shot gun mics for motocross

H

HonestDon

Active member
HEYO!

I shoot a lot of motocross races and interviews during/after the races are over and it can be very loud at times. I've run a search about which shotgun to use but only mics that work well for dialog come up. My question is, what shot gun mic will work to record a motocross event and also be able to shoot interviews the same day? Or should I just be using camera top for the races and just switch over to the shotgun for interviews?

Thanks fellas
 
Your mic choice will really depend on how you're recording the interviews and racing events (handheld ENG-style, on-camera, boom).

For vehicle effects recording, the Sennheiser MKH416 is usually the first mic I reach for. Its reach and articulation will really help if you're unable to get too close to the race, although it will work best if you keep the action on-axis.
 
Sorry to mention before but it will be mounted on the camera. And I will not be using a sound guy.

Yeah the Sennheiser MKH416 is a great mic but I was thinking about something in the $200 to $600 range. Either the Sennheiser ME66, Audio-Technica AT825b, Audio-Technica AT4073 or the Rode NTG-2

Thanks
 
The ME66 can get pretty edgy around loud sounds. I haven't really tried the other mics for effects. I know this isn't what you want to hear, but my advice is to save up a bit longer and invest in a `416. While the mics that you listed would likely do the job, a higher end mic will result in tracks that are noticeably more lively (especially at a bit of a distance).

If you have the luxury of setup time, consider hiding a few "plant" mics closer to the track. If you can get it close enough to a really loud sound, an Electrovoice 635 can give you a really dramatic passby. However, its a dynamic mic, so you won't get much out of it when the bikes are on the opposite end of the track. Plant mics call for a fair bit of strategic thinking, but I'd be tempted to attach one to a fence post as close to the finish line as possible. The 635 is also a handy mic for ENG-style handheld interviews, and its reputation for indestructability is well earned.
 
But would the 416 still distort with high volumes? I understand it might not be exactly the right microphone for such events but over all I would like to use it for interviews with it on the camera and not have to keep switching it over from the camera top to the shot gun. Who knows, things could get real bad when I forget to switch it and miss the interview. Do you think the 416 still could be the right microphone?
 
Overloading the microphone could well be an issue, depending the distance between the mics and the race. Here are the maximum input sound levels of the mic's in question:

`416 130 dB
ME66 125 dB
AT825 126 dB
AT4037 126 dB
NTG-2 139 dB

Of course, these numbers are a bit missleading since they're all based on a 1kHz test tone. The `416 does have problems with extremely loud transients, but I think you'll be in good shape for a motocross race. To be absolutely certain, rent one and try it out before you buy. Most pro video rental houses will have a handful of `416s on hand.

On the other hand, a dynamic mic like the EV 635 will stand up to some pretty punishing sound pressure levels (eg. small-scale ordinance tests). If you absolutely must record extremely (and I do mean extremely) loud effects at close range, you'll need to use either a dynamic mic or a very high-end condensor (DPA and Earthworks come to mind).

As for using an camera-mounted shotgun mic for interviews, I strongly reccomend using a different strategy. Unless you're interviewing everyone right up close with a wide angle lense, you're mic will be in a lousy position to pick up dialogue. For almost all interview situations, a shotgun mic should either be on the end of an boom pole, on a large mic stand with a telescoping boom, or hand-held just below the frame line. If you're unable to hire a boom operator, consider using a wired lav or a handheld ENG mic.
 
i would try a lav for the interviews. although they are omni, if the interviewee has mic close to mouth and their back is to the track, you get a pretty shot and their body blocks some of the ambient sound from the cycles.

If your cam can provide phantom for a boom, it can power a lav. They are in your price range. the only caveat is you will have to deal with hardwire. otherwise a wireless system w/ a decent lav will run roughly 550( g2 with used tram)
 
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