I suppose one of these would be in my price range that I'd be considering, for use with my GH1 (and via a hacked iRig Pre):

Rode NTG2 Condenser Shotgun Microphone, $269 http://www.amazon.com/Rode-NTG2-Condenser-Shotgun-Microphone/dp/B00093ESSI/

Rode VideoMic Pro VMP Shotgun Microphone, $229 http://www.amazon.com/Rode-VideoMic-VMP-Shotgun-Microphone/dp/B004K8WPUQ/

Rode Videomic Shotgun Microphone with Rycote Lyre Mount, $149 http://www.amazon.com/Rode-Videomic-Shotgun-Microphone-Rycote/dp/B00CAE8PM4/

Rode VMGO Video Mic GO Lightweight On-Camera Microphone Super-Cardio, $99 http://www.amazon.com/Rode-VMGO-Lightweight-Microphone-Super-Cardio/dp/B00GQDORA4

What would be the pros and cons of each of these options? Sound knowledge is a big big weakness of mine, so I'm open to all & any advice :-)

I used this system for a lecture that was given in my area for sound support. I put the transmitter on the lecturer and the introducer and the receiver on the speaker system. I had the system on for over 2 hours with no drop outs and very clear sound. The lecturer was able to mute himself until the time he was ready to lecture and the introducer muted themselves after the introduction.

This new digital dual transmitter wireless mic system from Boya is well built with rugged aluminum construction. The system used dual channels that automatically scans channels to pair the transmitter to the receiver when turned on. It uses the transmission method of TDMA. What we get is very clear voice with a high signal to noise ratio.

The use these units, take them out of the nice case that is provided. Put 2 AA batteries in each transmitter. Open the transmitter by using two fingers to push locking release on the battery compartment and it slides open and comes out. The symbols for the direction of the batteries. Close it back up by sliding it back in and clicking. The transmitter is small and weighs 159 grams with batteries. (111 grams without)

Clip the lavaliere mic on your talent and plug it in to the locking connector on the transmitter by turning the ring on the 3.5mm mic cable, clockwise to lock. Do the same for the second transmitter. The mics have small windscreens provided for out door use.

Put two batteries into the receiver which has a cold shoe for mounting on a camera. It has a 1/2 inch hole for mounting on a tripod. To do this, push the back of the receiver up at the arrow and the cover slides open. The AA batteries are the installed in the direction indicated on the battery compartment. Slide the cover back on until it stops and clicks. It weighs 128 grams with batteries. (80 grams without)

The next thing you need to do to be ready to use these units is plug in the proper cable to the receiver. The system comes with two cables, on with a male XLR plug and one with a 3.5 plug on it. On the other end that connects to the receiver is a Mini TA3F XLR connector. Plug the right cable in and the other end into the mixer, PA system, camera or recorder.

Because of the automatic pairing all you do is turn it on. The units tell you that the system is paired with blue lights on the units and on the easy to read LCD display on the transmitters. The transmitters have a big Red Power button on the left side of the unit. Push it in and the transmitter powers on. The LCD lights up and the pairing light turns red. The LCD indicates the battery level and signal strength. It show Tx when not paired. Do the same for the other transmitter.

Turn on the Power switch on the right side of the receiver by pushing it up and the power indicator light turns red. When the unit automatically pair the power turns off and the blue pair light comes on the receiver and the transmitters.

Now you are ready to go. The two transmitters are on the same channel so two people can talk and it will be heard on the audio channel you plug into. The only way not to hear one of the people is to mute that transmitter by pushing the /Pair/Mute switch on it or turn it off.

After the lecture all I had to do is hold for two seconds the Red Power button on the transmitter to power them off. To power off the receiver, slide the power switch down.

If the units don’t pair there is a Pair button on each of the units all you do is push them to repair them.

This Boya BY-TM7 is very easy to use and provides good, clear, reliable sound without much fuss.

• Bird feeder (£3) - to make the frame. Length 33cm. Diameter 6cm (the cage is metal, but not too robust. I might replace it with a much tougher mesh from one of those metal mesh bins http://www.ebay.com/itm/190683027361)
• 2 round tea strainers (£3) for the FRONT and BACK end caps
• 2 plastic jars with diameter 6cm (£2) - I will cut off the caps so as to make both end caps of the blimp to easily screw onto the frame
• 300mmX200mm of Ultra fine mesh (£4) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fine-Stainless-Steel-wire-mesh-Insect-Reptile-Vent-Vivarium-/110876648077?_trksid=p3984.m185&_trkparms=algo%3DRIC.CFNPRP%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUA%26otn%3D5%26pmod%3D110876648077%26ps%3D63#ht_500wt_1077 This will be used predominantly at the front of the construction. Fine mesh will go inside the frame. It will be last layer that the wind will travel through, and hopefully by then it will be completely broken. I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE IF THIS FINE MESH WILL AFFECT THE SOUND TRANSPARENCY. I really need your advice here. PLEASE HELP!
• Micro fiber cloth OR nylon stockings (£1) - this will go inside the birdfeeder, after the fine mesh
• 6 Rubber bands (£0) - to hold the mic inside the bird feeder in X pattern
• 2 fluffy faux-fur lady's ankle warmers (£5) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300698800758 hopefully these are good, thick and tight enough fake fur to block most of the wind. I will just saw the ends of these fluffies together, to make them into "bags". They are 40cm long, so should hold the entire blip pretty nicely. If you can find any better material on eBay please post a link.

