On camera mic recommendations?

I've just finished a project with DSLR footage. My video worked out fine but the audio from the in-camera mic sucked! The biggest problem was wind noise. I shoot outdoor stuff, primarily wildlife and some cycling. So I need a mic.

My reading suggests a shotgun mic would be the best option. There's a bewildering array out there with prices ranging from under $50 to around $5,000. As a hobbyist I can't justify the high end. Anyone have any experience and suggestions for mics in the $200 -$300 range?

Thanks.

I see a lot of DSLR users using Rode on-camera mics. Check out the Rode VideoMic Pro.

www.musiciansfriend.com/condenser-microp...c-adid%5E53736456387

---> Jarrod

If you're outdoors, a shotgun mic by itself won't do anything for wind. You'll want a blimp and a deadcat to go on it. That's what cuts the wind out.

For interviews and the like we normally use lavaliers. I always have an on-cam mic running for proper syncing and for that I indeed use the mentioned Rode Video Mic and it performs really well for an on-cam solution. A dead cat is available, I second Ben that you will need it if there's more than just a little breeze. It does a good job.

Not just deadcat, but a "blimp". That's a cage the encapsulates the mic, giving an area of dead-air around it. The deadcat directly on the mic won't do as good of a job. But it depends on your budget, how much wind you're dealing with, how often you need it.

Like Overturf stated, if you doing interviews, individuals talking, lavs are definitely the way to go. A long time ago my studio invested a good bit of money in a high quality wireless lav system, and it's some of the best money we ever spent. Second best money? A lav we can plug directly into an iPod Touch or iPhone, to stick in the subject's pocket. Yes, iPod Touch and iPhone will record amazingly clear and great quality audio. We plug our very high end, very expensive shotgun mic (with blimp & deadcat) directly into an iPod Touch to record audio, and love it. Light, compact, travels easy, great quality.

Squamish,
My recommendation is to look into an external recorder like a Zoom H4n/H6n. This are very nice units. Very portable, you can plug in additional mics, mix, level controls, control of bit/sample rates, can be mounted on pole, etc…
No matter what mic you get, if attached to a DSLR, you will not have the control and quality you can get with an external recorder. Use the on board DSR mic for syncing only and then use the external recorder sound.
Hope this helps, Greg

All this information is useful for me.

Jarrod, the Rode VideoMic Pro looks like it'll do well for what I need at the moment.

Ben, I checked the blimp/deadcat combo and found a YouTube test someone did and the results were impressive. The only drawback is the size and yet more gear to schlepp. Now I know it's possible to deal with stronger wind noise. It doesn't look like the Rode VideoMic is removable from its base so it could fit in a blimp. May have to invest in more gear to make that work.

Overturf, I'll order the Rode and the deadcat. Glad you mentioned using the combo.

Greg, I have an Edirol R09 which is pretty similar to the Zoom units. Once I get the mic I'll try them together.

Thanks to all of you.

Ed

"No matter what mic you get, if attached to a DSLR, you will not have the control and quality you can get with an external recorder."

Based on a few years of tests, since my Canon 7D was a ground breaking model, not really true, as stated. Yes, a DSLR's built in mics can suck. But plugging an external mic directly in to them is perfectly fine, gives you great audio quality, and saves the sync headaches in post. No reason to not plug an external mic directly in to your DSLR.

I've plugged a $2K boom mic, and an equally expensive lav system directly into my Canon 7D, compared it with several popular stand alone audio recorders, and they all were the same.

DSLR's have perfectly good audio processing and recording abilities for external mics. Something like a JuiceBox helps, too. So don't use an external recorder only for quality, you won't get the extra monies worth. Just plug a good quality mic into your DSLR with an appropriate I/O and you'll have amazing quality audio, and save time in post having to sync everything.

All that said, I've done several shoots in a studio, and the audio recorded off my 7D's built in mic was perfectly fine, great quality, when close enough to the talent. Not in all situations, but more than acceptable in more situations than I'd ever have thought it would be. And I came to video from doing sound for decades.

Yep, same here. I think it's perfectly fine to stick the lavaliers straight into the GH4. Really good results. There is a downside, though, and that is that it's limited to one channel only. I like to split my audio and have one backup channel at slightly lower level in case the voice or anything gets too loud and causes clipping. Also in situations with more than one subject talking you get to your limits here. Juice Box helps.

As Ben said above it is fine to plug a mic directly into your DLSR. However, you will not have much control over inputs. I use a Tascam DR-70D that I use to run 4 mic inputs to my DLSR. I use lavs for miking directly on a subject and a boom for environment sounds. II like this because I have a much better audio (up to 96K Hz @ 24bit) for backup if something goes wrong or I just want to have a better mix. In this way I can have better control of the mix and now that I am trying Mid-Side-mixing it's more useful.

Sure, just plug a mic in as it should provide better sound.

from the shoestring-budget-corner:

a) I'm using my iPhone and some designated 'recorder' app as ext.audio recorder. Due to size you can apply/hide the recorder + a lav to your subject.

b) bought a tiny box, called iRig Pre, which allows to connect XLR to my iPhone (or other 3.5mm plugs). It additionally offers 48V phantom power, if your mic asks for it.

LOVE the iRig Pre, very handy! And if you go directly to a DSLR, use a JuiceBox. If you record audio over 48kHz, remember you have have sync issues since most video cameras record audio at that sample rate. Mismatching sample rates can ruin your day.

BenB wrote: LOVE the iRig Pre, very handy! ...

My first interviews, I used my cheap lav with its 3.5mm connector on an extension cable of 5m = I caught any electronic hum in 1km distance :woohoo: .

Got then the tip to use XLR, and in that context the iRig ... awesome! And fits well into a small budgets…

Squamish,
My recommendation is to look into an external recorder like a Movo VXR500 Microphone for DSLR Video Cameras Whis is Metal Body.
The mic is clear! Be careful what you say because what was meant to be a whisper will end up being recorded. It picks up very well and it is clear, no distortions, and very handy.