Shotgun question for sound engineers. at DVinfo.net

Luc Novovitch · January 23rd, 2011, 01:08 PM

May well be a not too smart question, but I really don't know about microphone designs.... The Sony ECM-XM1 that comes with the NX5U camera seems to me to do a decent job, but has a tendency to pick up unwanted noises coming from the lens operation and such. Looking at the microphone, there are openings between the tip and and the rear of the mike where the cable is. Question: what would happen if one would block these slots with some kind of tape or whatever? Would it just goes against the design (wave cancellation, etc...) and change the microphone's response for worse, or make a more directional microphone less prone to pick up 'side' sounds.
I know, I could try and tape mine and do some tests, but I thought that someone may have tried it before, and I could maybe save some time anf aggravation if I was told of what would happen by someone who actually tried.
L.

Don Bloom · January 23rd, 2011, 01:35 PM

Well I'm not a sound engineer but I can tell you that taping part of the mic will not do what you expect it to. It will probably degrade you sound but won't stop the mic from picking up camera noise. To do that you need to seperate the mic from the camera with a decent shock mount and not use the mic mount that is built into the camera.

Renny Hayes · January 23rd, 2011, 03:33 PM

The slots are side-rejection ports. The microphone takes in sound through those, and "subtracts" it from a more panoramic sound to gain directionality. If you tape over them, the mic will not be able to hear noise from the camera, and won't be able to cancel it out. If anything, the camera noise pickup would get worse.

Luc Novovitch · January 24th, 2011, 05:13 PM

Thanks Don and Renny for the educative answers. I ordered a shock mount, and will leave my microphone untouched.

Nick Popa · January 24th, 2011, 05:19 PM

Luc, I had the same problem. This was my solution....
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/463089-REG/Rode_SM5_SM5_Shotgun_Microphone.html

Luc Novovitch · January 24th, 2011, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Popa

Rode SM5

I hope it worked, because this is what I ordered. :-)

Nick Popa · January 24th, 2011, 06:20 PM

it is a bit bulky but it certainly get's the mic a good 5 inches away rom the lens. that combined with the mic's omnidirectionalness work's well.

January 23rd, 2011, 01:08 PM	#1
Luc Novovitch Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Far West Texas Posts: 49	Shotgun question for sound engineers. May well be a not too smart question, but I really don't know about microphone designs.... The Sony ECM-XM1 that comes with the NX5U camera seems to me to do a decent job, but has a tendency to pick up unwanted noises coming from the lens operation and such. Looking at the microphone, there are openings between the tip and and the rear of the mike where the cable is. Question: what would happen if one would block these slots with some kind of tape or whatever? Would it just goes against the design (wave cancellation, etc...) and change the microphone's response for worse, or make a more directional microphone less prone to pick up 'side' sounds. I know, I could try and tape mine and do some tests, but I thought that someone may have tried it before, and I could maybe save some time anf aggravation if I was told of what would happen by someone who actually tried. L.

January 23rd, 2011, 01:35 PM	#2
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Well I'm not a sound engineer but I can tell you that taping part of the mic will not do what you expect it to. It will probably degrade you sound but won't stop the mic from picking up camera noise. To do that you need to seperate the mic from the camera with a decent shock mount and not use the mic mount that is built into the camera. __________________ What do I know? I'm just a video-O-grafer. Don

January 23rd, 2011, 03:33 PM	#3
Renny Hayes Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 26	The slots are side-rejection ports. The microphone takes in sound through those, and "subtracts" it from a more panoramic sound to gain directionality. If you tape over them, the mic will not be able to hear noise from the camera, and won't be able to cancel it out. If anything, the camera noise pickup would get worse.

January 24th, 2011, 05:13 PM	#4
Luc Novovitch Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Far West Texas Posts: 49	Thanks Don and Renny for the educative answers. I ordered a shock mount, and will leave my microphone untouched.

January 24th, 2011, 05:19 PM	#5
Nick Popa Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Flemington, NJ Posts: 120	Luc, I had the same problem. This was my solution.... http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/463089-REG/Rode_SM5_SM5_Shotgun_Microphone.html

January 24th, 2011, 06:20 PM	#7
Nick Popa Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Flemington, NJ Posts: 120	it is a bit bulky but it certainly get's the mic a good 5 inches away rom the lens. that combined with the mic's omnidirectionalness work's well.