So what do you think? Will it work?

I'm especially concerned with a small (6cm) diameter of the birdfeeder, but I hope that adding the fine mesh should supplement that like in this video

Or am I wrong?

If one looks at the design, and specs they are almost identical, (I am assuming that the BOYA is heavily inspired by AT).

Does anyone have any experience with either unit? I haven't been able to find any discussion on-line regarding these two extremely similar units.

BOYA SPECS:

Audio Technica SPECS:

LINKS:

http://www.boya-mic.com/lavaliermicrophones/741.html

https://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wired_mics/697235da7c34d03d/index.html

I thought I'd share the results as a good lavalier is essential for any solo dslr shooter and produces much better quality than an onboard shotgun and it's really hard to tell what's better from youtube tests given their crappy compressed audio.

First, a general note -- the RODEs, tram and saken all completely spanked the me-2, which should not be a surprise, though it was surprising just how much better they sounded. The ME-2 was just soo thin sounding. So, knowing I was going to walk out of there with a new lav of some sort, I started comparing them, side by side, in different sound environments for the next two hours (all tests were done with a sound devices mixer and sony studio headphones). Here are the results:

BEST SOUND QUALITY

Sanken COS11 -- no suprise, it's the most expensive as well. There's a reason it is used by high end documentaries and most television and film. But is it good for a solo DSLR shooter? If time and money are no issue, then yes, but if they are, here are a few drawbacks:

• Higher Handling Noise. It takes careful mounting to conceal this lav and tape down the wire since both the microphone and the wire are very sensitive to handling noise. If you got the time, or you are mainly doing sit-down interviews, you'll be rewarded, but if you need a lav (as I mainly do) for filming moving subjects solo, it may not be the best choice.

• Costly aftermarket adaptors. Okay, not that costly, but you're looking at $30 - $50 to modify it for use with a g3, and another $140 if you want to then plug that into an xlr for sit-down interviews.

INTERESTING, BUT NOT PERFECT

RODE Pin Mic -- recently released from RODE this mic is meant to be hidden in plain sight (the capsule pins through clothing. I could see this being very useful for event shooters and live broadcast, particularly if you didn't want to spend a lot of time mounting it. But the sound quality, while better than the me-2, felt a little lacking at the low end, and the fact that the mic faces out (even though it's an omni) did seem to mean a little more of the room was picked up. If you do a lot of weddings and other events though, you might want to consider it. About $250.

AN OLD STANDBY

Which led to the TRAM TR50, the flat, small lav that many of you will recognize from your sound recordists bag if you haven't already used (or owned) yourself. Easy to conceal and sounded much better than the pin mic. Far less handing noise than the COS11, and cheaper too ($250) although requires the same modifications and adaptors to use with G3 as the COS11. The downside was it came in pretty quiet -- even at 0b from the transmitter you still had to crank up the mixer more than 3/4 of the way to get have the audio peak in the the 0 - +6 db range and that added a small but noticeable bit of noise. So you could record it lower and let post deal with it if you need to crank it later, but that's a little complicated. Which led to:

THE EVENTUAL WINNER

(For me at least) The RODE lavalier. Also $250. Rich, full sound -- not quite as good as the COS11, but about the same size (which is to say quite small) and far more impervious to handling noise -- put it on my undershirt and moved around a bit and even without moleskin had no noise off the overshirt (which was soft cotton, granted, but still, not bad for a very quick and dirty mounting job). Best of all, only required a $30 G3 adaptor and a $50 XLR adaptor, so ended up saving me $150 over the tram and nearly $300 over the COS11. And bizarrely for a lav at least, comes with a five year warranty.

So there you have it. As always, I'd encourage you to try to test out these options in person and pick the combination that is right for how you use it most (and realize that ultimately, many people have at least two different kinds of lavs in their bag because there is no perfect choice). But if you, like me, were frustrated by the lack of controls (eg different receivers) and compression found on most internet tests, hopefully this feedback helps in narrowing down your decision. Sorry, no audio to post -- I really should have recorded it all -- but I will post a me-2 v. RODE comparison when I get a moment to pull it off.

