Stupid question from a newbie about fuzzy mics
 

I noticed that some of the XL1 camera's have the fuzzy mcs..what is this for? I suppose it's for cutting down on wind? not sure..but please do tell

Thanks in advance

Not a "stupid" question at all, Adam!

Indeed, the "fuzzy" gizmos are windscreens such as those from Rycote and Lightwave Systems. Rycote makes one of the original, and arguably the best, such hairy windscreens, having won a technical Academy Award for their Windjammer and Softie products several years ago.

These hairballs are much more effective in gusty or high winds than conventional foam windscreens. Their principal is basically to diffuse the pressure fluctuations that cause low-frequency wind noise on mics. Rycote's screens also feature a relatively elaborate internal suspension to mitigate mechanical vibration transmission from the screen to the mic.

Just a side note... These will reduce your audio signal by 6-15 dB depeding on the actual unit. Another side note.. on the movie set we call them "dead cats" :-D

They also give your camera a more "cuddly" appeal.

When I see Rycote Softies listed, what do MH/SH/LH mean??

Barry,
Those acronymns had me bewildered for a while, too. They stand for Medium Hair, Short Hair and Long Hair, respectively. These may be particularly pertinent factors if, say, you are planning to use a Softie on your camera and don't want its "bangs" dangling into your frame. Also, long-hair Softies offer the greatest attenuation of wind noise but also attenuate all sound just a bit more.

I suppose that if someone errs they should err on the long-hair side. They would then have the option of taking the thing to a barber.

Rycote takes their hair very seriously, and packs a nylon brush with each (shotgun) Softie.