Audio-technica 835b shotgun mic
 

How come when recording with this shotgun mic attached to the shoe on my Canon GL-2, that when I talk from the operating mode that it is picking up my voice? I was hoping to use my own audio and commentary from my headset mic instead of pickup from the shotgun.

I thought that a shotgun mic would cancel out sound from the rear. In fact the polar pattern that is included with the instructions shows no sound pick-up from the rear of the mic. http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wi...519/index.html

Anyone have any input on this

Thanks,

John

No shotgun completely ignores what's behind it in close quarters, and if you're working in small rooms that are reflective, the mic may actually pick up more of your voice than the voice of the subject that is 3' away, due to reflections in the room.
Shotgun mics aren't really great on-camera, despite all the marketing fotos that show otherwise. If you're really looking for an on-cam mic with decent rear rejection, look at the AT 4053 on the flip side of that website. But don't expect it to pick up subjects further than 24" or so with any real level.

GL-2 external mics
 

Thanks for the input Douglas. As you described I was in a small room recording with the AT 835b and it does not reject my audio as I operate the video camera while attached to the shoe

Overall I was under the impression that an external mic would produce better audio than the one included (onboard) with the Canon Gl-2,.

I did an audio test, one with the GL-2 onboard mic and another with the AT 835b and could not hear any difference. This recording test was with the subject from 3 to 15 feet away.

So all the hoopla regarding the AT 835b mic is really unwarranted.

John

John, it's not just the AT, it's any shotgun. What I'd recommend, since you have the mic, is buy a mic boom stand, and get the shotgun close to the subject. That's how it should be done in all circumstances anyway. Mics are like handgrenades, they only work when they're near the target.

Antoher trip to the audio store
 

Okay Douglas, I'll just have to make another trip to the store and pick up a mic boom stand. Thanks for setting me on the right path.

Take another look at that polar pattern. There are signifigant lobes at 120 and 240 degrees. Straight ahead the response is 25 db while the side lobes at 10db. If you're 1 foot away from the at mic and the subject is 10 feet away in the front, think about what the relative intensity of your voice and his will be as heard from the microphone position.

IMHO, commentary would better be added as a separate recording for voice over made later "in studio" and married to the video in post rather than recording as you shoot, if it's at all possible.

Commentary in Post
 

Steve, you are right. Any commentary I'll just dub in post production, that will take of that. Thanks for you input