Is a Sennheiser MKE 600 too big to comfortably use on a C70?

mrfusion

mrfusion

New member
Hello everyone, I am looking to (finally) upgrade from my trusty C100 Mk1 to a C70, and have been looking at on-camera shotgun mic solutions. I plan to use a Kondor Blue cage on the camera, if that matters, so I don't think I'll have the mic mounted to the handle. I have been doing some reading and the Sennheiser MKE 600 seems to have a great reputation, and my budget isn't going to allow me to spend much more than that. However, it's around 11" long and I am wondering if that is going to be too big and get into my wider shots often. I have also seen that the AudioTechnica AT875R is well liked and is about 7". Please let me know what your thoughts are, or if you have other suggestions for mics that don't go too far beyond $300.

I do a lot my audio capture in interviews with a Sennheiser Lav, so the shotgun would be for capturing natural sound in various indoor and outdoor environments.

Thanks!
 
I've owned both and both are great microphones.

The AT875R even seems smaller than its specs. And I really liked the MKE600 because it could be powered off of a AA battery and that's really useful for some equipment without phantom power (or if phantom power fails).

With that said, my main shotgun mic for the last year or so has been the Rode VideoMic NTG. Probably one of my favorites ever because of the built-in gain (keeps camera's gain low for cleaner audio), but the reason I'm mentioning it is because it has a sliding rail in which you can move the microphone back and forth.

Maybe you could use a similar, more general, mount that could be used regardless of the mic you choose if you ever need to slide it back a bit to clear wider shots.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...t_shotgun.html
 
Ya, that 600 is pretty long. Not a length I'd use on my C70.

Yes, lots of people here are happy with that Audio-Technica mic. I'm not familiar with it (others can chime in).

The Deity S-Mic 2S, which I don't own but have heard tracks recorded with, is pretty decent. 7-inches long, $300US.

There's probably a Rode mic at about the same price that may be short(ish). I'll let others comment.

When I have a mic on my C70, I use a Sanken CS-M1 in a Rycote Invision mount (not a huge fan of Canon's mic mount). $900, but I do a lot of work as a location-sound guy, so I have other uses for it, plays nice with some of my other mics, etc. Not a brag; I'd gladly have spent less money. Rather, that I've thought through this, for my needs, bla bla bla... And some comments on dvxuser did help with my decision.

But I think you can get decent on-camera results with the Deity. I'll let others. comment about the AT875R.
 
I have an AT875R, but I've actually been using it as a boom mic and not an on-camera mic. It's no the most sensitive mic, but then again, it's no slouch either. I've seen used ones sell anywhere from $50 - $130, so it might be worth looking at secondhand listings. I think it punches well above it's weight, and even at full retail, it' offers good value for the money.
 
At -30 dBV/Pa, the AT875R moves towards the more sensitive group of shotgun mics out there.

Not as much as the aforementioned CS-M1 @ -22 or the Rode @ -26, but pretty good (the MKE600 is around -32, IIRC).
 
Although when critically-thinking about it, is there a chance that A-T is slightly generous with their own lab tests, yes, always, with everyone. [Not saying they are though.]
 
Yes, way too big. I used to use an ME66/K6(roughly same length) on my F55 sometimes for a nat mic and the 55 is way bigger than a C70 and that mic was way too big on the Sony. I ended up buying a Sanken CS-M1 for an on-cam nat mic for my F55. Super compact and sounds great. Yeah, it's almost 3x the price, but I have no regrets. If I need another nat mic for a camera that doesn't come with one, I'd buy another Sanken without hesitation.
 
Go as small as you can, because it doesn’t mean **** if you can’t add wind protection for out doors.
 
None of the mics are bad or amazing, so get the one that will be agile and useful. ymmv.

Just make sure you have a budget for wind protection.
 
Thank you all for the comments and recommendations. Looks like the MKE 600 is out, and I will more seriously consider the AT875R and I'll check out the Deity S-Mic 2S. Also regarding the Rode VideoMic, my only reservation with something like that is having yet another thing with its own battery to keep track of and charge. I like the phantom power idea because it's less to keep track of, and I plan on getting a large battery for the C70 that will also power an Atmos Shinobi via D-tap. If my thoughts on the battery-powered mic are wrong, please let me know. Thank you again.
 
That Auray looks like a Rycote copy - so will do a good job, but you need to consider the mounting to the camera. The mic plus windshield weighs a fair bit and a very quick pan places a lot of torque on the mounting point. If that can cope with it - that's good.
 
mrfusion said:
Thank you all for the comments and recommendations. Looks like the MKE 600 is out, and I will more seriously consider the AT875R and I'll check out the Deity S-Mic 2S. Also regarding the Rode VideoMic, my only reservation with something like that is having yet another thing with its own battery to keep track of and charge. I like the phantom power idea because it's less to keep track of, and I plan on getting a large battery for the C70 that will also power an Atmos Shinobi via D-tap. If my thoughts on the battery-powered mic are wrong, please let me know. Thank you again.
Click to expand...

That specific NTG model's internal battery lasts for like 30 hours, so depending on how you shoot you could use it for a few days in a row without charging the battery, but eventually it won't last that long if you perhaps used the microphone every single day for years (but it's also $249 and at that point well worth it).

The bigger concern (for some) is it's a 3.5mm microphone versus an XLR (or mini-XLR) which wouldn't work for some productions, but that depends on what you do.
 
paulears said:
That Auray looks like a Rycote copy - so will do a good job, but you need to consider the mounting to the camera. The mic plus windshield weighs a fair bit and a very quick pan places a lot of torque on the mounting point. If that can cope with it - that's good.
Click to expand...

