Panasonic AJ-MC700 short shotgun mic - any good for general boom dialogue rec?

[lonewolf2koc@hotmail.com]

I found a nearly mint condition Panasonic AJ-MC700 short shotgun mic that's not being used on the decade old SDX-900 2/3" cam. Is this mic any good for general dialogue recording when placed on a boom instead of the cam's viewfinder? I do like the fact that it is very small and compact vs the regular shotgun mic such as the Sanken CS3e and Schoeps CMIT5U. Is the MC-700 comparable to the Sanken CS3e or Schoeps CMIT5U? Planning to bring this on international locations due to its compact size and mobility.

 

[Richard Crowley]

ANY microphone would be better on a boom instead of on top of the camera simply because it is CLOSER to the subject.

However, those short microphones supplied with video camcorders are typically not up to the task of quality dialog pickup. They are definitely NOT in the same league as proper shotgun mics like the Sanken CS3e or Schoeps CMIT5U. They are provided with the camera just so that you will have a default microphone while you are learning how to use the camera. And they are handy for collecting ambient sound for B-roll, etc. Nobody seriously relies on them for quality dialog capture. And if they are going to the trouble of using a boom (and a boom operator) then they typically put a proper microphone at the end of the boom.

The laws of acoustic physics preclude making a SHORT microphone that performs like the longer industry-favorite microphones. The AJ-MC700 is closer to a cheap plastic toy like those Rode "Videomics". And, in fact, because of advances in technology, one of the Rode Videomics would probably out-perform that old default microphone.

However, only YOU can make the final determination whether your AJ-MC700 will perform to your level of expectation in the situations you are likely to be shooting in. It might be a good idea to take it along as an emergency backup microphone in case your primary microphone is bit by a crocodile or stolen by a mischievous monkey. Or perhaps to use in those situations that put the microphone at physical risk (crocs and monkeys, or riots, etc.) But, unless there is something magical about this microphone, I would be reluctant to take it along as my primary microphone.

 

[lonewolf2koc@hotmail.com]

After doing some prelim recordings, it just doesn't have that warmth and clarity when comparing it to the CS3e & CMIT5U. With your tips, I'll use this as an expendable mic for dangerous scenarios where I can justify the risk. After all, it's a better feeling that this one is damaged or lost over the CMIT5U or CS3e.