://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/soft/download/lumix_webcam.html

Sony’s version is a bit more broad as it also includes the compact fixed lens cameras as well as a lot of earlier cameras that you can now pick up used at a good price including some FF options.

https://support.d-imaging.sony.co.jp/app/webcam/en/download/
 

 

 

[Snowfun]

Have a look at Aida. I use two (the cheap £330-ish basic model HD100A) in a home studio environment (with a basic BM Atem and Teams). Superb.

https://aidaimaging.com

[homestar_kevin]

I have been using the gx85 for awhile hooked up through an aver media live gamer 2 plus for video and a shotgun mic through a scarlet audio interface. I had the scarlet audio interface and acquired the live gamer during covid. It's a nice set up, but if I were buying today I'd get something like the roland UVC-02 to have both audio and video through one interface. 

I'm using the audio technica at-875r for audio and it's way overkill, but sounds great and is tiny. 

the gx85 has been way overkill too, but looks great I mainly have the 20mm 1.7 parked on there to get a bit more separation.