I have already MXL FR-300 but I'm pretty disappointed with it. When I boost gain enough so that I can pick sounds with high sensitivity from 1,5m - 2m, there is a lot self-noise in the signal.

To ensure that there wasn't problem with e.g. my cables, I did another test with Electro-Voice RE50 and there was absolutely zero noise. I know this is different mic since it's dynamic but atleast it proves that the connections are not the reason.

At http://www.dvcreators.net/shotgun-shootout/ there is good comparison between shotgun microphones. It seems that there is really big differences between mic self-noises. E.g. AUDIO TECHNICA AT897 has pretty loud noise, I'd say that sound clip is unusable. But e.g. SENNHEISER MKH-416 has virtually no noise at all and the tone in her voice is excellent.

I don't understand why anyone would buy e.g. AUDIO TECHNICA AT897 ? Is that much self-noise really acceptable to someone?

Anyway I'd like to get some recommendations about shotgun microphones. Based on the test above MKH-416 is a winner for me but that test doesn't cover everything. Requirements:

• Low self-noise
• Can pick sound from 1,5 - 2m away
• Good tone
• Price range <1000$

Anyone had the same problem?

http://soundsharkaudio.com

Specs:

• Stereo X/Y condenser microphone
• 80Hz low cut
• Integrated shock mount
• Durable cast aluminum alloy body
• Back-electret condenser microphone
• Frequency response - 35 to 20,000Hz
• Sensitivity -42dB ±3dB, 0dB=1V/Pa, 1kHz
• Signal-to-noise ratio - 75dB
• Power - 3V battery
• 115 x 45 x 55mm
• 72g
• Price - about $100 shipped

Available at:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Boya-BY-VM100S-Stereo-Video-Mic-for-DV-DSLR/1015975900.html

• 1.0" LCD display screen
• Operating Frequency: 2.4~2.483GHz
• Battery display, Lock display, mode display, Autoscan manual, channel display and Mic plus
• RF output power: 50mW
• Apply to multiple channel operation or long distance transmission
• Powered by 1 x 3.7V / 710mAh lithium battery (Transmitter and receiver)

Price: $177.10

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/1-0-lcd-2-4ghz-50mw-stereo-wireless-microphone-system-transmitter-receiver-set-for-camera-122179

I didn't have much time to check out the gh4 so far, a lot of work hinders me, going too far into research for each little thing myself, that's why I hoped I could get a little support from you hear. Mostly I'll record video and sound on myself at the same time, not sure if I'll have an assistant from time to time. My idea until now is to record in 4k, maybe in 24fps should be alright I guess. The shooting will be for a 5 video monitor/large flat screen panels installation.

My equipment so far: GH4 with kit lens 12-35mm

• Voigtlander Nocton 17.5mm 0.95f with UV and ND filters
• Voigtlander Nocton 42.5mm 0.95f with UV and ND filters
• One SD card SanDisk Extreme Pro 32GB 280 MB/s (I'll have another one like that)
• only one battery so far
• trolley case

I'll definitely need a second battery or the battery grip, is it a good thing to have?

• Sound Recording device
• Microphone (one or two? maybe too much to handle!)

• Wind jammer (boom?)

• Any experiences with 'Rycote Zoom H5 Audio Kit' or 'Tascam DR-60DmkII 4-Channel Portable Recorder with Rode NTG2 Condenser Shotgun Mic Kit'?

• Tripod mainly to use as proper stand in any condition, not sure if I'll need a very heavy one for doing pans?

• Rig / steady cam? I actually would prefer shooting with a rig/steady cam to make pans with a heavy tripod. Follow focus! Which one?

• A super-portable extra light like dedo light!

• SSD discs for backups?

• A Mattebox?

And everything should be of proper quality, lightweight one-person-solutions, possible to get through the airports O.K..

Thanks, I appreciate your hints, ideas, experiences and comments ! kolinko

I video presentations for Reading Geek, who have recently moved to a very noisy venue, hence the test.

After some reasearch I found out I am not alone. H4n seems to have a cheap PreAmp and NTG-2 low recording level too. At the moment my bugdet is low too so what would be best to improve the situation? Buy a new affordable mic? A preamp like Rode D Power Plug or TritonAudio FatHead? It should be a portable, battery powered and able to be handled easily by one person (the one with the boom)

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Thanks

1) Two MXL FR-300 shotgun mics: Very good mics with hot signal and low noise floor. Super cardioid pattern, phantom power and XLR connector.

Technical specifications:

• Capsule Size: 14mm
• Length: 10"
• Frequency Response: 50Hz-18kHz
• Sensitivity: 45mV/Pa
• Impedance: 100ohms
• Max SPL: 123db
• Signal to Noise Ratio: 75dB
• Operating Voltage: 9-52V

Nearly mint condition, windscreen and original box. Asking 100 EUR per mic + shipping.

