Oncamera Mic for Sony PDW-700

[Armin Siegwarth]

Most common solutions seem to be Rode NTG-1 and Sony ECM-680s.

I wanted Stereo and went with the Edirol CS-50 because it is cheaper and smaller than the too long Sony. It has selectable Width of Stereo which in the narrow position meets the wideangle of the camera. Sound quality of the Sony is better though but I thought CS-50 would be good enough.

So far so good.

Now I expierenced some trouble. First piano music was distorted. As the mic is capable of loud sounds I think the mic preamps in the XDcam are worse than earlier cameras from Sony.

Also normal ambience were recorded at low lowel. If I raise sensity in the camera menu from -50 to -40 the white noise is too much.

NTG-1 and Ecm-680s have both hot output so thats good for the preamps. But I have another issue - noise through the body of the camera from the spinning disk. Nearly not noticeable by the ear but makes oncamera mic nearly unusable.

I tested a lot with different mics (2x ntg-1, CS-50) and 3 different cameras with various intensity but always some noise from the spinning disk. (just switch from save to standby with disc inside and you hear what I mean).

One dream I had was a M/S mic ATBP4029 and postproduction could decide if they want the s channel or just the M. but first tests with a used one seem to have too much white noise on the sidechannel.

Maybe I buy the Rode SM5 and hope to get better insulation.

But which Mic do you recommend - especially with the weak mic preamps?

[Michael McQueen]

a camera guy i work with a lot has the 700 and his on camera mic is the sanken cs-1. however i've never listened to playback of it only just return to my mixer when we've been shooting b-roll.

[jason porter]

A camera mic will rarely sound good.

I have used a shotgun on a camera to get close up interviews (wide lense, maybe 24" away) or stereo f/x in loud environments (Nascar pit)

I always use the Auto setting, because I can't make adjustments as we go, obviously.

Maybe you can use a small arm to get the mic away from the camera noises.

[Armin Siegwarth]

the cammic is on auto for sure. but on the XDcam you can set base sensitivity in the menu. I was used to set and forget cammic and still thought it would catch medium quality ambience if loud enough. Now I think different.

the spinning noise is nearly not audible - its transferred through the camerabody and maybe the cable a bit as well. If I hold the mic in my hand at same position everything is fine. thats why I think of Rode SM5. Hope it holds the mic firm enough. http://www.rodemic.com/accessories/sm5

does anybody have mics in mind with very little handling noise, sensitive with a hot output? And as short as possible....

[Jon Gilbert]

Most cameramen I work with who want a better on camera solution use CS1s now, to good effect.

[VASI]

M/S? And how to change the phase on camera?

[Armin Siegwarth]

not at all. i wanted to provide the separate channels.

most of the time the m channel will be needed. But if there is great sound all around (or only a question from next to the camera) post prod. could matrix their stereo from the side channel.

I think this will not be possible due to the weak preamps in the pdw 700.

Unless my used audio technica ms mic is broken there is no sub 1000$ solution I know of that delivers separate M/S in one small mic with sufficient output.

[Jon Gilbert]

MS on a camera will just give you lens servos whirring, in stereo