Mic Recommendations
 

I recently got a DVX100B. Previously I have only used an internal mic. So I'd appreciate some recommendations.

Here's what I think I will be doing.
(1) A single speaker indoors at distances of 100' or less.
(2) Multiple speakers doing discussions indoors or outdoors at short distances.
(3) Walk-around running commentary on sites visited.
(4) Capturing ambient sounds while recording.

I don't anticipate making much, if any, money at this, so cost is an important consideration. But I would like reasonably good sound quality.

For which of these will the internal mike be sufficiently good? 3 & 4 perhaps? Where would a lavalier mic be best? 1 possibly? For 2 would the internal speakers work, or a shotgun mic? For 2 several lavalier mics might work the best, but if you have to get a complete system for each person involved, then the cost would be prohibitive.

I'm considering the Sennheiser Evolution G2 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...goryNavigation system which looks like it has XLR inputs in the picture but the specs don't indicate that; as well as an Audio Technica AT897. Together these are more than I want to spend and definitely at the upper end of the price range.

Suggestions on these or alternatives, or what would be an acceptable cost/quality compromise for what I'd like to do?

Dale

for (1)... i'd say wireless is the only way to go. the evolution G2 does not have xlr input. You have the options of either wiring the lavalier that comes with the g2 to the guy speaking or getting the butt-plug g2 transmitter and shoving it into a mic that you have on a stand on the podium, news conference style.

for (2)... i dont know of a good and cheap way to do it. ideal would be everybody gets their own mic and that goes to a mixer. outside of that... i'm not sure. i think that might be the domain of a boundary mic if they are seated around a table or on a stage or something.

if the people speaking are talking into mics already then a solution would be to try to get a feed from their PA and send it wirelessly to the camera.

as to (3)... Walk around running commentary... I personally would use the g2 buttplug into a re50n/d. You can either point the mic at them or hand the mic to the guy talking. I've found the handling noise on the re50 to be excellent and bordering on idiot-proof (depending on the size of the idiot)

for (4)? depends on how lovely you want the ambient sounds. if its trade show background noise? built in mic is fine.

so if you got this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search
and this:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

you'd have a lot of bases covered. The lav that comes with the g2 wont win any awards but for "guy speaking at a podium" i think it does a very good job of recording coherant audio. If you can recruit somebody to walk around with you holding the re50, you can get good "run and gun" audio too.

i'm a total n00b, but i bought those two items recently and have put them through my own paces and feel pretty confident in recommending them.

hope that helps or something.

-a

Do you know of a wireless mic that does have xlr input?

It sounds like the main difference in the system I was looking at and the one below is that the one below has the G2 buttplug? How does that work? It looks like you have two different transmitters. I assume you can only use one or the other at a given time?

Would it be true that if you wanted to capture 2 or 3 people you could plug a omnidirectional into the G2 buttplug then could you capture several people talking if they were in close proximity?

Dale

Mics G2 Buttplug, etc
 

Hi Dale,


You are talking two different transmitters: One on the buttplug, and a second on the lav transmitter. Generally the buttplug and the lav transmitter are set to the same frequency, and you use one or the other to send to the receiver. You use a minipin to XLR adapter from the receiver to go into DVX. You attach the reciever somewhere on the camera, to the shoe on top or to an arm or extension and you should be in business. The plug fits into the bottom of the handheld mic for the walk arounds - omnidirectional should work fine; or, you can put the lav on a person. It has pretty good pickup and if there are two people within a couple of feet of each other, you should be able hear the two of them. Both Transmitter should work fine up to a couple of hundred feet if the line sight is clear and there is now RF, radio frequency interuption.

How does the RE50 compare to the AT897? I believe the AT897 is a shotgun mic whereas it appears the RE50 is omnidirectional. If that's the case which circumstances would I be more likely to use one than the other?

Dale

The RE50 is designed to be handheld and used very close to the sound source, for example during a man on the street interview. It's useful in noisy environments because it rejects sound from further away. It's a dynamic mic with an omnidirectional polar pattern.

The AT897's design makes it more useful on a camera or a boom when you can't get close to the sound source. For example, if you're covering a news event and you're having a hard time getting close to the podium. It's useful if your subject is further away because it rejects sounds from the sides. It's a condensor mic with highly directional line + gradient pickup pattern.

Thanks, Mike. That's helpful.