2) One dual V-mount charger: Good and fast charger for V-mount Li-Ion batteries. It can charge two V-mount Li-Ion batteries simultaneously with up to 3A (an empty 90Wh battery takes about 2 hours). The intelligent charging electronics chooses automatically between constant voltage or constant current mode to charge every battery optimally. The state of every battery is indicated individually (charging: red LED, finished: green LED).

Due to its compact form factor, its low weight and the handy handle, it is well suited for mobile operation. Its fold-out foot keeps it steady. Additionally it can be used as a DC power supply. Up to 60W are provided via a XLR 4-pin socket on the backside for video lights, camcorders,...

Technical specifications:

• Interface: Sony V-mount
• Input: AC 90-240V, 47-63Hz
• Plug: "rubber connector"
• Switch: charge/off/DC-output
• Output(charging): 16,8V, 3A
• Output(DC-output): 15V, 4A
• Socket: XLR-4-pin
• Temperature: -10°C - +40°C
• Dimensions: 140(L) x 100(B) x 240(H) mm
• Weight: 950g

Only selling it because I got a 4 channel charger;-) Nearly mint condition, power cord included. Asking 130 EUR + shipping.

All items are located in Germany - will ship world wide.

Any questions -> please ask.

http://www.seelectronics.com/promic-laser

Price wise (I understand this can soak up all I am willing to throw at it) I have been looking at the Earthworks qtc40/50 Mics but would prefer to spend a bit less (around £500/$800) for the mic especially if I need a new recorder.. I have also been researching portable dat recorders which seem to have a good frequency response, but not sure if old tech is a good option? Analog tone?

It would also be nice if I could use the sound kit with the GH4 too..

If I need a new recorder and mic I'd like to keep it around £1200 - £1500 ($2000-$2500) for both.. It would be great to get some input from others as over six months of research has still left me confused about the right kit to go for to get the best quality on a budget, thanks :)

Matt

So with all those difficulties, how would you mic this scene. I have a recorder and a lav mic, but can buy or rent more recorders and mics (boom, lav, or whatever type is needed), basically whatever is needed, I'll get. So what do you recommend?

Big advantage is very sturdy construction and battery providing power (as most HDSLRs do not provide power for electret mikes).

Very good for the price.

Check additional details and price.

The mic sports the required 3.5mm jack cable, mic holder,cable holder, lock ring, tripod/hot shoe mount, mini plug 2m cable extender, windjammer and case. Its very easy to put together and you'll be up and shooting within minutes. After mounting and plugging in the 3.5mm jack the unit is powered once you switch on the GH3.

Use the audio mic menus on the GH3 to switch between the following setups:-

• [Shotgun] Allows recording from one direction by shutting out background and surrounding noise.

• [Stereo] Allows normal stereo recording over a wide area.

The windjammer can be fitted to the MS2 to knock out unwanted wind noise and very effective it is too. You can further reduce noise by selecting [Wind Cut] on the GH3. Mount the microphone either on top of the camera with the supplied hot shoe (which Panasonic believe is designed to sit at the best height for run and gun! - around 2 inches off the top of camera) or use the extension cable and mount it to a tripod of its own.

Be careful not to use the the GH3's in-built flash when the mic is attached to the top of the camera - don't want any nasty surprises!

Please find attached images of the mic and the response charts to the GH3 in-built settings.

Summary: A very capable little condenser mic that is pretty accurate in both shotgun mode - knocking out surrounding sounds in the stereo field whilst concentrating on the cameras direct line of sight. Its also offers a much better recording of the full stereo field in Stereo mode against the internal mic of the GH3. But let you be the judge - watch a test video on vimeo here (pretty much most of the sound is unedited straight from the MS2);-

The only drawback is probably price - for the same amount (£280 in the UK) - one can buy a Zoom or second hand Rode etc...

Price: $2.22 or more

Specifications:

• Frequency Range : 30Hz~15000Hz
• Impedance : 2.2K Ohm.
• Sensitivity : -52dB±5dB.
• Plugging : 3.5mm.
• Length of cable: 2m.

Normal sound quality and sturdy construction.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380555926825

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hands-Free-Clip-On-Mini-Lapel-Microphone-Plug-for-PC-Laptop-Notebook-AES16-/330710500935

Specs

• Battery powered with 3.5mm plug
• Includes shock mount and fur wind protection
• Dynamic Range 114dB
• SPL 134dB
• THD ≤0.5%
• Sensitivity -30±2dB
• Signal to Noise Ratio 74dB
• Battery Life ≥200h
• Weight without battery is 90g
• $119 MAP

Via: http://www.aputure.com/V-Mic-en.html