Best Lav Mic for Interview on a budget

fstopandgo

Forgive me if this post redundant as the search did not yield a thread also I am not sure if this board answers or is friendly to questions like this or if it is way more on the technical side. I have been contracted to do a time-lapse documentary last summer of a construction project in NYC and I have completed most of the filming. I need to do interviews and I am well over budget. The budget was so low I had to use my GH2 for the whole thing(not ideal). I will be recording interviews on an H4N so I need a lav/wireless system. My budget is $150. What is the best system or mics that I can get at BH under that amount.

I was looking at these: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1014097-REG/mxl_fr_366_lavalier_interview_kit.html

or maybe this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/68054-REG/Audio_Technica_W88_13_829_W88_13_829_Camera_Mountable_VHF.html

Are there any sub 150 wireless systems or lav mic kits that would work for an interview in a small room with minimal background noise?

kingmixer

For 150, I don't know if there's a wireless system worth buying. Anychance you can rent/hire-favor and use money later to buy one you won't need to replace?

zigizigi

@fstopandgo Stay away from 88W. Unless you like short coverage, noise and constant signal drop-outs.

Sangye

For interviews in a controlled environment, why not wire it directly into a recorder? If you did that, $150 could get you a pretty nice microphone. I highly recommend Oscar Sound Tech: http://www.pro-sound.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SOSCTL-40black&Store_Code=PSS&search=tl-40&offset=&filter_cat=&PowerSearch_Begin_Only=&sort=&range_low=&range_high=

fstopandgo

Thanks Kingmixer and Zigizigi, I'm going to stay away from the 88w. Sangye I agree with you about wiring directly into the recorder. What else would I need to get plug it into an H4N. Are there any other lav mics that are good under $150 that will plug into the H4N phantom power. I see the OST is well regarded and will buy one soon, but need to buy one from a store in nyc not have it shipped.

Sangye

The H4n has one 1/8th inch input, which is all you need to use the OST. You can also find female TRS to male XLR cable adapters online, which would let you run it directly into one of the XLRs on your H4n.

Here are some other good options: Countryman B3 ($185): http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/295908-REG/Countryman_B3P4FF05B_B3_Omnidirectional_Lavalier_Microphone.html Countryman EMW ($177): http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/327257-REG/Countryman_MEMWP4S05B_EMW_Omnidirectional_Lavalier_Microphone.html Shure SM93 ($140): http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/76169-REG/Shure_SM93_SM93_Micro_Lavalier_Omnidirectional.html

Lots to look at here: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ns=p_POPULARITY%7c1&ci=8535&N=4291086006&srtclk=sort

tylerknight

I would completely recommend the Rode SmartLav mic! I have used it with my iphone as a recorder and directly into my GH3 with great results. It is a bit on the noisy side but is a very constant noise which is removable with one noisereduction pass!

gameb

This is an awsome lav mic (AKG is top) that you can rather plug into a digital recorder (syncronize easily in post) or plug it into the GH2 directly, I paid 30€ for it on ebay... http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/7383/akg-c-417-l-excellent-lavalierclip-mic-works-perfectly-powered-directly-by-the-gh2#Item_1

goanna

Azden EX503 Omni-Directional Lavalier Microphone (wired)

Got mine, used, for $16. Does the job.

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