alternative mic to internal
 

i might be buying a canon Xh A1 soon. like the sony z1 and other cameras when you plug a xlr into it the internal mic is automaticaly excluded and you loose the other channel. i'll often have to be shooting with a camera mounted shotgun (sanken cs3e probably) and i don't want to loose the chance to get a decent audio from the sides when people not in the shot but close to the camera speak. what would you use as a second on camera mic with a omni or caridoid pattern? a lavaliere (that would be a money saver, i still could use it in other situations)? a sanken cub 01 (why not)? a figure 8 (again, why not)?
thanks

pietro

On the Sony VX9000 that was the case, but with the Z1 plugging in an XLR microphone doesn't cut out the internal mics - you have to delve into the menu to do this. How annoying and time consuming! And having used the XLRs and unplugged them, you'll get no audio from the in-built mics until you delve into the menu -- etc.

Maybe the XH-A1 is different, but I doubt it.
On the Z1 I use a Senheisser shotgun into one XLR channel, and an omni-directional radio mic into the other.

tom.

i trust you on the z1 but for the canon i'm pretty sure i read that..
which omni are yuo using by the way?

If the Canon is 'unplug and auto-switch' then top marks, Canon!
I use the omni tie-clip that came with my Senheisser EW100 radio mic setup.

ok let's put it in another way:
did any of you ever think about using a figure 8 toghether with a shotgun or a hyper camera mounted? or just about having a better omni than the internal mic?
any imput highly appreciated..
pietro

Hi Pietro......
 

1. The Canon XH A1 is NOT an "auto switch" when plugging/ un - plugging the XLR's. The internal mic's/ 1/8"(2.5mm) ext socket OR the XLR's are selected by a menu toggle.

2. The on - board mic's are pretty good for close up work but are way too sensitive (IMHO) to side pickup if there is even the slightest noise "off". However, simply plonking both a shotgun and another hyper/ omni on the camera gets you the advantages of the former and all the disadvantages of the latter in the same "noises off" situation.

A better rig is the on camera shotgun feeding XLR 1 and a Senn EW100 G2 (say) omni lav mic feeding XLR 2, with the lav actually 'where it's happening" real up close and personal.

Works real good but make sure you're using your cans!


CS

Whatever auto switch or not my understanding is that you cannot use the internal mic when you plug (and decide to use through the menu) an xlr. so the idea of plugging a second mic.
quote:
"A better rig is the on camera shotgun feeding XLR 1 and a Senn EW100 G2 (say) omni lav mic feeding XLR 2, with the lav actually 'where it's happening" real up close and personal."
this is what i was asking about, i'm still wondering how would a on camera MS setup (hiperand figure 8) would sound compared to a on camera standard one (shotgun and omni).
thanks
pietro