Is the inbuilt mic 'good enough'?

[Pascal Parvex]

I don't need the highest quality, you should just understand, what people are talking. Let's say I film two people talking to each other from a distance of about 6 feet, will they be clearly understood or will the inbuilt microphone only record a mumbling?

 

[MattinSTL]

Re: Is the inbuilt mic 'good enough'?

From 6' they will be understood.

When adding a seperate mic there are lots of factors which improve the sound.

The onboard mics are both omni-directional... the closer anything is to the mics the louder/clearer it is... front, rear, or sides.

If you're doing the filming and you are quiet... and the environment is quiet... then you'll hear your talent fine... the QUALITY of what you hear won't be all that and a bag of chips though.

In any SMALL space the onboard mics are actually okay... get in your car with your talent and you'll probably be 100% satisfied with the onboard mics.

Go outside and have them speak 6' away and it'll be the opposite.

The best thing you can do is start experimenting... the desire for an additional mic will grow on it's own. Not because the onboard mic won't WORK in some cases... but just because it's so damn limiting... in ALL cases.

 

[ddh]

Re: Is the inbuilt mic 'good enough'?

you'll thank yourself later by avoiding the mic that comes with this cam. Go for something like the AT 897. At about $250 or so you can't go wrong.

 

[MattinSTL]

Re: Is the inbuilt mic 'good enough'?

The At3031 is a cardioid and it's only $170... that would be a fine choice... cardioids get a larger front bubble of sound then a hypercardioid and a much larger bubble then a shotgun, such as the 897, but for anybody wanting to DRAMATICALLY improve the sound of their camera CHEAP... the 3031 would be hard to beat.

Cardioids get a larger bubble of sound FORWARD of the mic, but a SMALLER bubble of sound to the rear... so to get a much improved WIDE pickup... a good cardioid will SMOKE the internal mics.

I also like the Oktava Mk012 with hyper-cardioid cap... available from www.sound-room.com for $195... that will give you a more narrow sweetspot then the AT3031, but still with really good sound.

Both of these mics will need a good windscreen for outdoor use... and the Oktava even needs a good one for INDOOR use.

So if you want a dirt-cheap alternative to the internal mics then the 3031 is your best bet.