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How would i use a shotgun mic with my consumer level camcorder?
A year ago I get a Panasonic PV-GS320 camcorder, and i quickly found that it had exceptional video quality, but was lacking in audio. I am looking at getting a very very low budget shotgun microphone (just to give me half- decent sound), but i know that i cannot attach an external mic to the camcorder (doesnt have an external mic plug). I was interested in the Audio-Technica ATR 55 microphone.
my questions are:
Is this a good buy?
What do i need to do to record the audio separately, and then get it onto my pc to edit together with the video on my sony vegas studio editing software?
What kind of external recorder do i need for this mic, or does it not matter (again, low budget).
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12 Replies
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Hello Tom and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum.
Please describe in detail any audio inputs of your camera.
Regards,
Ty Ford
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im not sure which inputs are audio, im pretty sure that i dont have any. but to be sure i will list all of the inputs.
AC input (for direct power, if there is no battery).
DV (4 pin firewire, to use w/ the computer)
Camera- comuter (usb)
then in a hidden compartment i have a A/V input which i think is for connecting to a television.
none of these are audio as far as i know. This is fine with me as long as there is an alternative to directly attaching it to the camera, such as recording the audio separately.
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Hello tom,
Your choices are wide; Battery-power is probably a good idea. There’s everything from a Sony mini-disc recorder like the Sony 200, that records 16-bit wav files to something like a Sound Devices 702 hard drive recorder. Roland makes a recorder and there are others.
You’ll want to make sure the device records at 48 kHz because that’s the sample rate most video editing system expect.
Regards,
Ty Ford
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so all i need to get is a sound recorder that records at 48 khz and that will hook up to my computer and external mic?
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oh, and my editing software can take be adapted to work with multiple sound rates, so the 48 khz wont be a constraint.
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ok, i looked at your suggestions, and i did some research by myself. Your suggestions were way too expensive for me, Do you know of anything that is, say, under 50 bucks (i’m only 15, so i dont need anything great, am interested in cinematography, so should be decent…)
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Tom,
Yes, that’s a problem for you. I have no solutions for a recorder and mic for under $50.
Regards,
Ty Ford
Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
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does the recorder have to come with the mic? im ready to spend 50 for each of them (100 total).
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Hello Tom,
Still no. Spend some time on the B&H audio site and get acquainted with the prices of things.
Regards,
Ty Ford
Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Watch Ty play guitar -
i see what you mean… I also thought that if i soldered inside the camcorder, and got 2 lead wires out that i could attach to the mic.
Is that too risky?
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