external microphone for DVX200

N

Nicklas

Member
Hi everyone!

I'm planning to film some weddings/birthday parties etc. this summer, so I've started to wonder if I might need to purchase an external mic for DVX200 camera?

I'll be honest, most of my DVX200 footage is/was edited with some third party audio track, so there isn't much need for the good audio quality. But, since I'm heading to weddings direction, I gotta be sure to capture the most important parts with good audio.

Is there anyone who's ever filmed a wedding with DVX200 using the built-in mic only? Is it good enough for film both from distance and up close?

In case external mic is still preferred, which one should I invest in? There are some cheap ones, below 300$, are they safe to trust to?


Any advise is much appreciated!

Thanks!
 
Built in mic seems OK for scratch audio and MAYBE "man in the street" interview stuff or the "did you see that?!" as Bigfoot runs by. The Panasonic shotgun mic for the DVX (I think it's actually made by Rode) is better by a long shot, but as a general rule, shotguns can really suck for "tight" interviews and maybe even something like a wedding unless they are on a boom (with a boom guy) and that may not work for a wedding! They work pretty good for concert, event, car shows, stuff like that where it's "loud"er. A wireless lav mic(s) discreetly clipped on the bride/groom seems to be the way to go if solo filming. Just my general experience from interview type stuff as I generally avoid weddings like the plague!
 
Panasonic MC200G. Short shotgun mic. $299. It's what I use. Works great. I needed to jerry rig a DVX100 shock mount onto the DVX200 (just one screw), but it works. But for weddings, I have a Rodelink wireless lav system.
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone!

I guess I won't be getting shotgun mic after all.

Wireless lav mic seems to be more wise solution for weddings.


JRJphoto said:
Panasonic MC200G. Short shotgun mic. $299. It's what I use. Works great. I needed to jerry rig a DVX100 shock mount onto the DVX200 (just one screw), but it works. But for weddings, I have a Rodelink wireless lav system.
Click to expand...

Would you please let me know which model is this Rodelink wireless lav system? Is it this one - https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...cG_0NMCFYwK0wodbUYGBw&c3api=2572,138045278552
 
Michael, I can't see the connection between using Rode RodeLink Wireless Filmmaker Kit and having Rode VXLR - Mono Mini-Jack to XLR Converter.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't audio recorded directly to Rodelink device? The way I see it, it's a high quality audio recorder? Or does it also record own audio track in addition to DVX audio track? That would be awesome actually! :D
 
It's a wireless transmitter/receiver combo. One component with the mic attached goes on the talent (the transmitter which they clip to a belt, drop in a pocket, or just hold), the other component (is the receiver) is cold shoed or otherwise stuck on or near the camera. The wireless transmission has a line of sight range of around 300ft. Neither unit actually records anything. The receiver outputs to the camera via a wired connection. Out of the box the receiver outputs via one of those itty bitty 3.5mm headphone looking jack things (I think it's really called a TRRS). But to get external audio of any kind into the DVX it has to come in through one of the two XLR 3 pin plugs. Hence the adapter. By recording audio directly with the video tracks you eliminate the need to synchronize. Do re-read the external mic setup bit in the DVX manual as it's not exactly intuitively obvious.

Another alternative, not to confuse the issue, would be to use one of Rodes lav mics into something like a Zoom H1 audio recorder (that would also require a different adapter to go from TRRS to TRS 3.5mm). You'd mic up the talent, then drop the zoom into their pocket. The downside, and it's kind of a big one, is synching the audio back up in post. It's a pain. Done it. Hate it. Never, ever assume you'll get through synching audio quickly back with video.
 
You can do an audio split (requires yet another cable or adapter) prior to the Rode receiver going into the DVX OR use the headphone jack on the Rode to pump into a separate digital recorder. Seems to work a little better than the headphone out jack on the DVX.

Oh, I should add that the audio quality of the Rode lav kit is really, really good. Astonishingly so. In my opinion, worth every penny.

Good, quick overview: https://vimeo.com/136113758
 
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Everything Michael said.

It's not as good as UHF devices, though those frequencies are going away more and more. The 2.4 GHz range is lovely, but these devices don't have the range or fidelity as the UHF ones, though they are more expensive. They pop more frequently in high winds, for example. And line-of-sight is very important. They're not as wanky as VHF devices, though. Generally speaking, the 2.4 GHz devices work just fine.

