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Recommended Sound recorder (dialogue) for the GH2
  • Donnie88Donnie88

    I've been awarded a $500 grant to shoot a small advert. I'm planning to use about $299 for an Edelkrone Pocket Rig - and to leave the rest for a sound recorder for the dialogue scenes.

    What sound recorder would you guys recommend for around $200 to use with the GH2?

    Cheers guys

  • 16 Replies sorted by
  • cesardeuvecesardeuve

    hi donnie88 for $200 i 'm sure that you will get a wonderful sound giving the money to a sound man with his own equipment (boom, mic adn dat)

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @cesardeuve

    Author of the topic asked specific question. Your post absoltely does not answer it, avoid such postings in the future.

  • Donnie88Donnie88

    @Vitaly_Kiselev - Thank you.

    @cesardeuve - I'm looking for something I can own and use myself for future productions with the GH2.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @Donnie88

    I also suggest you to be much more specific.

    How you indend to record dialogue?

    Do you need XLR to attach shorgun or other mikes?

    etc

  • Donnie88Donnie88

    @Vitaly_Kiselev - I will be using it for an indoor interview scene - and exterior shots outside whilst camera is tracking the subject.

    I don't have an XLR adapter or anything at the moment - so I'm wondering what people will suggest for $200.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    If you won't be placing recorder right before guys mouth you need microphone also (hyper or shorgun). So, you need recorder with XLR and phantom power. I think latest Tascam DR100 MK II is best. But not $200.

    Or you can place small recorder on the guy and use lavalier.

  • Donnie88Donnie88

    @Vitaly_Kiselev - So I need to buy an XLR adapter, a hyper or shotgun mic and phantom power?

    What if my needs was only for the interview scene - with no movement of the subjects or camera - stationary filming. Would I still need those same things?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    I do not understand that you mean under "XLR adapter".

    And yes, you need all same things.

  • weewekaweeweka

    hey donnie88. im a soundman turned docomaker, and shoot with the gh2. for $200 your going to struggle to get anything with an xlr, and if you do youl have nothing left for a shotgun mic youl need. but vitally's recommendation for a small recorder and a lavalier could be done for under $200, i have used a similar setup and it can give great results with good mic placement and level setting. check out the zoom h1 (they are £90 in the uk so i presume not much in the US, and are a great tool to have in general as they can be hotshoed onto the camera for quick fix sound recording) and a $100 microphone madness wired lavalier mic. just need to tape/clip the mic onto you subject, then clap or use syncing software and youl get good results.

  • Donnie88Donnie88

    @weeweka - Hey there. I may go for the small recorder and a lavalier then, if you suggest it would be bring great results for $200.

    I'm actually from the UK myself (London) so I've really been awarded about £318.

    So your suggestion is:

    • Zoom h1
    • Microphone wired lavalier

    Is there any chance you can link me your exact recommendations, to exactly where to purchase them that would be most suitable for a UK buyer?

    Also, if the lavalier mic is taped/clipped onto the subject, wouldn't that be seen in shot?

    Thanks Weeweka.

  • sir_danishsir_danish

    I use a Tascam DR-40 together with my GH2. It´s around 215€ and works perfect for my needs. It has two XLR inputs and some really useful features, including adjustable stereo microphones. This is what i would recommend.

  • soundgh2soundgh2

    Or hire some kit Donnie - Richmond Film services or FX Rentals etc for cheap hire of exponentially better equipment than 200 quid will buy you, you may not end up with a pokey lavalier mic and a dictaphone style recorder but you'll certainly capture better audio for your project! Mic pole and wired lav with cables etc and small pre amp or simple mixer will leave you with change for another session in the future, and a pint when you've finished ;p

  • brianlucebrianluce

    The new version of the Tascam DR100 is coming, keep a lookout for the old models, perhaps there are some good deals near that pricepoint. I haven't checked, but worth a try.

  • Chaos123xChaos123x

    Find a refurbished or used Zoom H4n.

  • cesardeuvecesardeuve

    @Donnie88 and @Vitaly_Kiselev

    sorry, just trying to give some help. if donnie88 wants to own the audio system after the shoot, this is just a diferent question. looking as his first post i feel that he is just looking for a good sound with 200$... in my opinon with this budget is very dificult to resolve a good sound for a dialogue, and it will be better to spend it on a professional guy. of course, there are some cheap posibilities,for sure. if he had wrote about spending 400-600$ probably i will tell him to buy somo decives and mics.... anyway, i love good sound, and "do it yourself" works :-D

    ps. excuse my english

  • balazerbalazer

    I'd recommend the Zoom H1 and a wired lavalier. But try to get a lavalier that has higher sensitivity, like -40 dB re 1 V/Pa or higher (less negative), since the H1 doesn't have very high gain or the cleanest preamp. A lot of pro lavalier mics have low sensitivity, so you really need to pay attention to this. And many of the lavaliers don't have the sensitivity spec published, because they are meant for use with certain wireless transmitters.

    I'd think I'd go with the Sennheiser ME 2 or ME 4. More suggestions here: http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/584/wireless-lavalier-mic/p1

    But most mics with a miniplug will work with the H1, and many mics with other plugs can be rewired to work with the H1.

    I'm also partial to the headworn mic from eBay seller 1p_bid. Here's a listing that looks identical to what I bought, though it was so long ago that I can't be sure it's the same item. It works pretty well with my H1. http://www.ebay.com/itm/SKIN-earset-ear-hook-headset-headworn-microphone-BA-/110438763827?pt=AU_Pro_Audio&hash=item19b6a9cd33

    And the Edelkrone Pocket rig... I really don't see the appeal of that thing. It's way overpriced.

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