Tascam DR 05 or the Zoom H2N?

[Matthew Chambers]

Im seriously stuck will I get the Tascam DR 05 or the Zoom H2N, I will be using it for HDSLR video and it will be camera mounted I have shock mount solutions for both.

[Brian P. Reynolds]

The Tascam is normally used in a horizontal position where as the H2n is used in a vertical orientation and might be to high on your camera.
The H4n is another recorder that is used in the horizontal position.

Now I assume that you are just recording ambient sound and don't want to record voice / or a person in front of the camera, a camera top mic is in one of the worst positions for dialogue recording.

[Rick Reineke]

+1.. "a camera top mic is in one of the worst positions for dialogue recording."

[Jon Fairhurst]

One solution: shoot with ultra-wide lenses up close to the subject. The subject will look funny (big long nose; tiny ears) but at least the audio will sound good with a camera mounted mic. ;)

I have a friend who used to shoot TV news. When he had no audio person, he would pluck the mic off the camera with his left hand and hold it close to the subject just below the frame. He'd then zoom wide with the shoulder-mount ENG camera and get close to the subject. He'd rather shoot one handed and up close than get bad audio.

[Steven Digges]

Please don’t take offence to this as none is intended. Why don’t you consider the next level up in audio recorders and get something with an XLR input. DSLR cameras shoot incredible video these days. There short coming is audio, and that’s a big one. With a Zoom or the likes you will have two devices that will record mediocre audio at best, IMHO. If you get a good recorder with XLR input you will have an unlimited opportunity to upgrade to the proper microphones in the future.

[Ty Ford]

Originally Posted by Brian P. Reynolds

a camera top mic is in one of the worst positions for dialogue recording.

I agree. An inelegant solution that's bound to disappoint.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[Greg Miller]

Originally Posted by Jon Fairhurst

One solution: shoot with ultra-wide lenses up close to the subject. The subject will look funny (big long nose; tiny ears) but at least the audio will sound good with a camera mounted mic.

If you use a fish-eye lens, you could get within six inches and record some darned good audio... especially if you could somehow mount the mic under the camera (otherwise you'd be micing over the top of the talent's head). And the video would be perfect for ewe-toob.....

[Trevor Dennis]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

I agree. An inelegant solution that's bound to disappoint.

Regards,

Ty Ford

But one I suspect a great many people try, if only once. The misery of trying to edit such footage is an effective learning aid. And yes, I was guilty of doing this, but never again.

[Vincent Oliver]

Originally Posted by Jon Fairhurst

One solution: shoot with ultra-wide lenses up close to the subject. The subject will look funny (big long nose; tiny ears) but at least the audio will sound good with a camera mounted mic..

Good Audio or good video, what a choice!

A better solution in the absence of an audio operator would be to use a decent quality radio mike, these can be linked up to most portable recorders, or failing that use a Lav microphone and put the portable recorder in your subjects pocket etc. There are ways to get around most problems, but shooting wide angle portraits is a visual No Go area.

[Noa Put]

You guys are all assuming a lot without even knowing why Matthew wants the mike on top of his dslr, there is nothing wrong with placing a microphone on top of a dslr, even wedding videographers using dslr's and charging 5 to 10k+ have them mounted on top but they ofcourse also work with additional audio recorders closer to the source. Any microphone you place on top of a dslr will be an improvement over the inbuild ones.

Maybe Matthew can explain what he is trying to achieve with the microphone and what he plans on recording with it?

[Vincent Oliver]

"Nothing wrong with placing a microphone on top of his DSLR"

That is a matter of opinion and also dependent on how important the audio is, generally audio should be regarded as 50% of any production. As for wedding photographers who charge 5 to 10K for wedding video and use a mike on top of their cameras, they are either using the sound track for syncing the audio or else taking their customers for a ride.

[Noa Put]

That's why we need to know for what purpose the audio is used, for ambient sound I see no issue. Also about high end weddingvideographers using a mike on top of the dslr's, I did also say they use other external audio recorders as well, like most of us, including me to, since you left that important part out I thought to repeat it again. A additional microphone on top of a dslr is going to be an improvement to the inbuild in any case so it will always be better.

[Rick Reineke]

"for ambient sound I see no issue"
I would concur.
But no good for any dialog or interviews.

[Vincent Oliver]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

I did also say they use other external audio recorders as well, like most of us, including me to, since you left that important part out I thought to repeat it again..

I did say that "they are either using the sound track for syncing the audio or else taking their customers for a ride" By syncing I do of course mean syncing the video to a better sound source. I do agree that most external mikes are going to produce a better audio track than a built in mike, but often the placement of a mike is just as important, a poorly placed expensive mike is not going to do justice to the quality of audio..

[Noa Put]

Ok, sorry that I misunderstood you as I though that soundtrack was to use music. But I think most here misunderstand Matthew's question, he just wants to know which of the 2 recorders he should choose, or maybe there are other better recorders suited but then he needs to state what they will be used for.