Pana Stereo zoom mic feedback
 

Who's got this Panasonic, "stereo zoom mic VW-VMS1, w/adaptor?" What do you think about it? It seems to sell for about 22,575 Japanese Yen.

No one's got this Pana mic, eh? :-((

Frank, I don't know about audio qualities of this mic.
If you consider it your cam's hot shoe mount would power it up (no batteries). To be in synch with the camera zoom you have to conect it with short proprietary cable to the cam's minisystem port (MX5000 have it).

Does youre cam have all these?

Some specs:
100Hz-13000Hz in full wide mode
100Hz-8000Hz in full tele mode

As I said in other thread the oncamera zoom mic on GS100 introduced a lot of hiss and low quality high frequencies in the tele range. The specs here for VMS1 confirm that observation for a zoom mic.

For comparison the non zoom 2 patern VW-VMS2:
100Hz-20000Hz

According Peter Jefferson it's a resonable mic which is better than onboard mics but lacking in the upper range a bit.

If I buy it I can tell more.

I'm not sure about the audio specs for my cams (DVL9500 & MX300). I'll dig in their manuals.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with the Apex 191, if I can find a good hot-shot attachment (shock mounted). If this doesn't work out, I'll just go with the best stereo zoom I can find that'll work on my cams (self-powered). And that is another problem: determing which is "the best," and if it'll work with both my cams. With the DVL, however, I'll have to clamp it to my tripod.

Yes Frank,
That seems to be best decision for you.
Anyway stereo zoom mics are rare and usually very proprietary - made for certain camera model, so if you go that way you should research for your cams exactly.

Looking at the other thread the shock mounts seem bound for shotgun mics. That means they are long (about 70-80mm). But in the same time the Azden or the Apex you are talking about also seems not very short.

I have nice stereo AT mic (same class as Sony 907/908), which is very short and small diameter. I've been wondering how to find means of mounting it too.

I’ll post some AT links on the other thread.

I'm thinking self-powered mic.

Here are the specs in my manuals

NTSC - GR-DVL9500U
External microphone input: -68 dBs, high impedance unbalanced with Ø3.5 mm (stereo)
Audio output: 8dBs, 1k0 analog output (via AV OUT connector))

PAL - NV-MX300A
Microphone: Stereo
Audio Output Level: 316 mV, 600 ohm
Audio Input Level (Line): 316 mV, 10 kohm or more
Mic Input: -50 dB (0 dB = 1 V/Pa, 1 kHs) (Stereo mini jack)

This is fine for any consumer or prosumer mic with stereo mini plug.

If you want zoom mic how you'll controll the zoom? Could you find specific mics?

The Pana mics (VMS1 and VMH3) are draining power from the cam (they are not self powered) and use the on camera zoom to zoom (no external slider to zoom manually or some sort of that).

You should search Sony or JVC zoom mics if they have something that would work for you.

Hope that helps.

I would have to get Pana's MX zoom stereo mic, I guess---but I'm looking at other Apex cardioid/hyper and stereo options. Actually, Bryan's doing a bunch of research of a good cheap mic solution.Some are short.

<<<-- Originally posted by Frank Granovski : I would have to get Pana's MX zoom stereo mic, I guess---but I'm looking at other Apex cardioid/hyper and stereo options. Actually, Bryan's doing a bunch of research of a good cheap mic solution.Some are short. -->>>
Hello Frank,

I´am looking too for the VW-VMS1E Zoom Microphone. I have an Pana MX500.
My Question is ? need the Microphone the Adapter Cable VW-CE1E to mount it on the Pana MX-500.

Thanks

Tom

VW-CE1E

Yes Tom you need that for zoom control.

Hi guys

I got that mic.....The mic has 2 cables, one is to the MIC socket of my MX300. The other cable controls the zoom which plugs into the EDIT connector on my MX300.

However the mic does not come with the adaptor to connect the mic and the MX300. Instead, the connect was supplied as an accessory when I bought the MX300.

Hope this helps.

Alan

Tom,
I would check if your MX500 have the EDIT mini system connector.
The Japanese MX5000 have it for sure.

It has also hot plug shoe while the DV953 (the US version) is only a cold shoe as far as I know.
The zoom mic VW-VMS1 is drawing power from the hot shoe and if MX500 is cold shoe you can't use this mic.

No the mic does not draw power from the camera. It draws it from the edit connector. There is no connection pin on the shoe (is it shoe??) of the mic. It is just a plane block with a screw to secure it to the MX300 hot shoe.

Actually in the catalog it's written it takes power from the camera - not specified how. Alan gave the answer - trough the adaptor cable connected to the minisystem Edit plug.

In the catalog next to that mic is the VW-VMH3 for which it's also written similar thing but as it doesn't come with any cables naturally it draws it's power from the hot shoe on GS70/100.

So my mind's been drawn to think that VMS1 is also powered by the hot shoe. Sorry about that.