which cheap mic for DSLR?

What do you mean by "general use"? That's a pretty broad term, and there are a few things you should know:

1) If you read the Audio 101 Sticky, which is a good place to start, you'll find a link to a post about mics like these.

2) Simply asking for folks to "recommend a mic" isn't going to get you anything useful or definitive. What are you wanting to record? Is it for dialog? Is it for sound beds/ambient sounds? Is it going to be on a boom, or do you intend to keep it on your camera? What other audio gear do you have, or is it going straight to your GH2?

3) On-camera is the last and worst place to have a mic if you expect to record usable audio.
 
Thanks for reply.

1) I´ll go through that.

2) Well thats the problem. I have no audio gear at the moment and budget for this equipment up to 250$.
Boom pole and external audio recorder would be nice, but I don´t think I can afford it right now.
It is intended for short movies (Dialog + ambient sounds + sounds beds).

I don´t have much experience and knowledge about mics for movie-making (except describing them as electrician), so I´m looking for gear I can learn something with and with which I can do some work for a while avoiding annoying audiences ears.

I´m wondering if calling some studio for excluded equipment might be useful....
 
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kulitam said:
Thanks for reply.

1) I´ll go through that.

2) Well thats the problem. I have no audio gear at the moment and budget for this equipment up to 250$.
Boom pole and external audio recorder would be nice, but I don´t think I can afford it right now.
It is intended for short movies (Dialog + ambient sounds + sounds beds).

I don´t have much experience and knowledge about mics for movie-making (except describing them as electrician), so I´m looking for gear I can learn something with and with which I can do some work for a while avoiding annoying audiences ears.

I´m wondering if calling some studio for excluded equipment might be useful....
Click to expand...

I'm going to assume that from your location, you are in fact in the Czech Republic...

Also, you should by now be aware that recording with the DSLR is not recommended for 'quality' sound, so you will be looking for a recording device that 'does better than a DSLR'.

I have the Zoom H4, and got it off Ebay. I also got the Oktava MK-012 off Ebay, and so, my basic recording is MK-012 -> H4.

Don't know if you can find that set for under $250... you may have to wait for a good deal to come along.

Here's the only listings on Ebay.cz with search term 'oktava', The Oktava MK-012 is a popular mic.

http://search.eim.ebay.cz/?kw=oktava&ect=&elc=3&ec=&eb=Vyhledat

Here's an ebay.de search for 'oktava' and selecting the 'auctions only'.

http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?rt=nc&LH_Auction=1&_nkw=oktava&_dmpt=DE_Elektronik_Computer_Audio_Hi_Fi_Mikrofone&_trksid=p3286.c0.m301

There is a craigslist site for Prague

These are the type of sites that are used in the US to find 'inexpensive' equipment. But of course it comes with the warning, that fraud does occur... and so in the case of Craigslist, it is generally wise to pick up the equipment in person, and check it out before money is exchanged.

Some ebay sellers do have return policies, but again, one needs to be careful.
 
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kulitam said:
... I have no audio gear at the moment and budget for this equipment up to 250$.
Boom pole and external audio recorder would be nice, but I don´t think I can afford it right now.
It is intended for short movies (Dialog + ambient sounds + sounds beds).

....
Click to expand...

IMHO that's the wrong way to budget. You need to decide what you need to record and what equipment is needed to do it properly. Then you find out what is the least expensive way to acquire that gear. In your case a boom pole is not a frill to be acquired later. It is virtually impossible to record dialog properly without one as the mic needs to be within about 18 inches or so of the speaker's mouth and you can't do that with ANY cmera mounted mic. So you simply must increase the budget to allow for the mic, pole, holder, cables, etc.
 
kulitam said:
Hi guys,

I´m looking for some basic mic for general use with panasonic GH2

I´ve been thinking about SENNHEISER MKE400 andNA-Q7
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/na-q7-...ophone-for-dv-dslr-camera-black-2-x-aa-124048but I´m wondering if there is something which might be a better solution.
Click to expand...

I guess Rode VideoMic Pro is about the best option for your "general use," whatever that means to you for film making. In my opinion, it's much better than Senn MKE 400.

You could start with VideoMic Pro and an extension cable and use your GH2 as the audio recorder. Mount the VMP on camera, and it should be good enough for "general use" (just capturing some stuff clearly and loudly). Use the extension cable, either hand hold the mic or make a DIY boom pole to hold it, and the VMP can be positioned very close to the speaker or whatever source of sound. If you want some cleanest possible dialog recordings, you could also do audio separately from shooting the video, and a VideoMic Pro isn't too bad for that purpose. You'd just have to sync them up during post.
 
Are you spending other money on lenses ? If so I would not buy extra lenses but buy the gear you need at least for audio: so that's mic, windprotector (foam, windjammer for outside), boompole, cable, recorder.

Which is about... 600$

And if you're going to do "serious" things with real clients paying...it's better to have good sound gear... You will never forgive it to yourself wanting to have "cheap" stuff where in the end it goes wrong...

Although you'll also need the skills to operate it... So maybe it's not a bad idea to look for a soundguy... And you can easily put him/her on the bill to your client...

In the case you're working with clients...
 
Maybe this will help. I recently had a documentary filmmaker in that was heading to Haiti with a GH2. Requirements for this trip were that one backpack had to carry it all (camera, audio equipment and laptop). Here in the studio I introduced him to the RODE Videomic Pro, the Que Audio Sniper Kit and the Sennheiser MKE-400. After going back and fourth a few times and listening to the playback on a set of studio monitors he chose the MKE-400. I believe it was not purely based on the sound quality, but also on the size of the mic and the fascination with the Sennheiser MZW400 wind muff accessory - the wind muff acts almost like a mini blimp. It's a plastic cage that snaps perfectly over the mic.
He then really wanted the $89 Que Audio mini boom pole which threaded via 1/4-20 into the bottom of the MKE-400, however he was out of budget and instead decided to buy the RODE VC1 10' extension cable and source a make shift pole on his journey. Anyhow, just thought I'd share that since this particular gentleman was also using the same camera and on a super tight budget and needed audio that was "good enough" - not over the top great.
 
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