what microphone is for the gh1

[yia]

what other mic do you guys use on the gh1 beside the dmw-ms1 from pannasonic

[Abstract Photog]

Sennheiser MKE400 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=130270616172)
iv never used it personally, but Iv heard good things from 5D users.
it should work just fine with the GH1.

[dan_aka_jack]

apparently the Rode VideoMic is also good for the GH1. I haven't used it myself although I will probably buy one this week (unless there's a good reason not to!)

[DonalDuc]

Not VideoMic (only mono) ... StereoVideoMic! Or did you mean this?

http://de.rodemic.com/microphone.php?product=StereoVideoMic

http://666kb.com/i/bag7zmrjesfcdcsbz.jpg

http://666kb.com/i/bag82guqnqm01elwv.jpg

In Germany there are (two) dealers, the sell GH1 (red or golden) with Pana-Mic and bag for regular price - 25% :-)

[Kevin I]

The Videomic is nice for the price, but as DonalDuc said -- it's only mono. (there are very few stereo shotgun mics... and most shotgun mics (except the upper end) tend to have mediocre bass response)

I've also used a Sony ECM-S959C (stereo) on the GH1. This was about a $300 mic and is not bad, but I don't think they make it anymore.

One thing to note is that you will need a 3.5mm -> 2.5mm adapter cable since the GH1 audio input is a 2.5mm jack.

You can spend waaaay more on good audio than most video cameras. It's pretty scary when you start looking at prices.

[Mike@AF]

Anyone have experience with the Rode and the Sennheiser? I usually gravitate to Sennheiser and wondering if one is better than the other?

[saaby]

I'm wondering if a hotshoe-mount mic is the best option, or a traditional shotgun in some kind of holder. For example, if I want to eventually get the Zoom recorder...then I think I'd rather have a traditional XLR-yielding Shotgun.

I have a XLR->RCA cable, and then on the RCA end I have a RCA->2.5mm adaptor. Should work, though I admit I haven't been able to try it yet.

[Kevin I]

I'm wondering if a hotshoe-mount mic is the best option, or a traditional shotgun in some kind of holder. For example, if I want to eventually get the Zoom recorder...then I think I'd rather have a traditional XLR-yielding Shotgun.

There's usually a balance between: convenience, quality, and cost. Most of the time you can choose only two.

Hot shoe mounted mics are the most convenient and can be inexpensive, but they rarely yield the best quality.

A sound operator with a mic on a boom close to your subjects is often the best way to go for audio quality, but it is seldom convenient.

Wireless lapel mics are convenient and yield pretty good quality for a single subject (or multiple subjects if you have a field mixer and operator), but good ones are rarely cheap.

...

XLR is definitely the best connector, but 1/4" plugs are not too bad when XLR and balanced audio are not available. We used to use a Zoom H4 at work, and if memory serves, it can take a variety of connectors -- including XLR and 1/4".



I have a XLR->RCA cable, and then on the RCA end I have a RCA->2.5mm adaptor. Should work, though I admit I haven't been able to try it yet.Please do be careful with the 2.5mm jack. 3.5mm are the bane of many audio set ups, and 2.5mm jacks are even worse. They tend to be fidgety, and pull out or drop connections at the worst times possible. :embarasse

If you have a straight RCA to 2.5mm adapter hanging off the side of the GH1, it puts quite a bit of pressure on the sensitive mini jack.

What I'd recommend is a short adapter cable with an L-shaped 2.5mm jack on one and and whatever connector you need on the other end. Plug it in and tape it down so the 2.5mm plug cannot move during your shoot.

[dan_aka_jack]

I have heard that the Rode VideoMic (mono) has better "reach" than the Panasonic mic. I presume this is because the Rode is a "proper" shotgun mic. I'm not too bothered by having stereo sound. Plus I just want a mic which will be suitable for really run-and-gun situations. For all other situations I'll record audio to my Endirol R-44 4-channel SD recorder.

[e-steve]

I have the Sennheiser MKE400 and it is a really great little mic. I have larger more expensive mics, but the MKE400 sounds great and is ultra portable. I am still waiting on my GH1 to arrive this week, so I'll post some tests when I receive the camera!

[Ozpeter]

I heaved my Rode stereo videomic out of the cupboard and plugged it into my GH1 via a suitable adaptor, but the result was only mono.

Either the connector on the camera needs a four-pole plug (as I've seen suggested) or the adaptor isn't fitting well. It may need its plastic casing shaved back a bit (on the adaptor, not the GH1!!) but I suspect there's money to be made by someone able to make up a short cable adapter using connectors that actually fit and work. I certainly wouldn't want to try soldering onto one of those tiny connectors myself, particulaly if indeed the four pole version is required.

