Is This A Versatile Option For HMC40 Microphone Upgrade??

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Denniscasey

Well-known member
HMC40 is great value for money and I am always on outlook for similar value for the money in other areas. Accordingly, I am curious if this "onboard" mike on sale at Videoguys would be an interim (until I invest in better mike) value solution to "replace" HMC40 built-in mike to improve quality of sound I record with HMC40? Sound I record is typically live action (i.e. not staged interviews) such as race cars (remember beauty in ear of beholder) , public free concerts, etc. Here is link http://www.videoguys.com/Item/ZOOM+H1+Handy+Recorder+Perfect+for+DSLRs/1384A5.aspx to Zoom H1 Handy Recorder. Advertised as means to get high quality audio for DSLRs; full stereo; stereo output to camera; could also use as "portable" recorder for other purposes; etc. On sale for $99. This possible option seems different enough from my previous post on microphone for HMC40 that I started new thread. Thanks for advice, Dennis.
 
You might want to consider the Rode Videomic as a place to start. It will plug directly to the 1/8" input on the hmc40. The next step is to purchase the xlr auxilary adapter from Panasonic which will let you use phantom powered pro mics. Most, but not all of the cheap stuff from box stores is pretty much junk unless you do a lot of research, or get very lucky.

Grant
 
Thank you for comments. I have also found an inverse relationship between superlatives used in advertising hyperbole and actual performance. And, generally speaking you do get about what you pay for--still there are those intriguing exceptions...
 
not an AT2022 advertise ;-)

not an AT2022 advertise ;-)

I don´t have experiences with H1 ext. mic and neither with Rode. But when I saw the distance of front part of mentioned H1 mic and if considered it´s X/Y stereo pattern I have doubt if this H1 will filter unwanted sounds enought to be good buy for cameras (for PCs should be ok).
If I could contribute a little with my own experiences with higher-quality ext. stereo X/Y camera mics: I bought 2011-released german-made AudioTechnika AT2022 X/Y stereo 3,5mm jack compatible ext. mic with changeable stereo-azimuts. AT2022 was my best buy compared universality, sensitivity, signal quality, cristal clear heights, great headroom/stereo effect and not best but good bass. I use AT2022 on my Dell Latitude notebook for scype and of course on ESI Juli@ desktop soundcard with great results too. I made even own "high-end sound test" when recorded concert music from Cambridge Audio Azur R650 with Canton repros inside good sounded room and with AT2022 I acquired results that fascinated me (at least compared to original Panasonic mic. inside AG-HMC4x).

Cons: AT2022 has more distant condenser capsules than H1, but it still records unwanted annoying hand-held camera sounds. It was so sensitive that the only way to eleminate these sounds was manually decrease level of recorded sound to lower level (on Panasonic AG-HMC41 even under -18dB). Otherwise AT2022 was able to record even zoom motor-like sound of AG-HMC41... :-(

Newertheless good thing on AT2022 is ability to long run under only 1x 1,2V NiMH/NiCd AA battery (tens of hours min.!).
at2022 = cca USD 250 and more
 
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