Mic Suspension Mount - What Are You Using?

[Jeff Rhode]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Bland

Hi Jeff,

Very nice! Perfect in fact...... But how is the camera handling noise?

I found that using a Sennheiser MKH 416 in the camera's mic mount the handling noise was terrible!

The J-Rod mount doesn't look like it "suspends" the mic very well compaired to something like the Rode SM5
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...icrophone.html

or the

Audio Thechnica AT8415
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...rToReadReviews

where the mics are actually suspended using rubber.

Please comment on the handling noise using the J-Rod. It looks like you've found the best design so far!

After going over the site a bit more I now see that one can choose the mic suspension one wants.

You got it--The J-Rod uses a rubber band shock mount, which is sold separately (and available on the site). It is not included because many people already own a shock mount and some do not use The J-Rod for a mic, but for 2 radio receivers. The J-Rod has 2 cold shoe mounts which will accept a rubber band shock mount or radio receiver with a shoe mount on it, like the Azden . http://tinyurl.com/52qufa

There is no handling or motor noise when using The J-Rod & a shock mount, plus there is still room for a radio reciever and the camera shoe is still open for a light !

[Bob Grant]

Originally Posted by Jeff Rhode

Jonathan,

I am jumping on this a little late.

I have a product that will solve your mounting issue and will also give you a second mount for your radio receiver. I think that you will see that you can also move the microphone back 4 inches, so even a long mic like an ME66 will not be in the shot with a wide lens attached. You can also use the shock mount of your choice--I like the Azden which is available on the site too. Please take a look at www.thej-rod.com

Good solutions from Bob and Akira !

Jeff,
have you had a good look at the mic holder on the EX1 and how it attaches to the camera?
I think your J-Rod is going to cause the holder to break away very quickly, it simply is not strong enough to hold any mic other than those plastic Sony ones. Add a mic like a 416 or ME66 plus the weight of the J-Rod and sorry to say but you'll have some unhappy clients. If you hung a wireless mic receiver off there as well then it'll probably snap the first time you pan the camera.
Don't get me wrong, I like your idea and it'd be fine on the PD-170s, their mic holder is way, way stronger. The EX1 is another beast entirely.

[Jeff Rhode]

I have seen the mount Bob--if memory serves me--it's the same as the V1 with the flap of rubber between the clamp and the camera ? We have used them on the V1 long term without a problem. The weight of the J-Rod is actually less than 2 ounces !
I am sure though that the rubber could be broken with or without The J-Rod in place.

[Bob Grant]

Originally Posted by Jeff Rhode

I have seen the mount Bob--if memory serves me--it's the same as the V1 with the flap of rubber between the clamp and the camera ? We have used them on the V1 long term without a problem. The weight of the J-Rod is actually less than 2 ounces !
I am sure though that the rubber could be broken with or without The J-Rod in place.

I can't confirm how similar the mic holder on the EX1 is to the V1's immediately however I can confirm that it's very different to the Z1's holder. The total cross sectional area of plastic holding the clamp to the audio pod would be under 8mm sq or 4mm per screw. This is what breaks, not the rubber! It breaks and the whole thing, clamp, mic etc, could fall off the camera although hopefully the XLR cable will stop it falling too far. Several people here have already had this happen and without much effort. We've had it happen as well, in our case only one section of the plastic sheared where the screw goes through it. Simply putting the camera back into a bag has done it. This is with the clamp just holding a mic.

Adding another 2oz load and extending the turning moment on those very small sections of plastic is going to make the problem worse. Yes this happens without using a Rode SM5 or the J-Rod. My point is exactly that. The mic clamp is too weak to start with at the point where it attaches to the camera. What's needed is a solution that improves the situation by bypassing the Sony clamp, not adds to the problem.

[Jeff Rhode]

Wow ! If the mount is that flimsy it's unfortunate. Sony dropped the ball on that one. The Z1 was strong, but transferred handling noise. The EX is weak, but insulated.

[Dave McCallister]

It's hard to imagine why Sony would want to save less than a nickel by designing the mount's screw holes in thin strips of fragile plastic.

These strips span rectangular spaces that are just that: spaces.

Could not someone devise a way to fill the rectangular spaces with an epoxy resin that would turn them into solid blocks? Then longer screws of appropriate thread could hold the whole thing properly. You'd have to protect the screw pathways when pouring in the resin, of course. Then the thin strips could not twist and break off as has happened for so many people already.

Anybody out there want to chime in?

Dave McCallister

[Bob Grant]

Originally Posted by Dave McCallister

It's hard to imagine why Sony would want to save less than a nickel by designing the mount's screw holes in thin strips of fragile plastic.

These strips span rectangular spaces that are just that: spaces.

