Microphone Advice

[Zambezi]

Hi

Could anybody out there recommend a microphone for a Panasonic HC-V700 video camera? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[smrpix]

Your question is really too broad to be meaningful. Any microphone with a 1/8" jack can be plugged into it. Also note that there is no place to mount a microphone on the camera itself.

What do you want this microphone to do that the built-in one cannot?

[Zambezi]

Thank you for your response smrpix. The camera comes with a shoe adaptor (which slides into the top of its back) on which an external mike can be fitted. I would want to use an external mike for all the usual reasons, including improved sound quality and less wind noise (using a sock). Was just wondering if anyone had some useful info on which mikes would be the best for this little camera, also taking price into consideration – or whether I should just buy the Panasonic mike. I mostly shoot nature and landscapes for photo agencies but recently filmed a wedding and was not pleased with the sound quality. I also film with a Canon D5 Mk II.

[smrpix]

What I ws trying to get at, and I should have been more specific, is that different situations require different kinds of microphones. At a wedding, for example, a wireless lavalier on the officiant may be the best way to record the ceremony.

If you're looking for a "replacement" shotgun for the camera, look into Rode and Sennheiser offerings.

A separate stereo recorder such as Zoom and Tascam are excellent for audio ambience in nature situations and have the advantage of being isolated from camera/finger noise.

[Cornucopia]

"Taking price into consideration". That could be anything from "I want it almost free" to "I don't want to spend more than the cost of my cadillac".

What situations will you be using it in?
Do you have a dedicated audio person to control it?
Interior or Exterior or both?
What's you ACTUAL, drop-dead budget limit?
What equipment, beyond the Panny & Canon, do you already have?
and finally...
How much do you know about audio?

Read some of my past posts on this subject (they're too lengthy to reiterate here).
They deal with:
PLACEMENT
PICKUP PATTERN / SENSITIVITY
ENVIRONMENT & SUBJECT
FORM FACTOR
and finally QUALITY (incl. Freq. Response, Self-noise, Distortion levels, etc).

All those come into play, to varying degrees of importance, in your shoot scenarios.

Scott

*Plus, what smrpix has said so far is dead-on.

[Zambezi]

Thanks again smrpix and thank you Cornucopia. In response to the latter I posted my query in the Newbie section so that should give you some idea of how much I know about audio. But I am learning and will look into your posts and others too. I'm simply seeking advice on a good microphone to improve the sound quality on my video recordings. I do not want a set of microphones for different occasions and I work alone, without the luxury of a dedicated audio person. I think value for money is more important than budget limits but perhaps something between $50 and $200. (I do not need an overkill for the V700 I'm using.)

[smrpix]

I do not want a set of microphones for different occasions

...and I do not want to get cold in the winter or hot in the summer -- what inexpensive heater can handle both?

Here is the answer you think you want:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Brand_Sennheiser&ci=6907&N=4042754122+42160...123+4291226455

I have nothing but nice words for the classic Rode videomic, even though its only mono.

[Zambezi]

Thanks for your help smrpix. I have ordered the Rode VideoMic Pro. (I've read the reports and know it's a bit flimsy!)

[smrpix]

The isolation mount isn't bringing home any design awards, but it's very effective.

[Zambezi]

Good to hear and thanks again!

[Cornucopia]

Sorry, couldn't get back earlier. Glad smrpix helped.

Given the parameters you mentioned, particularly the budget (which, BTW, you should be made aware, is at the very BOTTOM of the tiers of professional microphone costs), doesn't really leave you much to work with. I'm not trying to insult you, just wanted you to be truly aware of where it fell in the scheme of things.

If that mike is a shotgun pattern (as opposed to omnidirectional or unidirectional/cardioid or super-cardioid or hyper-cardioid), that would be better for your needs (as it would act as if it was "zoomed-in" to directly in front of you). Note that there is always some additional coloration with shotguns, as opposed to those other patterns, particularly omnis.
IIWY, I'd also (when budget is available) get a good quality wireless lavalier mike (minimum cost good ones are ~$250).

You want good audio? Think like an audio person & put audio quality at the top (at least temporarily). Close your eyes and LISTEN to the scene/subject. Do it with and without your ears cupped forward. Do it covering one ear (to hear what non-directional mono signal sounds like). ALWAYS monitor your signal when shooting - you wouldn't shoot video without looking at the monitor, would you?

Scott

[budwzr]

For me, I don't want stereo or 5.1 because each channel is going to pick up slightly different sound and that complicates mastering.

Also, you need a gain control and limiter, and possibly a compressor in your camera, or you're just whistling Dixie. The $229 Rode mic only has a three position gain control.

The $119 version "On Sale" $30 off, of the Rode mic is a good deal if you have a recorder to plug it into. You can still mount it to the camera and keep the recorder in your pocket. Use a good quality earbud type headset and feed it up under your shirt. In fact, I'm going to pick that up myself. It's on sale prolly because of the fakkakta mount.

You already saved $100 on the mic, so you can add another $100 and get a Zoom H2n recorder. Now you have a "system" for doing all sorts of recording of everything from music to explosions to speech independent of the camera, or with the camera.

[budwzr]

Whoo-hoo! Thanks smrpix. $30 off, no tax, no shipping. What a great father's day gift.

[Zambezi]

Thanks Scott and budwzr for all the time you've taken in responding to my query. I'm looking forward to learning more about the audio side of video . . . and trying the Rode out.