[Edit - I've now seen the other thread here re audio and 4 pole seems indeed to be required - http://www.calculatorking.com.au/pda-handhelds/headsets/blackberry-audio-adapter-2-5-to-3-5.html seems to be the kind of thing. I'll get one and report back again.

[simonclivehughes]

Either the connector on the camera needs a four-pole plug (as I've seen suggested) or the adaptor isn't fitting well.

The Panasonic mic's connector is only 3-pole, and looks to be standard in size and configuration.

Cheers,

[Fictionfeatures]

I used sennheiser mics for a while and they're great but over the last few months I've been using the Rode NTG-2, great mic. Great sound, check it out.

[Ozpeter]

The Panasonic mic's connector is only 3-pole, and looks to be standard in size and configuration.Thanks for that advice - in that case I'll take a knife to the 3 pole adapter and see if I can get it to fit better before spending more money.

[DonalDuc]

connector pana mic

http://666kb.com/i/bakruuk4dq2od9g8f.jpg

connector cable remote

http://666kb.com/i/baksfumkgzwcwbptb.jpg

http://666kb.com/i/b8df6anmxvsl60npj.jpg

[yia]

HERE IS MY QUESTION... IF I BUY THE dmw-ms1 FOR THE GHI, HOW DO I CAPTURE SOUND/ DIALOG WHEN IS THE MIC IS ON THE CAMERA SO FAR FROM THE SUBJECT

[Mike@AF]

Why are you yelling?

[ryansheffer]

Hmm....the only thing in yia's sentence that should have been in caps was DMW-MS1, and strangely it is the only thing lower case.

[Martti Ekstrand]

Perhaps he was rudely making the point that it is always hard getting a good interview / actor sound from a onboard mike even if it's a shotgun. I haven't worried much about sound yet but I think I'll go with a separate recorder, preferably attached to a good sound guy, and use the onboard recording for synchronization. It does a decent ambience recording but as it's very close to your own mouth/nose like any camcorder mic it's really hard avoid recording yourself. I've recorded a lot of myself breathing like a anonymous caller and swearing like a drunk sailor.

[Noel Evans]

HERE IS MY QUESTION... IF I BUY THE dmw-ms1 FOR THE GHI, HOW DO I CAPTURE SOUND/ DIALOG WHEN IS THE MIC IS ON THE CAMERA SO FAR FROM THE SUBJECT

You dont. Any mic is rendered utterly useless if you try and capture dialogue from as far away as the cam.

[Ozpeter]

Thanks for that pic and very interesting diagram, DonalDuc - meanwhile the adapter I referred to above...


I've now seen the other thread here re audio and 4 pole seems indeed to be required - http://www.calculatorking.com.au/pda...-5-to-3-5.html (http://www.calculatorking.com.au/pda-handhelds/headsets/blackberry-audio-adapter-2-5-to-3-5.html) seems to be the kind of thing. I'll get one and report back again.has arrived and it's the wrong way round (large plug to small socket - which, now I look at the description, is what it says. Silly me. I'd still rather find that kind of adapter (one with a short lead) rather than the one-piece kind.

[Ozpeter]

HERE IS MY QUESTION... IF I BUY THE dmw-ms1 FOR THE GHI, HOW DO I CAPTURE SOUND/ DIALOG WHEN IS THE MIC IS ON THE CAMERA SO FAR FROM THE SUBJECTYou could use an extension cord and have the mic on a stand close to the dialog source but out of shot (of course) or you could get a trusty assistant to hold it, perhaps on an improvised boom if money is tight. But, an extension cord with those small connectors would be hard to find. I have one with 3.5mm connectors and using that with a Rode Stereo Videomic and a minidisc recorder actually works very well - if the recording device isn't connect to mains power, you should be able to get away with about 25 foot of unbalanced mic cable.

[menace3000]

Hi,
I bought the MKE400 but cannot find a suitable adapter.
Could anybody advise me where to get one, preferably in Germany / Berlin?
would this one fit?
http://www.order.conrad.com/cgi-perl/lshop.cgi?action=showdetail&wkid=1211256726&ls=d&nc=&rubnum=m34.co21.j66&artnum=941794&file=&gesamt_zeilen=0Tshowrub--m34.co21.j66&shop=
Thanks a lot.
menace

[Mike@AF]

I was going to try this from Radio Shack:

2.5mm to 3.5 mm Cell to Stereo Adapter
Model: FG-06-0518-1A
Catalog #: 274-004 (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2603246)

Does anyone have any idea if it will actually work or not?

[DonalDuc]

I bought the MKE400 but cannot find a suitable adapter.
Could anybody advise me where to get one, preferably in Germany / Berlin?
would this one fit?


