Also, my doc stuff is multi-field (indoor, outdoor) fly on the wall style 95% of the time so I really like the idea of having mixing options between the lavs, stereo and shotgun.

Small recorders with lavs work, but...

Ideally you want as few fail points as you can, and separate lavs without monitoring are BIG possible issue.

I suggest to get Tascam DR-680 (so you will have enough inputs almost always) or Tascam 70D (if you are only one guy and absolutely sure that it will be enough). Remember, you can buy cheap in US, ship to Shipito and ask to make cusom declaration :-).

As for wireless system, ideally I suggest latest Sony UWP-D sets. But Rode also coming with cheaper option - http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/12219/rodelink-digital-wireless-audio-system#Item_15

Cheapest digital one is - http://www.ebay.com/itm/BOYA-2-4GHZ-Wireless-Lavalier-Microphone-BY-WM5-for-Canon-5D-III-60D-70D-LF479-/201264072150?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2edc4605d6 , but it is not really top quality. But you can test one.

Some people also adapt Line 6 digital systems.

Hi @Vitaly_Kiselev

The options I mentioned give me a total spend of about £580 or less (including x2 lavs, x2 Dr-05, and whatever field recorder/shotgun combo I get)

While the AT unit looks nice, and affordable, ~$490 (incl postage and VAT on that auction's description) is about ~£320 for that kit alone. I would need to get a second transmitter for another $150 +postage and VAT.

I don't know what currency area you are in (tempted to say Russia but you never know these days) but the stronger dollar and the 20% VAT (and sometimes duty on top) when importing something from the US doesn't make any or much difference. I quoted Tascam 70D in the UK for £216 and it is $300 in the US...

The lav combo I came up is JK MicJ 044 hooked to DR-05. That's about £85-90 per set. I understand I won't be monitoring them and that can be a failing point but I don't have the budget to go for good wireless and a mixer/recorder (which also means I need to bag that extra weight and I want to keep as easily mobile as possible)

By looking at the 70D, I won't be using all channels, though. I actually just thought of that unit because of the quality pre-amps (which apparently are better than 60DmkII) for the AT875r AND the built-in mics for stereo ambience...but they are not so "stereo"...

So, I need to make the most of what I can have and be as mobile as possible, hence the options I listed.

Thanks for the advise, though. Really appreciate it.

But I can't lav everyone, and I don't need to...hence the shotgun+field recorder. I'm shadowing one person and most of the doc is about this individual, but he has a signifcant other so that takes the second lav. For friends and work, I'll just shotgun+field record whilst keeping the lav on the first person.

I know about the chinese lavaliers, hence why I got two JK MicJ 044. I heard them through a few tests here:

The H1 has more self noise than the Tascam 05, hence why I'm going in that direction as well. Used recorders are not TOO different in price to new recorders, at least in the UK, and I mentioned, US importing doesn't help much either (had a look at ebay.com) and actually, with a weak Euro, some other EU ebays work out similar to US prices.

An intermediary doesn't help much (I have a uncle in the US I usually ask for him to send me stuff here) because UK customs can get really painful (I tried a few times in the past and my stuff didn't pass through well) Again, I don't know where you live now but importing is not as advantageous, especially with a strong dollar. For $350 (Dr 680 used on ebay) + around $40 and 20% VAT when it lands, it ends up being around $468, or £309. They sell for around £300-320 in the EU and UK already if you find a used one.

The AT wireless will be something I can consider in the future, but not now. I have known documentaries aired on the BBC and Channel 4 that often use a mix of shotgun and 2-3 lavs, because it depends on the story you are working on. It's doable and I am not doing a story that depends on many people being in the same place at once or whether I need accurate dialogue from all of them. The important dialogue is from 1 -2 at the same time and sometimes a few people around these 2 -lav'ed people.

No disrespect to your input, just that I need to make this work for an already streched out budget. Worth noting too is that I wouldn't want to carry a mixer/recorder on a bag... I need to be as inconspicous as possible.

It's OK. I get your point.

What I am looking for here is someone with some experience with similar set ups or the gear I mention so I can have just a bit more guidance on the capture and the post workflow. I ran a set of lavs today and they are good. The Mic J 044 actually captures quite a bit of ambience sounds as well, so I can see it helping with the overal feel of the scene too.

I need to test it with RF interference and see where it could fail on its own.

Cheers,

Something cheap (if you just use cheap used iPhone 4)

Android thing - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shenyaocn.android.WirelessMIC

I think your workaround for the lack of wireless is clever - remains to be seen how much handling noise the Dr-05's will reject. As for the rest of it, I can't help but think you're over complicating a bit. I get the time honoured wireless mic on one track, and boom sound on another from most pro sound recordists and that's usually enough, coupled with some separate atomos tracks. Too many options slows post production down..