I am wondering what the best Boom Mic would be for the Sony FS100. I know it has XLR ports on it for input. Any help would be appreciated.
Best Boom Mic for FS100.
- Thread starter Jsthompson79
- Start date
First, there is no such things as a "boom mic." Most mics can be put on a boom pole. Some mics are designed specifically for film/video work.
So, now on to the questions...
What are your applications? (what are you shooting?)
Mostly indoors or outdoors?
Budget?
So, now on to the questions...
What are your applications? (what are you shooting?)
Mostly indoors or outdoors?
Budget?
I am shooting short films and documentaries. Indoors and Outdoors. And I have at least $500 to spend.
Js - I think you meant "shotgun" mic and not "boom" mic?
Assuming that you plan to mount the mic on your camera and not on a boom pole, the prime candidates in your price range are the Rode NTG-2, Audio-Technica AT-835B, Azden SGM-2X and Sennheiser ME66/67.
Here is a side-by-side of three of them (not including the Rode) that I have found useful: http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/review_shotgun_mics.html
Based on price, I think the $229 Azden SGM-2X omni/super-cardioid is the best choice below $300. Azden is not known as the highest quality brand, but I have a couple of them and they have done a good job for me.
At the $500 price point, I would get the $489 Sennheiser ME66 super cardioid capsule with the K6 power module and windscreen and start saving up for a $300 ME67 shotgun capsule.
Hope that's helpful,
Bill
Assuming that you plan to mount the mic on your camera and not on a boom pole, the prime candidates in your price range are the Rode NTG-2, Audio-Technica AT-835B, Azden SGM-2X and Sennheiser ME66/67.
Here is a side-by-side of three of them (not including the Rode) that I have found useful: http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/review_shotgun_mics.html
Based on price, I think the $229 Azden SGM-2X omni/super-cardioid is the best choice below $300. Azden is not known as the highest quality brand, but I have a couple of them and they have done a good job for me.
At the $500 price point, I would get the $489 Sennheiser ME66 super cardioid capsule with the K6 power module and windscreen and start saving up for a $300 ME67 shotgun capsule.
Hope that's helpful,
Bill
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I'm not a fan of Azden, too many bad experiences.
Since your camera can supply phantom power you can go with a shotgun like the Audio Technica AT875 ($180) or Rode NTG-1 ($250) for outdoor usage and perhaps the sE Electronics SE1A ($150), Rode NT-5 ($220) (not hypercardioids, but better than nothing) or the Oktava MK-012 ($300) (a little sensitive to handling noise, but a true hypercardioid - watch out for Chinese knock-offs!).
If you are going to camera mount (shame on you!!!) the sE Electronics SE4, Audio-Technica AT4021, Rode NT55, or Sennheiser ME62/K6 are possibilities to look into.
You should consider a separate recorder in the near future; get ALL the audio off of the camera.
As I always point out, the skill with which the mic is used is just as, if not more, important than the mic itself. A good boom-op is worth his/her weight in gold!
Since your camera can supply phantom power you can go with a shotgun like the Audio Technica AT875 ($180) or Rode NTG-1 ($250) for outdoor usage and perhaps the sE Electronics SE1A ($150), Rode NT-5 ($220) (not hypercardioids, but better than nothing) or the Oktava MK-012 ($300) (a little sensitive to handling noise, but a true hypercardioid - watch out for Chinese knock-offs!).
If you are going to camera mount (shame on you!!!) the sE Electronics SE4, Audio-Technica AT4021, Rode NT55, or Sennheiser ME62/K6 are possibilities to look into.
You should consider a separate recorder in the near future; get ALL the audio off of the camera.
As I always point out, the skill with which the mic is used is just as, if not more, important than the mic itself. A good boom-op is worth his/her weight in gold!
As an idea, what are your thoughts on the Sony ECM-674? It is a little shorter than the others which is handy when wielding a camera and it is not particularly sensitive to handling noise either.
I've never used the ECM-674, nor do I know anyone who has, so I can't really comment.
It's similar to the AT897 and NTG-2 in that it can use a battery to supply its own phantom power.
It's similar to the AT897 and NTG-2 in that it can use a battery to supply its own phantom power.
you asked the wrong question, and got wrong responses
I hate to tell you, but everyone here has led you astray, albeit unintentionally. There is no such thing as "best". To say that there is a "best" is asking only part of a very complex question, with a complex answer.
