TOP 5 SHOTGUNS! (for those with a budget)- READ THIS!
- Thread starter timapter
- Start date
Steve Shovlar
DVXuser Sponsor
I've got a Sennheiser 416T up on ebay at the moment. Excellent condition. Do a search for Sennheiser 416 and you will find it. I am in the UK but will post worldwide.
Sean Michael
Well-known member
petelms said:
Me too. This is a very helpful post. I'm in the market for a wireless lav set and am not sure which way to go.
Bravo! The crowd wants more. :thumbsup:
pastywhiteboy
Well-known member
I would've actually ranked the AT897 above the ME66. After working with both, the ME66 does have better directionality, but it colors the sound much more than the AT897. For me, transparency is more important than directionality. Also, the build quality is far better on the AT897... the ME66 feels soooo cheap. I know all this was already stated in your review, which is why I'm wondering why the AT897 got dead last.
Anyway, I guess a lot of this depends on what your recording circumstances are anyway... the winner in one situation may be the loser in another. Just my thoughts on it, though.
-pastywhiteboy
Anyway, I guess a lot of this depends on what your recording circumstances are anyway... the winner in one situation may be the loser in another. Just my thoughts on it, though.
-pastywhiteboy
Film Crazy
Active member
Timapter:
Thanks for taking the time to write this. It's cemented what I've been thinking all along. Looking forward to the new thread on lav mics (if you do one:happy: ...please!!!).
Thanks for taking the time to write this. It's cemented what I've been thinking all along. Looking forward to the new thread on lav mics (if you do one:happy: ...please!!!).
timapter
Veteran
Pastywhite boy - Keep in mind that the AT897 isnt last, its fifth best! But the points you've mentioned are all very valid. I actually placed it fifth for its low output level, which makes it harder to use effectively without an external mixer or preamp.
If you guys reckon I should edit the positions, thats cool... if enough people agree, lets do it. This isn't about what I say, its about what the general sound community regards to be true.
Im trying to find some time to put up another thread, but Im quite busy shooting at the moment, have an interesting new series to work on, so I'll do my best with the lav's post- PLEASE keep the PM's and emails coming, and if possible tell me what you think are the signature characteristics/winning features of the lavs you like. I dont want these threads to be opinion, I want them to be a poll of sorts that gives a clearer, general view of this community.
Cheers,
Tim
If you guys reckon I should edit the positions, thats cool... if enough people agree, lets do it. This isn't about what I say, its about what the general sound community regards to be true.
Im trying to find some time to put up another thread, but Im quite busy shooting at the moment, have an interesting new series to work on, so I'll do my best with the lav's post- PLEASE keep the PM's and emails coming, and if possible tell me what you think are the signature characteristics/winning features of the lavs you like. I dont want these threads to be opinion, I want them to be a poll of sorts that gives a clearer, general view of this community.
Cheers,
Tim
pastywhiteboy
Well-known member
timapter said:
Tim,
as others have said, the effort you've put into this is much appreciated. After a bit more thinking, I don't really care what position any of the mics are in... it's more important just to have the accurate information you've given us. Then we can base our decisions on how that information applies to our own specific needs. Any of those mics could be number one on somebodies list!
Thanks again for the great info.
-pastywhiteboy
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
Hey Big Magic... I just notice you're a MO guy too! Cool. I'm in STL.
Tim... I don't know how you feel about this, but I think it would be cool if anybody who owns one of the mics featured would post a small clip. Like 30 seconds to a minute. Where they would do a quick overview about what they like or don't like about the particular mic... and obviously do a VO or record it with that same mic.
I've been planning to do an Oktava thread to address the same questions that I get over and over so that people get a visual explanation of it... but if you do a thread for Oktava (or hypers) then I'll put the audio/video in there.
Tim... I don't know how you feel about this, but I think it would be cool if anybody who owns one of the mics featured would post a small clip. Like 30 seconds to a minute. Where they would do a quick overview about what they like or don't like about the particular mic... and obviously do a VO or record it with that same mic.
I've been planning to do an Oktava thread to address the same questions that I get over and over so that people get a visual explanation of it... but if you do a thread for Oktava (or hypers) then I'll put the audio/video in there.
jbrandon
Active member
This thread has been very helpful! Here's a question for anyone:
I'll be heading to Ghana in March & April to make my first full-length documentary in a rural village there and I'm trying to get together the equipment. I've landed on the DVX100a or 100b as the camera I definitely want to use but am still trying to figure out which mics to use, I plan to bring 1 shotgun and 1 wireless lav mic (is that enough?).
For the shotgun, I need a mic with great versatility and durability. I'm going to be by myself, running the mic directly through the camera, and I am pretty much a beginner with sound mixing (did I mention I'll be by myself too?). I'm thinking about the MKH416 but I'm worried that it's too much mic for shooting alone, as a bit of a beginner, in an african village. Thoughts?
I'll be heading to Ghana in March & April to make my first full-length documentary in a rural village there and I'm trying to get together the equipment. I've landed on the DVX100a or 100b as the camera I definitely want to use but am still trying to figure out which mics to use, I plan to bring 1 shotgun and 1 wireless lav mic (is that enough?).
For the shotgun, I need a mic with great versatility and durability. I'm going to be by myself, running the mic directly through the camera, and I am pretty much a beginner with sound mixing (did I mention I'll be by myself too?). I'm thinking about the MKH416 but I'm worried that it's too much mic for shooting alone, as a bit of a beginner, in an african village. Thoughts?
timapter
Veteran
Yeah Matt great idea, I actually asked people for samples in the first post of the thread. Feel free to do the Oktava, or else let me know a URL for the files and Ill do a writeup and post it in here, or a new thread. What you reckon? Im easy either way... but an oktava summary/review should go up on the site, I reckon.
I think what would be great is once we have all the contributions everyone has to give (like samples, and important comments), we could summarise this thread into a new super-info shotgun thread, and maybe that could be stickied.
And maybe oneday someone will reward us and publish our threads into a best selling book and we'll be rich. And maybe I'll turn into a small potted cactus. Ha Ha!
I think what would be great is once we have all the contributions everyone has to give (like samples, and important comments), we could summarise this thread into a new super-info shotgun thread, and maybe that could be stickied.
And maybe oneday someone will reward us and publish our threads into a best selling book and we'll be rich. And maybe I'll turn into a small potted cactus. Ha Ha!
timapter
Veteran
oh yes, Jbrandon - if you're alone, the 416 will probably do you good - close up interviews will be decent for no sound man, and ambience will be OK. Its very directional though so multiple targets could sound CRAP. its a tough mic though. Always buy the best you can afford... i reckon anyway. But then again, im a soundguy, not a camerathing. I mean person.
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
I'll second the 416 recommendation. It's a hammer. Although it's scary when you say just one mic and one wireless. If I was going on a trip like that I'd take almost everything I have for sound.
You might want to pick up a cheap cardioid (or MAYBE hyper) for some on-cam stuff... just for times when you want to pick up a BIG bubble of sound out front. The internal mics are so insensitive that it's a joke. Even for ambience it's amazing the improvement you'd get with a decent cardioid on top of the cam. A hyper will work there too... but cardioid is a good "omni-replacement" where you actually do NOT want to reject too much off axis.
You might want to pick up a cheap cardioid (or MAYBE hyper) for some on-cam stuff... just for times when you want to pick up a BIG bubble of sound out front. The internal mics are so insensitive that it's a joke. Even for ambience it's amazing the improvement you'd get with a decent cardioid on top of the cam. A hyper will work there too... but cardioid is a good "omni-replacement" where you actually do NOT want to reject too much off axis.