On camera light problem...
 

Now when I finally got my Bescor on-camera lights working, I'm appalled to discover that the microphone creates a large shadow when I'm shooting with my wide lens. Anyone experience the same, and perhaps have a remedy?

-- peer


Btw, here's the Bescor I'm using:

Hi Peer,

I assume you're using the XL2's stock mic? And mounting your Bescor light on the hot shoe?

You might need to "move" the light up or angled to the side to get rid of the mic's shadow. A shoe bracket might help. We use this one (to mount a shotgun, our own Bescor light, and sometimes a monitor):

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...Tri_Mount.html

Or you can shop for any number of brackets.

Best,

--JA
www.madjavaproductions.com

If you have someone who can work a boom, try getting an external condenser and ridding the camera of the stock mic altogether.

Andrew's idea is really the "ideal" method in capturing good audio in the field. Having a boom op, with a separate external audio recorder (separate from the XL2, as many have reported that the cam noise sometimes interferes with their audio), and a mixer.

However, in a one man show operation, and run and gun situations, it just isn't possible.

We "cheat" by using a shotgun mic (or using the cam's mic), on cam light, sometimes a monitor, plus a wireless lav receiver all mounted on the camera! And lugging around the on cam light's battery pack on the other shoulder. Goodbye shoulders :) Thank goodness these situations rarely occur, but they do happen.

But I do agree with Andrew that the stock mic on the XL2 isn't the best for capturing "critical" audio. (We use it mostly to capture some ambient noise, room tone, etc.) We've been using the Audio Technica 897 short shotgun mic for various applications with good results. Both on a boom, and on cam.

Best,

--JA
www.madjavaproductions.com

Peer,

I get that same problem with my Ultralight 2...especially when I'm going in close to a subject (I do a lot of vid in wine cellars and when I go close on a wine barrel, there's the shadow). But I can't take it off because I do use it. Don't have time to take off/put on the mic when I need it and don't have a boom op (one-man-band operation here).

I'm going to look at the bracket mounts, but I figure I'd have to put the light a LOT farther forward than the lens (20x) to get rid of that shadow (since that standard POS mic extends about halfway down the lens).

Let me know what works for you. I like Jeff's idea about the bracket from B&H, but it's just too tall and awkward for my close situations. :(

Jonathan

Yea, there you go -- exactly the same problem I'm having. It's basically a bad design. The mic should've been below or parallel to the lens, or better yet, been adjustable.

Hum, so it's the lens that creates your shadow..? In my case (I'm using a wide lens) it's the microphone that makes the shadow.

Anyways, those bracket mounts seem a bit unwieldy to me, but I guess it's the only way out. If you decide to get one, tell me how it works out for you.

-- peer

Oops, sorry Peer, it is the mic that's making the shadow. I meant that I'd have to put the light really far forward over the lens (stock 20x) since the end of the mic comes out as far as the lens.

Sorry for the confusion.

Jonathan