Decent camera mounted stereo mic with 1/8 inch connector?
- Thread starter Greg_E
- Start date
GaryNattrass
Veteran
Try the Sony ECM-MS907.
I should also mention that it's going to be exposed to high levels of noise as it will mostly be used to help capture (I hope) motorcycle racing. I don't think there is an official db limit on our exhausts and I may turn mine up significantly to get more power. These are all single cylinder, there is a definite pop per revolution. Anyway, hoping the auto tracking on the camera actually works well, or it will mostly be for nothing.
That Sony might work, and at least coming from Sony it shouldn't be a complete piece of junk like some of the multibranded things you'll find on ebay or amazon.
And before someone suggests it, I will never buy another Rode product. Way to many problems with the ones we bought at work.
I did buy a cheap Movo VXR400, it's probably junk but didn't cost a lot.
That Sony might work, and at least coming from Sony it shouldn't be a complete piece of junk like some of the multibranded things you'll find on ebay or amazon.
And before someone suggests it, I will never buy another Rode product. Way to many problems with the ones we bought at work.
I did buy a cheap Movo VXR400, it's probably junk but didn't cost a lot.
GaryNattrass
Veteran
Hmmm I think you may struggle with a low cost stereo mic and need to check that you can adjust the levels on your camera.
I personally have a canon HF11 that I use with my two Sony mics the 907 and the 957 but I bought it as you can adjust the audio levels in the software. I also use the mic's off camera so I can control the stereo I am recording independent of the camera.
You also have to ask is it really needed to record on camera stereo on racing as the stereo image will be all over the place if you pan the camera to follow the action.
It may be better to keep a stereo mic off the camera and mount it on a fixed position or on your tripod so you can pan the camera but the stereo image stays fixed. A low cost sep recorder from Tascam/Zoom etc may be a better choice as it will have built in mics and you can just set it to run independent of the camera.
For TV sound we rarely use mic's on the camera and if we do they are mono for effects and have stereo mic's in fixed positions to capture a fixed soundstage.
I personally have a canon HF11 that I use with my two Sony mics the 907 and the 957 but I bought it as you can adjust the audio levels in the software. I also use the mic's off camera so I can control the stereo I am recording independent of the camera.
You also have to ask is it really needed to record on camera stereo on racing as the stereo image will be all over the place if you pan the camera to follow the action.
It may be better to keep a stereo mic off the camera and mount it on a fixed position or on your tripod so you can pan the camera but the stereo image stays fixed. A low cost sep recorder from Tascam/Zoom etc may be a better choice as it will have built in mics and you can just set it to run independent of the camera.
For TV sound we rarely use mic's on the camera and if we do they are mono for effects and have stereo mic's in fixed positions to capture a fixed soundstage.
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Stereo mics on cameras.... This then enters a different mindset..
Is it better to fix the mic and let the sound go through the sound image..... OR...... Pan the mic at the same rate as the camera?
The first way gives a wider sound image with greater L / R image movement. The second way the main sound image will stay in the centre of the picture just allowing the 'atmos' to be the stereo image.
Is it better to fix the mic and let the sound go through the sound image..... OR...... Pan the mic at the same rate as the camera?
The first way gives a wider sound image with greater L / R image movement. The second way the main sound image will stay in the centre of the picture just allowing the 'atmos' to be the stereo image.
Gary, you bring up questions that I don't have the answers for. But you are right, normally for sports we put one or two (backup) shotguns on a camera for mono audio. It may be that the stereo mic is pointless on a panning camera, I've never tried it. With the panning speed I expect the camera to get lost in close passes and pick back up a little farther through a corner, so it might work. If it doesn't then I'm back to something I have experience with which would be a mono shotgun on camera to "follow" the action.
it's all a big experiment. But whatever I buy will also probably be used on a mirrorless camera where I do have control over the levels, or through a DR60 if I need more control and higher quality wave files.
it's all a big experiment. But whatever I buy will also probably be used on a mirrorless camera where I do have control over the levels, or through a DR60 if I need more control and higher quality wave files.
GaryNattrass
Veteran
This is where the Sony mic's are fab as they are actually M/S with three capsules so even if you do choose to mount it on the camera there is always the front facing M capsule following the action.
They output A/B (Left and Right) though so are easy to handle in post etc.
Problem with fast moving sport is that your stereo image on any camera mic will flip from left to right as subject and camera pan so even for most cam mounted sports mics it is a long shotgun that can be added to a stereo fixed image mic.
You may be better with a low budget short shotgun on the camera such as my favorite the AT875r in mono with a stereo small recorder for fixed image from your camera POV position. That way you get some highlighted effects that you can mix in with stereo imaged generic FX. Or just record stereo with the sony mic and if it don't work you have a steady mono image to work with in post.
Industry secret and that is pretty much how we do 5.1 for SKY sports in the UK and we have numerous 416 mics out for spot pitch fx with a couple up to in the stadia for stereo fx then a Calrec Soundfield mic for the 5.1 ( actually just 4.0) effects.
They output A/B (Left and Right) though so are easy to handle in post etc.
Problem with fast moving sport is that your stereo image on any camera mic will flip from left to right as subject and camera pan so even for most cam mounted sports mics it is a long shotgun that can be added to a stereo fixed image mic.
You may be better with a low budget short shotgun on the camera such as my favorite the AT875r in mono with a stereo small recorder for fixed image from your camera POV position. That way you get some highlighted effects that you can mix in with stereo imaged generic FX. Or just record stereo with the sony mic and if it don't work you have a steady mono image to work with in post.
Industry secret and that is pretty much how we do 5.1 for SKY sports in the UK and we have numerous 416 mics out for spot pitch fx with a couple up to in the stadia for stereo fx then a Calrec Soundfield mic for the 5.1 ( actually just 4.0) effects.