Park Edwards
Veteran
I have an Oktava mic now, but really am considering the LAV's. Reason is that I don't have to worry about a boom op, can use it in multiple situations and just seems like the mic that can "do it all". So, what is your take?
Oktava vs Lav?
- Thread starter Park Edwards
- Start date
bmowell
Well-known member
Do you mean a lavalier mic?
I have the oktava and a G2 wireless lavalier kit. The octava sounds better - richer and fuller - if it's close to the talent. My lav sounds very "present" because it's right next to the talent's face. But I would take the sound of the oktava over the lav anyday of the week. The only reason I would personally use a lavalier over a boomed mic is if there were just no way to keep the boom mic close to the talent. The last thing I used my G2 on was at a guitar hero tournament that had about 300 people. The guy we were following around wore the G2 all day long. We never missed anything he said. As a matter of fact, even though it was very noisy you could still hear the people he was interacting with that were next to him with the omnidirectional lavalier mic. My sound guy followed me around for 10 hours with a boomed oktava which we used to interview people and catch additional dialogue from judges and other players that the G2 wouldn't pick up.
In a situation like this, I'd definitely use a lav. In a more static or narrative environment I'd prefer the boomed mic.
Every situation is different and I'm still just a noob, but I'd say keep and use BOTH depending on the situation.
I have the oktava and a G2 wireless lavalier kit. The octava sounds better - richer and fuller - if it's close to the talent. My lav sounds very "present" because it's right next to the talent's face. But I would take the sound of the oktava over the lav anyday of the week. The only reason I would personally use a lavalier over a boomed mic is if there were just no way to keep the boom mic close to the talent. The last thing I used my G2 on was at a guitar hero tournament that had about 300 people. The guy we were following around wore the G2 all day long. We never missed anything he said. As a matter of fact, even though it was very noisy you could still hear the people he was interacting with that were next to him with the omnidirectional lavalier mic. My sound guy followed me around for 10 hours with a boomed oktava which we used to interview people and catch additional dialogue from judges and other players that the G2 wouldn't pick up.
In a situation like this, I'd definitely use a lav. In a more static or narrative environment I'd prefer the boomed mic.
Every situation is different and I'm still just a noob, but I'd say keep and use BOTH depending on the situation.
Park Edwards
Veteran
Yeah I mean lavalier mics. I want to keep my oktava, but I really cant' afford to get a lavalier on top. Very limited on my crew size to have a boom op all the time. So would it be a bad choice to sell of the oktava and get a lavalier for the save on resources?
Derrick_SA
Veteran
I use to be a lav only user, the guys on this board thought it was a bad idea, so I got a oktava mk-012, and tried to prove these guys wrong, that lav is all you need, i was wrong.
now my lav only comes out if there is absolutely no way i can get a boom close.
the sound is a lot more natural with a boom, you pick up very clean dialog, but there is a very slight hint of room presence, and sounds great. With the lav, you get nothing of that and the sound "looks" un-natural in the scene if you know what I mean. sounds dead. with some post work yeah, you can add this or that to it, but I find the audio from the MK-012 (and there are better mics) really works ten times better.
- Derrick
now my lav only comes out if there is absolutely no way i can get a boom close.
the sound is a lot more natural with a boom, you pick up very clean dialog, but there is a very slight hint of room presence, and sounds great. With the lav, you get nothing of that and the sound "looks" un-natural in the scene if you know what I mean. sounds dead. with some post work yeah, you can add this or that to it, but I find the audio from the MK-012 (and there are better mics) really works ten times better.
- Derrick
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Park Edwards
Veteran
My thoughts had come down to the
[FONT=Verdana,arial]Audio-Techinca AT899
or
[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,arial]Sanken COS-11X
[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,arial]What's the best way to mount a Oktave to a c-stand? Since I won't have a boom op most of the time, figured I go that route.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana,arial]Audio-Techinca AT899
or
[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,arial]Sanken COS-11X
[/FONT][FONT=Verdana,arial]What's the best way to mount a Oktave to a c-stand? Since I won't have a boom op most of the time, figured I go that route.
[/FONT]
I have 4 Tram TR50 Lav's, 2 sonotrams, an Octava mk012 (real one) senn 416, senn mk66 and a few other mics...
The Lavs used corectly have had the best results for me...
I shoot run n' gun docs, not perfect world enviroments with no wind. (My pic explains it all
)
My experience with the oktava is it can get blown out with minimal wind or breath with a windscreen on it. In perfect conditions you'll be ok. I have seen decent LAV's on eBay (TR50's) sell for around $80 used. Pick one up to try out, I think you'll be happy, if not, you will not loose money reselling it back on eBay.
Also consider an ECM 150 countryman LAV.
The Lavs used corectly have had the best results for me...
