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macmesser

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 13, 2012
921
198
Long Island, NY USA
I shoot Canon DSLR and want to get into video recording with my Canon 6D DSLR camera. I have read that Canon cameras suffer from a poor audio pre-amp. Would appreciate inputs from Canon DSLR videographers as to what on-camera mics they have found to work well. I anticipate scenarios requiring directionality, as in interviews, and also omnidirectional capability, as in covering outdoor events. In the case of interviews, Youtube, etc. I would like to keep the mic on camera and at around 8-12 feet from subject. I understand that few mics will have unidirectional and omnidirectional capability and these would tend to be expensive, so any suggestions for either capability or both capabilities would be useful. If there's a low end versatile solution that's "good enough," that would be great.
 
Almost anything will be better than the your camera's mic. Consider the Rode Video Micro or the Takstar SGC-598. But really, you're not going to get good dialog quality with a mic 8 feet away.
 
unfortunately there is no all-in-one best microphone. I think the Rode mics are the best. If you buy something quality now it will last well into the future.

Where are you videos going? Broadcast, youtube, social media?
 
I recommend to the OP the deity mic channel on Youtube. They recently had a show on which type of mic is best for which situation.
 
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Almost anything will be better than the your camera's mic. Consider the Rode Video Micro or the Takstar SGC-598. But really, you're not going to get good dialog quality with a mic 8 feet away.
Thanks for reply. I went with the Takstar 698, "big brother" to the 598 and supposed to share the latter's virtues. It has some extra features (stereo, additional adjustments) and is a lot smaller. Although around a third more expensive than the 598, it was still a budget buy at around $30.00. Beer money, and I'm on a diet. For getting my feet wet, it should be OK.
 
unfortunately there is no all-in-one best microphone. I think the Rode mics are the best. If you buy something quality now it will last well into the future.

Where are you videos going? Broadcast, youtube, social media?
Many agree with you about the Rodes and I was looking at them. I know that quality counts, especially when the success of labor intensive multi-stage work depends on it. However, I went with the Takstar 698 after I saw a guy on Youtube make a credible (to this newb) case that one can get sound as good as Rodes at 20% of the cost, which escaped me from a head-exploding comparison loop. It will take me a while to ramp up video skills so maybe for now it will be adequate.

I'd like to do a Youtube channel but I'm not sure I like their arbitrary-seeming policies.
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I recommend to the OP the deity mic channel on Youtube. They recently had a show on which type of mic is best for which situation.
I will definitely check this out. Thanks.
 
Almost anything will be better than the your camera's mic. Consider the Rode Video Micro or the Takstar SGC-598. But really, you're not going to get good dialog quality with a mic 8 feet away.
Watching reviews on Youtube, I soon came to that realization about dialog quality and distance. Maybe 4' is more like it. Possibly off camera.
 
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While Rode is good, I find it a bit shallow in tonality with the distance. Assuming lavs or a boom mic are not a possibility, take an additional audio with a good recorder, such as Zoom H4 nearer but off camera. Great backup if not satisfied with the on camera mic and sync with Plural Eyes.
 
Don’t use a shotgun mic 8-12 feet away from the subject. You’ll be really disappointed. Grab a cheap TASCAM and maybe a cheap lavaliere that plugs into the top. This way, too, you can monitor mic levels properly.
 
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