Sennheiser EW500 kit vs. EW 100 kit

[Jim Forbes]

I have an XL1s with an MA200 adaptor and I'm debating which of the above kits to add. Can anyone tell me the relative difference between the two - and which direction you'd go.

Also, it's been suggested that I add a BEC receiver bracket and BEC mounting Box. Are these necessary or preferred?

Do I need any other connections?

And finally, any thought re: replacing the factory supplied on-board mic? Can I significantly upgrade?

Thank you.
Jim

[Mike Rehmus]

<<<-- Originally posted by Jim Forbes : I have an XL1s with an MA200 adaptor and I'm debating which of the above kits to add. Can anyone tell me the relative difference between the two - and which direction you'd go.

I'd go for the 500 because of the extra tools. Phantom power from the plug-on transmitter being the largest item. Second would be the battery-level reporting from transmitter to receiver. The rest of the differences would make no difference to the way I use my 100 system. Certainly there should be no performance differences.

Also, it's been suggested that I add a BEC receiver bracket and BEC mounting Box. Are these necessary or preferred?

Depend on if you have some other way to handle the receiver. It is a bit of a problem but I just hang mine on the hand-strap.

Do I need any other connections?

No

And finally, any thought re: replacing the factory supplied on-board mic? Can I significantly upgrade?

Of course. It only costs money. You can select a microphone(s) that exactly fits your shooting style.

Thank you.
Jim -->>>

[Matthew de Jongh]

i chose the 500.

the only thing i am still workig on is the best mounting method...

the bracket1 was too far forward weight wise, but i kept it for tripod work.

i am getting a mini-rover but the cable won't reach that far, i'm thinking of putting something through the handhold strap to give me a place on the outside of the strap to put some industrial velcro so i can velcro the transmitter there.

how are other people mounting the receiver to the handle strap?

matthew

[Robert Martens]

I, too, am looking into purchasing a wireless setup of some sort (for those shots that are too far away for a boom, and too revealing for a wired lav), and had noticed a few bundles in the December B&H catalog that intrigued me. Specifically, the Evo 500 kit that they're selling for less than half the list price.

However, upon going to the website, I see a slightly different kit for sale, perhaps because it's almost January; I see they list the kits as including the EK500 receiver, SK500 bodypack transmitter, and either the ME2 or ME4 lavaliers, but I don't see that "plug on" transmitter mentioned. Same with the 100 series (which I'm starting to think would be adequate for my needs, and less expensive). The EK100 receiver, SK100 bodypack transmitter, and ME2/4 mic.

Is this plug-on transmitter an important item?

I hate to ask my OWN questions in someone else's thread, but since I'm in a similar quandary, I don't think it's too rude.

[Mike Rehmus]

Because I do a very wide variety of shooting, I find the plug-on transmitter to be as important to me as the bodypack and lav. Much more important than the Senn wireless microphone I also purchased to match the system. Works well but I don't use it nearly as often.

[Matthew de Jongh]

i haven't used it for this yet, but my biggest use for the plug on pack is expected to be plugging it into a sound source, like a mixer/sound board, and then being able to wander around an event and capture the sound off of the board right into the camera sans cable.

i got a nice adaptor that is supposed to shift the line level out of the mixer/board to mic level.

crossing fingers it works as expected.

matthew

[Marty Wein]

<<<-- Originally posted by Mike Rehmus :I'd go for the 500 because of the extra tools. Phantom power from the plug-on transmitter being the largest item. Second would be the battery-level reporting from transmitter to receiver. -->>>

Battery-level reporting from transmitter to receiver will only work on the half rack receiver and NOT on the camera mount version.

[Robert Martens]

I see, I see...well, I've just spent some time thinking all this over in my "library", and have realized that I could also use a better tripod, preferably one with some sort of level. As important as audio is (I'm of the "it's more than half the production" mindset), I just couldn't stand to have all my shots tilted to the side, a la Battlefield Earth. I believe I've made that remark before, but can't remember if it was on this forum, so humor me.

Gotta get a wireless setup, a boom pole, a windscreen/blimp/fuzzy thing, a mic stand, some sort of audio editing software, a new tripod, real lights...the list goes on. I suppose I should get my priorities straight before diving right into the "which wireless mic/receiver/transmitter should I get?" business.

Did I mention I couldn't make a decision to save my life? I have a hard enough time deciding to go SEE a movie, let alone make one. :)

[Matthew de Jongh]

what i did was to make a spreadsheet where at the bottom i had my budget, then i put each component category and then filled in the costs and along the way it would instantly subtract from the budget to see where i was at.

maybe its just me but i think i made out a little bit better by getting combo's like the me-66/k6/softie and handheld mount with shockmount.

my next thing is a boompole. the 9 foot gitzo looks real good.

just trying to decide if i need to get a stand for it with something like a boom mate...

not likely to have anyone qualified to hold it on most of the stuff i'll be doing. that is why i went heavy on the wireless gear.

matthew