Is the microphone any good? Yes it's a vague question... but I'm speaking comparitively of coarse. Using the $25 "tin can sound" Fisher Price microphones that come with the Sony's (pd-170, Z1U) as bottom bench mark how does this one fair?

Certainly a crappy microphone isn't going to dissuade my purchase, and unfortunately camera manufacturers are aware of this, but I'm curious to know if I'm shellin' out $9K does this thing atleast come with a $200-$300 mic?

It's a newer version of the same one that's been around since the XL1 in 1997. It's OEM'ed from Sennheiser, if that helps.

I wonder if you have found any good suitable windjammer for the on-board XL H1 microphone?

Or have you replaced that original mic with something better?

Has anybody evaluated the built in electronical windjammer?

I definitely need to reduce the wind noise here.

[QUOTE=Craig Terott]Is the microphone any good?

The on board mic is very good for it's intended use (i-sound) much better than I expected. For close recording I add a Sennheiser ME66 and record to a seperat M-Audio Microtrack. Then sync to camera tracks in post. This way you can record up to 24bit/96KHz. No extra capture. It´s low cost and very high quality throughout the chain. No wires to camera needed so you can record from any distance. And extremely portable. Highly recommended.

I usually use an AT shotgun on the nose, but just last week I tried the stock mike for the hell of it and it was actually quite good... I set it to stereo and was surprised at the nice seperation -

I was shooting cable cars in SF for a doc and didn't really need the audio, so I put the H1 mike on because it's smaller - the sound of the cable cars approaching and passing is so good I'm using it in the film...

I wonder if you have found any good suitable windjammer for the on-board XL H1 microphone?


Yes, I find the Lightwave Audio windscreen excellent.

Thank you A.J!
That wind protection looks great at least on the net. Should have ordered it earlier - was called to shoot a fire brigade exercise yesterday when they had crashed a bus and should rescue everybody. Lots of wind!! The built in foam does really not give much protection. I put another screen on top of the foam but it was not enough. Hope this new protection will be better.

Same day I ordered it which made me upset. Just because somebody sell professional video equipment they think they can charge more than double the price compared to sales price in some other countries including DV info sponsors!
1. By buying over the Internet you can find most accessories and small parts much cheaper than in Sweden.
2. The "Professional video distributors" here do carry very little in stock so many times they have to import it which they do on scedule. This means you normally have to wait a month to get things.
3. I'm prepared to pay 10 or maybe 20% extra to be able to try, feel and look on the things but when they don't stock the things and they have much longer delivery time and in addition add 100% or more...
Some of these distributers dare to say they are irritated because it is allowed to buy abroad for consumers!
Sorry, I just wonder if we (the citizens) are holding these companies under their arms by the state TV and Radio which perhaps don't care how they spend the tax money (which they get from me and others) otherwise these company shouldn't exist. The Internet will change the world due to global competition as soon as the kids who are grown up with computers are running the business life. /Johan