shotgun mic with light??

Ryan McCrary · July 7th, 2003, 06:28 PM

so if i use the setup said.. xlr box under, and light and mic in shoe.. can i get somethign that goes into the shoe and is a clamp to hold a mic? i dont want the canon mic, i wanna use a xlr mic, but i want a xlr box that goes underneath..

Graham Bernard · July 8th, 2003, 12:31 AM

Y'know, you've got to the "same" place I did when I was in the shop, buying my dear little XM2.

I thought, hmmmm... an Audio adaptor [MA300] that has a mic clamp integral with the body. Oh yes, a "cold-shoe" on top of that just right for a light - excellent! Went with the Senni K6/K66 kit and also bought a 20watt Halma Light kit.

What I did not wholly appreciate was:

1 - Light is powered by a separate Ni-Cad battery - yuck!

2 - Light has about 10-20 mins run time - double yuck!

3 - Light isn't SMART - ie doesn't switch off when not needed

4 - VL-10 could have been an option in the top cold shoe

Now I've got a combination of kit that can do :

EITHER

Shotgun work in suitable ambient light conditions

OR

Low light work [ VL-3 lamp in hotshoe ] with no Senni

This leaves me thinking Canon just hasn't "designed" in options:

Worked through these options for the user
Has a selection of "accessories" that are not very flexible enough to do a job - which IMHO is something that would be of valuable to the prosumer.

Ah yes! The MA300 does not have a switching option.

Will I persist with this set-up? Guess I will. Thought of Aaron's VL-10 set-up. But the option of sticking the VL-10 into the MA300 does not thrill me. The Rover maybe a possibility. But I'm still stuck with my investment in the MA300 - do I now "shelve" this item? I also don't really like the idea of bolting on a Beehie underneath the XM2 - Sorry chaps not
for me. My opinion - Canon should rather pull their socks up and rather "design-in" solutions for this, and not just provide "accessories" from other models. The MA300 is almost there. It has "other" benefits of the BNC and the option for a "further" mic to be slid into the cold shoe. It does state that the cold shoe is "ONLY FOR MICROPHONE" - this is "pressed" into the plastic - they must mean it!

Now, what might be a solution would be for a "Duplex" type of hotshoe accessory to power BOTH the VL-3 and the MA300. But that's another story . ..

Hey, one lives and learns . . .

Grazie

Scott Silverman · July 8th, 2003, 01:21 AM

I think I might have a solution, although it might be pricey.

Buy the Century Optic Mattebox. It has on it a accessory shoe. Now, put your light into the Canon shoe on the camera, then mount your microphone into the accessory shoe on the mattebox. You could even use an adapter to offset the mic to the side so it doesn't interfer with the path of light. Your XLR adapter would be on the bottom of the camera. The upside to this is you get a mattebox and a very cool looking camera, the downside is the price and possibly the size (if that much size makes a differance to you).

Century Optics Mattebox:
http://www.centuryoptics.com/product...boxes/dvmb.htm

Graham Bernard · July 8th, 2003, 01:47 AM

I suspect, your valuable reply is in reference to Ryan, rather than I, with the MA300 - yeah? If it was for me, then I'd have the extra expense of an additional XLR box - yes?

Visited the website - read the PDF - found a "supplier" in West London. I'll check them out anyway.

Much appreciated,

Grazie

Scott Silverman · July 8th, 2003, 02:04 AM

Grazie,
Yeah that reply was mainly geared toward Ryan. I thought and thought, but could not think of a solution to your problem. I actually have the MA300 as well, but lucky for me I have never needed a light mounted on my camera. I love the MA300 and it looks so great on the camera when I have my ME66 mounted in the MA300! Whats the longest distance of cable you have been able to run to your MA300 without getting interferance or signal loss? Thanks!

Graham Bernard · July 8th, 2003, 02:27 AM

Scott!!!! What time is it there in Calif???

Anway, yes, I thought that was the case. And yes, the XM2 looks really cool with the set-up. But, when I wanna do short, audible interviews at a Wedding Event, in sometimes grain-making talking head environments, a bit of lift - VL3 does do it - the ambient mic can get a very confused audio signal. Length of cable? - Can't help. I do believe there was a very earlier on debate about this. - Scott do a search . . . I know this was breached sometime back though.

Thanks for the "I thought and thought, but could not think of a solution to your problem. " concern . . .

