Hi all,

I am pondering getting the FX1, and would buy an XLR adapter like the Beachtek.. i have seen a picture of the Beachtek, and it looks like it mounts on the bottom of the camera(where the camera would mount to a tripod) When the Beachtek is on the camera, can you still mount the camera on a Tripod??
Is there any other XLR options for the camera beside the beachtek?? What kind of prices are these adapters going for??


Thanks,
Mike m.

I would imagine you could install the Beachtek on a tripod, but not owning one, I'm not 100% on that. Yes, there are other adapters but they're just the same thing from other manufacturers. Stick with what you know I say.

There's a screw in the bottom of the Beachtek, which is how you tighten it to the camera. You then attach your tripod plate to the Beachtek. There are a variety of Beachtek Adapters, also Sign Video makes adapters, although I think Beachtek's look a little more professional. I'd recommend the DX-6, as it has the XLR inputs on the front of the box, which is closer to the mic input on the left side of the camera, when facing the front of the camera. The DX-4 has less controls than the DX-6, a larger profile, and has the XLR inputs on the far side ofthe camera, I believe. The DX-6 is around $250, and they go down in price from there.

I've got my FX1 on a Beachtek DX-4. It never comes off, I can still put the camera on a tripod or on my DVRig Pro, whatever.

It also fits like a glove under the camera, like it was designed to fit in that space. I'll try to put some pics up when I can.

Here (http://homepage.mac.com/bryanmc/PhotoAlbum13.html) are a few quick pics.

Bryan, thanks for the pics. Are you using an on-camera shotgun? And if so, how are you mounting it. I'm realizing the camera can get front heavy, since the hotshoe is so far in front.

Check this out, if you have need of a mount for wireless receivers. A guy I work with has one for his pd-170. It's pretty sweet, and it should work nice with the FX-1, as the bottom is flush.

http://www.thebecgroup.com/frameset1.asp?product_id=BEC-DVCAMB

<<<-- Originally posted by Jasenn Robertson :
Check this out, if you have need of a mount for wireless receivers. A guy I work with has one for his pd-170. It's pretty sweet, and it should work nice with the FX-1, as the bottom is flush.

http://www.thebecgroup.com/frameset1.asp?product_id=BEC-DVCAMB -->>>


This one does the same and is much cheaper:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home;jsessionid=CNWqbkcN2G!-1668563957?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=284435&is=REG


Only here the mic goes up front and not on the back. That might affect camera balance.


Carlos

try a Sound Devices Mix Pre. I might even use one with the Z1 beacuse the preampss are way better.

[i[Originally posted by Jasenn Robertson[/i]
Bryan, thanks for the pics. Are you using an on-camera shotgun? And if so, how are you mounting it. I'm realizing the camera can get front heavy, since the hotshoe is so far in front.
Yes, I am using the shoe to mount my shotgun when I need it on camera. However, when the mic is mounted it's goes back far enough to cause me to not be able to close the LCD screen.

I need to find an adapter that will allow me to mount the shotgun off to the side a bit and out of the way of the LCD screen but haven't found anything yet.

There was a review in which they claim that every sound caused by movement of your hand (like pushing buttons on the cam) is recorded? This would be very bad. Can someone confirm this.

Yes, the onboard mic pics up zoom, autofocus, and all your hand movements. But you can't use the onboard mic with when your real mic is turned on so it really does not matter most of the time.

I wish the on board mic could be removed.

Hello,

thanks guys for all the great insight.. Pictures and everything !!

Thanks,
Mike M.

Carlos,

I did see that one when I was doing my research. I think that one would work great if you're using the DX-4, as the XLR's would be on the same side as the receiver.

Bryan, would this work as a solution? Although, there's probably a cheaper way to do it with some hotshoe extension brackets.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=WishList.jsp&A=details&Q=&sku=292448&is=REG

I also did some more reading and found out you could mount a sony mic holder (from a pd-150) to the back of the BEC wireless bracket I mentioned above. This would be a good choice if the mic had little behind it, and it would take some of the weight off the front.

Jasenn,

Thanks for that link. That's the idea of what I need to do, only I've got a shock mount for my mic so really all I need is something that basically gives me another shoe mount about 2 inches to the side of where it is now.

I'm sure there's got to be something like that, I just can't seem to find it or figure out how to search for it.

I don't understand your eplanation. If I only want to use the built in mike you in fact say it is crap since it picks up all kinds of sound like zooming, focussing etc.. Sony should have noticed this themself or am i so stupid ???

Originally posted by Hans ter Lingen
I don't understand your eplanation. If I only want to use the built in mike you in fact say it is crap since it picks up all kinds of sound like zooming, focussing etc.. Sony should have noticed this themself or am i so stupid ???
Hans,

I don't think there's a camcorder out there with a built-in mic that's worth anything. If you're shooting family vacations or Christmas morning then picking up a little zoom noise isn't the end of the world.

For professional audio you should never use a built-in mic. Get a decent shotgun mic and you're all set.

If that is the case why don't they ommitt the internal mic all together. They already did this for the crappy external shot gone which you got with the PD150/170

The internal mic comes in handy when trying to sync the external audio when a clapboard is not available.

And those of us who shoot on vacation like having it. :-)

Hans,
The built in mic is no better nor worse than any other cam-built in mic. If you're serious about good sound, and serious about getting a good pickup of audio, you should NEVER use the built in mic. This is why the XLR inputs of the Z1 are so important. You simply can't get good sound with any camera mounted mic. Sometimes in run n' gun the Shotgun mounted is good, but that's an exception, not a rule.
So, yes, the cam mic will pick up some zoom and button noise, just like any other mounted mic.

I never heard this complaint about the pd170 !!!! Why doesn't Sony ommitt the internal mic. This would reduce the price of the z1 since everybody anyway buy an external mic!!! With the money thay save they could bring the audio electronics of the z1 to a higher level.

Originally posted by Hans ter Lingen
Why doesn't Sony ommitt the internal mic. This would reduce the price of the z1 since everybody anyway buy an external mic!!!
Because more people would complain about the lack of a built-in mic than those that complain about it picking up some camera noise.

I can hear the complaints now...."I spent $5 grand on this #$*#ing camera and it doesn't have a mic!?" LOL

I spent 5 grand on this camera and now I gotta go spend $49.99 at Guitar Center for a damn mic!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by Greg Jacobson
I spent 5 grand on this camera and now I gotta go spend $49.99 at Guitar Center for a damn mic!!!!!!!!!

Spend more than that, it'll be worth it.

My shotgun is now on its second camera, and will probably make it to the next one in a few years.

Good audio gear will last a loooong time, don't go cheap on it in the beginning.

What shotgun mic are you using Bryan? Or better put, what mic is riding shotgun on your FX-1?