Which microphone is good for documentary (HC1E)?

[Marc Ries]

Originally Posted by Floris van Eck

I have one more question about the Rode shockmount. How do I attach it to my HDR-HC1? I guess it uses a Hot-Shoe mount, but the Sony camera's have the AI shoe. Do I need a converter or something to mount it?

Please re-read my post above since I've already answered that question for you.

Marc

[Marco Leavitt]

"Last question: what kind of mic is a shotgun mic? Is it or is it not a hypercardioid, because I've read reports that say shotguns are hypercardioid and reports that say shotguns are not hypercardioids and that shotguns have a tighter pattern than hypercardioids?"

I know a guy who can't seem to wrap his mind around this one either, no matter how many times I explain it. He always comes back with, "but isn't a shotgun a hypercardiod though?" It's comical.

When people say shotgun, which usually has a hypercardiod pattern, they mean a mic that uses an interference tube to achieve its directionality. When they say hypercardiod, they mean a mic that doesn't have an interference tube. Then there's the CS1, which has a cardiod pattern, but is also considered a shotgun, and the CS3e which uses an array of three condenser elements instead of an interference tube and is still considered a shotgun as well, but let's not make it too complicated.

[Floris van Eck]

My biggest problem at this moment is to choose between the NTG-2 shotgun microphone and the NT-3 hypercardioid microphone. At the end, I will own both of these microphones but I have to start with one of them. The problem is that my grandmother documentary will be 50% inside / 50% outside. I also want to use the microphone for voice-over work. The other documentary I am planning will be 100% outside (nature documentary).

I have decided to buy the Bescor cold-shoe adapter, I have ordered a Spiderbrace 2 for moving shots and a microphone stand with boom.

I would like to know if I can use the Rode SM-3 shockmount with the NT-3 (the Rode site confirms it works with the NTG-1/2).

[Alex Thames]

Probably will. It's just basically a bunch of rubber bands that holds the microphone, so if the microphone's size is different than the NTG-1/2, then the bands will just stretch more or less to fit the NT-3.

I am always debating whether to get a NT-3. I have the NTG-1 and Sennhesier ME64/K6, but I am wondering since neither of those mics are hypercardioids, if I need the NT-3? What advantages would the NT-3 offer me that I don't already have with the NTG-1 and ME64?

[Stu Holmes]

Originally Posted by Alex Thames

What advantages would the NT-3 offer me that I don't already have with the NTG-1 and ME64?

Probably not much advantage since you already have the ME64. i'd say you're fairly well covered with the 2 mics that you've got. NT3 *can* be camera-mounted but it's really designed for handheld use or mic-stand use. I think if you did a lot of 'reporter-esque' interviewing etc then the NT3 would be good for that hand-held.

[Andy Zhang]

hi ppl, i'm new here. i have an hc1, and my rode videomic just arrived today. i googled the shoe problem, so i'm here. do you have any tips for what materials to use for the conversion? the sad thing is that i'm stuck in hungary, for spare metal shoes i have to look in 500 stores. i though of getting a thin piece of plastic, cut it in with a dremel to fit the ai, and screw a standard shoe on it.

[Alex Thames]

Stu, so you don't think I need a hypercardioid at all in conjunction with the shotgun (NTG-1) and cardioid (ME64)? I'm confused when you might use a hypercardiod vs. cardioid. I know shotguns are great for outdoors when you want to target, say dialogue, and reject most of the ambience sounds or dull it to a large extent at least. But what about h.card. and card.?

[Stu Holmes]

Originally Posted by Andy Zhang

hi ppl, i'm new here. i have an hc1, and my rode videomic just arrived today. i googled the shoe problem, so i'm here. do you have any tips for what materials to use for the conversion? the sad thing is that i'm stuck in hungary, for spare metal shoes i have to look in 500 stores. i though of getting a thin piece of plastic, cut it in with a dremel to fit the ai, and screw a standard shoe on it.

Andy you can solve the problem of mounting the Videomic on the HC1 by buying an L-shaped bracket that screws into the tripod socket. It's the simplest solution i think.
B&HPhoto have the Bescor VB-50 which works well.
Link below so you can see what i mean:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

[Stu Holmes]

Originally Posted by Alex Thames

Stu, so you don't think I need a hypercardioid at all in conjunction with the shotgun (NTG-1) and cardioid (ME64)? I'm confused when you might use a hypercardiod vs. cardioid. I know shotguns are great for outdoors when you want to target, say dialogue, and reject most of the ambience sounds or dull it to a large extent at least. But what about h.card. and card.?

Well the NT3 is primarily intended to be used handheld for vocals / voiceovers or on a mic-stand i think for instrument recording. You *could* mount on camera with a shockmount like SM3 or SM5 but generally in the situations where you might do this, i think the ME64 would be better/easier solution.
I think the NT3 would be great as a general-purpose condenser mic, that you could do 'interviews' or other commentary with, either by getting an extension cable (Rode themselves do a 10ft cable but obviously they're commonly available) or a radio mic plug-on thingy like the SKP100 from Sennheiser, and the appropriate receiver. The SKP100 is included in the Sennheiser G2 Evolution ew100 set :
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

ps. hmm... i'm sure that used to be $499. Now selling at $599 ! :-(

[Andy Zhang]

Originally Posted by Stu Holmes

Andy you can solve the problem of mounting the Videomic on the HC1 by buying an L-shaped bracket that screws into the tripod socket. It's the simplest solution i think.
B&HPhoto have the Bescor VB-50 which works well.
Link below so you can see what i mean:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

That's pretty good, the only problem now is the HUNGARY part :( they dont ship to any other country than USA
Do any of you know UK or other european retailers? (Google didn't find any)

I'd make one myself (AIS plug, plastic block, cold shoe, and some screws/glue) but 2 of the four materials needed are nearly impossible to get in this craphole country.

[Stu Holmes]

Here's one from a big UK retailer :
http://www.keene.co.uk/cgi-bin/bigcodesearch.pl?6831

Do a search on various biggish European retailers and search for "bracket" inb their search boxes and you should find a few. They're all fairly similar and do a similar job. You just need a bracket that screw into the tripod socket and has one (or more) cold-shoes.

[Floris van Eck]

Ok, I finally made my decision and bought:

- Rode NTG-2 Directional Condenser Microphone
- Hosa XLR - 3.5mm adapter cable
- Bescor Shoe adapter

I did some testing indoors at my television and I noticed that there was some noise in my recordings which is also present when I use the onboard microphone. What causes this? Do you always have a certain amount of noise in your recordings when there is not much sound in a room? Do I edit it out in post or what is the deal with this? The microphone sounds very clean when I hold it close to my mouth and speak like a narrator.

[Mikko Lopponen]

Use manual audio levels.

[Floris van Eck]

Originally Posted by Mikko Lopponen

Use manual audio levels.

What exactly do you mean by that? If I lower the microphone audio levels, the noise becomes less appearent but it is still there. If I higher the audio levels the noise is more appearent.

[Mikko Lopponen]

Originally Posted by Floris van Eck

What exactly do you mean by that? If I lower the microphone audio levels, the noise becomes less appearent but it is still there. If I higher the audio levels the noise is more appearent.

It's not about recording noise, but sounds and speech. If you use auto levels then it will automatically boost them when no other sounds are around. And that means increased noise.

If you manually set the levels on the hc1 you can lower them so that noise is down, but speech and others are still very nice. That's assuming you have the mic close enough.