Fx1000 mic question
 

What do people use for microphones on their FX1000. I currently have a PD170 and there is a good offer for a FX1000. I'd love to have 16:9 native and HD, but I'm looking at the audio inputs and they are all in the mini jack format, and it looks like there is only one.

Is this an issue for anyone else? Is I'd love to get the Z5 but right now its out of my price range, I just can't believe that Sony would make a great camera with out multiple XLR inputs.

Sound has been a real struggle for me. When I moved to these cameras and sold my DVX, I had to go into this mini-plug arena. I did get a Beachtek that does phantom but I discovered a good wireless system that has served me well.

I bought three NADY's from DAK. I got two lavs and a handheld that works on one of the lavs receivers.

I had a Shure wireless with XLR for my DVX and frankly it sucked. The NADYs are better.

I also bought a cheap Azden passive mixer.

I mounted the mixer with a plastic tie on the top handle of the FX1000. Then I velcroed the two receivers together (edge to edge) and put a large plastic tie around them and through the belt loop. I then ran the tie through the velcro handle strap on the FX. I then put velco (soft side) on the back of the mixer and receivers to keep them quiet.

The entire thing is portable and I have both a spiderbrace (its okay and I used it for some time with my DVX) and a siczzor type shoulder mount I got from ebay. We used it for a set visit on the Bill Murray film Get Low and it was fine. There were audio peaks at times, but nothing out of the oridinary.

The wireless mics are about eighty bucks each, so, I saved a couple hundred compared to higher end stuff. I noticed a radio station in Atlanta was using them for their video work and we compared notes concluding that they were pretty good mics.

Also, I have a couple external shotguns, but I use them with my HD1000U. It bears noting that the mic input on the FX1000 is different than the HD1000U. It is sturtier and gives me two channels with a stereo cable. I don't think I can get this except with a Beachtek on the HD1000. Also, remember that if you try to put a shotgun on a boom over a long miniplug cable, it may give you problems. I sometime use my H4Zoom as a boom on a tripod and I have had problems.

They make plenty with and plenty without. You get to choose whether you want to pay extra for them.

Just get a BeachTek or JuicedLink box. Problem solved. Much cheaper than upgrading to the Z5 if you don't need the extra features other than XLR.

I use the Rode VideoMic, starting with my FX1s and now with my FX1000s. It outputs mono to both channels, to my knowledge the only mic of its kind that does. You can use it on a boom or on the cam.

I use the Rode Videomic also, it is very good value and works perfectly with the FX1000, no need for XLR.

But to this day I regret I didn't hold out for the Z5. One of my cams has a juicedlink box and it throws the weight way off center, I really dislike the arrangement. The box is excellent, but you can't set the camera down without it tilting down, and it is very front heavy on the tripod, especially with a light.

Jeff and Adam, I also have the videomic. I haven't used it with the FX's but did with the 2100's and it didn't do so well in loud conditions (receptions). Have you experienced this?

Tim, in loud environments I use onboard mic of the FX1000. Otherwise I use the videomic but I use middle preset located in the battery compartment, as the default setting is too hot for me.

mics
 

I find the Senheisser MKE300 a good mic that handles wind and noisy places pretty well.

With the limiter on via the FX1000 u get a pretty good result.

I have a Beachtec type XLR box sitting in the kit for when I need it.

If you have a newer version (less than a couple of years old) you'll find attenuation switches inside the battery compartment. If your manual doesn't show these you can download a new one at the Rode site. They're very useful in loud situations. Also the Hi-Pass filter on the on/off switch has come in handy.

Thanks for the link, the JuicedLink box is exactly what I was looking for, in effect its the only thing that I really needed on the FX1000.

I love this site.

Thanks Adam, no switch on mine. I use the Rhode M3 set to -20db for the loud bands, it does a really good job. In fact it saved my butt at my daughters wedding a couple weeks ago. I wasn't my normal videographer self that day and I had the H2 set to med instead of low gain. I also use a drum mic/iriver in front of the bands monitors, I had the iriver set to 55, not the normal setting of 45. Both were pretty much unusable. My backup was the M3 on the FX1000 on the tripod a couple feet away from the monitors. Sounds pretty darn good, very useable.

That's my daughters favorite band......she would have killed me if I had came away without any audio.

which box?
 

Juiced box XLR box seems very bulky to me.

Any thoughts on this or which one is best to go for?

which box?
 

Juiced box XLR box seems very bulky to me.

Any thoughts on this or which one is best to go for?

Juicedlink is considered quieter than Beachtek, but I cannot back that up. It performs absoutely perfectly. I can't comment on Beachtek as I have no experience.

I have the phantom Beachtek and it is a little noisy with my EV phantom lav but quiet with my non-phantom Shure handhelds.

I have the MKE300 and it is very good. I'm cutting my show right now and I used it with a quick interview with some student filmmakers I shot on my HC9. I experimented with the MKE and the HC9's on camera mic. The MKE was way better.

I called the Juiced Wire guy before I bought my Beachtek and I went with the Beachtek because of price on ebay. Also, I think that all he had was a non-phantom at the time. But I'm convinced that the Juice is quieter. Have you guys watched the videos on the web with comparisons? Hearing is believing.

One other thing I noticed with the Beachtek was that if I have a 150 watt halogen on the camera and I use a dimmer (DIY dimmer), I get a hum on the audio.

You can't always tell this through the headphones (especially in noisy conditions). But it is evident is post.

I interviews Oscar nominated actress Karen Black about a month ago and I had some noise and hum and had to work it hard in post. It was the lights.

My LEDs do not have this problem but they aren't as good, of course.

Most of my shoots are me alone, and I just can't carry my two big light kits and everything else. You guys probably know what I mean.