Could not someone devise a way to fill the rectangular spaces with an epoxy resin that would turn them into solid blocks? Then longer screws of appropriate thread could hold the whole thing properly. You'd have to protect the screw pathways when pouring in the resin, of course. Then the thin strips could not twist and break off as has happened for so many people already.

Anybody out there want to chime in?

Dave McCallister

Even if you beef up how the mount connects to the camera the circular clamp isn't that strong either. So I've replaced the whole plastic mic holder with a metal plate. Then mounted a shock mount onto the plate, problem solved if you have a regular shotgun. I've posted a link to an old thread with a photo of my mount earlier on in this thread.

Except I just got a Sanken CS-1. It needs the K-Tek K-CAM-SSM mount as it is a very short shotgun. I'll use the same plate to hold a cold shoe and mount the K-Tek mount into that. That makes it very easy to take the mic with the mount on and off the camera.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Bob Grant

Jeff,
have you had a good look at the mic holder on the EX1 and how it attaches to the camera?
I think your J-Rod is going to cause the holder to break away very quickly, it simply is not strong enough to hold any mic other than those plastic Sony ones. Add a mic like a 416 or ME66 plus the weight of the J-Rod and sorry to say but you'll have some unhappy clients. If you hung a wireless mic receiver off there as well then it'll probably snap the first time you pan the camera.
Don't get me wrong, I like your idea and it'd be fine on the PD-170s, their mic holder is way, way stronger. The EX1 is another beast entirely.

I have a J-Rod (with the Azden shockmount replaced by an SM3, which is more suitable for my short shotguns), and must say Bob is right.

However, what I do to avoid overloading the EX1's mount is... use my Senny receiver as a support! Yes, it so happens that while attached to the J-Rod, its bottom edge can lean against the XLR connectors nicely, thus relieving the flimsy mic mount of the camera - see pictures here:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost....96&postcount=9

[Sean Seah]

Sounds scary. Anyone had a broken mic holder with the ME66 so far?

[Vaughan Wood]

Yep,

Started weakening the plastic after several weeks then broke it just getting it out of the the bag.

Got a very good and cheap mic holder now.

BLACK GAFFER TAPE, luxury model, with the 2nd piece of tape across to the strap anchor, gives it a very good support!

Bob, if you have a spare clip you want to sell me, please let me know.

Cheers Vaughan

[Henry Cho]

been using the same k-tek setup for almost a decade now. works on a boom as well.

shock mount:
http://www.mklemme.com/pole/ksm.html

edit:
adapter to camera (connects to the shock mount and fits nicely into the ex1 mic clamp -- larger diameter CANON adapter fits better than the smaller sony adapter in the ex1 mount):
http://www.mklemme.com/pole/kbwc.html

[Sutton Yamanashi]

Originally Posted by Henry Cho

been using the same k-tek setup for almost a decade now. works on a boom as well.

shock mount:
http://www.mklemme.com/pole/ksm.html

adapter to camera (connects to the shock mount and fits nicely into the ex1 mic clamp -- just make sure to get the SONY model, not the larger CANON one):
http://www.mklemme.com/pole/kbws.html

Henry,
I appreciate you sharing your solution! Would you by any chance have a picture of your set up attached to the EX1 (via Sony adapter) you could post? Do you have the same concerns as others regarding the pressure on the EX1's mic clamp this solution presents?

thanks!
-sutton

[Sutton Yamanashi]

I use the Rode SM3 shockmount to hold my Sennheiser MKH418S. This is attached to my EX1 via the hotshoe mount. The problem is I am now trying to find a good portable lighting solution (the Zylight looks good...). I now am understanding the problem of having my precious shockmount unavailable.

I can see how flimsy the mic mount is just by applying a tiny bit of pressure. So, without some sort of aluminum plate (as Bob has made) that attachment space seems useless. I am not very handy and fitting a plate seems over my un-industrious head.

I am considering the j-rod and supporting it with gaffer tape or something. But I am uncomfortable knowing that the EX1 mic mount will eventually snap off.

argghh... I really appreciate you all posting your solutions as your information has already been invaluable to me. Thank you!

cheers,
-sutton

[Sean Seah]

pls keep the suggestions coming! Its not easy to find such stuff in my country. I guess I will aviod using the mic holder from day one if it is really that bad!

[Henry Cho]

as requested, here is a pic of the ktek kssm with the CANON adapter on the ex1. my at4073a is out on assignment at the moment, so i put the at4053a on the camera to illustrate the hold.

http://www.downwiththefuture.com/pictures/ex1_ktek.jpg

i completely spaced out and forgot i had the canon adapter on the shock mount (from my last camera), not the sony adapter. i have both adapters and just tried the sony, and the canon actually works out much better. there is a little too much play with the smaller diameter sony adapter, even with the mount clamped down completely tight. the larger diameter canon adapter clamps down solid with very little play. i updated my previous post to avoid any confusion.

canon adapter:
http://www.mklemme.com/pole/kbwc.html