#Mic advice needed
9 messages in this thread
I'm buying a Canon L2 camera, and I need advice about an external mic for it.
I'd like a wireless mic to clip onto the subject. Any thoughts?
The least expensive thing I've seen along these lines is the Azden WLX-PRO
lavalier mic system, in the B&H catalog for $139.95.
I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance.
David
David:
>The least expensive thing I've seen along these lines is the Azden WLX-PRO
lavalier mic system, in the B&H catalog for $139.95.<
Don't know the model number offhand, but I'd suggest you make *sure* it
broadcasts on VHF band and not FM band–there's less interference on VHF (or
UHF, but it occurs to me that UHF mikes are *real* expensive) than there is on
the FM band. (I recollect finding out while researching an article on mikes
that FM lavs share their bandwidth w/pagers, car door openers, taxicab radios,
etc., etc., etc….)
My experience w/Azden mikes in general is that they're not bad for inexpensive
mikes, but not great. I used to have an Azden "zoom" mike that worked okay
until you were in an area w/lots of electromagnetic radiation (like just about
anywhere in New York City, where I live!) when you'd start to pick up radio
stations in the middle of taping… IMHO, to save money, they skimp on the
shielding.
Hope this helps,
Tim Liebe
Why an external? Do you need a wireless? That would be understandable, but the
A1 IMHO has excellent audio.
Zeddock Miller
Zeddock:
>Why an external? Do you need a wireless? That would be understandable, but
the A1 IMHO has excellent audio.<
Well, for a built-in mike it does, but you still get major room tone over a
distance of more than a few feet. If David wants a lav, he probably wants clean
audio of a person talking from about 6-8 feet away w/out the hassles of a mike
boom…
Sorry to be such a bear about this, Zed, but as somebody who used to be an
audio engineer for a radio drama co. as well as someone who's been writing
about audio basics for video for about 4 years now, I'm a bit finicky about
what constitutes "good" audio…
Best,
Tim
No prob! Your probably right.
However; if he had to ask, he is probably not a pro and is looking for
discussion based on a amature reference.
Zeddock Miller
Zeddock:
>No prob! Your probably right.
However; if he had to ask, he is probably not a pro and is looking for
discussion based on a amature reference.<
Yup, but it's like Jerry Lee Lewis said about coondogs, "Get 'em young and
bring 'em up right" <g>…
Or something like that…
Best,
Tim
<< Yup, but it's like Jerry Lee Lewis said about coondogs, "Get 'em young and
bring 'em up right" <g>… >>
Agreed. I mis-spoke. I know I don't want to defend a position of less-than
professional efforts. <g>
Zeddock Miller
Zeddock:
>>Why an external? Do you need a wireless? That would be understandable, but
the A1 IMHO has excellent audio.<<
I can best answer by giving you an example of a situation I know I'll be
shooting soon. I need to shoot a person grooming a cat (at a professional pet
grooming place) while this person talks about what he's doing. His head will be
turned different ways at different times, depending on what he's doing. Using
the camera mic just wouldn't pick up what I need. I'm afraid it would tend to
sound like, well, home video. I really believe the sound quality has a lot to
do with how professional the tape seems. Even if the picture's great, I don't
want to come across as something shot for public access on cable.
David
Most right! I have had no trouble with the Azden – Two unit wireless. But I
work in the hills where little interference is typical. If you are in the city
don't do the *inexpensive* Azdens.
Zeddock Miller