XF100 Microphone Mount

[David Chilson]

For those who want to put a shotgun mic on your XF100, this is pretty slick.

Everything I had "in stock" didn't work utilizing the Canon mic holder, the mic stuck way too far out in front of the camera. Moving the mount to the handle screw is the logical conclusion and the Rycote Invision Kit fit the bill quite nicely.

The camera is small. Outfitted with the WA adapter the XF100 is still a little shorter than the Sennheiser 416 with a right angle XLR cable and windshield. The mount is very adjustable,(more so as a shoe mount) and the kit came with a Windjammer, hot shoe extension and a few other interesting pieces. There's enough there to figure out a way to mount your wireless receiver also, I'm sure.

Here's the link and a photo

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/668031-REG/Rycote_116002_InVision_Universal_Camera_Kit.html

[Malcolm Hamilton]

Originally Posted by David Chilson

Outfitted with the WA adapter

Hi David,
This looks very nice...
Slight tangent, but can tell me re your WA adapter for the XF100: is it a Canon lens? Or what? And how wide is it? Zoom-through?
thanks,
Malcolm

[Chris Hurd]

Hi Mal, that is indeed the Canon WA adapter, the model is WD-H58W and it is a 0.7x, I'm not sure about full zoom-through so maybe David can tell us if it is.

[Robin Davies-Rollinson]

The WD-H58W lens is certainly zoom-through capable.
I bought mine some years ago for the Canon XM2 and was able to carry on using it with the Canon HFS100 since both cameras are 58mm.

[Malcolm Hamilton]

thank you both. I will check into it.
Malcolm

[David Chilson]

Actually, it's an 0.8X Canon lens and it's different than the old one I had, of course. The camera without the lens hangs in a "nose up" position and with the WA lens it hangs perfectly off your index finger. Great addition to the kit and balances the camera like it was made that way and yes it is a zoom through.

The mic is on a slight tangent on the right side, when you use the stud in the handle mounting it directly over the handle isn't possible. . It would need some kind of riser and mounting on the left obscured the LCD screen. I like this camera more every day.

[Sam Young]

An open ended question, but is the wide angle adapter really worth it? It converts the ~30mm to 24mm correct? Do you use yours all the time?

[Lou Bruno]

I purchased the wide angle and it really helps. Just be careful not to order the prior wide angle lens used in the HF series. The new wide angle for the "X" series is made for the 35mm equivalent.

[David Chilson]

Sam,

The WA never comes off the camera, for my style of shooting I need wide. On paper it doesn't seem like a big difference (30 to 24) but it’s a marked improvement. Since “on location” for me often times is a boat, it helps a lot. I leave it on the widest setting and move the camera and rarely touch the zoom rocker on the lanc controller, just start or stop. The distortion on this lens I would rate as good, just be aware of the horizon when framing.
I do lots of interviews of groups of people and wireless mics are impractical. With a wide angle it allows me to get closer making it easier to get good clean audio with a shotgun or stereo mic. These are same day edits that I post on my web site and the last thing I want to do is try and clean up bad audio after a long day. It still happens but much less frequently.
I did take the wide angle off to see how it performs on the G10 and I could see it becoming a must-have accessory of the snowboarding/skateboarding crowd. A couple of twenty something film students pronounced it sexy, and I had a hard time prying it out of their grubby little fingers. If you are interested I posted a couple pictures in the vixia section.

[Sam Young]

Thank you for your review David, I will consider it! So you do not find barrel distortion to be a huge problem at wide? That is good to know, I have a 14-24 2.8 full frame nikkor lens for my nikon dslr, I am still amazed at how low of distortion it has at 14mm.

One more question, what lens hood is that on the wide angle?

Thanks!

[David Chilson]

Sam,

The Canon lens comes with a new hood but trying to find that information on the internet was impossible. B&H where I got mine, doesn't list it as "in the box" but it was.

[Malcolm Hamilton]

Originally Posted by Lou Bruno

Just be careful not to order the prior wide angle lens used in the HF series. The new wide angle for the "X" series is made for the 35mm equivalent.

Lou or David,
Would one of you be so kind as to post a link to the correct "X" series WA lens you're both talking about?
Is it the Canon WD-H58W 0.8x Wide Converter Lens, which I found at B&H at this page:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/751265-REG/Canon_4892B001_WD_H58W_0_8x_Wide_Converter.html
Thanks very much...
Malcolm

[Sam Young]

Originally Posted by David Chilson

Sam,

The Canon lens comes with a new hood but trying to find that information on the internet was impossible. B&H where I got mine, doesn't list it as "in the box" but it was.

Once again, thank you, I wonder why the internet sites do not mention the included lens hood.

By the way, I used to live in West Henrietta when I was in middle school. My dad would take me to Webster occasionally to visit the hobby shop on the main street.

Thank you again.

[David Chilson]

Malcolm,

Yes, that is the same one I ordered.

Sam,

Small world and I think the hobby shop is still there.

[Malcolm Hamilton]

Thanks David. Now I hope people get back to your microphone mount discussion...
Malcolm