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OT: Inexpensive Quality Microphone: Suggestions?
This is just an off-topic inquiry: I’m making a short film, and I’m looking for a microphone; does anyone have any suggestions?
I want a relativley inexpensive, but good quality microphone. My camera does not have a hot shoe. (The camera is a Panasonic DV953) I want the microphone to be able to zero in on whatever it is pointing at: I don’t want to hear all the background noise around the scene I am shooting (my Camera’s internal mic does that already). I am not sure whether wireless is a good choice or not. I don’t really know all the pros and cons of them, and of course, some are better than others. I will be shooting under different lighting conditions so interference may cause a problem with those.(?) I also would like to be able to be flexible with it; If the mic mounts to the camera, I want to be able to unmount it from the camera and still use it. I’m probably asking too much, but I don’t need it to be perfect.
So, again, I’m just looking for any suggestions.
Thanks for your input,
Michael M.
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2 Replies
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There are a lot of choices but the first thing is how do you plan to use the mic? A wireless lav is great for some things and not for others, a shotgun the same, a hyper caroid or caroid has the same issues. If you’re looking for a “general purpose” mic depending on you’re budget again many many choices. AT 897, 4073 Sennheiser ME64,66,67 or 416. These are “shotgun” mics but remember that its the pickup pattern that counts. Shotguns generally are not the mic of choice when indoors unless it’s on a boom and within about 2 or 3 feet of the subject. On camera they will pick up ambient room noise to about 270 degrees or so deoending on the mic. Wireless lavs the same depending on the mic. I have caroid, omni caroid and uni directional mics for both of my wireless systems and use what is best for the situation. I use an AT897, a Sennheiser ME66 and an AKGSE300/CK93 hyper caroid the same way. For most outdoor work I tend to stick with the AT897 or the ME66(a bit hotter than the 897 – good for sports and news type work) but indoors for social events (weddings) I use the AKG hyper caroid. What I’m getting at is there is no 1 mic that will cover ALL the bases but for starters you might want to consider the AT897-it’s not expensive and does a really nice job. just remember that the only way to knock out ALL of the background is with the mic really close OR in a sound room.
HTHs
Don -
Thanks very much. It definitley helped.
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