I think connections should be 1:1 ... also should it work :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

http://666kb.com/i/banx4fxzchdgpxizz.jpg

[yia]

You could use an extension cord and have the mic on a stand close to the dialog source but out of shot (of course) or you could get a trusty assistant to hold it, perhaps on an improvised boom if money is tight. But, an extension cord with those small connectors would be hard to find. I have one with 3.5mm connectors and using that with a Rode Stereo Videomic and a minidisc recorder actually works very well - if the recording device isn't connect to mains power, you should be able to get away with about 25 foot of unbalanced mic cable.


thanks... this is what i'm looking for... sorry for the capital in my sentence, didn't mean to sound like i was screaming

[Ozpeter]

Mics and GH1 has got spread over a couple of other threads, which I'll link to here to ensure that their useful further info also gets read -

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=177740
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=177462

[saaby]

I went to Radio Shack today, and all they had was a honking huge adaptor that came straight out the side of the camera. I said 'no thanks'

I'll get one off ebay instead, like this one:

2.5 to 3.5mm adaptor (http://cgi.ebay.com/2-5MM-TO-3-5MM-HEADPHONE-EARPHONE-HEADSET-ADAPTER_W0QQitemZ110403122649QQcmdZViewItemQQptZPD A_Accessories?hash=item19b489f5d9&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A15%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C29 4%3A50#ht_1646wt_888)

(When somebody comes trailing in here 6 months from now, sorry for the dead link. It's a 2.5mm 90º jack, on a 1" lead, into a 3.5mm jack).

If you're in the US and you buy on eBay, make sure you find a USA seller!! There's usually one in there nestled among the hundreds of hong-kong listings. I've not necessarily got anything against the hong-king listings, but the US listings generally cost the same ±$.50, and come significantly faster.

[Ozpeter]

That looks just what's required - only catch can sometimes be that the shroud of the plug is too big to fit into the GH1 casing, in which case a little carving is necessary.

[philiplipetz]

I have used three Rode microphones. The StereoMic picked up way too much ambient noise and the sound of my hands on the camera. The VideoMic is very good and I use it for run and gun. By far the best is the NTG-2 semi-shotgun mic. It has much much better bass, but it was too large for a small cameras such as hybrid DSLRs to use with wide angle with the mic in the normal position; and if if I slid it backwards the sound was GREAT but the mic overhang the rear of the camera forcing me to use the LCD and not the viewfinder. There is a great kit with the NGT-2 and the necessary hotshoe suspension kit at BHPhoto for about $270. I have talked to the people at Rode and they recommend the NTG-3 but that is a shotgun condenser mic that costs many times more.

My concern about using hot shoe mounted mics on the GH1 is reports that the autogain adjusts so quickly that pauses in speech cause increases in gain and background noise. Any experience with this?

[e-steve]

http://www.vimeo.com/6354069

Here's a sample of my GH1 with the Sennheiser MKE400 and a radio shack adapter. Not too bad. The adapter I'm using here is a mono one, because it was shorter than the stereo one (didn't stick as far out from the camera).

Let me know what you guys think of the audio quality.

[Kerplunk]

If you are in the $300 range, you may want to check out the Audio-Technica AT-875R with the K-Tek K-SSM mount. This short shotgun mic has very low handling noise and can even be used as a stick mic (in a pinch).

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/495302-REG/Audio_Technica_AT875R_AT875_Short_Condenser_Shotgu n.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/323324-REG/K_Tek_K_SSM_K_SSM_Shock_Mount.html#accessories

You can read a review and listen to sound files here:
http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/right_mic_brockett.html

[FlyingDutchman]

Hi there,
just to let others know: I'm using my GH1 with a MKE400 with some HAMA adapter, it works perfectly fine to me (using it since a month now, haven't bothered to put samples in the internet - subject is too boring as far as I'm concerned ;)
Hama sell several adapters (2,5 male to 3,5 female), mono or stereo, only metal without a cable, or cable-based - just search on the hama-site....
They all cost just a couple of €, at least here in Germany :-)

[chinkster]

My 2 cents' worth:

The major problem with audio on the GH1 is the camera's horrendous AGC. To control it, get a Juicedlink preamp/adapter set (with or without phantom power, it's up to you) and then pretty much any mic mentioned here (Rode, Sennheiser etc) will sound great!

My personal setup is the Rode Videomic with the Juicedlink CX211. Why did I cheap out? Because I have a Zoom H4n for audio backup (but I realise this is not for everyone if only because of the extra $$$ involved). But a preamp/adapter is essential, and juicedlink probably gives you the best bang for the buck as of this date.

