Question on FX1
 

Can I record External Mic (shot-gun mic) in Ch1 and Build-in Mic in Ch2? I know Z1U can do it, but Can FX1 do it? Thank you in advance.

Eric

No, as far as I know this cannot be done with the FX1.

Actually, I thought this couldn't be done with the Z1U either.

You can not do that with Z1 or FX1. )-:

Hi Eric

IMHO your best bet is to forget the built in mic which is not great in anycase and picks up a lot of handling noise.
Try bolting on a Beachtek type adapter and using one or two external mics...
I have a shotgun mic on the camera and often use either a Senhisser lav mic or a second shotgun boom mic...

You can switch the Beachtek to have each mic on a separate channel or mix both mics to the two channels. Works fine...

Regards
Gareth

RE: Question on FX1
 

Thank very much for all the info. Yes, I am planning to have Beachtek DXA-8 and AT879, but I still an additional mic to record other background audio of events, like small uni-directional mic? If I only have the shot-gun enable to Ch1 and Ch2, then the audio will go high and low which depands where I am point to the sound source or not. In order to have a consistant background audio, I think I will need a uni-directional mic as well the shot-gun mic. Welcome any suggestion Thank you.

Eric

Have you tried the 897 yet? It doesn't knock out ALL background noise though it is very directional.

Jerry,

Sorry I mean AT897 (My bad). If you turn around the room as you filming, do you get louder as you point to band and dimmer when point to other side? Or do you think the difference between the two is not a problem. Thank you very much.

Eric

I guess you'd have to try it but I think it wouldn't be a big problem (band sounds would be bouncing off all the walls) and basically you would pick up mostly what you are looking towards. If you are there for the band and the music is the primary concern, can you get a feed from the band's board? I'd want that. If I was just interviewing people or trying to capture a conversation while the band was playing, I'd use the mic and have the band at a right angle to the mic.. I'm not as expert as most on this forum but that is my thinking.

Hi Eric

I use a pair an At 897's one on camera on a Beyerdynamic shock mount, and when necessary another on a boom .. or a Senheisser wireless as the second mic...

I have found no problems with this regarding background, the sound it records both voice and background really is good. As the camera mounted mic is further away from the subject you get good backgound sound and the mic closer to the subject picks up clear speach.
In post you can fiddle around with each channel, if you have recorded them separately and then use the software to copy it onto both channels when you are happy with the levels.. I find it better to separate the two as it gives you more flexibility in post for editing speech for instance...

I've never used the Camera's onboard mic or an omni directional on camera..
and I'm happy with the results I'm getting.
While the At897's are directional there is still a lot of ambiant sound being picked up too... I find it crisper and cleaner than the onboard

Finally and most importantly for me, you can fit a windgag to the AT's and get very little wind rush noise, which the onboards are dreadful for picking up...

Regards
Gareth

Again Thank you very much for you input. If you don't mind, can you tell me what kind of bracket or how to hookup AT897, wireless mic receiver, and ligts together at the same time on the camera?

P.S. I have FX1, for Z1U maybe different.

Thank you.