Best mics for self-shooter?

[asdf]

Any recommendations for sound devices that I can use to shoot drama videos? I'm a self-shooter and so a boom wouldn't be appropriate.

Radio mics seem the best but I don't know what to use other than Sennheiser.

[yommytacoe]

It doesnt take a ton of experience to hold a boom mic. why not just get someone to help you?

Also, what kind of camera are you using? If your camera has XLR imputs i would recommend the Rode NTG2.

If your camera just has an 1/8 inch jack, theres the rode videomic and the rode stereo videomic. or buy a Beachtek adapter which allows you to plug xlr mics into cameras with only 1/8 inch jacks.

[Huy Vu]

Forget about getting good results with a camera mounted mic, even a $2000 Schoeps would sound like crap. For narrative there's no excuse not to have someone on boom, even an untrained friend. Wireless simply doesn't sound good unless you spend some serious coins and it's not a shortcut that I recommend you take.

[egproductions]

I have a rode videomic. It is very nice for the price but if you can get anyone to hold a boom over the talent, it is going to make all the difference in the world no matter what mic you use.

[TRIPxCORE]

Instead of the Beachtek adapter, I found this one which I bought and is a bit cheaper.

http://www.signvideo.com/xlr-pro_xlr_adapter-audio-mixer.htm

[Kevin Lee]

Forget about getting good results with a camera mounted mic, even a $2000 Schoeps would sound like crap. For narrative there's no excuse not to have someone on boom, even an untrained friend. Wireless simply doesn't sound good unless you spend some serious coins and it's not a shortcut that I recommend you take.


Boom is better, yes. But I have a sanken cs1 and made a class video for my daughters school with it mounted to the camera. The teacher said shes been doing this for 27 years and by far this was the best she'd seen. All the viewers agree most of it was the audio and the ability to hear the subjects as compared to consumer cameras with onboard mics. A shotgun mic will make a ton of difference in many situations.

You say mostly drama videos, is that like a drama class stage production or like indi film drama production? In either case, get the mic closer than the camera if possible. The idea of having an external mic is to have the option to get that mic closer to the subject. The boom is the best answer to fantastic audio, but a shotgun camera mounted mic will be a step up from the standard camera mic.

[Huy Vu]

Camera mounted can work, we've all been in that situation where we just can't get anybody to hold a boom or it's just too run and gun to use one. It's always good to get into the habit of booming though, and not take shortcuts by relying too much on the camera mounted mic.

Camera mount an expensive microphone, and you might get good audio for one project. Learn how to boom a microphone, and you'll get good audio for every project.

[Kevin Lee]

Agreed!

And to the original poster, I have learned if you get good audio, the viewer intrest grows 200% from just having a nice picture.

[Rakesh Jacob]

I find it's more like 191.72% actually, u might wanna check ur stats Kdawg :p

[marlontorres]

Your visuals won't mean much if your movie sounds like crap.

[jmc]

If you are looking for an on-camera mic, I would suggest looking at the Audio-Technica 875 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/563843-REG/Audio_Technica__AT875R_SHOTGUN_MIC_KIT.html#). The samples I heard sounded quite good for a $200 mic, and it's nice and short.

But, as has been said, if you can, get the mic off the camera and closer to the source.