[dan_aka_jack]

Sounds interesting. How does the juicedlink control the camera's AGC? Does it send a constant, inaudible tone to the camera? If so, does this inject any audible hiss?

[chinkster]

I'll post a sample later. Got to go get a battery (or rather BATTERIES) for the Rode first (not being phantom powered) and you can judge for yourself. I'll post samples with and without the Juicedlink plugged into the GH1.

I know the Beachteks supposedly do inject that 19hz tone to fool the GH1... but there's no positive documentation anywhere I can find (now someone will probably post the info that I've been hunting for for the past 2 weeks). :-D

[Peter J. DeCrescenzo]

... I know the Beachteks supposedly do inject that 19hz tone to fool the GH1... but there's no positive documentation anywhere I can find (now someone will probably post the info that I've been hunting for for the past 2 weeks). :-D

Not "Beachteks" plural, but "Beachtek" singular, as in their model DXA-5D.

The DXA-5D's ability to workaround a cam's audio automatic level control/AGC is the whole point of this particular model. It's not top secret information, it's right on their website:
http://www.beachtek.com/dxa5d.html

But ... see also:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showpost.php?p=1747058&postcount=43

[chinkster]

Haha. Thanks for the info. No wonder I couldn't find it. I was under the impression that ALL the Beachteks had it. I never even considered that model because of the cost.

OK, as promised, here are two clips of a quick and dirty test I did. Notice the silence at the end of the audio and you can see the GH-1's AGC at work, and the effect of the juicedlink on the AGC.

http://rapidshare.com/files/280867442/Rode_Videomic_no_juicedlink.mp3

http://rapidshare.com/files/280867443/Rode_Videomic_with_juicedlink.mp3

Filenames are self explanatory.

[michaelkeay]

I dont understand how the juicedlink defeats the AGC of the GH1. I am trying to decide between a Beachtek DXA 5D and the Juicelink . The consensus seems to be that the juicedlink generally is the better performer as it has internal low noise pre-amps. But it doesnt have the 20k tone insertion which the beachtek has and claims to throttle back the AGC - so I am a tad confused. Any help in deciding much appreciated:undecided

[Camera Expert]

What is the biggest differences in using mics other than the Panasonic branded one when it comes to the recording of a live band?

I’m thinking about getting the DMW-MS1 since it’s a good price but I want to hear people’s opinions.

I know its best to get a separate audio souse.

[Vision Ammunition - Neil]

From what I've read the JuicedLink CX211 and JuicedLink CX231 need the JL-DN101 DSLR Accessory for CX Preamps. It is not a standalone product, and requires a CX preamp for operation. this is what kills the GH1 auto gain. so if you do end up buying a JuicedLink CX211 or JuicedLink CX231 your going to pay that plus a $139.00 for the JL-DN101. unless you buy the JL-DT454 for $419.00... Im torn because I know the zoom works but I would really like to have the audio and video together instead of matching up separate audio. Has anyone found anything that works good with the GH1 yet that keeps audio in camera?


I dont understand how the juicedlink defeats the AGC of the GH1. I am trying to decide between a Beachtek DXA 5D and the Juicelink . The consensus seems to be that the juicedlink generally is the better performer as it has internal low noise pre-amps. But it doesnt have the 20k tone insertion which the beachtek has and claims to throttle back the AGC - so I am a tad confused. Any help in deciding much appreciated:undecided

[swyzlstyx]

Buy this before choosing (blowing money) on an on-camera mic setup:

http://www.singularsoftware.com/pluraleyes.html

[shaveblog]

Buy this before choosing (blowing money) on an on-camera mic setup:

http://www.singularsoftware.com/pluraleyes.html

What he said.

[Ozpeter]

If anyone's thinking of the lowest possible cost dual-system sound upgrade for the GH1, maybe the Zoom H1 could be worth a look.

There's some YouTube reviews eg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFqIp095GD4&feature=related which has all-H1 sound. However, YouTube sound itself is I think a bit mangled, so I think you have to be careful not to attribute any shortcomings to the H1 itself (unless proven!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8F5J7T6e1Y&feature=related starts with camcorder sound then switches to H1 sound - quite a difference!

Also, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrYX1r9gfGY&feature=related has lav mic audio using the H1 - sounds reasonable to me in noise terms.

[tikigod19]

The major problem with audio on the GH1 is the camera's horrendous AGC.

is this still the case with a hacked camera (GH13)?

[ghosttv]

If you want easy solution you go buy seenhauser me66 k6. It have own phantum power and you going to have notorious sound! Not bad! Don't buy a zoom h4n, it chinese junks. You get tascom dr100 better. Long life battery and black color.