I've been trying to start my filmmaking career with a little JVC handheld camera and some friends. I have no sound equipment and now its turning into a annoying problem that I want to fix but I don't really know what to buy and what brands to trust. I have about $1000 to invest with. Are there any sites to buy some equipment? What would you suggest would be a good starting setup regarding audio?
Sound Equipment
- Thread starter bgdnoble
- Start date
Richard Crowley
Veteran
Please note that Gohanto did NOT ask if your camcorder has a built=in mic (all consumer camcorders have them). He specifically asked if your (unidentified) camcorder has a mic input jack (which bypasses the built-in mic). If you don't have a mic input jack, then no amount of sound equipment will do you much good.
JordanBlock
Well-known member
Well, if you lack an input you just have to go dual-system for the sound and buy different gear than you would if trying to record to camera.
Chadfish
Veteran
Usually these little cameras at least have an "AV in" if not a dedicated "mic in". Usually it's a 1/8" mini jack.
If you want to go to the next level, and you have those inputs, then I suggest an XLR adapter box, a cable, a mic, and a boom pole (and a friend to run the boom.)
•XLR adapter box: Something like a juicedLink or beachtek.
Maybe this model, but I'm not sure if it has Phantom power: 189.00 http://www.juicedlink.com/index_files/CX_camcorder_XLR_microphone_adapter_audio_mixers_CX211.htm
Here are all his products: http://www.juicedlink.com/index_files/CX_camcorder_XLR_microphone_adapter_audio_mixers.htm
• Mics: Shotgun - Rode NTG-2 (takes a battery or runs on phantom power)
Full on Kit for 579.00 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/421940-REG/Rode_NTG_2_NTG_2_Shotgun_Microphone.html
That leaves 230.00 which you should put into a "hypercardioid" mic. These are best for indoors. Shotguns are best for outdoors.
• Hypercardioid Mic (sometimes called a 'hyper'): Rode NT3 (do not confuse with 'NTG-3')
269.00 (they will email you a better price) http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=NT3&N=0&InitialSearch=yes
Both mics sound awesome. The NT3 is a bit heavy, but is a sweet sounding mic, and will totally make your stuff sound pro. All this sweet stuff comes in at close to 1,000.00, and can be used even after you upgrade your camera later. Rode mics, IMO are the best bang for your buck. I have both of these mics and they are pretty nice. Of course there are better mics, but not at this price. Also both run on battery, so if that JuicedLink doesn't have phantom power then you can still use the mics. But it's best to run off Phantom power, especially with the NTG-2.
You can write the juicedLink guy Robert with specific questions. Also his youtube page has some great tips and how-to stuff for beginners.
http://www.youtube.com/user/juicedLink
And even if you want to go the "Dual System" approach, which means you have an external recorder outside of the camera for audio, all this gear will still come into play. You just have to add 350.00 for the recorder. Another 150.00 will get you a cool software called "Plural Eyes" that can take separate video, and audio files and sync them up automatically. So if you have 10 takes of a scene, and a bunch of audio files from a Zoom recorder, and a bunch of video files with audio from the biult-in mic, you can just sync them up at the push of a button then turn off the camera audio.
http://www.singularsoftware.com/pluraleyes.html
With an external recorder, and Plural Eyes we're up to 1,500.00. So I say get the mics and JuicedLink now for 1,000.00 and get the Zoom H4N and Plural Eyes later.
Bam! Your done. Now go make a great film.
If you want to go to the next level, and you have those inputs, then I suggest an XLR adapter box, a cable, a mic, and a boom pole (and a friend to run the boom.)
•XLR adapter box: Something like a juicedLink or beachtek.
