Affordable Equipment for Paranormal Investigators

One thing that people think about when they decide to become paranormal investigators is the equipment cost. Can they afford what they need? The answer is yes you can. You don't have to spend a fortune on equipment.

First of all, you don't have to have alot of fancy stuff to investigate. If you had to you could get by with a flashlight, compass and camera. Your eyes and ears are the best equipment you have, but you won't have pictures or audio recordings. So what can you get that will work well without spending alot of money? Let's take a look at some good quality items that won't put you in the poor house.

Let's start with what you need. The basic things are cameras, audio recorders,lights. etc. You can do an investigation without an EMF meter, as you can use a compass as a stand in until you can get the EMF meter.

Cameras - Digital or 35mm will work. A regular 35mm camera should really be a must since you will have the negatives. Prices on good 35mm cameras run from $35 and up. I have a nice Canon that was right around $60 and it takes fantastic pictures. DIgital cameras can be pricey but for about $90 you can get the Nikon L18. It's a good 8 megapixel camera for a decent price. I have even heard of people using disposable cameras. I haven't tried this on an invest but I took some fantastic shots on vacation with them. If you are going to be somewhere there will be alot of sand, moisture or dirt blowing around you may want to try one of those. Blowing sand and moisture can ruin a camera, but the disposables hold up well and they do take decent pics.

Audio recorders- This is really a matter of personal preference. Either tape or digital recorders will work, but with digitals you can usually download right to your PC. Some newer tape models can be used with the PC also, but you really need an external microphone with the tape models to reduce the hiss from the recorder. Good tape models by RCA can be found for about $30. A digital is going to be more but you need one that is PC compatible. Olympus has some for around $60 which is a good price as well as Sony models which are around the same price range.

Lights - This sounds like a weird one to add but when you are on an investigaton you need some kind of light if you are out at night. Regular flashlights can work but you may not need alot of light, so look for small LED lights that can fit in your pocket. Cost is around $5 and up. They also have the ones that fit on your head, and ball caps with lights for about $10. Another trick is to put some red tail light tape or a filter over your flashlight lens. It's kind of like having an infrared light.

EMF meter - This is one that's nice to have but you can make do with a compass until you can afford one. A decent EMF meter will run you around $40 or so. A really nice digital model goes for about $99, but that's not as bad as some of the higher priced ones that are well over $100. A simple compass from the discount store can be a decent substitute. This is a good alternative if your budget can't handle a regular EMF meter.

Simple items to aid in the investigation

Notepads and pens - For recording details of the invest

Rope or string and Tape Measure - To measure distances and mark off areas

Baby Powder - For checking for movement.. like foot or hand prints

Some are going to tell you it's a must to have alot of equipment to do a proper investigation. Like I mentioned before, a camera, a flashlight and a compass can work just fine. If you have the things I just mentioned and can buy only one item, I suggest the digital recorder. The only thing the EMF is going to do is let you know there could possibly be something around. It won't make something happen and it won't record any weird voices or sounds. You can always get the meter at a later time.

Check out plenty of stores and internet sites to get the best deals. Just beware of the too good to be true deals, because they could be just that. Compare prices and features carefully. Most of all, just enjoy investigating and never let anyone try to talk you into believing you need to go broke to be a successful investigator.