HVX100 Audio mic holder SUCKS!!!!

[pkendall]

anybody notice that they put less gel, (three small strips as opposed to the thick solid band that was on the old DVXs), on the interior the mic holder... this causes my Audio Technica shotgun mic to SLIP and SAG. Tilting down now... and even worst, I have a K-tech boom mic attachment that goes into it... It has a hard time staying in place. this sucks.. this has always been my problem with the DVX and now the HVX.. The CHEAP-ASS microphone holder... it's like it's made by fisher-price.. i mean even the old fisher-price pixel camera was better made than this mic holder.

I'm really going to run into a problem when I get my fish-eye lense and have to use my K-tech boom mic holder (I use that to get my shotgun mic out of the fish-eye's shot)...


ANYBODY FOUND CREATIVE WAYS AROUND THIS? Or HAVE FOUND A COMPANY THAT SELLS SOMETHING TO REPLACE THE MIC HOLDER.. (without having to sacrifice the light shoe, cause I need to use that for my light)?!!!

[darwinandpaine]

You can always try putting some painter's tape around the mic (painter's tape won't usually get a bunch of sticky gunk on your mic when you take it off). This will thicken it up so it will hold better. If you don't like the tape idea, try some thick hair ties that women use to put their hair up. Just wrap them around the mic a few times and slide them down where you need them --- anything to get the area that's going into the holder to fit more snuggly (is that a word --- snuggly?).

[coolguy007]

i always had this problem with the dvx too, so i think as i remembered i used the shoe but im not completely sure but the problem with using the shoe is that if you have a mattebox well...u know

[Illya Friedman]

Problem is with the diameter of the mic, not the holder. You can get rubber inserts or go with the Ghetto tape method. Otherwise for under $50 you can get a universal hot shoe shock mount from PSC.

I.

[evinsky]

I use the PSC it's awsome except for the plastic shoe, it broke and I had a replacement shoe milled out of aluminum. Now it's perfect. I also had an adapter made to give me a second accs. shoe instead of the mic holder. That's where the wireless goes. My lite panel attaches to the 1/4 20 thread on the handle, convieneintly enough.

[pkendall]

Problem is with the diameter of the mic, not the holder. You can get rubber inserts or go with the Ghetto tape method. Otherwise for under $50 you can get a universal hot shoe shock mount from PSC.

I.

(sigh) hehmmm.... no, it's NOT the diameter of the shotgun mic... Believe me if it was that, i wouldn't waste everybody's time with this thread... I'm a little smarter than that.. Panasonic replaced the gel inside the mic holder... it used to be a big fat solid block, now it's three tiny strips... Less grip.
http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/5811/micholder7pi.jpg
http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/9459/micholder27xq.jpg
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/2477/cumicholder2qq.jpg
see how when I put on my K-tech mic holder which IS THE RIGHT DIAMETER, it is tilting... I know it's because of the weight, but my DVX was kinda, sorta worked okay with it... see what i'm talking about?!!! the gel inside the mic holder can't hold 3rd party shotgun mics or attachments... anybody know of any companies that sell mic accessories that can replace this sub-par holder?!! Unscrew the screws for the Pany one, throw it away, screw in a kick-ass one. (REMEMBER I DIDN'T WANT TO USE MY LIGHT SHOE, I NEED THAT FOR MY LIGHT... I KNOW ALL ABOUT WHAT'S OUT THERE FOR THAT.)

[evinsky]

Use the one off your DVX. It fit's just fine.

[pkendall]

Use the one off your DVX. It fit's just fine.
good ideal, but i sold it.

[evinsky]

You should be able to get a replacement from the link on the top of the hardware thread.

[evinsky]

Or if you like I'll trade you your HVX holder for my DVX holder. You just have to pay for shipping. I personally haven't had this problem, but I don't use that mic holder much.

[pkendall]

I probably wouldn't have any problems swapping it out with friends... but to be honest with you, I thought the old mic holder was kind of crappy too... same fisher price design.. always had to tighten the screws.. wobbily... the HVX's just took a step down..

I heard a rumor of a company that made something that you could screw onto it to replace the Pany mic holder...

[evinsky]

Dunno', but a good machinist could mill you something perfect in about 3 hours. Probably cost you less than $300.

[Rhydon]

I personally think the new HVX holder is superior to the older DVX model. The 3 thin strips of rubber are ment to have less contact then the one huge strip with the DVX holder. This translates into less 'mic handling noise' with the newer model.

If you have a front or back heavy microphone (like yourself pkendall) then no standard on-camera microphone holder is going to work for you. These are ment to control the mic in a balanced manor, otherwise a strong grip would give you noticeable handling noise.

Also, it think the holder is designed for a smaller microphone (ie.ME66), my ME67 holds well, but is front heavy and of course viewable on wide angle.

