rate my pictures / microphone question
 

Hey people i have just started to use my camcorder a digital camera. can you please rate some images i have taken with them thanks the Url is


http://users.domaindlx.com/modelplan...dels/index.asp
just go on to the website and rate them thanks.

one last question can any of you recommend a good but cheap microphone

No such mic (new anyway) that is both good and what I would call cheap, but there are some that represent good value at their price point for specific uses.

There are lots of mics from whihch to select! What specifically are you looking for? Is this professional use, serious hobby, or just the ocasional kids birthday or kids ball game that will be watched once by the out-of-town grandparents?

If you are looking for a significant improvement over the on-board microphone, you are going to have to spend some money!

The Sennheiser MKE300D - it must be the D - is better than the on-board microphone, but not by much.

The Sennheiser K6 system is a significant improvement, particularly if mounted in a Rycote mount, and with its range of heads, it is very flexible.

Elsewhere on this board people speak highly of the Rode Videomic.

Beyond that, as Don says, it depends what you want to do.

I have the Rode VidMic, the Senni K6 and 66, a reporter's mic and lapel mic. I also have Senni wireless transmit and receive options too.

What does this tell you?

#1 - I like gadgets.

#2 - I HAVE realised there ain't a mic "For All Seasons"

#3 - Getting what I want, has come at a price.

So, what I suggest you come back with is, in what audio environments are you wanting to video? How important is it that the "talent" is heard? Are you needing to capture a person's speech? An uncle's aside? Or video somebody speaking inside a noisy factory?

I'll attempt to give you my levels of importance:

Level 1 : XM2 Onboard = Run n Gun around family AND/OR dancing

Level 2 : RodeVidMic = Run n Gun around family AND/OR dancing AND not wanting to hear what is going on behind me AND NOT ME too! Options for a "piece to camera" - somebody I need being heard, in moderately noisy environ.

Level 3 : Senni K6+66 = All the above PLUS brighter sounds from nature = birdsong plus some distant noises.

Level 4 : Reporter's mic = very specific and focused audio capture from within 1 metre of the speaker's mouth AND excludes much of the ambient.

Level 5 : Combos

Combo 1: Rep mic PLUS Lapel = Excellent for mic-ing up interviewer with lapel and using handheld to point at interviewee - no need to wave mic back and forth. This too might NOT be necessary IF the ambient is low.

Combo 2: Wireless setup on rep Mic and K6+66 on hard wire = Excellent for getting 2 tracks! One for the INTERVIEW and One for a direction background ambient.

Combo 3: Semi studio/office "Talking Head". Wireless setup on lapel Mic and K6+66 on hard wire STAND = Excellent for getting 2 tracks! Lapel on or near TALKING head and Hard wire for ambient.

Of course I've experimented and captured audio in other variations, but this for me is mostly what I do. I can also use the Senni6+66 in a pistol grip for interviews. Stick a Tx Butt plug on the XLR end and I too can wander about - having the camera on a tripod. This is favourite too.

Now, things that could augment this kinda setup are:

#1 - As said above, XLR Tx Butt plug for mics! Totally cool! Allows interviewer to "wander" about with mic in hand and bring "natural", and, the crowd/interviewee being spontaneous too! Excellent!!

#2 - A Mixer! If you've got this far then I've sometimes, I've wanted to have the option to mix streams prior to the last input to the camera taking the feeds.

Now, what I've written above is not meant to scare you - it was your budget comment that spurred me onward. Please be aware of some of the pitfalls I've gotten into and have had to scrape some extra £££s together to get what I want from my kit and reflect as much clarity ( if that isn't a mixed metaphor when speaking about audio clarity, I don't know what is!! ) to impress the client/audience and, of course, getting the NEXT job.

So, over to you. Any of my scenarios ring a bell?

Regards,

Grazie

.. I would think all of this will find its way onto the "Now Hear This" forum any minute . . .

thanks graham for the long detailed answer. funnaly enough i have been looking at most of these microphone but they are just out of my price tag. im only a 15 year old kid and beging my mum to get me a £400 mic to her would sound silly. what i am looking at is the Canon dm-50 microphone what do you think of that. also what do you think of my images/slash my site i built?

At present I'm having a real hard time attempting to equate your comment - "im only a 15 year old kid and beging my mum to get me a £400 mic to her would sound silly. " and the Wedding Video Service - if it is you - you say you provide. Wow, and all for a first DVD of only £20 - including edit? Remarkable!! I MUST be doing something wrong.

Best regards,

G

at the moment i use my friends Sennheiser ME66 when i do wedding services. remember im only 15. my mum wont let me advertise ect. so i have to have good deals. also im not trying to make lots of money im only tring to get experience so when i leave school i can get really in to the indestry. one last thing £20 for the first dvd and then £5 for editionals. might not sound much but when you are filming a wedding with over 100 people and most people want a dvd that is a lot of money. that all builds up. i would use the money to spend it on a microphone but i have just used it to buy a power mac to do my editing on

For weddings a wireless transmitter/receiver kit with a lav mic you can hang on the groom or the officient (so you can get the vows and ring exxchange) might be the best investment initial investment. And then add a matching transmitter plug-in you can use on a US$50 hand-held dynamic mic to get intervierws, etc.

For ambient sound you can mix in during post consider a minidisc recorder.

Which brand wireless depends on what is available in Wales and I have no info on that.

There have been a few threads here discussing the DM-50, you might want to do a search to find them. I suspect it will prove a far cry from the ME66, but it might meet your needs for a shotgun.

Without running ads, you have to rely on word of mouth to get more business, and have good demos to show as well. Good luck with starting your business.

I had the DM-50. It was an improvement over the on board mic, and very conveniently draws power from and works through the hot shoe. But for a few US dollars more you can get the Rode VideoMic. I did sell my DM-50 and did get the VideoMic, and I do find it to be far superior.

Man, 15 years old? You're definetly going to have some good experience when you turn pro! Well, I purchased a lapel mic for my Gl2 thru the internet and it ran my about $290.00. That price included the cord, adapters, and shipping. The quality on it is really good. You might think it's on the expensive side, but it's worth the cost. You might want to try to save for it with a couple of wedding services. It's a good start to some good audio, then when you get more business you can move on the the wireless mics which can be more suited for custom work.

Rode mic
 

Nathan,

If you look through these posts the Rode Mic comes up several times.

I purchased one after guidance from this list and I have been surprised at the quality it collects. For the price it is surprisingly good.