Multiple speakers, one video camera

If you have editing software like Camtasia, you could record the second speaker on a different device and just add it as another track to the video. Camtasia also lets you chop up a track into sections and move them around to align things.

Thanks, great thought. I forgot to mention that we do have software to do that. We use Adobe Premiere primarily for video and you can do that well in there. I have done that many times, but find it frustrating to match audio with video sometimes. I think I get way too caught up in trying to get the lips to match "exactly" what the audio is saying. Kind of silly considering how many times on TV and even in movies that I see that not happening well, but it does bug me.

I am just being lazy in a way and want them to already be a matched pair! I am trying to solve with equipment first if possible, and will do it the other way if I have to. I know some people will just say "try to fit another camera in the room" as well. Traditionally, I try to have two cameras for point of view transitions to make it more interesting, but really not possible in this room! Too many students, too little space. 

Hi DeLora -

Rather than try two mics with one receiver, you could try using a mixer with two channel inputs to capture both mics. The mixer can then merge both audio feeds into a single output into the computer.

Most wireless mic receivers should have an output (xlr, 1/4, 1/8) that you can plug into a channel mixer. Just another possibility.

Intriguing thought on the mixer David, will think about that one. I think our mics may not be too deluxe, so thinking that we may need to get another mic setup to get that to work. I will have to research that one and see if the receiver we do have would work that way. Do you have specific mics and mixers (brand/etc) that you have used to do this?  Does anyone else reading this have any specific models they use? 

Hi DeLora,

David is spot on here (no surprise)...

Your particular camera has a single stereo mini plug input. The good news is that you can record two channels (ie two presenters) but you cannot simply dump two microphones into  "y-jack". Instead you need a mic mixer.

A good cheap one is from Azden... 

Then you can use a second wireless mic and be good to go.  If you need mic reccomendations.... on the value side look at AudioTechnica, Azden or Sony.  Higher end Sennheiser is king.

Hope this helps.

You might also want to consider a shotgun mic. This is a VERY directional microphone that records whatever it's pointed at. The downside is you'll have to continually update the direction of the mic if your speaker is moving around a lot. 

Another option, use a portable recorder or something like an iPhone or iPod touch. The microphones that ship with the iPhone are pretty fantastic. A speaker can slip this in their pocket after beginning to record and clip the microphone just as they would a lapel mic. Pull the audio off of the recorder / iPhone and sync up in your editor.

Here's a well reviewed budget shotgun mic: 

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATR-6550-Condenser-Shotgun-Microphone/dp/B002GYPS3M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386814787&sr=8-1&keywords=shotgun+microphone

I don't believe you'd want to throw all the way across the room as it does have a bit of a cone that loses focus with distance. Nice to have in your kit in any case if you can afford to grab one.