QUALITY Mic, Light, and Tripod < $600 - Is it POSSIBLE?

A

Alex of Sparta

Member
Here's some background information...
I'm in high school and i've started filming weddings with my DVX100B. I need a mic (any recommendations since I'm new at this whole wedding thing), a light that simply attaches to my camera for the reception portions of weddings (all the receptions have been poorly lit), and a strong, smooth, sturdy tripod (Manfrotto preferred). My budget is $600 - don't forget, I'm just a high school student.
Any recommendations? If you recommend a wireless mic could you give me a little info or example on how to set it up for a wedding? Thanks!

And if over $600 it's not a big deal, I just want to learn as much as possible right now.
 
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I got a Davis And Sanford Fluid head tripod from B&H for $250 and it came with wheels. I got a great mic for $250: Audio Technica AT897 and a $100 video light. The light is Opteka Halogen Quartz Video Light. I am very satisfied with all of those and it will cost you under $600!
 
I'm sure you can get everything under $600.
just buy used items and you are good to go.

btw, I have an NTG-2 mic and I've been happy with it. also have a Manfrotto 501 head tripod and I love it.
for video lights I'm not to sure with them but I'm sure power/battery will be the main issue w/ weddings so you might want to get an LED light. if not, at least a battery belt!

anyway, use the search function and you are going to have to read tuns of reviews by people and just go with the one you like:)
good luck
 
My light has a battery belt too and can go about 3 hours at full luminosity before starting to die! And just like the NTG 2, my mic can go battery powered or phantom power.
 
Normally I'd use this as an opportunity to sell you an NTG-2 package for a lot less than you can get elsewhere (so let me know if you want it), but for weddings you really should look into lav mics to hook on to the bride and groom. They're the only people you absolutely need to hear during the ceremony. Or not, but you definitely have to know what you're looking for in type of microphone setup before anyone can say which one to buy.
 
u can get wireless evolution g2 setup for like $500...davis and sanford provista with fm18 head for $189. i duno about the lights though. I have both of these items are they work quite well!!
 
Thanks Everyone

Thanks Everyone

Wow, less than 12 hours later and so many replies. I really appreciate everyone's help. I'm definitely going to be using this site, since people actually respond to my posts unlike other camera forums, ha.
 
Yes you can. Just keep in mind that your $600 accessory list will be less than top of the line gear. And, having one mic, while certain to be better than the onboard, will limit you to certain situations, so choose carefully.

Grant
 
I'm shooting with a DVX100a and use the Sennheiser G2 wireless combo series and haven't had any problems with it, and I've seen a lot of other pros use them as well.

I also use a Sennheiser K66 shotgun microphone, which also seems a staple of most videographers around my area.

If you can't get two wireless lavs (especially if you don't want to take up both of your on camera channels), you might consider getting the mic cube for the G2 series and placing a shotgun near your bride-groom-ceremony area.

And then there's always field recorders, which are quite handy, as they don't have to be tied to your rig if you don't need them to be.

I'd also agree with earlier post about considering LEDs for lightings, which seems to be a growing trend, 1) for low power consumption, and 2) much less heat. If you're going to mount that light on your DVX, then it's going to be close your hands. And from my experience, LEDs seem to run lighter than conventional tungsten instruments.
 
Just a few thoughts from the comments above.

The goal was $600 for the three items. A G2 is a about $500-600 and is probably the least acceptable unit and best value vs sound on the market, though most pros would upgrade the lav mic. If you get the kit with the butt-plug, you could add an interview mic (Cheapest = Shure M58 $100) and pass the mic around to people as you video the guests. A Sen K66 is around $500 also, so that doesn't leave much room for sticks and a light. Rode or AT models will probably offer more value if you decide on a shotgun

You will need to decide what type of shooting you intend to do....more outside or inside, since mics don't work well in all locations. There will always be compromise on this if your budget is limited.

If you cant afford wireless, and need to be untethered, you might think about a mini sd recorder like a Zoom or similar. With either wireless or mini recorder, there is a greater risk of missing some sound so know your gear before trusting it.

I like the idea of LEDs for all of the above reasons, but you might want to look into the color spectrum of the less expensive models. Some reviews have found them to be blue with a capital B. The could make a pretty ugly problem if the room has a fair amount of different ambient. Inexpensive tungsten will probably be more versatile than inexpensive LED at the expense of larger and more expensive batteries IMHO.

If you want to learn more about mics, hang in the audio section of DVX user, and you can learn a lot from some real pros. They can tend to be a little rough, but very honest and helpful.

Grant
 
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