XL1S Mic?
 

What is the best way to get audio without getting a lot of motor noise? I'm using the onboard mic that came with the camera (the one plugged into the mini mic jack on the camera) and when I zoom in and out the sound from the camera is overwhelming. I am filming exclusively in the outdoors and I want to pick up all the surrounding sounds (less the camera). What would be my best option, excluding a boom mic. I need to be very mobile.

1. Would a high grade windscreen help? (One of the furry ones)

2. Should I use a shotgun mic that's not powered by the camera?

3. Would a System Isolator that attaches between the camera and the mic help (shock and vibration protection).

I do pretty good gathering video footage but my audio is not to good. Based on what I've read, I think maybe if I use an onboard and a wireless lav together it would give me the sounds I need and I could cut out the bad stuff at editing.

Good Info here. This forum is great. Thanks for the help guy's.

My Set-up:

Canon XL1S
Azden 111LT Wireless Lav
MA-100
All inside a CamKote.

Moving the microphone away from the cam is the best solution. However, using the Lightwave Systems Syetm Isolator and the Mini-Mount will make a lot of difference. I have the XL-1 and the Mini-Mount alone cut down motor noise considerably.

The furry windscreen (sometimes called a 'sock') will only cut down on wind noise. It will not cutoff zoom or motor noise.

Using a better mic offers other bonuses, but I am not sure it will cut down on noise without something like the Mini-Mount.

Lightwave also makes a generic Mini-Mount too.

Thank you Nathan, I appreciate your help........I am curious as to wether or not the onboard mic picks up motor noise electronically too. I thought at first that was the culprit until reading other post about vibrations coming through the mic holder could cause it. Would going wireless and using the isolation mount eliminate it totally?

May not solve the problem you have, but be sure that the mic clamp screw is not turned down too tight - that can increase coupling to the mic and reduce the effectiveness of the damping material in the mount.

Thanks Don....I'll give it a try.

I have the mini-mount alone on my XL-1 and have no problems. Oddly enough the old XL-1 has the mic mounted over the noisiest part of the camera!

You have to decide what is the best solution for you. Wireless would certainly comphensate for the problem you are having, however, is that the direction you want to go? Wireless is a great device to have in your quiver, but would you like that as your sole solution or would you like a camera mounted mic too?

If you can find a bud with an shock mount, you can determine whether a mini-mount will do the trick or not.

In general, wired mic are best, but mics located more than a few feet from the talent will not yield great sound. Mic mounted on the camcorder is probably the worst of all solution from a pure sound quality view. Wireless gives freedom at a cost, both higher $$ and potential for interference. It becomes a trade-off, and many shooters have all three modes available, using what ever is best for the project at hand.

Thanks Nathan & Don....I loosened the mic clamp screw and it did help some....I had it pretty tight.....Any how, I just had a crazy idea....I think I will put the camera on my tripod, take the mic out of the clamp, hold it in the same position with one hand and then zoom in and out. If the motor noise does not come through then I will try the mini mount....and if it does, then I will say the noise is coming through electrically or it's just flat picking up the sound waves put off by the camera.

Mini Mount
 

Just a quick note - If you plan on buying a mini mount, be aware that if you continue to use the basic XL1 mike, the cord is very short and you might be putting a lot of stress on the cord - I actually stopped using the mini mount because it was beginning to cause noise in the cable!

On camera mic
 

I know this sounds way too easy, but Canon offers a hot shoe microphone, the DM-50, that has given incredibly clear results for me while recording ambient nature sounds and live concerts.

It has stereo settings for 180 and 360 degree range, plus a mono setting for shotgun affect.

This mike is incredibly sensitive, even for distance sounds, and picks up absolutely no camera noise, motor or zoom.

Hope this helps

R.Webb

Sorry Richard, but the DM-50 is not compatible with the XL1 or XL1S. The accessory shoe on these camcorders is not "hot" (that is, not wired). The DM-50 will work only with the Canon GL2, Optura Xi, Optura 40/30, Elura 70/65, and some previous generations of the Optura and ZR series. Hope this helps,

DM-50
 

Thanks Chris,

I do not own the XL-1S yet, but have used the DM-50 only on the GL-2.

What do you do to get a shotgun mike on the XL-1S ?

Richard

You get any Shotgun provided with a 1/8 or XLR connector. Every shotguns in the pro range come with an XLR connector.