Anyways, so all in all balance the microphone in the holder. The 3 thin strips are there for a reason and that is less contact. Dont rule out this improvement as "sucks" until you use it properly.

[Cuantos the Wrestler]

Dont rule out this improvement as "sucks" until you use it properly.

Cuantos the Wrestler, sensing with his super powers an impending gunfight of epic proportions, quietly lowers himself below eye level and exits the the thread.

[pete archer]

anybody notice that they put less gel, (three small strips as opposed to the thick solid band that was on the old DVXs), on the interior the mic holder... this causes my Audio Technica shotgun mic to SLIP and SAG. Tilting down now... and even worst, I have a K-tech boom mic attachment that goes into it... It has a hard time staying in place. this sucks.. this has always been my problem with the DVX and now the HVX.. The CHEAP-ASS microphone holder... it's like it's made by fisher-price.. i mean even the old fisher-price pixel camera was better made than this mic holder.

I'm really going to run into a problem when I get my fish-eye lense and have to use my K-tech boom mic holder (I use that to get my shotgun mic out of the fish-eye's shot)...


ANYBODY FOUND CREATIVE WAYS AROUND THIS? Or HAVE FOUND A COMPANY THAT SELLS SOMETHING TO REPLACE THE MIC HOLDER.. (without having to sacrifice the light shoe, cause I need to use that for my light)?!!!
Hi, I replaced the mike holder with the one from the german company Schoeps.
The mike is fastened by a half pipe which hangs on elastic strings in a ring. All you have to do make a little brigde ( I suggest aluminum because it is soft) with 3 holes: 2 to fasten it to the camera one (with screw thread inside) to hold the screw for the mike holder. drawback: requires kind of a short mike ( I have the Neumann km 185)
plus: complete isolation from body noise, bangs etc.

[pete archer]

Dunno', but a good machinist could mill you something perfect in about 3 hours. Probably cost you less than $300.
my solution is about 120 bucks and Schoeps quality

[pkendall]

Cuantos the Wrestler, sensing with his super powers an impending gunfight of epic proportions, quietly lowers himself below eye level and exits the the thread.
Yeah, he asked for it. ;-)


If you have a front or back heavy microphone (like yourself pkendall) then no standard on-camera microphone holder is going to work for you. These are ment to control the mic in a balanced manor, otherwise a strong grip would give you noticeable handling noise. It's Patrick. and it's NOT a heavy mic, it's a standard 3rd party mic specially made for dv cameras made by Audio Technica. Here's a pict of it on the hvx200 in "in a balanced manor". still wobbles alot.. Most professional shooters, not just me, don't like the stock mics and buy something pro like this..

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/5091/4073a3to.jpg
Still a little crooked.


Also, it think the holder is designed for a smaller microphone (ie.ME66), my ME67 holds well, but is front heavy and of course viewable on wide angle. OH, so you're saying that my pricier Audio Technica 4073a at 9.1 inches is much bigger and heavier than your Sennheiser ME67 which is 17.2 inches... or the ME66 at 12.4 inches.. Sorry, I'm trying to be funny ;-)


Dont rule out this improvement as "sucks" until you use it properly. hmm, so going out and spending $700 for a professional dv sized shotgun mic to use with my $10k state of the art camera and then trying to connect it to a 10 cent mic holder that Panasonic got out of a bubble bum machine.. yeah,maybe I'm not using it properly, I thought I was trying to do something professional, nah, the mic holder sucks. ;-)

[Justyn]

I have to agree... The mike holder does suck. I think the one on my XL1 was better. Just a solid piece of plastic with a solid hinge. Maybe someone will make a better one and advertise here. The wobbly mike thing... not too cool.. even when it's balanced..

[ullanta]

You may considering upgrading to the 200? I heard the HVX100 used a wooden mic-holder that was intended for show only.

[Illya Friedman]

Ah ha!

Patrick, you didn't mention which model of AT mic you were using. Your Audio Technica 4073a is a fine mic, recording wise. It is also 21mm in diameter. That is the correct diameter for the HVX200. I knew someone who cut a piece of neoprene out of a old mouse pad to make a more solid contact between mic and holder on a Betacam. It might work for you as something a little nicer than the ghetto tape method.

Now I don't have a k-tek in front of me, but here's a guess at a possible permanent solution. Since you already own the K-tek adapter, I think it would be possible to completely bypass the Panasonic mount. Take your K-Tek to a machinist and have them tap two threaded holes in the 21mm mount to line up with the threaded holes of the HVX200. Two longer bolts and you're set. They'll also want to slightly file down the k-tek to mate nicely with the HVX. I'd guess $100-$150 worth of work, probably finished the next day. Then you can throw away the mount that seems to be the bane of your existence.

I.