[Dane Moreton]

Hahaha. Then, yes, there is a mystery on our hands. The GS works on the DSLR and not on the H2n. As I said, when I monitor the H2n, I can hear the mic work for about a second, and then it goes out.

Also, the Rode, works on both, which it always has, I just wanted to check.

[Dane Moreton]

Thanks. I guess that clears it up. If I can record something with the lav, then it doesn’t need power, and if I can’t than it does. I would have to purchase a power source for the GS lav if I want to record with a digital audio recorder that I own. I see that a 9V battery box can be found for about a buck, though I would have to build it to accommodate the mic, and I wouldn’t really know where to start.

GS does sell them for $25. I guess they also assume that I have a power source ready for the mic, and also assume that everyone who purchases from them is an expert, and probably also assumes that they have no duty to their customers to make any of this clear.

Anybody who is shooting with a Sony C300 is probably not running into this issue, as they are not independent, and working on a budget like mine. And, guess what? That’s at the low-end of cameras.

So, yes, I am aware that with lots of money, I can get the audio set-up that will be broadcast quality, and surely make angels cry with the clarity and beauty that it washes over all humankind, but I work with what I have, and am trying to record decent audio to a Zoom.

I am not in the market to selling any of my organs for fantastic sound, yet I want something that I can be happy with.

I find that, though DSLR’s are not made for the primary purpose of recording audio, with a shotgun mic attached, it does increase the quality, as it seems the major issue is with the mic, and not the recorder, though I’m sure the recording quality is still less than ideal.

I have looked at lav mics with and without power, some with preamps, some to be recorded with smartphones with no mention of needing power. All this being said, and me assuming that you can deduce that I am on a budget, what would you recommend I use, or purchase, at this point, to get usable audio from an interview subject?

Please keep in mind that I have only one good kidney, and I cannot get rid of another one.

[Dane Moreton]

Thanks for your response.

The shotgun is a Rode vidomic, with a 3.5mm plug. The camera is a Nikon D5300. The Rode has it’s own power, a 9V battery. The lav, a Giant Squid, does not have it’s own power. By “it’s own power” I mean a battery or energy/electrical source that may allow it to be powered independently without using phantom power from another source (a camera, or audio recorder, etc.).

Both the Zoom H2n and the Nikon D5300 accept 3.5mm plugs. No adapters were used, as it was not necessary. Also, not extension cords were used either.

Perhaps my qualm is with Giant Squid for not telling me I “may” need to power the mic with something other than what it is plugged in to.

I hope this helps.