Small camera=Small mic?

[james Mallon]

I am thinking of getting either the fixed or interchangable Scarlett. Both are small cameras particularly if I get the Interchangable. I want to make a documentary and need mics with good sound but also small form. I thought about the MKE 400 and UEM-88 both very small mics but i wonder if they are up to any professional sound.

Do people have other suggestions for a small form but pro sounding mic. I aim to do most of interviews with a wired lav mic so mainly I need to get spoken voices from about 1-3 metres inside and outside as cleanly as possible. I plan to build up layers a lot of foley seperately to build a more fuller 'move sound'. So isolating voices from background is my primary concern.

Q = What mic do people suggest and do I need to get a mic for outside and one for inside? and if I only buy one mic which one? Must be smallish as possible. though willing to pay for quality. Lots of questions, Sorry.

 

[Martin Weiss]

Basically, if you want pro sound, you need to move your mike away from the camera and get a sound recordist. On camera mike can usually only be used for guide track or to fill in some gaps.

 

[james Mallon]

With respect thats not helpful and will stop anyone posting helpful input. There is a time and a place for an onboard mic with documentary filmaking especially a one man documentary filmaker. Like I said most of the dialogue I will use a wired lav. But you need to capture voices/sounds in the field and a metre or so away a good shotgun can record what you need if the cameras pointing at it.

Please consider the original question. Cause its the classic, post on audio thread and someone says you have to have the mic off the camera and post anything about the image anywhere else and someone will tell you its all about the story. My point is I know, I know..

 

[Martin Weiss]

OK, point taken. (In my defense, I don't know you, and don't know what you know. And there are cases of people posting very basic questions here. But apologies.)

As an ENG mike I use and can recommend the Sennheiser ME-66, not the smallest, but it will record quite directionally where you are pointing the camera.

If you shoot outdoor, you'd also need a blimp. I use the one from Rycote, which is good for its price.

Hope this helps a bit more.

 

[james Mallon]

No problem, Sorry if I sounded uptight about it but I have had a lot of audio questions on other forums knocked back with the same thing. I am ultimately an amateur in terms of sound and I have seen enough videos to know people are stupid enough to produce good looking visuals with poor sound. Actually I will use a wired lav/Controlled situation for interviews and mic appropriately. Actually i am inspired by documenatry makers such as James Longley who puts a lot of effort in audio layering multiple tracks of foley etc.

So what are quality small form mics, I would be willing to invest in something great if one Mic can be an allrounder for me. Even a schoep if It can be small, but would rather have a cheaper option and as small as possible (or at least short). I also heard you ideally need two different types of shotgun mic for outside and inside is that correct or can I get away with one good alrounder shotgun?

 

[Scott Crawley]

Do you NEED one for indoors and one for out? IMO no; need is relative just like capsule size is relative. Longer capsules typically give you better off axis rejection and are therefore better (more directional) over longer distances. Some will come with two capsules, or the option to buy a second, so that you don't need to purchase a seperate mic.

The 66 is a good all-round recommendation.

 

[Rob Castiglione]

I would stay clear of the ME 66 which is a pretty strident microphone. Try a Rode NTG-1 which is cheap and very good or their high end mic which sounds just like a Senn 416 and is about $600 AUD. Another really good mic is the Sanken CS-1.