How is the onboard mic for the A1?

S

scenedirector

Well-known member
I'm looking into buying 2 of these for my event work. I was wondering how the sound is for these cameras.
I wasn't ever going to consider HDV, but the A1 is giving me second thoughts, at least for my event work.

One of my cams would be on the Steadicam Merlin that I use with my PD170s now. Hearing about where it comes in with its weight makes me think that the camera, the 950 battery, and a tape are the only things I'm going to have for that rig.
So is the mic on this camera sufficient enough? And in general, already knowing it is a compressed format, is HDV audio sufficient enough?

One more question. Now knowing you can use regular DV tapes to record HDV footage, can I use my JVC MiniDV VTR to playback the tapes to record into FCP, or will I have to use the cameras until I can muster up some money for an HDV VTR or HDV camcorder to use as a VTR?
 
Well, you could shoot in DV mode to be able to use the JVC VTR, but then what would be the point?!?! Since going HDV, I haven't even thought of really shooting DV...
 
Thanks for answering the second question, but no one has answered me on telling me how good the sound off this camera or in HDV in general is. Can some one throw a bone?
 
I guess in a subjective way, I don't think you will be dissapointed by either the video quality of audio quality. I know that the picture quality was going to be good, but it exceeded my expectations by far.

The audio is the best I have heard from an onboard mic, so that is a plus, but I don't intend to use it for any professional audio gathering.

HDV holds up really well. I tried water smoke and lowlight and so far no issues with compression. The color correction holds up well and it down converts to SD in pristine quality.

For even SD the DVX doesn't look as good as the XHA1.

No worries, not many complaints, this is a revolutionary cam for the pricepoint. I am just making a guess, but I bet it will be the camcorder of the year, once the reviews start flowing in.
 
As a rule of thumb, I would say that a fixed on board mic is always gonna come a distant second to a decent external shotgun mic (the Rode NTG2 is a fabulous buy especially at the price).

If you're serious about audio forget an on board mic for anything but ambient sound.

Jon
 
i have a question regarding the mics position. when the lens hood is removed how far does the mic extend past the lens of the camera? the dvx's mic extends about 1/2". the reason i am asking is for using a fisheye adapter that i made for the dvx. thanks
 
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