External Microphone...

I am looking to upgrade my current microphone for video. It is a basic but does the job quite well, however the wire is damaged from storing in my camera bag, also when I use the camera through the viewfinder when the mic is attached (as I like to switch from Video to stills) it dents my head and is in the way.

Does anyone have any experiance with a good medium range sterio michrophone that is hotshoe mounted at about £100 price mark? It needs to be reasonably compact, and not extend too far back so that the OVF can still be used.

I use* a Zoom H1; this doesn't come with a hotshoe mount but it does have a 1/4" hole on the bottom and Amazon do a hotshoe to 1/4" adapter for about a fiver. I've found the combination to work well. Better than using the H1 on its own in fact as it has a cheap plastic case that creaks when handled but seems to sit on the camera without problem.

Cheers,
Paul

[*Strictly I suppose that should be "used" as I loaned the H1 to someone a while ago and the loan is becoming ever more extended... ]

Pall, looks interesting but seems to not connect to the camera, but provide a recording track that will need to be overlaid on the video track. Or have I missed something?

I dub using the recorded audio track, but there's a stereo line out socket on it so I'd guess you could connect it to the camera with a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable. I've not tried it but if I can borrow such a cable I'll give it a go and report back.

I bought a hotshoe stereo mic by Polaroid - from Amazon I think. Good value, about £40, light and it has two angle settings, 90 and 120 degrees. It comes with a soft case and a foam cover for windy conditions. Connection is straight into K7s mic input, a small 'stereo jack', and it screws tightly onto the hotshoe.

Shouldn't be hard to track it down in a search, it was the only Polaroid example I saw. So far results are very good, quite a noticable difference between it and the built in mic. The sound is almost 3d in that you can place voices around the scene, even from behind the camera. And the reduction in wind buffetting is effective also.

When playing back on the K7 I see on the display the volume icon and 'Stereo' written, which is kind of reassuring.

I will do a search for the Polaroid one and are what it looks like, thanks.

If you have a Richer Sounds nearby it might well be worth the trip

http://www.richersounds.com/storefinder

Its where I got one for 'tape' (digital actally) recording from.


Then there are a multitude of Hi-Fi shops on Tottenham Court Road (are they still there?)

regards
Bernard

For d-slr shooting, this is the best one you'll find IMHO ..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL4E897792626A15F9&feature=player_embedded&v=S...
and a soon to be released version with built in digital recorder..
http://www.rodemic.com/news/announcing-the-videomic-hd-the-worlds-first-digital-...

I use a zoom h1 and when paired with audio technica lav mics or my rode video mic the versitility and cost factor make this recorder a must have for anybody shooting on a tight budget...