my camcorder doesn't have external mic input :(

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BrohiBoy

New member
hey all!!

I just realized that my camcorder doesnt have an external microphone input!
But i really want to purchase a shot gun mic!

Is there any way to record the sound, without having the external mic input. Like having any external device etc which can record the sound and later synchronise it with the video??

Please help!!!!
 
Yes, it's called double system recording. You can get a digital recorder like the Zoom H4 for about $300, plug the mic into there and record the audio separately, then sync it to the video. Use a slate to sync the sound on set.
 
The Zoom H4 is great. If that's a bit out of your price range, consider a Zoom H2 ($199). The H4 will work with a wider variety of mics, but the H2 is a very handy little device too.

Good luck!
 
BrohiBoy said:
hey all!!

I just realized that my camcorder doesnt have an external microphone input!
But i really want to purchase a shot gun mic!

Is there any way to record the sound, without having the external mic input. Like having any external device etc which can record the sound and later synchronise it with the video??

Please help!!!!
Click to expand...

Echoing what Van and Chpel suggested but injecting a note of caution. If your camera is so far down in the consumer camera pack that it doesn't even have an external mic jack, there's a real good chance there are a lot of other compromises in its design as well. You might find it's difficult to keep sound recorded on an external recorder in sync for very long. Perhaps it's time to look at a camera upgrade first ....
 
If you do end up going with something such as the Zoom H2 then you will need something to go from the XLR that your mic would have to a 3.5mm jack. An example of this product is the Beachtek DXA-4 XLR adapter
 
toolmodel said:
If you do end up going with something such as the Zoom H2 then you will need something to go from the XLR that your mic would have to a 3.5mm jack. An example of this product is the Beachtek DXA-4 XLR adapter
Click to expand...

That's correct, assuming your mic is XLR. Also keep in mind that the Zoom H4 provides phantom power, which the Zoom H2 does not.
 
I'm just guessing here, but my camera cost $700 new and it came with an external mic input. If his doesn't have one, lets assume its 500$. The Zoom H2, using the internal mic, is a $200 upgrade.

The H4, at $300, has the same internal microphone, so buying it means he'll want to use an external microphone. A microphone thats better than the Zoom H2 internal will maybe add (supposedly he doesn't have one yet) $200 or more to the cost.

Thus buying the H4 will up the price from $200 to $500, thus making it in the same price area than his camera, or more.

Did that make sense? Just an idea.
 
The built-in mics in the Zoom H4 and H2 are actually pretty good, when compared to the on-camera mic of just about any camcorder.

He could look for a better camera -- a consumer-level model that does have an external mic jack. I used to have a little Panasonic -- I think it was the PV-DV401 -- that had an external mic jack. He might be able to pick one up off Ebay for the price of the Zoom H4, maybe less. That might be a viable alternative.
 
Honestly, it doesn't matter if the camera cost $1k or $100k. Recording dual system with a good mic and a good audio recorder is going to yield superior results for audio.

He can still record a "slop track" with the camera internal mic to help sync later.
 
If you do end up going with something such as the Zoom H2 then you will need something to go from the XLR that your mic would have to a 3.5mm jack.
Click to expand...
You can use the Rode videomic. It uses a 3.5mm jack, has excellent reviews, and comes with a rubber mount.
 
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