Anyway, I don't know why the OP thinks the Rodelink is an audio recorder. It doesn't say that anywhere on the packaging. I don't think Rode even makes field recorders. It's a wireless system consisting of a bodypack transmitter and a receiver. It only has a TRS connection for DSLR cameras so you need a TRS to XLR adapter to connect it to the DVX200. You don't seriously want to have to sync a wedding, do you? Record all that in-camera. Work smart, not hard. In fact, when I have multiple sources of audio, I will use my DR701D for all the mics, output the scratch into DVX200 on channel 1, with channel 2 being the MC200 for ambient. I can do a mix later. The only time you want to use an external recorder's audio is when you need better preamps than the camera can afford, and you need all the audio channels separate. DVX200's preamps are fine for weddings. And you don't need a special mix later of the audio channels...nor do you need to do that at a wedding, anyway. Just set your levels and go.

However, instead of the adapter I simply use a 1' TRS male to XLR male cable. These are always better on-camera if you can get them with right angle ends.
 
Hi Nicklas,

I just want to put a different view on this to what has been put here.

I did approx. 1500 weddings over 18 years and always had a shotgun mic on my camera which recorded sound during the whole day (and reception). I also used a high quality lapel mic on the groom for the ceremony as the rest of the guys have, but the number of times the shotgun saved my ass with good audio when something went wrong with the wireless during the vows you wouldn't believe. I've had every sort of 'snap, crackle, and pop' through to complete failure of battery, and even total interference as soon the priest/celebrant turned his microphone on, so I would never rely on just 'ambience' recorded through the cameras internal microphone for a wedding.

Honestly I would buy the most expensive shotgun (with windsock) you can afford, as it will last you your whole career, and use it on every job.

A good shotgun mic will always be your backup. It's very hard to redo a wedding, although I did have to get the bride and groom to the studio once to redo their vows (by lip syncing to their vision)
after they stood on the balcony of a yacht club in the middle of a howling gale to say their vows. (Even the P.A. failed that day).


The only time you have to be careful with them is when you jump up on the stage at a reception and stand next to a speaker box when shooting the dancing.
You can overload the mic input very easily and without thinking about it, record a whole heap of distortion.

Just my 2 cents......

Cheers,

Vaughan
 
We use the Røde NTG with our DVX200.. IMO it sounds great, but the preamps in the camera are not that great. And the NTG is not that great with noise in itself. But it is a lot better that the build in mic and for a walk around mic, it is doing the job in my opinion :)

Ulrik
 
Let me be clear: for events, including weddings, I use an on-camera MC200 shotgun mic on channel 1, and a wireless lavalier on channel 2. If I need more than one lav, I plug them (up to 4) into a DR701D and output the scratch into the DVX200. The shotgun handles ambiance, as well as close-up interviews I get while roaming. Stuff like, "do you have any words of congratulations for the newlyweds?"...that sorta thing. It is IMPERATIVE you have a good shotgun rolling on your camera. The internal mic isn't good enough for anything but scratch. Again, if you need something better than what the camera's preamps give you, then you need an external recorder. Personally, I think they're fine for weddings and corporate events. Not good at all for proper narrative work.
 
Wow, thank you everyone for your detailed comments and shared experience!
I will definitely invest into a good shotgun mic and wireless R0de transmitter, but prior to it I obviously need to google/re-read DVX manual on the Audio section, especially the pre-amps and separate channel parts.
Hah, never thought Audio capture was THAT tricky! :)

Thanks again everyone!
 
Since we've been talking microphones, what would be the best setup for concert? With one mic for a start. Should I go for a shotgun mic too? Sorry, I'm a newbie. I shot one concert a week ago with built-in mic and it sounds ok... But the place was small. And I have another convert coming up in a pretty big place.
 
JRJphoto said:
I would record line out from the live mixer board.
Click to expand...

Agree.

I do a ton of video of live events in theater-style venues. I almost always run a feed from their board into one channel and an on-camera shotgun into the other. A solo board feed can sound kind of lifeless, so I usually mix in some from the live mic to capture the sonic personality of the venue and audience reactions. Sometimes I'll also place a digital sound recorder with stereo mics (Tascam DR-40 in my case) in a prime spot for super redundancy.
 
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