Good starter mic needed

elowens

elowens

Member
Hello, I am new to audio work and honestly film in general. I have recently purchased a Panasonic HVX200A and a Firestore FS-100 160GB. I am looking to film my first full length feature and want to make sure I do everything necessary to capture good audio and get a nice final product. I have been going to school to learn but audio seems to be one aspect not emphasized in my classes to date.

I am looking for a good mic to start with that will be good overall which I can add to later. I will be filming mostly interior settings to include a church, grocery store, coffee shop, multiple home interiors and only 2-4 actual outdoor scenes on a sidewalk and in a parking lot. I want to grow my equipment overtime if possible, but I need something for this project. I have up to roughly $1500.00 to spend on a mic, boompole, XLR's, shockmount and all other equipment needed. I was planning on 1 mic on a carbon fiber boom captured into the camera. I can go up in price a little but would prefer to go down if at all possible.

I have looked at the Beyerdynamic MC836, AT 4073A, Sanken CS1, and the Sennheiser 416. I have read articles and a lot of the information is still a little over my head. Is there anyone who can tell me what to start with? Money is important right now as I am only going to school and working on this production. So, if anyone can tell me a good starting system and how to grow it, I would greatly appreciate it.

You can view my website to see the trailer to the movie I am going to be filming at www.ericalynneowens.com/whenlovecomeshome.htm

Thank you in advance for any and all advice!!!
Erica
 
You should be able to get a 416 and a Rycote S-series for this price.

The 416 is an RF condenser that works well even in damp conditions and is ideal for outdoor work (it's the industry standard). The others you mention are standard AF condensers.
 
elowens said:
Hello, I am new to audio work and honestly film in general. I have recently purchased a Panasonic HVX200A and a Firestore FS-100 160GB. I am looking to film my first full length feature and want to make sure I do everything necessary to capture good audio and get a nice final product. I have been going to school to learn but audio seems to be one aspect not emphasized in my classes to date.

I am looking for a good mic to start with that will be good overall which I can add to later. I will be filming mostly interior settings to include a church, grocery store, coffee shop, multiple home interiors and only 2-4 actual outdoor scenes on a sidewalk and in a parking lot. I want to grow my equipment overtime if possible, but I need something for this project. I have up to roughly $1500.00 to spend on a mic, boompole, XLR's, shockmount and all other equipment needed. I was planning on 1 mic on a carbon fiber boom captured into the camera. I can go up in price a little but would prefer to go down if at all possible.

I have looked at the Beyerdynamic MC836, AT 4073A, Sanken CS1, and the Sennheiser 416. I have read articles and a lot of the information is still a little over my head. Is there anyone who can tell me what to start with? Money is important right now as I am only going to school and working on this production. So, if anyone can tell me a good starting system and how to grow it, I would greatly appreciate it.

You can view my website to see the trailer to the movie I am going to be filming at www.ericalynneowens.com/whenlovecomeshome.htm

Thank you in advance for any and all advice!!!
Erica
Click to expand...

I don't know anything about Beyerdynamic - they have good reps but I don't know anything beyond that - but with that caveate I would say that all of the mics mentioned are good mics -- for exteriors. But you said the majority of your scenes will be interiors and shotguns are generally not the favoured mic in that situation, hypercardioids being preferred. Schoeps CMC641 is generally considered to be the top shelf go-to mic in Hollywood and around the TV networks, the Oktava M012 is a favourite budget hyper in the indy world. The AKG Blueline SE300/CK93 combo, the Audio Technica AT4053a, and the AKG ULS series C480B/CK63 are all good mid-range hypers as well. Sennheiser has some well respected models priced in the low to mid kilobuck range. The thing is, the interference tube principle that gives shotguns their name and directivity tends to do weird things to the frequency distribution of off-axis reflections leading to a hollow sound when used in normal reflective interiors.
 
Thanks Steve, I know I sound unexperienced, and the truth is I am. I will look into the mics you have mentioned. Most of my work is interior, so I guess I was barking up the wrong tree.

THANKS!!!
Erica
 
If you are doing interiors and don't need a shotgun - then the MKH 8050 super-cardioid is worth looking at.

It's basically the same pattern as a gun mic. at low frequencies, but stays at that all the way up and does not get more directional as frequency increases - and it's a lot smoother off-axis than gun mics are.

I hope this helps.
 
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