DIY Life

I've used my digital camera for over a year to take decent, spot-of-the-moment movies. Since many of us don't want to lug around a digital camera and separate camcorder, taking movies with that digital camera's "movie" function has become quite popular from what I have seen. Even many YouTube's videos are shot using a digital camera -- not a high-rez camcorder.

But, what about lighting? Having adequate light is a must for any shoot, whether it be a still shot or a movie with sound. Does your digicam have a light on it for use when shooting those movies? It probably has a flash, but not a movie light. Who says you can't buy a separate light yourself? Well, you can, but they're not exactly cheap. In many cases, these products are simple white LEDs, which cost virtually nothing to produce. Wanna make your own? Sure you do, provided you have some time and a few bucks in your pocket or purse.

You'll need three AAA batteries (rechargeables are best), some white LEDs (or any color, really) and some creation finesse for a housing ,, plus some simple household tools. Now, this won't fit on a tripod mount like some pre-fab units, so you'll need to get creative to mount the thing near your digital camera. Check out the parts list (with links) here and see if you're up to it -- just in time for those holiday movies next week.