So my work finally took the dive into the world of HD and purchased an EX1. I also got a tripod, 2 hoodman reader cards (4 16gb cards), UWPV1/3032 LAV, extra High capacity battery, travel cases, etc.

The first thing they are going to have me shoot is a couse with the following senario:
2 people presenting (only 1 at a time)
I want to record the audience/ambience with the onboard camera
My client also wants to have a handheld ready for questions in the audience. (I will be renting this microphone)


What should I do since there are only 2 inputs/2 channels on the camera.
Should I plug the Lav into 1 channel, the handheld on the other, and then toggle back and forth on the camera between the handheld and onboard mic?
Or should I rent an ENG portable mixer and battery pack and do one of the following things:
Lav on channel 1, mixer on channel 2 with the handheld and a rented shotgun mic mixed
Or should I Have the onboard on channel 1, and the mixer on 2 with both wireless mics being mixed



Thank you for your help!

If the lav is wireless, then I would put it on its own channel, not mix it in with the ambient/handheld. If you get interference on the wireless, you can cover it with the ambient mic, if it's mixed in, then you can't do anything about it.

Instead of renting a mixer, rent a 4 track recorder and solve the fundamental issue. You don't have adequate inputs. Or rent a 2-track and record the lav in the camera and wild sound, and put the ambient and audience mic on the rented recorder.

Honestly, this is a 2 camera gig. I've done it with one and with two. You want a second camera.

The only other camera I have is a Sony Handycam which is tape based and something I want to avoid. I will however have my laptop and could use it to record.

This video will only be used for internal training purposes and as such I need to keep the cost down to a minimum.

If you have cost issues then find a way to use a little mixer. All sources into mixer out to one camera channel and the other channel cam mic. Keep every mixer channel up very slightly for safety, riding up as they speak. It will sound more hollow but the effect of missing someone will be less drastic. Switching frequencies instead of using a mixer may not be fast enough to catch everything.

If you have cost issues then find a way to use a little mixer. All sources into mixer out to one camera channel and the other channel cam mic. Keep every mixer channel up very slightly for safety, riding up as they speak. It will sound more hollow but the effect of missing someone will be less drastic. Switching frequencies instead of using a mixer may not be fast enough to catch everything.

I think this is what I mgiht need to do as I really wont have the time in post to sync up an external recording device. It is a good thing that the 2nd mic wont be used untill the end in the Q & A section so I can just leave the lav alone while recording.

Thank you everyone for your help!!!