Wireless setup - mixer to camera?

Alpha Flying Monkey

Alpha Flying Monkey

Well-known member
I'm looking to add a wireless setup to send mixed sound to camera (usually an HMC150)... Since this isn't something I like to do I'm trying to keep it affordable, yet as reliable as my budget allows. I would only need to do this when the camera is on a steadycam, mobile, or crane rig. The distance between my rig & the camera would never ideally be over 50 feet.

I'd like to keep this around $500, so I'm considering a Sennheiser G2/G3 system... I've also looked at some of the used Lectrosonics on the Trew Audio site, but don't know whether the older systems (such as the 185 or 190) would be that much more desirable.

Like I mentioned- reliability within my budget is important... I really don't want to have to be worried about dropouts during a shoot. I always capture a safety track in my recorder, so worst-case scenario would be that my track could be used in post if there were any dropout/static issues.

My rig: Fostex FR2, Wendt X3, AKG C 393 B (indoors), Rode NTG-3 (outdoors).
 
The lectro 185's and 190 are not freq agile.
Meaning it only works on 1 fixed freq. (the 185 is vhf, the 190 is uhf)

Not being able to change frequencies in this day and age in my opinion is
not a road I would want to travel.

Is this strictly for a reference track? And you use your recorder for the real audio?
Or do you use the camera audio and only resort to the recorder when you need it?

I ask because another option would be getting a comtek 216 system.
Usually they are used for director/producer feeds but along with my mess of regular
216's I have 1 that I throw on camera as well when I just need to send reference.

I wouldnt recommend going this route if you needed it to be fantastic sounding
but could be an item in your kit that would become handy on a regular basis (having
wireless headphone feeds)

If the camera audio is your primary I'd stay away from the fixed freq stuff and probably go with a G2/G3
 
Rippie- I usually send the "real" audio to the camera, so they don't have to import separate audio files, but I always record a safety/reference track to my Fostex FR2... In this case, they can use the wireless feed audio as their "real" audio, but still have my safety/reference track in case anything goes wrong.

It sounds like I should either wait for the G3 kit, or until I can afford a newer Lectrosonics system...

Thanks, again!
 
This also depends on what type of output your mixer will have available. If you are going to need an XLR out, then even with the Sennheiser G3 you're jumping it at around $799, and still waiting another month or two. Sony's UWP-V6 is another viable option in that price range ($730 with XLR Transmitter) and tested very consistently against the Sennheiser G2 system, with both system's XLR Transmitters sending solid signals through sparse trees at up to 500'. Just another option for you to consider.
 
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