Just bought my first camcorder. I'm still learning my way around it, but ultimately want a decent shotgun mic for it. I'm willing to pay reasonable money, but I want something sturdy that I know will fit well on the camcorder, no vibrating. The manual suggests DM-50s, and MA-300s, but I really don't know enough about it. What should I look for?
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shotgun mic for canon gl2?
- Thread starter mbaileyh
- Start date
What are you trying to accomplish? While camcorder makers depict microphones attached to the camera, that is, by far, the worst possible way to capture audio. No matter which microphone you choose, it should be placed within 12"-18" of the talent. With a microphone attached the the camera, that puts the camera REALLY close to the talent.
If you're just shooting the kids birthday party or the family picnic, you may get marginally better sound than the stock onboard camera mic.
If you are wanting to shoot movies and capture clean dialog, then there are a few options, all placing the microphone close to the talent.
In order of preference and quality of results:
1. Shotgun (for outdoors) or hyper (for indoors), placed on a boom pole and secured by a shock mount, held overhead with the mic pointed at a an aproximately 45degree angle, aimed at top of the talent's breastplate. The shotgun/hyper choice is a generalization and some overlapping occurs. For outdoor use, wind protection is needed, going from a simple softie to full blimp and windjammer. The person holding the boom monitors the microphone via headphones and adjusts placement for best dialog capture and rejection of extraneous sounds. Booming from below can be used but requires additional attention to reflections when performed indoors and unwanted ambient sounds when performed outdoors.
2. Plant microphones, hidden on the set, useful when talent is either stationary or action is predictable blocked.
3. Lav mics placed on the talent either wired or wireless.
All three approaches require a sound mixer riding levels on a mixer to accomodate variations in dialog level before sending the signal downstream to the recorder and/or camera.
There are plenty of books as well as forums which discuss production sound in detail.
It is far more complicated than simply asking what microphone do I attach to my camera.
Kinda like asking, I just bought a camera, don't know much about images, what lens do I strap on the front to take a picture.
If you're just shooting the kids birthday party or the family picnic, you may get marginally better sound than the stock onboard camera mic.
If you are wanting to shoot movies and capture clean dialog, then there are a few options, all placing the microphone close to the talent.
In order of preference and quality of results:
1. Shotgun (for outdoors) or hyper (for indoors), placed on a boom pole and secured by a shock mount, held overhead with the mic pointed at a an aproximately 45degree angle, aimed at top of the talent's breastplate. The shotgun/hyper choice is a generalization and some overlapping occurs. For outdoor use, wind protection is needed, going from a simple softie to full blimp and windjammer. The person holding the boom monitors the microphone via headphones and adjusts placement for best dialog capture and rejection of extraneous sounds. Booming from below can be used but requires additional attention to reflections when performed indoors and unwanted ambient sounds when performed outdoors.
2. Plant microphones, hidden on the set, useful when talent is either stationary or action is predictable blocked.
3. Lav mics placed on the talent either wired or wireless.
All three approaches require a sound mixer riding levels on a mixer to accomodate variations in dialog level before sending the signal downstream to the recorder and/or camera.
There are plenty of books as well as forums which discuss production sound in detail.
It is far more complicated than simply asking what microphone do I attach to my camera.
Kinda like asking, I just bought a camera, don't know much about images, what lens do I strap on the front to take a picture.
And GP - who knows his stuff, BTW - didn't even bring up the question of budget. A decent mic to he and I is probably in the neighborhood of about $1,000, and my preference for just the shotgun would be the $2,000 Schoeps CMIT5U. Spend an equal amount on the cardioid, $300+ each on lavs, $3,000 each on the wireless, mixer, recorder, boom... you get the idea.
So decide if you want to start putting together a solid production sound kit (the basics will cost between $2k and $3k), want to go ultra-micro-budget sound or just a passable mounted prosumer mic like the Rode VideoMic Pro.
So decide if you want to start putting together a solid production sound kit (the basics will cost between $2k and $3k), want to go ultra-micro-budget sound or just a passable mounted prosumer mic like the Rode VideoMic Pro.
Sooo, posting this under newbie was the right way to go? 
Well to answer GP's question first, I'd be using it to shoot everything. Though I'm sure for the next few months 99% of whatever I film will be indoors. The reality is that I won't have anyone to hold a boom except for perhaps a "walk and talk" type shot. (My first notion is for a mock-training video based on Ghostbusters) Ideally lav's I could attach to the talent would be phase 2 of my audio development.
As I'd understood a shotgun mic's benefit was that it could pick up dialogue/etc slightly in a more focused way allowing it to be a few feet away. It sounds as if this isn't the case.
A filmmaker's blog about audio equipment suggested the Azden SGM-1X, and most other mic's discussed were in the $150-300, Alcove are you suggesting that this is too cheap, or should I just surmise from your name that you have only the best of the best audio equipment anyway. Ideally I'd love to spend about $200-250 on a mic, and another 500-700 for equipment (proper booms, cables, headphones). The reason I want something compatible w/ the gl2 is that it displays basic sound levels, and as I mentioned I'll rarely have someone to devote to sound personally, so I figured I'd just practice working on monitoring and adjusting levels on the device itself and that knowledge would help inform me what equipment I wanted to buy in the future.
Well to answer GP's question first, I'd be using it to shoot everything. Though I'm sure for the next few months 99% of whatever I film will be indoors. The reality is that I won't have anyone to hold a boom except for perhaps a "walk and talk" type shot. (My first notion is for a mock-training video based on Ghostbusters) Ideally lav's I could attach to the talent would be phase 2 of my audio development.
As I'd understood a shotgun mic's benefit was that it could pick up dialogue/etc slightly in a more focused way allowing it to be a few feet away. It sounds as if this isn't the case.
A filmmaker's blog about audio equipment suggested the Azden SGM-1X, and most other mic's discussed were in the $150-300, Alcove are you suggesting that this is too cheap, or should I just surmise from your name that you have only the best of the best audio equipment anyway. Ideally I'd love to spend about $200-250 on a mic, and another 500-700 for equipment (proper booms, cables, headphones). The reason I want something compatible w/ the gl2 is that it displays basic sound levels, and as I mentioned I'll rarely have someone to devote to sound personally, so I figured I'd just practice working on monitoring and adjusting levels on the device itself and that knowledge would help inform me what equipment I wanted to buy in the future.
If you are bound and determined to do it without any help get the Rode VMP. It's a much better value that the original Rode VideoMic and will be a much better choice for indoors usage than a shotgun.
Stay away from Azden gear, it's bottom of the barrel consumer junk.
BTW, if you don't consistently monitor your audio on the set you are asking for trouble - get some decent headphones like the Sony MDR-7506.
Stay away from Azden gear, it's bottom of the barrel consumer junk.
BTW, if you don't consistently monitor your audio on the set you are asking for trouble - get some decent headphones like the Sony MDR-7506.
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Its not that I'm bound and determined, just acknowledging what will be practical. Will the Rode VMP be able to attach to a boom, or perhaps be planted on set? Or does it only mount onto the canon itself? And yes, headphones are a must, thanks for the brand suggestion.