There are a lot of factors. Let's start with the simplest. How much money are you willing to spend? Mics start at the mere 9 dollars for wal mart and reach into the tens of thousands for a single microphone. How much noise is there in the area, and shot? What kind of noise? Is it wanted? How much of it? What is the direction is it in, how will it effect the stereo or surround sound image? How do you want the sound to sound? Warm? Analogue? Thin? Tinny? Airy? Maybe you want bite? Maybe it should sound cheap, and poorly recorded? How about wind? Wind is an awful thing...though I've been told to let it make noise in the mic on more than one occasion. How about humidity, temperature, and location? Maybe placement? Will it be on the clothing? Hidden in a chair? A contact mic attached to a stair maybe? How about movement within the shot? Sound moves too, in 3d space. Is it stereo? If so is it mid side or x/y? Maybe something else...some of the more experimental modes. - I could go on about mics and mic theory. Don't forget that we haven't even touched on ADR, Voice Overs, Foley, Scoring, Sound Design, and Acoustics.
See? You just went into a gourmet cooking class and asked "how do i make food?"
There are a MILLION factors in this. To just scratch the surface you'd have to be an audio engineer...then you just get to mess with it and hope it works the way you planned. I truly recommend you get someone who has an education in this, a sound designer, field recordist, or audio engineer. If they don't have experience recording for a living, or as a very active hobbyist with a good grounding in their fundamentals, you won't get the best sound you can have. (side note here - If they make a mistake and say "oh we can fix it in post" fire them. A good engineer knows that if you get a turd it will always be a turd, no matter how shiny it is. Go back, re record it, make it good.) remember that in film sound is half of the equation. With bad sound and good video your film is still only half assed. Modern films are not created in the same way silent films were and the audience expects good sound. Find a good engineer.
I hope I've not been too gruff, but I hear similar questions asked a lot about a lot of sound things on the internet. The only best you can have is the best for your situation. If you're buying gear I recommend finding an engineer who can advise you, especially dropping big bucks. Pay them a few bucks for the advise and make the payment proportional to what your budget is. Engineers work for a living too. If you don't have an engineer for the film, like i mentioned before, get one and use her advice.
I hate to tell you, but everyone here has led you astray, albeit unintentionally. There is no such thing as "best". To say that there is a "best" is asking only part of a very complex question, with a complex answer.
There are a lot of factors. Let's start with the simplest. How much money are you willing to spend? Mics start at the mere 9 dollars for wal mart and reach into the tens of thousands for a single microphone. How much noise is there in the area, and shot? What kind of noise? Is it wanted? How much of it? What is the direction is it in, how will it effect the stereo or surround sound image? How do you want the sound to sound? Warm? Analogue? Thin? Tinny? Airy? Maybe you want bite? Maybe it should sound cheap, and poorly recorded? How about wind? Wind is an awful thing...though I've been told to let it make noise in the mic on more than one occasion. How about humidity, temperature, and location? Maybe placement? Will it be on the clothing? Hidden in a chair? A contact mic attached to a stair maybe? How about movement within the shot? Sound moves too, in 3d space. Is it stereo? If so is it mid side or x/y? Maybe something else...some of the more experimental modes. - I could go on about mics and mic theory. Don't forget that we haven't even touched on ADR, Voice Overs, Foley, Scoring, Sound Design, and Acoustics.
See? You just went into a gourmet cooking class and asked "how do i make food?"
There are a MILLION factors in this. To just scratch the surface you'd have to be an audio engineer...then you just get to mess with it and hope it works the way you planned. I truly recommend you get someone who has an education in this, a sound designer, field recordist, or audio engineer. If they don't have experience recording for a living, or as a very active hobbyist with a good grounding in their fundamentals, you won't get the best sound you can have. (side note here - If they make a mistake and say "oh we can fix it in post" fire them. A good engineer knows that if you get a turd it will always be a turd, no matter how shiny it is. Go back, re record it, make it good.) remember that in film sound is half of the equation. With bad sound and good video your film is still only half assed. Modern films are not created in the same way silent films were and the audience expects good sound. Find a good engineer.
I hope I've not been too gruff, but I hear similar questions asked a lot about a lot of sound things on the internet. The only best you can have is the best for your situation. If you're buying gear I recommend finding an engineer who can advise you, especially dropping big bucks. Pay them a few bucks for the advise and make the payment proportional to what your budget is. Engineers work for a living too. If you don't have an engineer for the film, like i mentioned before, get one and use her advice.
Seriously?
Alcove lead him astray when he said, "you can go with a shotgun like
the Audio Technica AT875 ($180) or Rode NTG-1 ($250)". That was
a fine answer. Both mic's are ones he "can go with". How is that
leading anyone astray?
There aren't "a MILLION factors" to this. There is what he can afford
and what he can use. No one answering mentioned "best". You did
sound gruff - overly so. He DID ask a sound engineer and one of the
best answered him with excellent options.
I agree with you Directorik. I don't feel I was lead astray. I have asked a couple of people some questions in private about this thread. I had honestly forgot about it. I am going to try to use the mic that comes with my FS 100 on a pole first with a tascam and if I don't like that then I will look at getting either of the mics under $300 suggested.
Bizarrely, I'm the only person I know who has one. My only thought is that I am surprised at the price / quality but hey, I'm not going to complain about a bargain!