Need Help- Is this a decent shotgun mic?

[Marco Wagner]

I agree, that would be the absolute max. before I started placing mics on the subjects.

[John Rofrano]

No mic is going to be effective at 10 feet. You need to get the mic closer if you want dialog that is usable (2-3 feet). Otherwise they will sound like the listener is sitting across the room (which is where the mic will be).

If you don’t have someone to get closer and work a boom mic then get lavalier mics on the talent. A shotgun on a camera is good for run-n-gun ENG type work, or just as a reference for the real audio, or for room ambience. It’s not going to cut it for dialog.

~jr

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by John Rofrano

No mic is going to be effective at 10 feet. You need to get the mic closer if you want dialog that is usable (2-3 feet). Otherwise they will sound like the listener is sitting across the room (which is where the mic will be).

If you don’t have someone to get closer and work a boom mic then get lavalier mics on the talent. A shotgun on a camera is good for run-n-gun ENG type work, or just as a reference for the real audio, or for room ambience. It’s not going to cut it for dialog.

~jr

Agreed, that's why I said it was on the limit. You'll get sound, maybe usable in a pinch, but it'll sound pretty bad even with the best mics available

[John Rofrano]

Steve, yes absolutely. Actually I was composing my reply before I saw your post so I had my browser open and was responding to Marco’s original post and we both happen to say 10 feet. (great minds) ;-)

I was not refuting your post.

~jr

[Marco Wagner]

makes sense. Guess I'll be rigging a boom pole to my homemade camera dolly.