Indeed, Auray is a house brand of B&H. Several of the products look familiar.Not necessarily a bad thing, but I don't think of them doing much innovative or top-level development. Not the market they're after: https://www.gradusgroup.com/brands

So will an Auray reduce wind noise as much as something for Rycote (et al)? Maybe. Or maybe they cut some corners with fabric and construction so it's kind of almost as good.

Check the prices of the Rycote products (both wind products and camera mounts). Looks like a Rycote softie will be about $100.

Here's what Rycote lists as compatible with the AT875R (perhaps some new products aren't included in this list, btw):
https://mymic.rycote.com/devices/at-875-at875r/

Don't see anything listed for Deity mics, but looks like they have a 19mm diameter and 148mm length. 19mm is pretty common.

And here are Rycote's mic mounts designed for camera use. Several ways to go, hot shoe 1/4-20, slip into the Canon mic holder. I have the 1/4-20 adapter (and some extra bits) attached to the cage stuff on my C70. But that's just me.
https://rycote.com/microphone-windshield-shock-mount/camera-mic-shock-mounts/

I like Rycote "Lyre" suspensions that the use in the above products. Inexpensive, hold up well, good sound isolation.

But you could start with the mic of your choice (sounds like you're narrowing down to the AT and Deity... my hunch is either will work fine). Maybe get the appropriate short Rycote softie and try it in the Canon mic holder (if you have the handle on your C70).
 
I broke a Rycote softie, and inside the material was that open weave plastic stuff that looks like pan scourers so I suspect the one mentioned here will do the same thing - an acoustic zone to calm wind, then the outer and the hairy bit. The grill section is the only critical area for coverage. The bad thing about the Rycotes is that if you constantly take them off and put them on, eventually the inside material breaks away from the outer and they get saggy.The real issue with them, opposed to the Zeppelin style covers is that they are heavy at one end, so they droop, but elastic bands can hold them in place. It means the lyre style mounts struggle as they need the mic to be balanced. The front plastic lyre takes all the weight - especially if they get a bit damp.
 
For my audio work, I'm with you: I only use full windscreens. But my anecdotal experience is that the newer Rycote Sofites are better, lighter, and possibly longer-lasting than those of yore. And their Lyre holders things also seem better (or at least there are more weight/rigidity options?) than a few years ago.

And for the mics we're talking about here, perhaps you'd only need a 7cm to 10cm Softie....

This is my softie kit for the Sanken CS-M1 (a very short mic... About four inches / 100mm). It doesn't sag, and I think the appropriate setup for a seven-inch mic wouldn't either (it would probably need to be a bit longer...perhaps 10cm?). For this, rather than just click buttons on a big reseller's website, I'd pay attention to people here and email or call a good audio dealer such as Trew or Gotham (and perhaps Pinknoise in the UK?) so you might be able to get better input and suggestions about the right setup. https://www.trewaudio.com/product/rycote-033395/


rycote4sankencsm1.jpeg - Click image for larger version Name: rycote4sankencsm1.jpeg Views: 0 Size: 48.8 KB ID: 5686182

And this is just a different perspective from Paul's. He's not saying anything goofy...
 
Thanks again for the thoughtful responses, everyone, and I hadn't realized that Auray was a house brand of B&H. Perhaps it is worth spending a little more money and getting the genuine Rycote. I'm not sure if I'll order all my gear from B&H anyway.

I am planning to use the Canon mic holder, relocated from the OEM handle to the Kondor Blue cage. It has two holes that are meant to attach the Canon mic holder on the left upper part of the camera body, but the issue is that I'm not sure if it will be a pain when I break down the camera and put it in my rolling case because it will stick up and not easily come off. As an alternative, I can put the Canon mic holder in one of the cage's cold shoes so it is easily removable. I'm not sure if I'll need a Lyre style mount, but I'd like to try to get away without it to keep the whole camera package compact and manageable for handholding.

At most I'm planning on mounting a 5" Atmos Shinobi monitor to the front of the handle, a Sennheiser lav pack to the cage, and also this microphone. There may be situations where I also need to add my small LED light panel, and I'm not even sure how I'm going to do that part yet, but there are options with this cage.

I will plan to keep the Rycote wind cover on the mic as much as possible so I'm not wearing out the internals. I currently have my whole C100 camera kit in a Think Tank Aiport Takeoff rolling case that goes in overhead bins when I travel, and a separate checked bag with my tripod and other odds and ends. I'd like to fit all the camera gear into the same bag, which will take some Tetris-ing.
 
You'll affect your sound quality when using any thick covers indoors. Debatable exactly how much - and if normal people would even notice - but maybe worth a ponder.
 
Another vote for the AT875R here. I've used one as my on-camera mic of choice on my video cameras (now a C300 Mark III) for years and it's great. I have a Rode VideoMic NTG as well that I like, but it's normally used on the R5 and occasionally on the C70.

I use the Rode SM3 shock mount with the PG2-R cable for my AT875R... fits perfectly. I replaced the connector on the end of the PG2-R with a low profile right angle XLR and it works great. If I was running it on my C70, I'd replace it with a mini-XLR of the same design.
 
Thank you. I ended up ordering the AT875R, although it is on backorder from the store I placed the order from at the moment. I'm going to try it with the OEM canon microphone mount attached to a cold shoe on the Kondor Blue cage so I can break it down easily for transport. Thanks for the tip on the cable.
 
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