How is the quality of the built-in microphone in the GL2. When I see (hear) camcorder recordings of aquaintances shoot on parties or weddings the audio quality is so bad that you can not understand what people tell (like speaches etc.). Does one really have to buy the XLR connecter and external mic. to get understandable audio quality in the case of the GL2 or should I just buy the much more expensive Sony PD150 and get at the same time a more light sensitive cam for free ???????

I for one have always liked the gl1/gl2's microphone...Although its pickup pattern is a bit wide for some uses. It produces very lifelike ambient stereo sound that is very clear to my ear...The gl2 also has a setting to isolate voices somewhat. I own an external me66 which I use when I want a more point source sound...another option would be canon's reasonably priced dm-50...which is stereo mic with a narrower pattern than the stock mic. All of these options will cost you less than a "free" pd150.

You only need an xlr adapter if you are taking the microphone off the camera and running a long cord to it....If you are leaving the mic on the camera, just use the minijack, (the dm-50 uses the hot shoe).

Experienced sound people will tell you that the worst place for a microphone is on the camera--It's better to get the mic closer to the source of the sound--but for many this is not always practical.

Barry

As built-in camcorder mics go, the GL1/2 has a good one. But no camcorder built-in mic is going to give good interviw sound if the person is more than a few feet from the camcorder mic. For good sound you really need to have a mic near (within a few feet or closer) the person speaking!

And that means an external mic, wired or wireless.

I am far from any expert, but the footage I have shoot with the GL2 mic sounds quite good, a little on the tinny or high end side, low end is not there and the stereo seperation is very good. I expect I will eventually opt for a shotgun mic when my credit card recovers from the GL2 and all the other accessories I have bought.

If anyone is looking for the low light part of this thread I moved it because it went off topic. Sorry for the confusion.

New Thread http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4124

Jeff