I'm planning on doing a short documentary that will include a lot of interviews, b-roll footage, maybe some walk & talk (is that the right term?).

This is my first attempt at this and the FX-7 seems to be the best HDV option in my price range/experience level.

Couple of questions:
-Is there a wide angle lens you would recommend?

-For interviews, I was thinking of using the Beachteck DXA-FX Audio Adapter to use a better mic. Would you recommend using a camera mounted shotgun mic, or wireless lav for interviews, or both?? 80% of the time I'll probably be shooting by myself, so I want to try to keep it simple but still get the best results. Is it too much to try to monitor sound and shoot and interview?

Any recommendations for a shotgun mic and lav mic (should i definitely use wireless?) would be welcome also.

Sorry for such basic questions, but this looks like a great place to start!

Thanks.
Mike

Hi Mike,

Who will be interviewing whom? If you're operating camera and interviewing, you'll need a lav on the person you're interviewing and you'll want to split track the audio so you can mix it later to get good levels.

The on-camera mic will pick you up, but it will also pick up handling noise. If you don't need to hear the questions, that's not a problem. If you do, you're entering the "high hazard zone" in which there are many compromises that can reduce the quality of your audio, especially if you're walking annd talking.

If you're doing a locked down shot, life gets easier.

Don't know about wide angle lenses, but I do like having a mixer. In your situation (one man band) mixers can get in the way. I don't care for Beachtek. I do like Sound Devices. The Sound Devices MixPre is a very nice 2 channel mixer, but it only has line level outs. I Don't recall what that Sony camera has for inputs, but if it does line level, the MixPre makes a very nice audio front end.

Please remember to wear headphones during the shoot. It'll feel weird, but you'll know what you got.

Regards,

Ty Ford