I shoot run n' gun docs, not perfect world enviroments with no wind. (My pic explains it all
)My experience with the oktava is it can get blown out with minimal wind or breath with a windscreen on it. In perfect conditions you'll be ok. I have seen decent LAV's on eBay (TR50's) sell for around $80 used. Pick one up to try out, I think you'll be happy, if not, you will not loose money reselling it back on eBay.
Also consider an ECM 150 countryman LAV.
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John Willett
Veteran
The Sennheiser MKE 2 is a good (and extremely tiny) mic. with lots of termination options - it also has an "umbrella" diaphragm to help protect it against moisture and sweat.
It's much better than the mic. that comes supplied with the evolution G2 kits.
The ew 112 G2 is a good little radio kit (made much better if you use the MKE 2-0ew as I said above) - but the ew 100 ENG G2 is a better option as it has the plug-un transmitter as well (about £100 / $200 cheaper than if you buy the ew 112p and add the plug-on SKP 100 G2 later).
If you do professional stuff the G2 500 series is a better option as you het more frequencies and the output is fully balanced.
I hope this helps.
It's much better than the mic. that comes supplied with the evolution G2 kits.
The ew 112 G2 is a good little radio kit (made much better if you use the MKE 2-0ew as I said above) - but the ew 100 ENG G2 is a better option as it has the plug-un transmitter as well (about £100 / $200 cheaper than if you buy the ew 112p and add the plug-on SKP 100 G2 later).
If you do professional stuff the G2 500 series is a better option as you het more frequencies and the output is fully balanced.
I hope this helps.
Park Edwards
Veteran
looks like i'll just rent a lavalier. seems to be the best solution.
obi1jacobi
Active member
I have 4 Tram TR50 Lav's, 2 sonotrams, an Octava mk012 (real one) senn 416, senn mk66 and a few other mics...
The Lavs used corectly have had the best results for me...
I shoot run n' gun docs, not perfect world enviroments with no wind. (My pic explains it all
My experience with the oktava is it can get blown out with minimal wind or breath with a windscreen on it. In perfect conditions you'll be ok. I have seen decent LAV's on eBay (TR50's) sell for around $80 used. Pick one up to try out, I think you'll be happy, if not, you will not loose money reselling it back on eBay.
Also consider an ECM 150 countryman LAV.
Car3o, I think you've made a wise decision. You'll get more usage out of the hypercardioid than just a lavalier, if you have to have one mic in your kit. Renting will work well.
ChipG, I'm considering buying a Tram 50 for outside interviews. How does it handle windy environments? Do you suggest the windscreen protection that comes with the kit:http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/415765-REG/Tram_TR50GPS_TR50_Omni_Directional_Lavalier.html
or do you recommend better protection? I saw that it would intercut decently with my Sanken CS3e shotgun mic, so I thought it would be a nice option for me to capture audio using both, and then choose what sounds best.
I use the windscreen that came with the TR50 PLUS an additional little fur ball type windscreen over the TR50's foam windscreen. I bought it at B&H for something like $25. It is a Rycote Furry Windjammer, B&H item #RYWFLB.
We have gotten decent audio in 40+ mph winds and in 20 mph winds you'll not have any problems. The Rycote comes with 2 little foam spacers that must be used for propper spacing inside the fur ball or your results won't be as good.
If you can swing it I'd use both the LAV and the shotgun. I didn't have the luxury of having a seperate audio guy with a boom.
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i recently used two TR50s whilst running and gunning around a fairground. my subjects ended up in a marquee tent that had HORRIBLY loud music blasting from a P.A system. i usually use 2 lavs on one channel, and my MKH60 on the other, even if the subject is far away, just to give the dubbing mixer some 'width' to drop in as they see fit. on this occasion, the 60 was completely useless, so i dropped it out and gave the lavs a channel each. i ended up with a fairly respectable recording of each subject and the people they were interacting with. still wouldnt fancy editing it tho!
Keep each mic or lav on a seperate channel.
I shot an interview of a band in a recording studio (one member was from Spinal Tap) and they all had lavs. When they cranked the music in the studio the lavs performed very well, you could here them talking perfectly over the loud music and the music sounded outstanding.
RE: my ears are tuned to B&W 802 (diamond series) speakers at home.
Try things out for yourself, my 416 on a c stand couldn't capture all the audio going on at the same time.
I think BG just had a dvd that came out about audio... I have not seen it but I have heard several people say good things about it.
I shot an interview of a band in a recording studio (one member was from Spinal Tap) and they all had lavs. When they cranked the music in the studio the lavs performed very well, you could here them talking perfectly over the loud music and the music sounded outstanding.
RE: my ears are tuned to B&W 802 (diamond series) speakers at home.
Try things out for yourself, my 416 on a c stand couldn't capture all the audio going on at the same time.
I think BG just had a dvd that came out about audio... I have not seen it but I have heard several people say good things about it.