camera-mounted mic decisions

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parkcheesi

Member
Ok so I've read up and I guess I'll go with the AT 4073a. it's seems like a pretty versatile mic... is this a good choice for this situation: camera-mounted, both exterior and interior shoots, sort of run and gun, no boom. i'll be traveling is the thing...

also, what accessories do i need? I need a good camera shockmount (the PSC UCSM?) and some wind protection... something not too expensive but decent that will fit on the camera mount (without showing up in the image).

any suggestions?
 
Re: camera-mounted mic decisions

to clarify: i'll take any suggestions... if a hypercardioid is a better choice for a run and gun technique then should i go for the oktava mc012? and do i need an attenuator with the oktava or the at4073, assuming normal shooting conditions?
 
Re: camera-mounted mic decisions

http://www.mklemme.com/pole/kbwc.html
dont know if that can sit in the dvx holder , but i would be better to take the mike few inches above the camera on the side , this way the mike woudnt block your viue, for outside use rycote softy or lsc which similar product
http://www.locationsound.ca/miac.html
if you looking for one mike do it all , there is no such a thing but for picking up directly from canera short shotgun has more benefit in noicy situations .
 
Re: camera-mounted mic decisions

Hm... maybe the shotgun is overboard, if i'm looking for more general use (indoor and outdoor, not noisy conditions, mainly to pick up voices of people not more than 10 feet away)... maybe i'll start with the oktava since it is cheaper and maybe more for general purpose. how is this setup for the DVX?

-at8415 universal shock mount
-a camera mount adapter
-18inch XLR cable, right angle
-oktava mc012 hypercardioid

what kind of windsock do i need for this camera mount setup?
 
Re: camera-mounted mic decisions

I think you'd be better with a shotgun than an ocktava... My opinion. You can't go wrong with the at 4073.
 
Re: camera-mounted mic decisions

assuming your subject is less than 10 feet away, does the oktava or the at4073 sound better? (as far as richness of sound) also, which would be more versatile for both indoor and outdoor use? shotgun reach and off-axis rejection i think are secondary to richness of sound and versatility... should i still go for the at4073? i don't want to end up with echoes when recording indoors... Let's assume price isn't too big of an object.
 
Re: camera-mounted mic decisions

If you mic beyond 2' indoors you will have some echo... I'd consider 3' to be the MAX range for acceptable echo indoors, no matter which of the 2 mics you use.

Indoors an Oktava with Hyper cap will be the superior choice... less room interraction with adequate "reach", but to do things right you'll want to boom the mic 1' overhead... with ANY mic getting closer to the mouth is always better for sound.

Outdoors the 4073a will be a much superior mic. Asking a mic to get decent dialog at 10' is a big request. The AT is so sensitive that it would be up to the task and the Oktava would be pushed for acceptable dialog at that range.

Between these 2 mics... they will both do interiors and exteriors and each is noticeably better at one use or the other. Primarily interiors means Oktava... primarily exteriors means 4073a...

I want to restate the fact that a large part of the reason I like the Oktava so much is because of the K-Tek KSSM mount and Rycote BBG/Jammer... even if you wait on the Jammer, don't waste your money on ANY foam screen. I bought the Windtech screen for $40 and it's just not even close to the Rycote BBG in effectiveness.

If you can't decide, it doesn't matter... you should eventually get both anyway... then do as I suggest... Oktava inside, 4073a outside...

You'll find in your own experience that EITHER will sound good indoors or out (as long as the Oktava is in the gear I mentioned)... but you will occasionally find a situation where one or the other is much better suited. AS FAR AS ACTUAL SOUND QUALITY THEY ARE VERY SIMILAR... with the Oktava sounding slightly smoother and the 4073a sounding slightly more "crisp"... you can mix them on a track and most people won't even notice that it's two different mics.

The 4073a won't like a really live room and the Oktava won't reach very far outdoors. They are 2 different mics with overlapping regions of useful ability.

Overall I'd say that the Oktava got the majority of use for me, even with the 4073a as an option. Most of the time the Oktava was up for anything... but outdoor distance simply requires a shotgun.
 
Re: camera-mounted mic decisions

thanks for the info... so let's say i'm shooting run n gun in a crowded bar, and music/voices are loud but not deafening.... the oktava would be choice here? assuming i'm within 4' of the subject. or would the at4073 have better rejection of nearby sounds?

concerning the windscreen and shock mount.... would the KSSM and BBG/Jammer both fit the AT4073a as well? and how does this compare to the rycote:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=cart&A=details&Q=&sku=292337&is=REG

and where is the BBG jammer available? I found the KSSM on trewaudio, but the closest i can find to a BBGJammer there is

http://www.trewaudio.com/catalog/items/item334.htm

also, is this KSMS on B&H the same as the KSSM offered at trewaudio?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=cart&A=details&Q=&sku=331126&is=REG
 
Re: camera-mounted mic decisions

The KSSM and KSMS look to be the same, but don't quote me on that... all I know is my KSSM looks just like the B&H link... but maybe it's slightly bigger? Hmm, doubt it... probably the same.

You'd be slightly pushing it to use the KSSM on a 4073a, but I'm sure you could... as far as the BBG I don't know... even for the 19mm Oktava it's a pretty tight fit.

Run 'n gun in a bar is a tall order... you'd want the maximum side and rear rejection which means a CS1... if the CS1 is out of your budget then I'd probably go with the 4073a, but I'd have to experiment to be sure... so I feel a little wishy-washy on that recommendation... The Oktava has surprised me on more then one occasion.

The thing about run 'n gun in a bar is you're going to have wildly varying sounds coming from everywhere... even when a mic rejects side and rear sound... that noise can still bounce into the pickup of the mic. If I pop a balloon behind you the "POP" will still bounce off the wall and into the mic... same goes for drunken Willy at the end of the bar. Sooo, depending on the ACOUSTICS of the bar I'd choose a mic. Your best results should come from the CS1 no matter what... I'd also confidently go in with my 416... The 4073a has good side rear rejection, but it's sensitivity would magnify any sound that "bounces in". That's why it's possible that the Oktava may actually work better then the 4073a in this case... but it's still third place to the CS1 and 416...

You had better experiment with this one ahead of time... the normal mic for a situation like this would be an ENG mic which will be seen on camera. Just like a reporter uses... I had a Beyerdynamic m58 and that thing could cut one voice from many... but it had to be within 5" of the mouth MAX. Now I have an AKG D230 and it sounds much better but it doesn't isolate quite as well... if it's right in front of your mouth it will get the job done though... but again, this is what you see on the news. Mic in front of mouth... and visible in frame. The good news if you can handle that is... those mics are CHEAP. AKG D230 is $120 and EV RE-50 (the most popular newsmic in the world) is $155.
 
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