Maybe this model, but I'm not sure if it has Phantom power: 189.00 http://www.juicedlink.com/index_files/CX_camcorder_XLR_microphone_adapter_audio_mixers_CX211.htm
Here are all his products: http://www.juicedlink.com/index_files/CX_camcorder_XLR_microphone_adapter_audio_mixers.htm
• Mics: Shotgun - Rode NTG-2 (takes a battery or runs on phantom power)
Full on Kit for 579.00 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/421940-REG/Rode_NTG_2_NTG_2_Shotgun_Microphone.html
That leaves 230.00 which you should put into a "hypercardioid" mic. These are best for indoors. Shotguns are best for outdoors.
• Hypercardioid Mic (sometimes called a 'hyper'): Rode NT3 (do not confuse with 'NTG-3')
269.00 (they will email you a better price) http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=NT3&N=0&InitialSearch=yes
Both mics sound awesome. The NT3 is a bit heavy, but is a sweet sounding mic, and will totally make your stuff sound pro. All this sweet stuff comes in at close to 1,000.00, and can be used even after you upgrade your camera later. Rode mics, IMO are the best bang for your buck. I have both of these mics and they are pretty nice. Of course there are better mics, but not at this price. Also both run on battery, so if that JuicedLink doesn't have phantom power then you can still use the mics. But it's best to run off Phantom power, especially with the NTG-2.
You can write the juicedLink guy Robert with specific questions. Also his youtube page has some great tips and how-to stuff for beginners.
http://www.youtube.com/user/juicedLink
And even if you want to go the "Dual System" approach, which means you have an external recorder outside of the camera for audio, all this gear will still come into play. You just have to add 350.00 for the recorder. Another 150.00 will get you a cool software called "Plural Eyes" that can take separate video, and audio files and sync them up automatically. So if you have 10 takes of a scene, and a bunch of audio files from a Zoom recorder, and a bunch of video files with audio from the biult-in mic, you can just sync them up at the push of a button then turn off the camera audio.
http://www.singularsoftware.com/pluraleyes.html
With an external recorder, and Plural Eyes we're up to 1,500.00. So I say get the mics and JuicedLink now for 1,000.00 and get the Zoom H4N and Plural Eyes later.
Bam! Your done. Now go make a great film.
Last edited:
Michael Carter
Veteran
One thought on budget dual-system sound... a decent laptop with a decent audio interface can work very well. There's plenty of interfaces under $200 that offer dual XLR & Phantom power, and all kinds of freeware for mac & PC. May not be as sweet as a dedicated recorder, but an interface with good pres and converters will sound just as good. You lack some handheld portability, etc - but if you've already got a laptop, it can get ya going.
Laptops need power
Laptops crashes when they don't have to... yes even macs do.
It's not a bad idea...But...think about it...
Noiz2
Sound Ninja
Well everything audio needs power, laptops have batteries and so does the camera and a recorder etc... If your using lights you probably have AC so that isn't really a consideration. Every flash recorder is a computer and in fact so is the camcorder, and your phone etc. And yes they can all crash. But more often than not it's the software that is the problem not the computer. So "freeware" would not be my first choice. On a Mac my first choice is BoomRecorder but the developer got a paying job and last I looked he wasn't selling it anymore, actually just checked and he is but it has some issue with OS10.6 so you should use it only if your on 10.5.
http://www.vosgames.nl/products/BoomRecorder/
Anyway it was used on films like Flags of Our Fathers among a bunch of other well funded projects. There are also others, at least one other on the Mac.
And ProTools (that I would not recommend for live recording for a few reasons) is used by many bands to record concerts. So in the big picture recording to the Laptop is much less risky than most of the other things your doing on a low budget shoot.
Gohanto
Veteran
There was a discussion on RAMPS a little while back and the developer mentioned that he's currently working on a ground up re-write of the software. No dates have been set however.
And to the OP, the need for a 2nd recorder (at least at the low budget level) is dependent on whether or not your camera has a mic-in. (i.e. a 1/8" jack on the side labeled "mic-in" or (less likely) XLR inputs). So, does your camera have the ability to connect an external mic?