what microphone is for the gh1
- Thread starter yia
- Start date
Abstract Photog
Active member
Sennheiser MKE400
iv never used it personally, but Iv heard good things from 5D users.
it should work just fine with the GH1.
iv never used it personally, but Iv heard good things from 5D users.
it should work just fine with the GH1.
dan_aka_jack
Well-known member
apparently the Rode VideoMic is also good for the GH1. I haven't used it myself although I will probably buy one this week (unless there's a good reason not to!)
Not VideoMic (only mono) ... StereoVideoMic! Or did you mean this?
http://de.rodemic.com/microphone.php?product=StereoVideoMic
In Germany there are (two) dealers, the sell GH1 (red or golden) with Pana-Mic and bag for regular price - 25%
http://de.rodemic.com/microphone.php?product=StereoVideoMic
In Germany there are (two) dealers, the sell GH1 (red or golden) with Pana-Mic and bag for regular price - 25%
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Kevin I
Active member
The Videomic is nice for the price, but as DonalDuc said -- it's only mono. (there are very few stereo shotgun mics... and most shotgun mics (except the upper end) tend to have mediocre bass response)
I've also used a Sony ECM-S959C (stereo) on the GH1. This was about a $300 mic and is not bad, but I don't think they make it anymore.
One thing to note is that you will need a 3.5mm -> 2.5mm adapter cable since the GH1 audio input is a 2.5mm jack.
You can spend waaaay more on good audio than most video cameras. It's pretty scary when you start looking at prices.
I've also used a Sony ECM-S959C (stereo) on the GH1. This was about a $300 mic and is not bad, but I don't think they make it anymore.
One thing to note is that you will need a 3.5mm -> 2.5mm adapter cable since the GH1 audio input is a 2.5mm jack.
You can spend waaaay more on good audio than most video cameras. It's pretty scary when you start looking at prices.
I'm wondering if a hotshoe-mount mic is the best option, or a traditional shotgun in some kind of holder. For example, if I want to eventually get the Zoom recorder...then I think I'd rather have a traditional XLR-yielding Shotgun.
I have a XLR->RCA cable, and then on the RCA end I have a RCA->2.5mm adaptor. Should work, though I admit I haven't been able to try it yet.
I have a XLR->RCA cable, and then on the RCA end I have a RCA->2.5mm adaptor. Should work, though I admit I haven't been able to try it yet.
Kevin I
Active member
There's usually a balance between: convenience, quality, and cost. Most of the time you can choose only two.
Hot shoe mounted mics are the most convenient and can be inexpensive, but they rarely yield the best quality.
A sound operator with a mic on a boom close to your subjects is often the best way to go for audio quality, but it is seldom convenient.
Wireless lapel mics are convenient and yield pretty good quality for a single subject (or multiple subjects if you have a field mixer and operator), but good ones are rarely cheap.
...
XLR is definitely the best connector, but 1/4" plugs are not too bad when XLR and balanced audio are not available. We used to use a Zoom H4 at work, and if memory serves, it can take a variety of connectors -- including XLR and 1/4".
Please do be careful with the 2.5mm jack. 3.5mm are the bane of many audio set ups, and 2.5mm jacks are even worse. They tend to be fidgety, and pull out or drop connections at the worst times possible. :embarasse
If you have a straight RCA to 2.5mm adapter hanging off the side of the GH1, it puts quite a bit of pressure on the sensitive mini jack.
What I'd recommend is a short adapter cable with an L-shaped 2.5mm jack on one and and whatever connector you need on the other end. Plug it in and tape it down so the 2.5mm plug cannot move during your shoot.
dan_aka_jack
Well-known member
I have heard that the Rode VideoMic (mono) has better "reach" than the Panasonic mic. I presume this is because the Rode is a "proper" shotgun mic. I'm not too bothered by having stereo sound. Plus I just want a mic which will be suitable for really run-and-gun situations. For all other situations I'll record audio to my Endirol R-44 4-channel SD recorder.
I heaved my Rode stereo videomic out of the cupboard and plugged it into my GH1 via a suitable adaptor, but the result was only mono.
Either the connector on the camera needs a four-pole plug (as I've seen suggested) or the adaptor isn't fitting well. It may need its plastic casing shaved back a bit (on the adaptor, not the GH1!!) but I suspect there's money to be made by someone able to make up a short cable adapter using connectors that actually fit and work. I certainly wouldn't want to try soldering onto one of those tiny connectors myself, particulaly if indeed the four pole version is required.
[Edit - I've now seen the other thread here re audio and 4 pole seems indeed to be required - http://www.calculatorking.com.au/pda-handhelds/headsets/blackberry-audio-adapter-2-5-to-3-5.html seems to be the kind of thing. I'll get one and report back again.
Either the connector on the camera needs a four-pole plug (as I've seen suggested) or the adaptor isn't fitting well. It may need its plastic casing shaved back a bit (on the adaptor, not the GH1!!) but I suspect there's money to be made by someone able to make up a short cable adapter using connectors that actually fit and work. I certainly wouldn't want to try soldering onto one of those tiny connectors myself, particulaly if indeed the four pole version is required.
[Edit - I've now seen the other thread here re audio and 4 pole seems indeed to be required - http://www.calculatorking.com.au/pda-handhelds/headsets/blackberry-audio-adapter-2-5-to-3-5.html seems to be the kind of thing. I'll get one and report back again.
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simonclivehughes
Well-known member
The Panasonic mic's connector is only 3-pole, and looks to be standard in size and configuration.
Cheers,
Fictionfeatures
Member
I used sennheiser mics for a while and they're great but over the last few months I've been using the Rode NTG-2, great mic. Great sound, check it out.
ryansheffer
Well-known member
Hmm....the only thing in yia's sentence that should have been in caps was DMW-MS1, and strangely it is the only thing lower case.
Martti Ekstrand
Veteran
Perhaps he was rudely making the point that it is always hard getting a good interview / actor sound from a onboard mike even if it's a shotgun. I haven't worried much about sound yet but I think I'll go with a separate recorder, preferably attached to a good sound guy, and use the onboard recording for synchronization. It does a decent ambience recording but as it's very close to your own mouth/nose like any camcorder mic it's really hard avoid recording yourself. I've recorded a lot of myself breathing like a anonymous caller and swearing like a drunk sailor.
