External Mics

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Almondo99
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External Mics

Post by Almondo99 »

Hey would it be worth it to buy an external mic and what would be a cheap, but good one?
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BrownCowStudios
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RE: External Mics

Post by BrownCowStudios »

An external mic should be one of the first pieces of equipment to buy after a camera. It is often said that sound is 70% of everything you see. Based on that, buying an external mic should be one of your top priorities.

What kind of mic are you looking for? Does it need to be a balanced XLR mic? Will an unbalanced 1/8" mini plug do the job? Will this be camera-mounted or boom-mounted? What is your primary use for the mic?

If you can give us more specifics, we can probably point you to a mic that would suite you well.
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Almondo99
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RE: External Mics

Post by Almondo99 »

I don't know what kind as long as it's cheap...
I think a camera mounted one would be better. What is a balanced mic? I've only used the one inside my camera which is very annoying because it doesn't pick up sound very well.
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BrownCowStudios
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RE: External Mics

Post by BrownCowStudios »

Take a look through this article: http://www.videomaker.com/scripts/article.cfm?id=10784

That should explain most of your questions about balanced and unbalanced connections. In short, XLR is balanced, while 1/8" mini plug is unbalanced. If you're looking to run the cable long distances, XLR will be the best solution. At runs of more than fifteen feet, you will begin to hear a buzz or hum if using an unbalanced connection. For on camera use, as you mention, a 1/8" mini plug will suite you just fine.

You may want to take a look at a few of these models:

Azden SGM-X
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... 751&is=REG

Azden ECZ-990
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... 646&is=REG


I haven't tried either of these models, though they seem to fit your needs. If you're going to go with either of those models, I'd definitely choose the SGM-X over the ECZ-990. I've used the SGM-1X (the XLR version of the SGM-X), and it's given me decent results. I can't speak for the mini plug version though.

Good luck!

--EDIT--

I just remembered another model you may want to look into.

Rode VideoMic
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... 083&is=REG

There is a short evaluation of this mic below. Scroll down to the bottom until you see a small "Rode VideoMic" icon.
http://dvestore.com/theatre/index.html#
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