harry_kennedy
New member
Hey guys, iv'e been searching around the internet for a while now and haven't been able to find anything telling me if i should get a zoom h1 or a shotgun mic for starting in short film production. Thanks.
Zoom h1 one or shotgun mic
- Thread starter harry_kennedy
- Start date
Sam Mallery
Well-known member
It depends. If the camera you're using has a mic input, then I think getting a shotgun first would be more beneficial. If the camera doesn't have a mic input, then the H1 would be more useful.
recordingwhiz
Well-known member
get both
JordanBlock
Well-known member
You're comparing two completely different things. Tell us everything you can of your other gear / shooting environment / etc.
harry_kennedy
New member
well, i've got a t2i and shoulder rig, and i will be shooting short films in many different locations. Also my budget probably isn't over $200
JordanBlock
Well-known member
Ok, I swear I'm not trying to be a dick, but what did you spend on the camera? That's the number your sound budget should start at. If you can't swing that, hook up with a sound guy who's just starting up and work together.
The simple fact is that $200 isn't going to get very far. That'll just barely buy you a mic (the AT875r is the ONLY non-garbage shotgun under $200). That mic will require phantom power (which your camera does not supply). You also need a boom, a shockmount, wind protection, and cables. Then you need to record to something, either a standalone recorder, or an adapter for the camera (and I'd never recommend recording to a DSLR). Realistically, you need a second mic for interiors, too. No one mic can be good in all situations.
Breaking it down, you're looking at something like this as a very minimal kit: (These are all entry-level prices, even the 'high' end of my ranges)
Shotgun $200-300
Shockmount $50-100
Wind Protection $50-300
Boom $200-300
Cables $50-$100
Adapter or Recorder $100-300 (Count on the $300, phantom power is basically essential either way.)
Phones $100
Hyper $200-300
A little under a grand at the low end. If you're careful in your planning for outdoor scenes, you might be able to get away with just a hyper to start out.
Again, if you can't swing that, and especially if you aren't personally looking to be a sound guy, don't buy gear. Find someone to work with that does want to do sound.
The simple fact is that $200 isn't going to get very far. That'll just barely buy you a mic (the AT875r is the ONLY non-garbage shotgun under $200). That mic will require phantom power (which your camera does not supply). You also need a boom, a shockmount, wind protection, and cables. Then you need to record to something, either a standalone recorder, or an adapter for the camera (and I'd never recommend recording to a DSLR). Realistically, you need a second mic for interiors, too. No one mic can be good in all situations.
Breaking it down, you're looking at something like this as a very minimal kit: (These are all entry-level prices, even the 'high' end of my ranges)
Shotgun $200-300
Shockmount $50-100
Wind Protection $50-300
Boom $200-300
Cables $50-$100
Adapter or Recorder $100-300 (Count on the $300, phantom power is basically essential either way.)
Phones $100
Hyper $200-300
A little under a grand at the low end. If you're careful in your planning for outdoor scenes, you might be able to get away with just a hyper to start out.
Again, if you can't swing that, and especially if you aren't personally looking to be a sound guy, don't buy gear. Find someone to work with that does want to do sound.