Good to speak with you again,

Grazie

July 8th, 2003, 12:31 AM	#17
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Y'know, you've got to the "same" place I did when I was in the shop, buying my dear little XM2. I thought, hmmmm... an Audio adaptor [MA300] that has a mic clamp integral with the body. Oh yes, a "cold-shoe" on top of that just right for a light - excellent! Went with the Senni K6/K66 kit and also bought a 20watt Halma Light kit. What I did not wholly appreciate was: 1 - Light is powered by a separate Ni-Cad battery - yuck! 2 - Light has about 10-20 mins run time - double yuck! 3 - Light isn't SMART - ie doesn't switch off when not needed 4 - VL-10 could have been an option in the top cold shoe Now I've got a combination of kit that can do : EITHER Shotgun work in suitable ambient light conditions OR Low light work [ VL-3 lamp in hotshoe ] with no Senni This leaves me thinking Canon just hasn't "designed" in options: Worked through these options for the user Has a selection of "accessories" that are not very flexible enough to do a job - which IMHO is something that would be of valuable to the prosumer. Ah yes! The MA300 does not have a switching option. Will I persist with this set-up? Guess I will. Thought of Aaron's VL-10 set-up. But the option of sticking the VL-10 into the MA300 does not thrill me. The Rover maybe a possibility. But I'm still stuck with my investment in the MA300 - do I now "shelve" this item? I also don't really like the idea of bolting on a Beehie underneath the XM2 - Sorry chaps not for me. My opinion - Canon should rather pull their socks up and rather "design-in" solutions for this, and not just provide "accessories" from other models. The MA300 is almost there. It has "other" benefits of the BNC and the option for a "further" mic to be slid into the cold shoe. It does state that the cold shoe is "ONLY FOR MICROPHONE" - this is "pressed" into the plastic - they must mean it! Now, what might be a solution would be for a "Duplex" type of hotshoe accessory to power BOTH the VL-3 and the MA300. But that's another story . .. Hey, one lives and learns . . . Grazie

July 8th, 2003, 01:21 AM	#18
Scott Silverman Major Player Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Cupertino, California, USA Posts: 301	Ah Ha! I think I might have a solution, although it might be pricey. Buy the Century Optic Mattebox. It has on it a accessory shoe. Now, put your light into the Canon shoe on the camera, then mount your microphone into the accessory shoe on the mattebox. You could even use an adapter to offset the mic to the side so it doesn't interfer with the path of light. Your XLR adapter would be on the bottom of the camera. The upside to this is you get a mattebox and a very cool looking camera, the downside is the price and possibly the size (if that much size makes a differance to you). Century Optics Mattebox: http://www.centuryoptics.com/product...boxes/dvmb.htm __________________ Scott Silverman Shining Star Digital Video Productions Bay Area, CA

July 8th, 2003, 02:04 AM	#20
Scott Silverman Major Player Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Cupertino, California, USA Posts: 301	Grazie, Yeah that reply was mainly geared toward Ryan. I thought and thought, but could not think of a solution to your problem. I actually have the MA300 as well, but lucky for me I have never needed a light mounted on my camera. I love the MA300 and it looks so great on the camera when I have my ME66 mounted in the MA300! Whats the longest distance of cable you have been able to run to your MA300 without getting interferance or signal loss? Thanks! __________________ Scott Silverman Shining Star Digital Video Productions Bay Area, CA

July 7th, 2003, 06:28 PM	#16
Ryan McCrary Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: chapin sc Posts: 41	so if i use the setup said.. xlr box under, and light and mic in shoe.. can i get somethign that goes into the shoe and is a clamp to hold a mic? i dont want the canon mic, i wanna use a xlr mic, but i want a xlr box that goes underneath..

July 8th, 2003, 01:47 AM	#19
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	I suspect, your valuable reply is in reference to Ryan, rather than I, with the MA300 - yeah? If it was for me, then I'd have the extra expense of an additional XLR box - yes? Visited the website - read the PDF - found a "supplier" in West London. I'll check them out anyway. Much appreciated, Grazie

July 8th, 2003, 02:27 AM	#21
Graham Bernard Old Boot Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London UK Posts: 3,633	Scott!!!! What time is it there in Calif??? Anway, yes, I thought that was the case. And yes, the XM2 looks really cool with the set-up. But, when I wanna do short, audible interviews at a Wedding Event, in sometimes grain-making talking head environments, a bit of lift - VL3 does do it - the ambient mic can get a very confused audio signal. Length of cable? - Can't help. I do believe there was a very earlier on debate about this. - Scott do a search . . . I know this was breached sometime back though. Thanks for the "I thought and thought, but could not think of a solution to your problem. " concern . . . Good to speak with you again, Grazie