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  1. Member amriteshvara's Avatar
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    I looking for a Shotgun Mic for Canon Vixia HF S20. This camcorder has a mini hot shoe (Why canon put there that mini trouble?)

    1. There is Canon DM-100 $ 150 but would like to use my shotgun on a boom sometimes. MD-100 is on cam mic only.

    2. Than I found
    Sony ECM-CG50 Pro Shotgun Microphone - $179 + $20 hot shoe adapter. Not sure if its better than DM-100.


    3. Rode VideoMic - Camera Mounted Shotgun Microphone - $149 + $20 hot shoe adapter - its a dissent piece for that price but its size scare me. My HF S20 is too small.

    4. Rode VideoMic - Rode VideoMic Pro Compact Shotgun Microphone - $230 + $20 hot shoe adapter - great chose but a little bit price for me.

    5.
    Sony ECM-673/9X Shotgun Microphone - $239.95 + $20 hot shoe adapter - kind of expensive and Phantom Powered (not sure if I can use it)
    6. Sony ECM-VG1 Electret Condenser Microphone - $239.95 + $20 hot shoe adapter - same problems as #5.

    7. Azden SMX-10 Stereo Microphone - $65.95 + $20 hot shoe adapter - not sure if it's good enough


    8. Azden ECZ-990 Supercardioid Shotgun Mic - $59.95 + $20 hot shoe adapter - not sure if it's good enough.

    Here is my B&H wish list. You can look specs there:
    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=wishlisting&A=wishlistDetail&Q=&li=40EB27199F

    What do you recommend?
    Any other suggestions?

    Last edited by amriteshvara; 15th Jul 2011 at 17:07.
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  2. Forget about the two phantom powered Sonys (5 & 6), not only youŽll need some way to feed the phantom power but they also have XLR connectors, youŽll need an adapter for that (XLR to miniplug)
    # 2 should be simmilar in terms of sound quality to the Canon
    # 3 Is also very good but if youŽre concerned about is itŽs size and weight, you could also look at this:
    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/518701-REG/Audio_Technica_PRO_24_CM_Pro_24CM_Stereo.html
    wich probably isnŽt as good as the Sony or Rode models but could be slightly better tha the Azden ones.
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  3. Member amriteshvara's Avatar
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    Thank you. I have an XLR connector and probably will take Rode VideoMic Pro Compact Shotgun Microphone for $230. This Vixia camcorder I'll use 2-3 years maximum. Canon DM-100 will work only with few canon models. Better I spend more money and will get good quality mic wich is compatible with other camcorders. I don't like only 2 thinks about this Rode: 9v battery and it's mono.
    Audio-t pro-24cm is too noise according to many reviews but thank you for suggestion.
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  4. aBigMeanie aedipuss's Avatar
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    shotgun mics are mono, even if they record in stereo the signal is from a single point.
    --
    "a lot of people are better dead" - prisoner KSC2-303
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  5. Member edDV's Avatar
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    Some warnings.

    Don't expect non-Canon hot shoe mics to work in the Canon hot shoe. Get some proof.

    XLR mics are usually low 150 ohm impedance and won't work with a high impedance consumer camera external mic jack without a matching transformer (Shure A96f) or mic mixer (e.g. Beachtek DXA-2t).

    High impedance mics can't use cables longer than about 4ft without picking up noise.

    The S20 will not provide phantom power.
    Last edited by edDV; 18th Jul 2011 at 03:26.
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  6. Member amriteshvara's Avatar
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    I decided to go with Rode mic which works with 9v battery and ordered Pearstone CSA-II Shoe Adapter for Canon Camcorders
    to connect Rode to Canon VIXIA HF S20 (it has mini shoe). I understand that will be just cold shoe. Will Rode work with Canon Vixia HF S20 well?

    I should receive soon Sony ECM-44B lavalier mic and Pearstone LMT100 - Low to High Impedance Matching Transformer (1.5'). Will it work with my camcorder well? Sony ECM-44B has 10' cable and works with 'AA' Battery.
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  7. Member edDV's Avatar
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    The Rode VideoMic camcorder mic works with my Canon HV series.

    You're going to need an adapter (two mono miniplug to stereo miniplug) to use both mics at the same time. But I suggest instead you use the Beachtek instead of the transformer to get manual audio level control.

    Better to manually set levels using headphone and peak meters rather than auto gain control. The latter produces nonprofessional level pumping.
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  8. Member Cornucopia's Avatar
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    Originally Posted by aedipuss View Post
    shotgun mics are mono, even if they record in stereo the signal is from a single point.
    aedipuss,
    you just made it clear to us that you don't know what you're talking about WRT audio & stereo...

    Most shotgun mikes are mono, but not all. It usually doesn't make sense to have a stereo shotgun mike because of it's high directionality, but that doesn't preclude the use, just makes the times where it's appropriate much rarer. (Kind of like a zoomed-in wide angle lens)

    "Single Point stereo" is another matter. The common Blumlein X-Y stereo microphone placement, the common M-S stereo mike placement, and the esoteric Soundfield (W-X-Y-Z) mike are all examples of essentially "single point" stereo mikes.
    Sure, I like spaced pickups (with it's intrinsic Inter-Aural Delay), like ORTF or Binaural, better, but these other layouts have been in common usage for over 50 years!

    Because of its longitudinal wavefront, slower medium speed, and the relative size of the sensor plane vs. the phase & frequency of the wave, multi-directional sound can often be clearly picked up from a single point. All has to do with the sensors' pickup polar patterns/directionalities and how they'll mix together. Not at all like stereoscopic video (big difference with wavefront & relative size).

    Sorry, not trying to diss you here, but we want to have good info coming from this site, right?

    Scott
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