Announcing: Top Handle Reference Mic Solution for EPIC, SCARLET & RED ONE

[michael zaletel]

Hey everyone,

A good friend of mine has been working this past year on a really cool solution for unique shooting situations based upon his own experiences as a RED operator on music videos, commercials and etc. The setup allows you to mount a reference shotgun mic in a solid top handle.

Can be used with EPIC, SCARLET or RED ONE.

15 units in stock at an incredible price of only $295 includes top handle, single 3" riser and mic shock-mount holder. This is solid gear.

1. The top handle has the course knurl texture of a pro weightlifting bar to guarantee you get a solid grip on your $60,000 EPIC.

2. The handle is hollow which allows you to mount a shotgun mic inside the handle to be used for reference audio directly into the camera.

3. The riser is stout enough to use a single riser but there are plenty of holes in the handle for a two-riser setup on RED or EPIC/Scarlet with the Adapter Plate.


Additional accessories (some pictured but not included)
He's also made rotating rail mounts, matching side handles, 2" risers and a quick-release LCD mount available upon request for an additional charge. (really affordable).

Email him directly for more info:
OnyxCinematic at gmail dot com

-Michael Zaletel

[KETCH ROSSi]

Now that is a cleaver idea, I Robust (Super robust in fact) Top Handle which can double as a Mic insert, with nice capacity for mounting the LCD on it too.

I like it, and it is great to see the inclusion for the Mic Absorption, a very important little thing... ;)

[Matt Gottshalk]

Nice, but the only problem with mounting a mic inside the handle is that there isn't any shock absorption for it.

[michael zaletel]

Nice, but the only problem with mounting a mic inside the handle is that there isn't any shock absorption for it.

Hi Matt,

I've attached a close-up photo of the shock-mount on the front of the handle. On the inside of the handle, nylon-tipped set screws are used to insure that there is no microphone-to-metal contact.

However, the intention of the product is not to replace 2nd system audio, it's just to provide a reference track for projects like music videos, commercials and etc. and to simplify sound-syncing in post using something like pluralize. Might also be useful for capturing ambient sound B-Roll when shooting alone.

I can tell you that if you buy one and it doesn't work for you, he has a 30-day 100% money-back guarantee.

-Michael Zaletel

[Matt Gottshalk]

Very cool, I think that this solution would great for getting good nat sound.

[Marc Wielage]

Major Problem:

A shotgun microphone is an interference tube design, meaning that it uses the holes in the sides of the microphone to control the directionality of the microphone. If you cover up the side holes by inserting the microphone into a handle like this, it will completely change the characteristics of the pickup pattern and the tonality.

This will work fine with most hypercardiods, like a Sennheiser MKH50, but not with the MKH60s, MKH70s, or MKH416's. In my opinion, it's a very, very bad idea to use a microphone as a handle.

It's kind of like having a beautiful lens shade that covers about half of the lens' active picture area. That's fine, if you don't need to see those parts of the picture. But not so good if you need to use the lens the way it was designed.

Look at the thousands and thousands of ENG cameras used for news and documentaries in the last 30 years, and you'll see actual shotgun mike mounts made for real cameras, used in wars, riots, and other difficult situations. At no time were those mikes used as handles.

[michael zaletel]

Very cool, I think that this solution would great for getting good nat sound.

Yes. It's a great solution for many situations.

Like any solution or piece of gear, it's not for every situation and you'll want to use the appropriate mic for each.

-Michael Zaletel

[Blair S. Paulsen]

Interesting clash of priorities inherent in capturing audio on camera. For the most basic of scratch audio a tiny "button" mic plugged into the mini jack is a cheap option that should allow for auto-syncing with Plural Eyes and the like. For nat sound with limited directionality (but with the potential to be usable in the final mix) and great ergonomics, the "in handle" option is very attractive. I have been mounting a short shotgun on a shock mount to a quick release on top of my top handle in a fair emulation of an ENG setup, but it gets in the way sometimes while operating/re-rigging.

Cheers - #19

[michael zaletel]

This will work fine with most hypercardiods, like a Sennheiser MKH50

Thanks Marc. That's right.

Also, I've added the picture of the mic without the windscreen to show that the handle does not cover any of the pickup ports. The mic itself is not being used as a handle, it simply floats inside a 1.5" OD 6061 grade aircraft aluminum handle with course knurling and Type-III anodized finish.

-Michael Zaletel

[Marc Wielage]

I have been mounting a short shotgun on a shock mount to a quick release on top of my top handle in a fair emulation of an ENG setup, but it gets in the way sometimes while operating/re-rigging.

Note you can solve that problem by hiring an actual soundman with a boom pole for the shoot. Just a suggestion.