GL2 Audio - upgrade to XLR ... HELP!
 

I am a newbie here, so please type slowly...
I have a GL2 and a Beachtek DXA-4P dual XLR adapter. I am obviously trying
>to lay down two audio tracks, one of which will come from my Sony wireless
>(XLR) mic. My dilemna is in trying to find a decent shotgun mic to plug
>into the other XLR port and a way to mount both mics to the camera. I am
>new to this - does the mic have to have its own power source, or can it be
>powered from the accessory shoe?? I know the Canon DM50 is powered thru the shoe, but I do not think it has an XLR plug-in.
>
>The small GL2 is ideal for our wildlife video, as we often have to
>backpack long distances for our opportunities. Any help would
>be appreciated.
TAC

Hello Trevor,
The GL2's "smart shoe" is a proprietary power and signal connection. Only a Canon DM50 will be directly compatible with it.

There are many good directional shotgun mics available. (Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, Azden are popular brands.) The general idea for mounting one on the GL2 is to purchase a holder bracket that either mounts to the shoe or mounts to the camera's bottom. Lightwave Systems used to make such brackets, but there are others.

Moved here from GL2 forum by original poster's request.

The Sennheiser MKE300D is a worthwhile step-up from the camera's internal microphone. It is directional and benefits from being mounted off-camera - it does not use XLR connectors though.

I have used one of these for wildlife for 5 years and am quite happy with it where conditions are less than ideal.

I very much prefer my Sennheiser K6/ME67 combination though. This does use XLR connectors and is very directional. It is also high sensitivity and is very good at picking up bird calls some way off. It is self-powered via the K6 module (an AA cell) - there is a phantom powered version of the K6.

The problem with the K6/ME67 is its shear size which makes it vulnerable in many outdoor situations.

Neither microphone is tolerant of wet conditions!

Looking to improve my audio skills with the GL-2. I just placed an order for the DM-50 which I hope will be an improvement. I know this is just a quick answer to my problem. Is there a good book, manual or online source that can help be grasp my options with various mics? The Beachtek DXA-4P dual XLR adapter sounds interesting. Can I use it as a wireless and plub in a directional mic? Sorry but I am learning. I’m an old newspaper photojournalist, my skills are different but my passion is still strong.

mp

Michael, sorry but I did not find the DM-50 to be that great. Not bad, certainly more directional than the built in mic, certainly convenient to use, but the tone and sensitivity weren't that great. I would have tried to steer you toward the Rode VideoMic, which will be my own next purchase.
[EDIT--oops, sorry, forgot I had already given you my thoughts in another thread :>) ]

The DXA-4p does allow you to use two different sources simultaneously, one going into each the cam's two stereo channels. So yes, you could use a wireless and a shotgun at the same time. For about $100 more you can get a DXA-6, which can supply phantom power to either or both channels. This increases the number of high quality mics out there that you could buy and use in the future.

I have noticed that this very thing is quite common. hahahaha

Like golf and drugs, video has to be fed. :)

Hey Mike, I'd also have to suggest the Rode Videomic for a very cheap, very good substitute for the onboard GL2 microphone. I picked one up a month ago, and I'm very impressed with the quality of audio you get for $150. Mind you, it doesn't require the XLR adaptor - it can plug right into the mic port on the GL2. The audio is clear and it fits right into the hotshoe adaptor (though it uses a 9V battery rather than the camera's battery, which is actually a very good thing). Not a perfect solution - important project might require ADR, but it's still not bad. My two cents...

Steve

Hey Trevor,

I have a very similar set-up. I recently got the Beachtek DXA-4P and use a wireless lav, a conventional handheld, a nice choir mic, and an Azden SGM-1X shotgun mic, in whatever combination is called for. The Azden is quite satisfactory for my purposes. It is certainly not as good as the much more expensive shotguns out there, but works quite well, in my opinion. The Azden can either be self-powered with a battery, or run with phantom power.

Good luck. I strongly suggest you test out whatever mics you are considering before purchasing them.