external stereo microphone for GS250?
 

Hi,

I have a new Panasonic GS250 camcorder that I would like to fit with a good quality yet SMALL external microphone. I'm using a Lightwave MM-USC Mini Mount to shock-mount a somewhat large Audio Technica AT822 stereo microphone on my Sony VX2000. I really like that setup, but it's as large as the GS250.

The Rode Videomic looks good, but it only has one channel. Their NT4 looks good, but at 480g, it's half the weight of the camcorder.

Any suggestions ?

Folks over at Minidisc.org seem to like the Sony MS907. Or, someone recently posted that RODE is planning to sell a stereo Videomic in the near future. Lastly, Giant Squid sells stereo lavalier-sized condenser mics that sound pretty good...at least the concert recordings on the site sound good.

Thanks, Guy. Those microphones appear to be about the right size.
Would you happen to have any leads on shock mounts that work
with the camcorder hotshoe or even a body clamp ?

Gints,
The Sony MS908 comes with a hotshoe mount (same as MS907). However, it doesn't appear to be suspended. There are several elastic suspension mounts that may work. Interestingly enough, RODE sells a shock mount for the NTG-1/2 that attaches via the accessory shoe. I don't know if it is narrow enough front to back for the Sony mics. Also, Azden has the SMH-1 shock mount Alternately, you can build a shock mount out of PVC pipe.

Thanks, Guy. I just searched for "shock mount" at BH Photo and found tons.
You're right. Many just look like some fancy tubes with rubber bands to
hold the microphone, so your suggestion to build my own is tempting given the price of most of these models. I like the bottom-only design for the
Lightwave MM-USC Mini Mount, which is a costly device with less than
half of the typical vertical height - better for camcorders.

Hey, I like the PSC UCSM - Small Universal Camera Mounted Shockmount with Camera Shoe and Angle Adjustment Knob for $ 55.95

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

And the $ 39.95 Sennheiser MZS-CAM Shotgun Camera Shock Mount Adapter also has a low profile as well as a lower price.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

I bought the Sennheiser shock mount. It works well, including the price. Though, the profile is still quite high, and it's hard to keep this thing
from swiveling slightly during normal use. The weakpoint is within the mount, above the hotshoe mount. This unit's hotshoe mount is quite sturdy, though.

I like the lower height of the Lightwave MM-USC Mini Mount, but really, it's not worth the money given that the base crumbled on me. The Sennheiser mount is too high on my Sony VX2000. The mount + microphone is about the height of the the GS250, which really cuts down on the GS250's delicious portability. Perhaps I'll have to go with guy's suggestion of using a PVC pipe.
I think a half cylinder design would work. Ohhhh, I'm burned out from visiting hardware stores.