I agree, that would be the absolute max. before I started placing mics on the subjects.

No mic is going to be effective at 10 feet. You need to get the mic closer if you want dialog that is usable (2-3 feet). Otherwise they will sound like the listener is sitting across the room (which is where the mic will be).

If you don’t have someone to get closer and work a boom mic then get lavalier mics on the talent. A shotgun on a camera is good for run-n-gun ENG type work, or just as a reference for the real audio, or for room ambience. It’s not going to cut it for dialog.

~jr

Agreed, that's why I said it was on the limit. You'll get sound, maybe usable in a pinch, but it'll sound pretty bad even with the best mics available

Steve, yes absolutely. Actually I was composing my reply before I saw your post so I had my browser open and was responding to Marco’s original post and we both happen to say 10 feet. (great minds) ;-)

I was not refuting your post.

~jr

makes sense. Guess I'll be rigging a boom pole to my homemade camera dolly.